SALISBURY — A project that has been the source of discussion and speculation for over 17 years has officially begun, as Rowan-Salisbury School System, Rowan County and Salisbury officials broke ground on the Knox 3-8 school on Friday.

RSSS Superintendent Dr. Kelly Withers said that the process of demolishing and replacing the school with a new facility has been full of stops and starts but said Friday’s ceremony was the culmination of a lot of work that has already been done and a signal of the work that still has to be done. The demolition of Knox Middle School began in January and completed in March.

“It’s hard to believe that right behind me, Knox Middle School was standing just a few short months ago. We are ready for today, and today is an exciting day because it signals that construction is officially beginning. We are incredibly aware of the importance of this project to this community. I don’t think Dr. (Jamie) Durant and I have had many conversations where we haven’t spoken about this project and what this project means and what this community deserves out of his project,” said Withers.

School board member Kathy McDuffie Sanborn, reading off fellow member’s Alicia Byrd-Clark’s planned remarks, said that the amount of work put into providing “countless new opportunities” for the students, educators and families embodied the system’s commitment to creating safe and nurturing environments for every student. Byrd-Clark, who holds the Salisbury seat on the school board, was unable to speak at the event because she had contracted COVID-19, but she did distance herself from the crowd so that she could still be present.

“This project is not merely bricks and mortar. It is about laying the foundation for the next generation of leaders, dreamers, thinkers and innovators. As chair of the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the unwavering dedication of our school board in standing standfast and bringing this vision to life. As your Salisbury representative, today’s groundbreaking is also deeply personal,” said Sanborn, reading Byrd-Clark’s prepared speech.

Rowan County Board of Commissioners Vice-Chair Jim Greene spoke at the event as well, relaying the story of his family, which he said made him very appreciative of the education system and those that work in it. He said that he was born in the Appalachian Mountains to parents who did not have many opportunities for education.

“They both knew that nothing replaced hard work. And so we were taught as children what hard work was, and that along with education gave you endless possibilities. This is a great day. Today, we’re going to celebrate plans for a new structure, but this structure is more than a building. It’s a symbol of future, a prayer for future preparation, inspiration and success. This building will be a symbol of how much we value education,” said Greene, whose son Jimmy Greene Jr. now serves on the school board.

The elder Greene also spoke about the teachers and administrators that impacted him as a Knox Junior High School student in the 1960s, after his family moved down to Rowan County.

The new school will serve grades three through eight initially, while Overton Elementary School will continue to serve kindergarten through second grade. Withers has also previously said that the additional space will allow the system to expand pre-K options at Overton.

After the speeches, school system, county and city officials all took their own shovels and broke the ground for the new school. One additional person was included beyond those officials. Withers asked Margaret Basinger, a former Knox teacher and author of a book on the history of the school and community, to join in the ceremony.