Fairfield breaks ground on new schools

Fairfield City Schools broke ground on three new buildings Thursday evening, promising students and the rest of the community an improved learning environment.

The groundbreaking took place at the future site of the Freshman School, to be located behind the existing high school.

“Today’s groundbreaking celebrates the visible beginning of a new milestone for the Fairfield City School District, our students and our community,” said Superintendent Paul Otten.

The new buildings were made possible last year when voters passed a $61 million bond issue. State funds are paying the other $19 million for the buildings.

Several officials from both the city and Fairfield Twp. attended the event, lauding the district for a new beginning.

“We think this is an absolutely phenomenal project. We took the time to tour Central and the old Freshman school, and they’re past their life span … this is going to make a huge difference in the lives of our students here in the Fairfield school district,” said Fairfield Mayor Steve Miller.

The early groundbreaking was made possible earlier this month when the board of education approved an early site package that would allow the district to start site preparation this fall, rather than waiting until next spring, when wet weather could cause problems, said Peter Becker, project executive for Skanska-Megan, which is the construction manager for the project.

The Freshman building and the other two elementary schools are set to open in the fall of 2017. One elementary will replace Central Elementary. A second elementary school, to be built across from the high school on the Holden Boulevard side, will be added to the district, creating a total of six elementary schools. The district is soliciting names from the public for that new school.

The elementary schools would be reconfigured to house grades pre-K through 5. There would be two middle schools for grades 6-8 in the current middle school and the intermediate school, reducing the number of kids at the existing middle school. School transitions for all students will be reduced from five (K-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9, and 10-12 ) to essentially three (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12).

“I look forward to standing here with you upon the successful completion of this project and cutting the ribbon together with you in August 2017, just 22 months away,” Otten said.

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