It’s “move-in” day at the new Hunking Middle School as students are expected to get their first views of the new $61.5 million school this afternoon.
Superintendent of Schools James F. Scully, Mayor James J. Fiorentini and representatives of Shawmut Construction take part in a 1 p.m. ceremony, leading students from the old building to the front doors of the new Hunking. Scully said it begins the final phase, or school opening process, which will continue into spring and summer.
“The walk… is to add to the ‘magic’ of the season for these students and your presence would certainly add to the joy we hope each student experiences,” Scully said. “You must know that in many ways these students were involved with the construction project whether through monitoring the progress on the TV screens fixed in the corridors of the school, or by visits from one of the construction team members, or by the videos that weekly unwrapped the inner workings of this magnificent project.”
As WHAV reported earlier this month, Hunking staff began to prepare for the move-in last weekend as teaching materials were moved from the old to new building. Teachers also made preparations, after classes, this week.
A formal grand opening takes place later in the spring.
The 1,000-seat school will also eventually serve elementary students, from kindergarten to eight grade, now attending Greenleaf School and 200 other students now attending classes on the Haverhill side of the Merrimack River. “It will be 50 percent populated this January and then, June or September, be 100 percent populated with about 1,000 students,” Scully said last June.