Newark, NJ (November 20, 2007) -
Newark School District and New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA)
officials held a groundbreaking ceremony today to mark the start of
construction of the new Speedway Elementary School, which will provide 21st
century educational opportunities for up to 690 students in pre-kindergarten
through 8th grades.
Students, parents, residents and community leaders attended the ceremony for
the new school, which will help ease overcrowding and provide much-needed early
childhood educational programs for 3- and 4-year-old children. It will replace
the present Speedway School, which will continue to house students during
construction of the new school. The old school will be demolished when the new
facility is complete.
Scott Weiner, SDA CEO, stated, "On behalf of the SDA, I would like to say that
we appreciate the opportunity to continue to work with and contribute to the
Newark community. This groundbreaking, the upcoming groundbreaking for Park
Elementary School, and the openings of Science Park High School and First
Avenue School are major milestones for Newark in partnership with the SDA. This
reflects what the SDA, which opened First Avenue and 21 other schools statewide
this past September, can accomplish to benefit our students and communities in
collaboration with the districts we serve."
Marion Bolden, Newark Schools Superintendent, said, "We are very excited about
the new school, which is needed in this community and will be in a safer area
for our youngsters. We anticipate that the new school will provide a better
learning environment," she said.
The new Speedway Elementary School is being built on South Orange Avenue just
west of the Garden State Parkway and across from Vailsburg Park. To ensure the
safety of students, a pedestrian bridge has been planned for students to cross
South Orange Avenue, which is a highly traveled roadway. Classrooms in the new
121,373-square-foot, three-story facility will be in an academic wing farthest
from South Orange Avenue. The school will have an auditorium, cafeteria,
gymnasium and library/media center that will serve as educational and community
resources.
Fletcher Thompson Inc. is the design firm for the project. Delric Construction
Co. is the general contractor. PB+3D/I is managing the project for the SDA.
An additional project is under way in Newark - a new Central High School. The
groundbreaking for Newark's new Park Elementary School is scheduled for
November 30.
The SDA currently has 23 projects under construction. Overall, the SDA has
completed 41 schools and 28 major renovations and additions, along with nearly
400 health, safety and other projects in Abbott districts. The program also has
distributed $2.2 billion in grants, impacting more than 1,400 suburban schools
statewide.
|