Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

Howell’s Northwest Elementary is officially one step closer to having a new home.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the school was held Tuesday afternoon, and opened with second graders singing. They will be the first fifth grade class to attend the school when it opens in the fall of 2027.

Both Northwest and Southwest were built in the 1950s, and Superintendent Erin MacGregor said it was time to update both schools.

Northwest is the first big project funded by the 2023 millage. The Howell Public Schools Board of Education approved a bid of nearly $18 million during a March meeting.

King Scott, the architecture firm that designed both schools, said both schools will feature more natural light than the current buildings, along with outdoor learning spaces and more areas for teachers to collaborate.

The new school will sit next to the current building, with plans to ultimately raze the old one.

A link to follow the progress of the construction project can be found at the link below.