Hamilton City School board members on Tuesday approved the final names of eight new elementary schools scheduled to be constructed over the next four years: Bridgeport Elementary, Brookwood Elementary, Crawford Woods Elementary, Fairwood Elementary, Highland Elementary, Linden Elementary, Ridgeway Elementary and Riverview Elementary.

The first ground breaking for the new buildings was held Tuesday afternoon.

"Perhaps it was the student from Buchanan who truly gave meaning to the new schools when she talked about what a new school would mean to her personally," Superintendent Janet Baker told board members.

Eight-year-old Malika Muhammad said she was excited about having more room.

"It's been hard having gym and music in the same room," Malika said. "I am looking forward to doing our warm-up hearing '1-2-3-' instead of 'Do Re Mi.'

"I would like to say thank you to all the wonderful people who made a new school possible. Go Hamilton."

The next ground breaking is 2 p.m. Sept. 20 at Linden Elementary on Hoadley Avenue.

In other business board members voted to approve Hamilton attorney David Davidson to fill the vacancy left by Lori Lewis.

A 1979 graduate of Hamilton Taft — Hamilton High School — Davidson is a life-long resident of Hamilton and has been a member of a number of community organizations including the West Side Little League Board of Directors, Hamilton City Council, SELF Board of Directors and the Hamilton Business Advisory Board.

-Courtesy of the Journal News - 9/12/07