BUCYRUS — More than 100 people came to Wynford High School on Sunday afternoon for a groundbreaking ceremony. Construction of a $27.7 million new high school and junior high building will be underway by the end of May.

A bond issue was passed by district voters in November 2017 to raise the $17.06 million needed for the building combined with $10.5 million from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission.

Pastor Earl Smith of Troy Chapel gave the invocation.

“My mother was one of three people that came up with the name Wynford when all of the schools combined into one,” Smith said.

After a rendition of the National Anthem was sung by the Wynford High School Choir and Wynford students led the Pledge of Allegiance, Superintendent Fred Fox thanked previous superintendents, school board members and principals for their work on the project from its inception.

“In November of 2017, our grassroots effort to get the funding for the building was a success,” Fox said.

Fox said students met with architects on the project to give their input on the design of the new building.

Long-time board member Rhonda Rowland said God provided the funding for the project in His time.

“At Wynford, we are about love, family and partnership with the community,” Rowland said.

Rowland said Fox and district treasurer, Leesa Smith, worked long days and nights to get the project off the ground.

Alex Crall, grandson of Dr. Michael Johnson, was the guest speaker of the ceremony in place of Johnson who was too ill to attend.

“I’m sharing grandpa’s message since he could not be here today,” Crall said. Johnson was the president of the first graduating class from Wynford in 1964. “This building has served us well but its time has come.”

Johnson said in his message that he is proud of the community, past and present staff, board members and administration, along with students, in coming to together to make the plans for a new building a reality.

The moving of the dirt was done with a tractor pulling a wagon over the location of the new entrance that will be created. Board members, along with Fox and Smith, rode on the wagon with shovels in hand.

The building is scheduled to be finished by the fall of 2020.