TEMPLE, Texas (FOX 44)- Belton ISD officially broke ground Wednesday on a 105,775 square-foot facility which will become the districts 12th elementary school.

It comes after voters approved a $173,825,000 bond in May to address growth and other needs.

Belton ISD says enrollment is projected to climb by nearly 800 students each year, so growth is necessary.

“We believe in focusing in on the kids for a great learning experience,” BISD Superintendent Matt Smith said. “We want to create something exceptional for kids every day. We need space to be able to do that.”

This school was designed with students in mind, but the district went a step further and collected input from students.

“I chose comfortable and like fun stuff because school is already boring and stuff,” 7th grader Mecca Johnson said. “We wanted it to be more like fun and more safe for people.”

She and her fellow students spent time at several schools to get a better idea of what is needed to be the best it can.

“It was really neat because we got to like look at the different interiors of different schools and got to pick the furniture and see what we wanted and how schools would feel safe,” Johnson said.

The $40,064,028 school in Temple will have a capacity for about 800 students K-5.

“I can’t wait to see kids walking the halls of this new elementary school, being able to sit in classrooms, get some exceptional experiences from their teachers,” Smith said.

A 13th elementary school is also planned for the southern part of the district in the Hubbard Branch subdivision.

This school doesn’t have a name yet, but the district is looking for suggestions. You can submit those here.