SWAMPSCOTT – Yellow construction vehicles are parked at the future Swampscott Elementary School, ready to work. On Tuesday, state and local officials and student representatives attended the groundbreaking ceremony. If all proceeds as planned, the new school will become a reality in fall 2024.
“Today we’re going to start building a future-ready, forward-thinking, flexible learning facility at an electric, geothermal, renewable and resilient facility. We’re going to start building our newest community facility. Thank you to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for giving us a second chance to partner with you and to help us fund this new elementary school,” said the School Building Committee Chair Suzanne Wright.
The director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) Jack McCarthy expressed that the new school project meets the MSBA’s goal of supporting the design and construction of educationally appropriate, flexible, sustainable, and cost-effective public school facilities. McCarthy said, “We at the MSBA are proud to be our investing partner to the tune of approximately 33.8 million on this project.” He cited that schools are buildings of four walls with tomorrow inside, and MSPA is proud to be part of Swampscott’s tomorrow.
Senator Brendan Crighton was present to give a citation to the school and committees for their hard work. He said, “We get to do a lot of great things in government, but there’s really no feeling like building a new school that has the potential to transform so many young lives for many generations to come.”
The school is at the site of the former Stanley School on Whitman Road. The 154,000-square-foot building will be able to accommodate up to 900 students in grades K-4. The next step is to put in geothermal wells and prepare to lay the foundation.
State Representative-elect Jenny Armini said the prospect of a new school elicits hope. “There is no place more hopeful than where we are right now,” she said.
