By Amber Cox
CHESTERFIELD Students, staff and administrators were finally set to start the new year in a brand new school building Wednesday after months of delays.
The new Chesterfield Elementary School at 30 Saddle Way will be home to 552 students grades K through sixth, along with a morning and afternoon preschool class, according to Superintendent Ellen McHenry.
The school has capacity for 900 and will prevent any students from being sent off-site.
For the past three and a half years the first- and second-grade classes were at North Hanover’s C.B. Lamb School and the preschool classes began the school year at Mansfield Elementary.
”We’re only opening the school on the main level and lower level,” Ms. McHenry said. “We’ve got a lot of unpacking to do.”
Teachers were busy Sunday and Monday preparing their classrooms for the opening day.
The top floor of the building will be ready for use for the next school year. Because of the 900-student capacity and the 552-student enrollment, all the current students will fit into the two available floors.
A number of delays postponed the original September 2010 opening date of the new $37.6 million school, most recently a fire over the summer.
The fire took place on May 4 after an ironworker using an acetylene torch accidentally started a fire on the roof of the building, according to a presentation to the school board back in October by Hill International, the construction contractor.
There was minimal physical damage to the building from the fire, but large amounts of water from putting out the fire entered the building causing water damage and mold.
After the fire, the building was set to open on Nov. 1, however the date was pushed to Dec. 17. Furniture was then moved in and now, after the winter break, the school was to greet students on Wednesday.
Every classroom is equipped with an interactive white board allowing for sound amplification and use of projectors. Ms. McHenry said all of the staff will be trained on the new technology before the students enter the school.
Community residents are also volunteering with the move-in, helping to move boxes and set up classrooms. Movers were also hired to make the move easier for everyone.
Various groups of staff went through training Monday and Tuesday. Monday started with a get-together in the multipurpose room of all staff to get them used to the new building. New furniture was moved into the building in mid-December.
”We did a little scavenger hunt to get everyone oriented using maps, because the building is brand new for everyone, not just students,” Ms. McHenry said.
A lot of preparing still had to be worked out before the students came in for their first day, including getting used to having “walkers” for the first time, instead of just buses.

