Both kids and adults dug into the dirt at Milford Elementary School’s groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday, Aug. 27. In front from left are Elliese Hartter, Avery Hanie, Charlotte Rice, Amelia Griepentrog, Avannah Price and Lorian Ferguson. In back are Andy Cripe, Dr. Steven Troyer, Steven Baut, Mike Wilson, Neil Likens and Don Bokhart.

Text and Photos
By Lilli Dwyer
InkFreeNews

MILFORD — Milford Elementary School students donned their hardhats to break ground on construction of a new building Tuesday morning, Aug. 27.

According to Wawasee Schools Superintendent Dr. Steven Troyer, the estimated total cost of construction is $34.1 million. The new school building is a three-section building, meaning there will be space for three classes at every grade level from kindergarten through fifth grade, plus two pre-K classes.

Construction is set to begin “in the next week or two,” said Troyer. The new school building, located just across the parking lot from the old one, with an entrance on Elm Street, will be open for the 2026-2027 school year. Demolition of the old building will begin after the school opens, in late summer or early fall of 2026. The space left by the old building will be turned into additional parking, drop-off space and a grassy area. The current circle drive and playground will stay intact.

Before the groundbreaking, Troyer, principal Michael Casey and Milford Town Council president Doug Ruch addressed the crowd.

“From the state of the art classrooms to spaces for collaborative learning and outdoor exploration, Milford Elementary will be a place where the spirit of education flourishes, where curiosity is encouraged and where every child can proudly say, ‘I am a Warrior,'” Troyer stated.

“We’re not just creating a school,” Casey said. “We’re creating a place where dreams will be nurtured, where ideas will take flight, and where the next generation of leaders, thinkers and doers will be shaped. … The Warrior spirit will live on in every student who walks through these doors.”

Ruch gave a brief speech voicing the town of Milford’s support for the new building and the people behind the project. “Anybody can buy bricks, anybody can move dirt, anybody can do anything. But it’s the motivation behind the people that builds the future,” he said.

Casey also addressed changes to the school’s parking situation while construction goes on.

“You’re gonna lose some parking here, maybe 15 or 20 spaces,” he said. For past school events, the school has directed parking towards the Apostolic Church parking lot. There are tentative plans to have a shuttle between Milford School and the Apostolic Church parking lot during big events like the school’s annual concerts, though they are not yet set in stone.

“Tentative parking over there, but we’re trying to shuttle people over that would need the assistance,” Casey explained.