By Fox23.com News Staff
BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Children at Aspen Creek Elementary School were able to participate in a beam signing event as construction on the addition to their school reaches its next step.
“We’re doing a beam signing today so the children can sign their names on one of the structural steel beams that’ll be included in the addition to the building that’s going over here on the east side,” said Mike Leitch, the Director of Construction Services for Broken Arrow Public Schools. “…The kids sign their name on the beam and then the beam will be taken outside and the steel erectors will put it into place in the building. Their names are in permanent marker on that beam and it’ll be there forever.”
Leitch said the kids were excited to leave their mark on a small part of the school.
“Oh, the kids love it. They love being able to be a part of the construction project. They’ve seen it going on, digging a hole in the ground and filling it up and pouring the concrete slab. Now they see the steel erection has started. They get to touch a piece of the building before it goes into place and get to put their names on it and they really feel some ownership.”
Similar beam signings were previously held at Rosewood Elementary School and Highland Park Elementary School.
Leitch explained that all of this construction is possible due to a bond passed by Broken Arrow’s citizens.
“This is part of the 2015 bond and it was originally supposed to be elementary [school] number 17. We took a revote out in 2023 to be able to split those bond funds up to add to other elementary schools. We really get a lot more bang for our buck that way…The cost of this is about three and a half million dollars and it will add five classrooms to this building, so we can help manage district growth in the future and also to keep class sizes small.”
Another beam signing is scheduled for Creekwood Elementary School on Wednesday.
