Hundreds of Elkhorn elementary students returned from summer break this week to find their new schools still under construction.
Despite unfinished work and no certificate of occupancy, Iron Bluff and Stone Pointe elementary schools opened their doors to a combined 600 students Tuesday morning, raising concerns from parents and attention from the City of Omaha.
The operation of heavy equipment, fire code issues and construction workers on campus were the main worries voiced to the city, Omaha Mayor John Ewing said in a Thursday afternoon press conference.
Ewing said he was told by the schools’ builder, Prairie Construction, that heavy equipment will no longer be needed to complete the construction.
In a statement released Friday, the school district apologized for the construction delays and shared an updated timeline on the projects’ completion dates. Work on Iron Bluff is expected to be complete by Sept. 5. Stone Pointe is slated for completion by Oct. 31, though many of its facilities should be fully open before then, according to the timeline.
A letter from Elkhorn Public Schools Superintendent Bary Habrock to parents and guardians pledged to increase transparency and assured that the schools are safe for students to attend.
“I share your frustration with the situation,” Habrok said, “but we have a clear path forward that we are sharing with you today as we look ahead and embrace the opportunity to make this the best year yet for our students.”
Among a list of concerns, parents also asked the city how it could allow the schools to operate through ongoing construction. The campuses lack a certificate of occupancy – a needed safety and code compliance step that would have postponed the opening of any other building project. Schools, however, are an exception.
“What we have done in the past and what is being done here is we understand school districts are critical to the community,” Ewing said. “We try to work with them to ensure they get as far as they can with completion and in a timely manner so we can get that certificate of occupancy as quickly as possible.”
Ewing said he will look to update the city’s policy to close that courtesy gap for schools to operate without a certificate of occupancy.
Iron Bluff and Stone Pointe are the 13th and 14th elementary schools in the Elkhorn Public Schools district. In a press release shared in November 2024, Prairie Construction said both schools were on track to be completed in August 2025.