Westfield River Elementary School Principal Jill Phelan cuts the ribbon to the new school to applause from Mayor Michael McCabe, Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski and past and present staff and students from Franklin Ave. and Abner Gibbs Elementary Schools lining the stairs.
Reminder Publishing photos by Amy Porter
WESTFIELD — Hundreds of residents, young and old, attended the ribbon cutting for the new Westfield River Elementary School on Saturday, which was hosted indoors in the foyer, with the ribbon on the stairs leading to the second floor.
Many of the families in the overflowing crowd waited to get in, among them second grader Mazon Cartagena, formerly of Abner Gibbs, who brought his father Jose Cartagena to see his new school. Asked how he liked Westfield River, Mazon nodded, saying, “There are bigger spaces to do stuff.” Westfield River Elementary opened for the first time on Jan. 6 to 404 students from the former Franklin Avenue and Abner Gibbs elementary schools.
Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski welcomed everyone to a celebration of the “first new school in Westfield in 25 years.” He said the project began when George W. Bush was president in 2008. He spoke about his first visit to the Massachusetts School Building Authority with Purchasing Director Tammy Tefft, former Mayor Brian Sullivan, School Committee member Cindy Sullivan, who was present at the ceremony, and then Business Administrator Ron Rix. “We are seeing the results of that meeting,” he said.
Czaporowski said the shovels went in the ground in April 2023. “I can’t think of very many positive things that came out of COVID. This school did.” He listed some of its state-of-the-art features, including a dedicated STEM Innovation Lab, art and music rooms, library, the stage separating the gym and cafeteria that opens to both sides; and the blue river floor theme throughout the building, representing the Westfield River. He said some of the designs in the school came from the Westfield Technical Academy.
“This was truly a community effort,” Czaporowski said, adding that the school can be used by the community after hours, and said the YMCA is already using it for a before and after school program.
Also addressing the crowd were Mayor Michael McCabe, state Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield), state Rep. Kelly Pease (R-Westfield), School Committee facilities chair Michael Tirrell, Mary Pichetti, executive director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and Westfield River Elementary Principal Jill Phelan.
The mayor thanked his staff, in particular Tefft, his co-chair on the building committee, and the builders and architects from P3 Project Planning Professionals, Caolo & Bieniek and Fontaine Bros. He also recognized the members of the School Committee and City Council present at the ribbon-cutting.
“What a beautiful thing for the community,” said Velis, adding, “I am very fond of bashing the state of Massachusetts, but there is something very, very special about the state of Massachusetts — the MSBA.”
He said the overwhelming majority of states do not have a comparable agency, which he said contributed a significant percentage of the funds in conjunction with the community.
“This is an instance when Massachusetts really gets it right,” Velis said.
Czaporowski then introduced Pichetti, saying “there is no better partner than the MSBA to work with, without which it would not be possible.”
Pichetti said she was part of the initial project to build an elementary school on Cross Street, and has been with Westfield for a period of time. “Speakers have noted how many people it took to get here — they have been working by your side. You’ve invested in a school that looks forward for students,” she said.
Pichetti mentioned in the next phase, there will be outdoor raised garden beds, an outdoor amphitheater and outdoor classrooms that will go in after the old Franklin Ave. school is torn down.
Pichetti said Massachusetts is a state that allots one penny of sales taxes for schools. She said legislation passed in 2023 allowed the state to increase its reimbursement for construction per square foot, and the MSBA contributed a total of $36.2 million toward the school.
“Thanks to voters, to those who have supported this project. Congratulations,” she said.
As of October, the total estimated cost of the school was $60.7 million, according to Tefft.
“It’s truly an honor to stand before you as principal. I’ve only been a part of it for a year,” said Phelan. She said what stood out to her were the countless hours invested in the school by so many.
“Nothing compares to the smiles of the children.” Phelan said their joy made all of the moving boxes worthwhile, and she thanked the teachers and staff in the school who went above and beyond.
Phelan also gave a huge thank you to all of the Westfield River Elementary families. “You’ve been understanding and supportive as we work through the hiccups,” she said.
Czaporowski then handed the gold-tinted scissors for the ribbon-cutting to Phelan, as the mayor invited past and present staff and students of Abner Gibbs, Franklin Ave. and Westfield River Elementary to stand on the stairwell behind them, and she cut the ribbon to resounding cheers. Afterwards, everyone was invited to tour the school.
