CITY OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — There's a new school in town for the City of Tonawanda.
In August 2020, crews broke ground at the old Fletcher Elementary School after demolishing it to create a new state-of-the-art elementary school.
Three schools will be combined after school officials realized it would be counter-productive to continue investing in its aging elementary school buildings.
Now, the new Tonawanda Elementary School will be a point of pride for the City of Tonawanda and a place where students will have an "inviting learning experience".
7 News' Pheben Kassahun takes inside of the new school as the finishing touches are put onto it.
Many can remember the pure joy of attending their elementary school.
From the animated teachers to looking forward to recess and guessing what the school cafeteria is serving for the day to class parties.
Mullen Elementary School 4th grader, Aiden Crump said, "It's been very good. I've met many friends along the way. Many teachers are nice. Every teacher I've been with has been nice."
It has been a good run thus far for students like fourth grader Aiden Crump, who has attended Mullen Elementary School for the last four years.
Learning, however, just got a little more interesting as they prepare to trade in Mullen Elementary for a larger state-of-the-art campus.
"It's also inviting and it's really just an experience when you go, that really just makes you excited to learn, especially as a teacher," Mullen Elementary School teacher, Jenna Corrao said.
Crews broke ground in 2019.
While construction has taken place for more then two years, the Tonawanda Elementary School has had 15 years of planning and in just a matter of months students from Mullen, Riverview and Fletcher Elementary Schools will finally be able to call this school theirs.
Mullen Elementary School 4th grader, Finley O'Hara said, "The big gym. It looks a lot bigger than the original gym in this school. I know there's going to be a lot more kids there so that's probably why they had to make up the size."
Mullen Elementary School 4th grader, Syniah Reddick added, "More room to talk to other kids and get to know them since we're going to be at a school with Riverview kids, kids that we don't know yet. I think that's going to be pretty fun."
The $54M project will have the three schools bring a combined 750 students and 140 staff members to the new school.
District Superintendent Dr. Tim Oldenburg the schools will have two principals pre-k through 2nd grade will have Riverview's principal and 3rd through 5th grade will have Mullen's principal.
"Technology, school safety, equipment, operations in the sense of mechanics, being able to provide high-efficiency, heating, cooling and expenditure of other utilities for efficiency sake," Dr. Oldenburg said.
Students and staff can expect a 21st Century education with a variety of instructional spaces.
Each classroom will have flexible seats brand new Chromebooks and whiteboards for each student and renovations to each classroom to fit its educational theme.
Additionally, there will be centralized heating and cooling throughout the building.
Mullen Elementary 4th grader, Carter Swan said, "I am most excited about all the technology that's going to be there, a bigger lunchroom, gym, a bigger classroom. Basically, everything just 10 times bigger, really."
"I am looking forward to all of the new safety features and all new invasive technology there. I also think just the building itself is beautiful. It's so welcoming. I think the students are going to have great opportunities to learn with hands on materials in our building," first-year teacher at Mullen Elementary School, Kayley Trimboli said.
Kassahun caught up with one teacher who saw her classroom for the first time ahead of the fall semester opening.
"Being an alumni of the City of Tonawanda, I am so excited to be in the city that I grew up. I am so excited to see this new, fresh modern building and to be able to teach ere. That's the thing," Mullen Elementary School, Alexis Lilly said.
The district anticipates welcoming students to the new school on Wednesday, September 6, 2023.
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