Perry County Secures Land for New Robinson Elementary School

Perry County Schools formalized a long planned relocation for Robinson Elementary on November 11, 2025 when the school board signed the deed for property located off Highway 80 near the Elk Run Subdivision. The purchase follows a prolonged effort to secure a site after the original Robinson building was inundated in July 2022, forcing students and staff to move to the former A.B. Combs school for instruction.

The district has managed daily operations out of A.B. Combs since the flood, investing in repairs and accommodations to keep students learning. “They’ve been just really resilient the students and staff and everyone involved. We can’t thank them for their patience enough,” said Jody Maggard, CFO of Perry County Schools. “We’ve done a lot of work to the A.B. Combs, the former A.B. Combs school, to make it as good as it can be down there, but it’s still not their home. It’s still not their school.”

Administrators said the acquisition capped several years of due diligence. “We’ve been working on this property now for a couple years. Trying to solidify all the things that needed to be done through the examinations, the titles, the deeds and all of that. We’ve finally come to a conclusion and signed the deed,” Maggard said, describing the finalization of the purchase process.

Design work on the replacement school is nearly complete, and district officials have laid out a concrete construction timeline. “We are looking to start construction in 2026. It’ll be an 18 to 24 month project, construction wise. Then we will be able to start school August of 2028,” Maggard said. A sign now marks the parcel as the future site of Robinson Elementary, a visible indicator of progress that Maggard emphasized. “We’re starting to see now, thing come to fruition and actual, tangible thing happening. You can drive by the property now and there’s a sign that says this is the future property of Robinson Elementary School,” he said.

For local residents the project carries immediate practical meaning. Rebuilding on new land reduces the likelihood of repeated flood disruptions, provides a stable campus for the district, and will return A.B. Combs to a supporting role as an overflow building for extracurriculars and sports activities. The construction phase, projected to last 18 to 24 months, will also generate demand for local contractors, suppliers and crews, injecting construction spending into the county economy during the project.

From a policy standpoint the move reflects broader pressures on rural districts to invest in resilient infrastructure and manage long term facility risks. The multi year process of securing clear titles and completing design work illustrates the administrative and legal hurdles small districts face when shifting assets and capital plans. For families, a fixed timetable brings clarity after more than three years of temporary relocation, and a return to a purpose built elementary campus is likely to stabilize student routines and extracurricular programs.

With the deed signed and design nearly wrapped, Perry County now faces the task of managing construction oversight, budget alignment and community coordination as it moves toward a targeted opening in August 2028.