Board of Education Trustees Jessica Young and Eileen Miller, Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Champ, Former Board of Education President Madeline Smith, Board of Education Vice President Jessica DeDomenico and Former Board of Education Trustee Tom Imperato break ground on the new school.
Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Champ gives remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Board of Education Vice President Jessica DeDomenico makes remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Principal Trisha Fitzgerald makes remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Pelham Public Schools staff - Director of Facilities John Condon, Assistant Superintendent for Business Jim Hricay, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Personnel Dr. Steven Garcia, Dr. Cheryl Champ, Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services Julia Chung, Hutchinson School Principal Trisha Nugent Fitzgerald break ground on the new school.
Construction Manager Kevin Sawyer, Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Champ, and Site Preparation Contractors Luigi and Tony Casale break ground on the new Hutchinson School
Hutchinson Alum Kim Scalisi speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Members of the Design Team: Jordana Viuker Brennan (Confident Buildings), Susan Davidson (KG&D), Walter Hauser (KG&D), Patrick Meaney (KG&D), Marissa Alicea (KG&D), Dr. Cheryl Champ, Russell Davidson (KG&D), Sarah Dirsa (KG&D) and Ryan Carper (KG&D)
With the entire Hutchinson student body, school personnel, invited guests and many parents on hand, construction of the new Hutchinson School kicked off on Friday, June 21, 2019 with a groundbreaking ceremony that highlighted the rich tradition of the current school and the bright future to come.
“After today, the Hutchinson School property will never be the same, but we know that the school’s history, memories and legacy as a learning environment will live on forever,” Dr. Champ said.
The ceremony, which was moved into the gym because of inclement weather, featured remarks from Dr. Cheryl Champ, Superintendent of Schools, Trisha Nugent Fitzgerald, Hutchinson School Principal, Jessica DeDomenico, Board of Education Vice President, and Kim Scalisi, Hutchinson School Alum, Class of 1972. It also featured a beautifully sung rendition of the National Anthem by the second grade chorus and concluded with the fifth grade class singing Hutchinson’s Alma Mater before officials moved outside to officially break ground.
“To me, the Hutchinson School is the students and their curiosity about the world,” Mrs. Fitzgerald said. “It is the teachers who yearn to bring the real world into their classroom and open up endless opportunities for their students. It is the families that help support and nurture the growth of their child. It is the experiences we share, the memories we make, and the friendships we form.”
Mrs. DeDomenico added: “A decade from now, when the new Hutchinson School feels like a place which has always been a part of this town, those of us who are standing here today, will know we each played an important part in making this all happen.”
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by a number of special guests, including members of the Village of Pelham Board of Trustees, Board of Education, the architectural and construction management teams, PTA leaders and parents, members of the District administration and others.
The previous evening, June 20, a group of more than 125 Hutchinson School alumni gathered to tour the building and celebrate the history of their former elementary school. The organizer of the event, Ms. Scalisi, spoke about what Hutchinson School has meant to the many who have passed through its halls over the years.
“The future of Pelham students attending the new Hutchinson will be one of awe, enthusiasm and a thirst for learning,” she said. “The dedication of our staff and parents will ensure the continuation of a top notch education. I can only hope our future generations develop friendships and deep bonds that span the years just as many of us have in the past.”
The 68,000 square foot new Hutchinson Elementary School, designed by KG&D Architects, P.C., will be the first new elementary school built in Pelham in four generations. The new school will have sufficient classrooms to meet current and projected enrollment, dedicated special education classrooms, a spacious learning commons, MakerSpace, art and music rooms. Additionally, the school will have a dedicated cafeteria/multipurpose room, and small-group instruction spaces. The building will also feature a number of environmental features such as plentiful natural light, LED lighting, and efficient water and heating systems, designed to make the building equivalent to a LEED Silver Standard.
Construction, overseen by Triton Construction, began in earnest on Saturday, June 22 with site preparations. This work includes removing rock from the site, clearing trees and installing construction fencing and will continue into the fall of 2019. The goal is to begin construction of the building itself in winter 2019-20 with targeted completion and opening for September 2022. Following the opening of the new school, the current building will be demolished and the site will be converted to a new playing field and playground.
