Officials with one school district say they may be one step closer to building a new elementary school. Perry County school officials say they are looking for property to build a school to replace Dennis Wooton Elementary and say the search may finally be over.

Perry County Schools Superintendent John Paul Amis says trying to find a new location for Dennis Wooton Elementary School is not an easy task.

When the money was first appropriated three years ago or so, we thought it was going to be easy," said Superintendent Amis.

He says the school system looked at multiple sites, one along Highway 80, but there were concerns about nearby traffic. He says officials also looked into building the school at where the old M.C. Napier High School stands, but there were flood plain issues.

He says now the school system is looking into purchasing 25 acres of land in the Airport Gardens community, behind the existing school.

"Well, actually it's the first good news we've had in a while. it seems that always before we would get so excited about a prospect and then it never got past first base," said Nadine Vannarsdall, Principal of Dennis Wooton.

She says the current building is outdated and with a small library and a cafeteria that also serves as a gym, there is not enough room.

For parents like Jennifer Walker, who work nearby, building the new school near the existing one is ideal.

"I really like this area. It's closer to my work. It's a good place, safe neighborhood. I like it," she said.

"Everybody I've talked to is really excited about the potential of this property that's been offered to us and we're looking forward to pursuing it," said Amis.

Amis says officials have not purchased the land, he says it is just the most promising prospect they have seen. He says school officials are still in talks with the land owner and the Kentucky Department of Education is still in the process of evaluating the property.