SKOWHEGAN, Maine — Friday marked a major milestone in the building of a new school in Skowhegan. As dozens of students watched along, the final beam of the future Margaret Chase Smith Community School was raised into place.
"To see it happen is like magic I think. When you're young you want to play with blocks and things, and they're seeing it happen," MSAD 54 schools Superintendent Jon Moody said.
The current Margaret Chase Smith School in Skowhegan hosted a celebratory event Friday morning and displayed the metal beam inside of the school's gymnasium, which was signed by the school community.
The new school is part of an effort to consolidate four elementary schools in MSAD 54. The school will feature child care for children as young as 6 weeks old.
"We're doubling the size of infant, toddler care," said Tracye Forton, chief operating officer of the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program. "We're adding more classrooms for (pre-kindergarten)."
KVCAP is partnering with MSAD 54 to offer early child care and education at the new school, "giving the children and their families a great start for their education," Fortin said.
The cost of the new school is more than $75 million. Much will be funded by the state, and there's roughly $2 million in federal funding. Local community members, including Sam Hight, also helped fundraise more than $3 million for the completion of the school.
"We're hoping to put families in this area in a better position to succeed for generations," said Hight, a former Skowhegan student who was the campaign chair for a fundraising committee. "The great part of this new school is my daughter will be able to go here next year as well. And it's just wonderful for the community."
The school is expected to open for the 2025/2026 school year.