Longfellow Elementary School to open week later than planned

Longfellow Elementary School students will start school a week later than planned.

The first day of school will be Sept. 9. All other schools in Idaho Falls School District 91 will start as planned.

The reason for Longfellow’s delay is construction. Crews are still finishing work around the new school building.

“While the new school is finished and teachers have started moving into their new classrooms, construction crews are still working on the parking lots, driveways and playground areas around the new school,” the district said in a statement Wednesday. “Idaho Falls School District 91 appreciates Bateman-Hall’s efforts to complete the project as quickly as possible. As the district’s construction manager, Bateman-Hall has asked the site contractor, Knife River, to add additional crews and workdays to ensure there are no additional delays.”

Longfellow Elementary School is being built with money from the $53 million bond patrons approved in 2012 to upgrade schools. Other projects included the construction of new Dora Erickson, Ethel Boyes and Edgemont elementary school buildings, as well as renovations to Idaho Falls High School, Compass Academy and Theresa Bunker Elementary School.