The ribbon has been cut on the renovated and expanded Danbury High School.  Mayor Mark Boughton says the project came in about $1 million under budget, and on schedule.  Classes start on Friday.  The new addition houses the Freshman Academy, the focus of a $53 million project.  The state paid 80-percent of eligible costs. 

The new theater, separate from the main building, seats 200 to 400 people and will allow the district to hold performances in a more intimate space, rather than opening up the whole building for the theater which can hold almost 2,000 people. 

The expansion was driven in part by enrollment, but Boughton says segregating the freshman is also good academic policy.  The district added 9 new positionsto help staff the new addition.

The new addition adds 55,000 square feet to state's largest high school.