South Windsor gets $22M for Pleasant Valley School

Anthony Branciforte, Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
·3 min read

Jun. 18—SOUTH WINDSOR — Local officials this week are celebrating the state legislature's approval of $22 million to help fund construction of the new Pleasant Valley School, after a multibillion-dollar bonding bill cleared the General Assembly last week.

The project is part of the town's 10-year plan to replace every elementary school with a new building. Pleasant Valley School would be the final building to be replaced under the plan.

STATE FUNDS FOR SCHOOL

AMOUNT: $22 million to help fund new construction of Pleasant Valley School.

FROM: State Bond Commission.

TOTAL COST: $58.5 million.

Voters approved $58.5 million in local spending for the project in March, and officials have said the construction is expected to last 15 or 16 months. The Planning and Zoning Commission endorsed the project in April.

Town Manager Maniscalco said the plan is for the new school building to be constructed close to the existing Pleasant Valley School site at 591 Ellington Road. While the existing school is 43,300 square feet with an additional 4,000 square feet of portable classrooms on the grounds, the plan is for the new building to be a total of 102,000 square feet.

Local and state officials celebrated the news of the $22 million reimbursement, with former mayor and state Sen. M. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, thanking Gov. Ned Lamont and the State Bond Commission for "recognizing the importance of investing in education.

"The community of South Windsor spoke in its referendum and the state of Connecticut has reciprocated," he said. "We need safe, healthy buildings for our students and teachers, who strive for excellence and produce the best education to the children in our state."

Maniscalco said local officials were "very pleased and grateful" for the reimbursement, and Rep. Tom Delnicki, R-South Windsor, said he was "thrilled" with the news.

"The construction of a new Pleasant Valley School completes South Windsor's 10-year school plan and offers our children the same opportunity I had years ago — being able to attend a state-of-the-art school," Delnicki said.

Rep. Jeffrey Currey, D-East Hartford, whose district includes part of South Windsor, said the funding would "help fulfill the promise" of allowing every student to learn in a safe environment. He credited Superintendent Kate Carter's leadership with allowing South Windsor to "become a model for what a transformative, district-wide upgrade looks like in the state of Connecticut."

The new Pleasant Valley School is expected to include a new field and playground as well as a space dedicated for preschool students with special needs. The plan is to construct a building that will accommodate about 700 elementary school students and 110 half-time preschool students.

Throughout the previous phases of the plan, Eli Terry, Philip R. Smith, and Orchard Hill schools have all been replaced. Each project required approval at referendum before moving forward. The referendum for the new Pleasant Valley School passed by a vote of 3,714 to 481.

Carter has credited "the community's investment in, and commitment to, the 10-year plan" with giving students "equitable access to safe, efficient, state-of-the-art facilities."

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