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State Sen. Bob Duff, Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling, Schools Superintendent Steven Adamowski, and other state and local officials announced plans for the new Norwalk High School on Monday, Dec. 9
The 337,000-square-foot facility will be expanded to include three unique school programs for 2,000 students.
State and school officials estimated that 80 percent of the construction costs will be paid with the help of state taxpayer money. The remaining cost would be paid using local bonds and property taxes -- assuming property owners support the project, according to an announcement on the Norwalk Public Schools website.
The campus will additionally support P-TECH Norwalk, formerly referred to as the Norwalk Early College Academy, and expand enrollment from 400 to 500 students. The 500-student Norwalk Visual and Performing Arts Academy also will be included in the brand new campus.
“The new Norwalk High School is a commitment to the next generation of Norwalk Bears coupling state-of-the-art facilities with innovative programming," according to Duff.
"We are excited to capitalize on this moment and replace the 48-year-old school instead of taking a Band-Aid approach to repairs,” Rilling said.
“We have worked hard with the Board of Ed and through our state delegation, led by Senator Duff, to make this happen," Rilling said. "A new Norwalk High School is great news for our students, families, staff, and community."
“We believe that the new high school will be a ‘game-changer’ in Norwalk education,” Adamowski added.
“I look forward to working with our teachers, administrators, and Board of Education to develop education program specifications for a new high school building that will support the secondary education of generations of NHS students, at a level of excellence comparable to the finest secondary schools in Connecticut and the US," Adamowski said. "We are grateful to all the state and local officials who have worked diligently to make this opportunity available.”
New Canaan Adds Trio
Three new officers were elected to the New Canaan Public Schools Board of EducationNewly elected New Canaan Public Schools Board of Education (BOE), Jennifer Richardson as secretary, Katrina Parkhill as chair and Brendan Hayes as vice-chair.
New Canaan First Selectman Kevin Moynihan officiated the Nov. 18 election.
Katrina Parkhill has been a member of the Board of Education since 2017 and has served on the Governance Committee and the Communications Committee.
Brendan Hayes has been a member of the BOE since 2015 and served at BOE chair last year. He also served on the Resources and Agenda Planning Committees. He is a finance leader, and, as a board member, has been a consistent advocate throughout the board’s budget process.
Jennifer Richardson was elected as BOE secretary for her fourth consecutive term. She has also served on the Communications and Agenda Planning Committees.
Including the Board officers, the full New Canaan Board of Education consists of Dionna Carlson, Carl Gardiner, Bob Naughton, Penny Rashin, Julie Reeves and Sheri West.
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