HOPE — The smallest of Bartholomew County’s school corporations is introducing itself on State Road 9 in a very big way.
A new, nearly 18-foot sign outside the Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp. building is sure to get the attention of motorists in Hope and students who head back to school on Tuesday.
The sign features a gray jet flying out of a large message board reading daily announcements from the corporation’s two schools, Hope Elementary and Hauser Jr.-Sr. High. The bottom of the sign identifies “Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation” in big, bold letters. “Home of the Jets” ties it all together.
Superintendent Shawn Price said the sign is nearly 10 years in the making, an idea from a committee of community members and corporation staff and personnel created during a major building renovation in 2010.
“When we did our building renovation, having something out there to identify us and put our name out there was talked about,” Price said. “There were several different things that came out of that committee, and it took all this time to really hone in on one design and have everything ready to go.”
Price said the funds were not available at the time to create any type of identifier sign for the school corporation. A few years later, Price said both Hope Elementary and Hauser Jr./Sr. High received basic identifier signs through a donation.
“Those signs helped drive the look we were going after — a uniform logo,” Price said. “We’re the Jets corporation-wide.”
Then began the process of searching for ways to fund a larger sign for the corporation. Price said the corporation refinanced a large bond from another project and found savings in other construction projects, adding up with money to fund the new sign.
Designed, built and installed by Greensburg-based Green Sign Co., the sign cost upwards of $120,000, Price said — a price the corporation was willing to pay.
“This sign serves two schools and our corporation at large so we felt like it was necessary to make sure the sign was large enough to be seen on the state road and make sure our messages could be clear,” Price said. “It will also serve the community for messages and announcements.”
Price said it’s one of the largest billboard-type installations in Hope, so the school corporation also plans to use the message board to share community announcements and events.
“It tells people who we are,” Price said.
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Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp. students head back to school on Tuesday.
For back-to-school information and a complete 2019-20 academic calendar, visit flatrock.k12.in.us.
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