Doors open for New Danbury Magnet School

School and city officials broke ground on an $18.5 million construction project at the new STEM Middle School site on School Ridge Road in Danbury Tuesday.

The building, planned at over 70,000 square feet, will house approximately 600 Danbury students. Improvements are scheduled for the existing school’s main entrance, administration area and roof. Additions such as a larger cafeteria and engineering labs are also expected. The city is hoping to have the project done by Fall 2014, according to Mayor Mark Boughton.

Anthony Rizzo Jr. in front of school

Construction is set to begin immediately on the building, which school officials say will be designed to prepare more students for the challenges that lie ahead in the science, technology, engineering and math fields, the theme of the new magnet school.

Currently the district’s STEM Academy is housed at Rogers Park Middle School and serves 300 students, upon completion this school will replace the existing program.