By Dan Atkinson
Voice Writer
Half of the year is complete, and the reviews on a recent school replacement are all positive. Faculty, staff and administrators all agree Washington School’s new building has met all expectations.
Washington Elementary School (WES) has had a rich and storied history since its founding 117 years ago. Starting this school year, the school has entered a new era with the opening of a new state-of-the-art building that has been in the works for over five years. Faculty and staff members say that the school year has been a big success so far and that the building has finally provided students with all the necessary resources to succeed in and out of the classroom.
Washington Elementary opened in 1909. Four corner additions were added in 1915 the final renovation added a gym and some classrooms in 1986. As the decades wore on, the school became out of compliance, with examples being a lack of air conditioning and elevators, and no breakout learning rooms. Ken Carney, the West Haven Building Committee chairman, described the building as inadequate, lacking many features modern buildings offer. Chris Everone, the Supervisor of Facilities for all the schools in West Haven, said that he had been telling city officials for a long time that it was unfeasible to continue using the building.
Funding for the reconstruction of Washington Elementary was provided by both the state and city. A state grant provided 77.14% of the construction costs. Superintendent of Schools Neil Cavallaro coordinated all the state reimbursements and worked to implement the educational specifications into the school’s design. Cavallaro visited the school during construction several times a week
Gilbane Building Co. demolished the old structure, beginning in late 2023 and finishing early the next year. The new school was then constructed throughout 2024 and the first half of 2025. The project was completed early last summer. Throughout this duration, Molloy School was reopened and used as a swing space for 425 students.
When this school year began on Aug.27, WES students stepped into a new world. The two-story building is roughly 61,000 square feet and features a beautiful media center, an elevator, full Wi-Fi, a gymnasium, and two playgrounds. Washington Elementary now has a state-of-the-art kitchen, four breakout resource rooms, and four reading rooms, in addition to 26 classrooms. Most of the school is on one floor, which makes it easier for students and staff to navigate.
Carney, met with the design and construction teams every week throughout the 17-month construction period. The focus was always on finding better, less expensive ways to construct the school. The project was finished on time and came in two million under budget.
Washington Elementary principal Alicia Limosani said that the building is much brighter and inviting and described the inclusion of air conditioning as a game-changer for students and staff. She went into detail about the new technology and features that WES has in classrooms and elsewhere, which have been a big success.
“The school has built in speakers in the classroom ceilings that makes access to hearing digital content easier and that allow teachers to use wearable microphones to project throughout the whole classroom. The students also really enjoy the music speakers installed in the gym,” Limosani said.
In addition, Limosani said that continuing to have access to Promethean boards (interactive display boards) in each classroom enhances learning, and that every student continuing to have their own Chromebook is invaluable to their day-to-day learning.
“The technology is unbelievable, including mechanical tools and HVAC. The lights are all computerized. It’s different because there are no large, noisy boilers. The differences are night and day.”
Limosani said that her students have embraced the new building.
“They love it! They have so much pride and are really working hard to do their part in keeping it new and clean. Every day, they continue to tell me thank you and that they love the building and how nice it looks,” she said.
Parents have been just as fond of the new Washington Elementary as their children. They told administrators at this year’s open house that they appreciated the new school elevator because it made it easy for parents to see the entire building.
Limosani said that many parents provided their input throughout the construction project.
“Parents and families have similar school pride as students. They have been helpful by making sure they state their expectations for learning,” she said.
Antoniazzi Associates Co. designed the new WES building in conjunction with the engineering firm Sentec. Antinozzi Associates Senior Project Manager Lisa Yates discussed why she believed the effort to design and construct a state-of-the-art school was successful and rewarding.
“We had a great team, with everyone pulling in the same direction – the hardworking Building Committee, the school system, Gilbane Building Company, and the entire design team,” she said. “Gilbane was involved early, so we were able to design it to account for their construction concerns. The building committee was involved in every aspect of design and construction.”
Everone discussed how he frequently worked with the building committee.
“The architects had a vision. There were a lot of planning meetings, and I gave input on the inner features,” he said. “When people saw the new building at the open house, they were amazed by the differences in its design.”
Yates highlighted multiple benefits the design of the new building offers WES students and staff. The building offers modern security features, such as multiple cameras and doors that remain locked at all times. There is a wide variety of educational spaces beyond classrooms, such as small-group resource rooms and hallway break-out rooms. The courtyard acts as a secure outdoor area that Yates said can be an oasis for students, while still easy for teachers and staff to monitor. Finally, Yates described the large cafeteria and library as “spaces the school can be proud of.”
“Every piece of the design is geared to show these kids that they matter. We want them to feel inspired to learn when they walk through their new building,” Yates said.
At the dedication ceremony for the new Washington Elementary School building on Aug. 19, Mayor Dorinda Borer made clear that the facility was an investment in both the future of students and the city itself.
“This spirited school will continue its rich tradition of academic excellence for years to come. The students will not only be walking into these new halls but into the future and world of possibilities. Building a beautiful facility such as this one provides a reflection of the quality education children receive here in West Haven,” she said.