SCC, Elizabeth Educators ‘Top Off’ School #29

Ceremony Marks Progress of City’s 1st New Elementary School Under New Jersey’s $8.6 Billion School Construction Program

The last beam of the structural steel was put in place for the new $31.4 million Elizabeth Elementary School #29 on a 2-acre parcel on North Broad Street. The project is on schedule for substantial completion by fall 2005, with student occupancy targeted for January 2006.

The new 118,400-square-foot, three story school will provide 21st century educational opportunities for 750 students in pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade. It will include general classrooms, small-group instruction areas, a media center, art and music rooms, science labs, computer labs, a cafetorium with stage, a practice kitchen, a main and auxiliary gym and playgrounds. It also will include underground parking with 139 parking spaces.

Elizabeth’s first school facility built through SCC was an Early Childhood Center at School #44 that opened this past September for 300 3- and 4-year-olds. The 56,000-square-foot ECC includes 20 classrooms, a large multi-purpose room, soft-surface play courts, a full-service kitchen,small-group instructional spaces and administrative and faculty areas.

SCC, initiated in 2002 to streamline the building of much-needed quality schools statewide, also has two other elementary schools under construction here: Elizabeth School #30, a $28.3 million project, a 119,660-square-foot facility located on a 3-acre parcel at 1200 North Avenue; and Elizabeth School #31, a $34 million project, a 121,000-square-foot facility on a 5.5-acre parcel at 1000 South Elmora Avenue.

John F. Spencer, CEO of SCC, remarked, "We are working harder than ever to ensure every child can learn in a safe, healthy and high-quality environment. These projects in Elizabeth will benefit students, teachers and the community, and are indicative of the positive impact that SCC is having in school districts throughout New Jersey.”