Mount Vernon Community School Corp held a ribbon-cutting at Fortville Elementary School in Fortville on the district's recent completion of the new building, which officials said was finished on schedule and within budget without increasing the district's tax debt rate.

District leaders and partners said the new K-4 building emphasizes student safety, flexible learning spaces, mental health supports and sustainability. Principal Vince Edwards said the school is designed to foster belonging and collaboration and that a time capsule placed now will be opened in 2038 when the incoming kindergarten class graduates.

The project was presented as a community-driven effort that began during the 2019-2020 school year, when the district collected input from more than 300 community members to guide long-term enrollment and facility planning. As part of the district's plan, Mount Vernon will operate three elementary schools (one K-4), an intermediate school for grades 5-6, a middle school for grades 7-8 and a high school for grades 9-12 to accommodate growth over the coming years.

Speakers emphasized specific design priorities. Mark Beebe, principal architect at Ratio, said the design intentionally balances access control and supervision with features that promote student identity and mental health, including grade-level "houses" and color-coded wayfinding. "We were balancing the highest levels of supervision and access control at the same time incorporating a sense for belonging," Beebe said.

Dr. Vince Edwards, the Fortville principal, described the time capsule's contents, which he said will include student pictures, a yearbook, student artwork, thumbprinted house mascots and staff reflections. "We plan to have this open when next year's kindergarten class...graduates in 2038," Edwards said.

Officials credited many partners for the delivery. Jim Golley, project executive for AECOM Hunt, reviewed construction milestones including foundation work, topping out and making the building "dry," and said the project moved into a punch-list phase while remaining on track for the start of school. Golley also said contractors logged roughly 200 to 250 man-hours on the project without a lost-time recordable. John Bryant and Matt Mason of Veritas were singled out as the owner's representatives who attended regular meetings.

Board President Shannon Walls called the facility a demonstration of fiscal responsibility and thanked the design and construction teams. "We're proud to say that this facility was completed on time and within budget," Walls said, adding that the district sought to steward taxpayer dollars "with care and transparency."

Officials invited staff and community members to self-guided tours later the same day; staff tours were scheduled from 3 to 5 p.m. and community tours from 5 to 7 p.m. Speakers noted some finishing work remained outside and in secondary spaces as the team completed the punch list.

The ribbon-cutting was ceremonial and did not include any formal board votes or policy actions. District and construction officials said the building will open for classes under the district's planned grade configuration and that finishing touches will continue through the weeks before school starts.

Visitors were directed to use gym-adjacent restrooms and to expect some areas to remain closed to ease supervision during the initial tours. The district did not provide a dollar amount for the project or a specific funding breakdown during remarks, and officials noted only that tax rates were not raised as part of the financing.

Ending: The ceremony closed with a traditional ribbon-cutting and a public invitation to tour the new facility; district officials said the building's design aims to support safety, mental health and flexible, future-focused learning while maintaining fiscal restraint. The time capsule and the district's reconfigured grade plan were presented as elements intended to tie the new building to long-term community planning.