Happy Hollow Elementary School was undersized for the student population, and many of the building systems were near failure. The construction of a new replacement facility provided an opportunity to create a building that responded to the award-winning 4-5-6 curriculum as well as providing space for growth. The location of the new intermediate school on a more accessible site, which had been home to the former Burtsfield Elementary School, allowed for greatly improved traffic flow of buses, cars, and pedestrians. Development of the layout and design of the new school incorporated the staff and community. Because West Lafayette is the home of Purdue University, community involvement was particularly significant to respond to the most current educational and technology opportunities. The result is a source of community pride that supports and expands on growing opportunities.
