CASSOPOLIS — The new Sam Adams Elementary School building is beginning to take shape.

Although Cassopolis Public Schools Supt. Gregory Weatherspoon says the renovation project is slightly behind schedule, the district will be hosting a community “sneak peak” event at the school Thursday, May 5 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Guided tours of the building will take place 15 minutes apart during the evening. Representatives from Skanska, the construction team behind the project, and Architect Fanning Howey will be on hand to answer questions regarding the project.

Weatherspoon said the project is on target to be complete by August and ready to open next school year.

The project is funded by a $16 million bond that passed in February. The new building will be home to 700 students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Two new wings will be added, one for kindergarten and first grade classrooms and another two-story wing for second through sixth grade classrooms. A total of 31 new classrooms will be added.

Weatherspoon said excitement is building among students and staff, as the project nears completion.

“They are really impressed by the size of it. I’m not sure we realized just how big it’s going to be,” he said.

Originally, the district was planning to sell the Frank Squires Elementary School building, but Weatherspoon said he will make a recommendation to the board at Monday’s meeting to keep the school as an alternative education and administration building. The plan would then be to take the Red Brick building offline and attempt to sell it.

“We did an assessment…The Squires building has more attributes to keep it for the long-term,” Weatherspoon said.