Brookfield's Candlewood Lake Elementary In Final Construction Phase

BROOKFIELD, CT — Candlewood Lake Elementary School has entered its final phase of construction and building inspections and will be ready for students in the 2023-24 school year.

CLES principal David Pepsoski laid out the transition in a note to families this week:

• Once the students recess for the summer on June 14 and the faculty finishes packing their boxes on June 15, the movers will begin a week-long process to move materials from HHES, CES and WMS into their appropriate locations at CLES.
• Most of the furniture (desks, chairs, shelving, etc.) has been delivered and is being assembled/installed this summer.
• Huckleberry Hill will no longer have phone or internet access as of June 19.
• Beginning the week of June 19, the administration and secretaries from Huckleberry will temporarily work from WMS until they soon thereafter receive authorization to work from Candlewood Lake Elementary School.
• Classrooms and many common spaces are largely complete and the construction firm is working through finishes.
• The utilities are connected and the technology is activated.
• Flooring has been and continues to be the primary focus:
  • Carpeted flooring is complete for upstairs classrooms and support rooms and in office areas throughout the building. Terrazzo flooring in hallways and cafeterias is nearing completion.
  • The main floor classrooms in the Pre-K thru 2nd Grade neighborhoods still need floor tile installed. Similarly, other areas (art, music, multi-purpose rooms, nurses offices) are still underway.
  • The hardwood gym floor is the final room in CLES planned to be completed, in August.
• A few final areas of construction are on their way to completion including the main entry, main office, gym and media centers.
• Playscapes are planned, locally approved and in the state approval process as we write this letter.
• Progress update photos shared at the June 7th BOE meeting are available online here.

Once HHES is vacated, beginning the week of June 26, the beginning stages of demolition work will commence. The work will become noticeable in late July when crews begin work on the gym area. The remainder of the building will be demolished during the fall months.

Over the summer, the south parking lot will be developed along with an additional temporary parking lot for faculty and staff to begin the school year. The north parking lot (currently occupied by HHES) will not be complete until late fall.

Parents should expect an update from CLES administration in late summer regarding visitor parking and student drop off and pick up., as parking and driving space will be limited to begin the school year.

Families will have the opportunity for a walkthrough of the new school once CLES Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the building inspector, expected anticipated later this summer.