CPS names new elementary school

The Columbia Public School District board of education named the new elementary school being built in northeast Columbia Monday night.

The school will be called Eliot Battle Elementary School, after Eliot Battle.

It is being built just north of Muriel Battle High School, named after his wife.

The board also discussed the Business Loop 70 Community Improvement District (CID).

Tom May from MFA Oil headed the conversation saying, “We desperately need to do something to the Business Loop.”

The board is hoping to make it safer for Hickman High School and to develop it into a destination location for businesses.

The CID would make improvements to the Business Loop like burying power lines, adding sidewalks and lights, and bringing off-duty police officers to patrol the area.

This would mean the business owners on the Loop would have to pay more in property taxes — but May said it will be less than $1,000 per year per business.

The board also talked about the five year plan.

It still plans on opening the nature school and two new elementary schools within the next five years.