The final steel beam was hoisted into place at Amity Elementary this morning to celebrate the completion of the school’s structural construction. Students, faculty, and staff signed the ceremonial beam and looked on as it was placed atop the building. An American flag and tree accompanied the beam skyward for the Topping-Out Ceremony.
These ceremonies date back to 8th-century Scandinavia where there was a practice of placing a tree atop a new building to appease the tree dwelling spirits of their displaced ancestors. Topping-Out is now more commonly recognized as an opportunity to thank the workforce for their hard work and to celebrate the progress made on the construction.
Jay Phillips, Superintendent of Deer Park Community School District, spoke to the crowd of onlookers prior to the raising of the beam. “The project continues to be on time and on budget and once the renovation is complete, Amity Elementary will be one of the best schools in the whole state of Ohio,” he said. The project includes classroom renovations, ADA compliant entrances and elevators, a new gym and stage, and much more. These changes will make Amity a 21st Century K-6 building
Following the ceremony, the design committee and key partners received a tour of the inside of the new building. Construction began in late May of 2017 and will be complete this fall.
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