Photo by Deb Gau Ground work continues along Southview Drive in Marshall for a new elementary school. Completion of the school building is tentatively planned for fall 2021.

MARSHALL — Construction work for a new elementary school in Marshall may be just getting started, but community members are being invited to weigh in on a possible name for the new school. Earlier this week, members of the Marshall School Board heard the results of a survey with three potential options for a name. Based on the results, the choices have now been narrowed down to two options, on a public survey on the Marshall Public Schools website.

At the school board’s Monday meeting, Superintendent Scott Monson shared the results of a name survey that was given to parents and families of students in pre-kindergarten, first and second grade, as well as to school staff in grades 2-4.

“There were three pre-selected names that the bond oversight committee wanted to put on the preliminary survey,” Monson said Monday. The possible choices included “Southwest Elementary,” “Tiger Elementary” and “Southview Elementary.” People taking the survey were asked to rank their favorite choices.

“Out of those three, Southview Elementary School has received the highest ranking, or the most number of first-choice votes,” Monson said. “Tiger Elementary” came in second.

Monson said the bond oversight committee for the school project would be discussing the survey results. Now, there’s a chance for the public to give their feedback on two top names. Local residents can take an online survey on the MPS website, marshall.k12.mn.us. The survey includes the top two options from the earlier survey — “Southview Elementary” and “Tiger Elementary” — and asks people to rank their first and second choice.

The survey will be available through the end of the day on May 31.

Other parts of the new elementary school project, concerning the sale of the West Side Elementary property, also moved forward this week. On Monday, the school board approved a purchase agreement with M.A.A.C., Inc., of Montevideo for the West Side property when it has been vacated. M.A.A.C.’s proposal to the school district was to demolish the school building, and convert the property into residential property.

The closing date on the West Side property would be Sept. 1, 2021, said MPS Director of Business Services Dion Caron. If construction of the new school building on Southview Drive is delayed, MPS would have an additional 90 days to use West Side, Caron said. The plan is for M.A.A.C. to demolish the old West Side building by Dec. 31, 2021.