The groundbreaking ceremony for a new elementary school on Salmon Falls Road took place on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. The new school, which has been in planning for approximately 10 years, is set to open in the 2025-26 school year and will accommodate up to 420 students from kindergarten to fifth grade.

The $33.6 million project is funded through a combination of local and state contributions, including $15.5 million approved by the Rochester City Council, and $15.77 million from the New Hampshire Department of Education, which ranked the project as a top priority for its 2024 funding cycle.

The facility will feature state-of-the-art technology, flexible learning spaces, and specialized areas for music, art, and special education. Local leaders emphasized the importance of this investment in the community’s future.

The event was attended by several local leaders, including Rochester Superintendent Annie Azarloza, Assistant Superintendent Alison Bryant, and New Hampshire Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut. School Board members included Chair Shane Downs, Sarah Harrington (Chair of the Joint Building Committee), Karen Stokes, Nick Bellows, Matt Beaulieu, David Carmine, Paul Cormier, Shauni McGowen, and Matt Pappas. Representing the City of Rochester were City Manager Katie Ambrose, Mayor Paul Callaghan, Deputy Mayor Don Hamann (Vice Chair of the JBC), and City Councilors Bryan Karolian, Leslie Horne, David Herman, Kevin Sullivan, Alex de Geofrey, and Tim Fontneau. NH Executive Councilor for District 1 Joe Kenney, Gordon Bristol (consultant overseeing the project), and architect Ingrid Nichols of Banwell Associates were also present.