During the 2013 legislative session, the General Assembly authorized up to $50 million for a replacement school to be built at the site of the former Sandy Hook Elementary School.  Wednesday, the state Bond Commission voted to release $5 million of that funding for continued planning and design work. 

First Selectman Pat Llodra says the vote today reminds the town of the generosity and support of the state.  She noted that the new new Sandy Hook School will become a reality in 2016 because of that generosity.  Llodra says Newtown is humbled and thankful for the continuing kindness of state partners.

Demolition was completed in November 2013.  Architectural plans for construction of the new school were approved last week. Newtown will be posting bid notices shortly and anticipates breaking ground in March 2015.

There will be funding requests throughout the course of the construction project.

The new school will be all-new construction and will be approximately 87,000 square feet of space in a two-story structure. It will feature 23 classrooms for pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. There will be dedicated spaces for music, art, a library, computer education, a cafeteria with kitchen and a gymnasium. It will be a fully accessible building for persons with disabilities and fully compliant with all current building codes and standards. It will be on a reconfigured site of the former school, located at 12 Dickinson Drive, Newtown.