MADISON, CT — Madison's new Neck River Elementary School has been completed on time and under budget, and is ready for students when the school year begins on Sept. 2.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the Mungertown Road school on Tuesday, with State Sen. Christine Cohen, state Rep. John-Michael Parker, First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons, Madison Schools Superintendent Dr. Craig Cooke and other local leaders celebrating the opening.
Last year, Sen. Cohen and Rep. Parker increased the state reimbursement rate for this project 10 percent from 18.21 percent to 28.21 percent, saving Madison taxpayers roughly $6 million, according to Cohen's office.
The new Neck River Elementary School is a 60,000 square foot building that is energy efficient, safe, and meets the needs of modern education, according to the district. Designed in accordance with Connecticut High Performance Building standards, it runs on a geothermal round-sourced heat pump system.
It has spaces for core instruction, related arts, a library media center, a gym, a stage, three playgrounds and more. Neck River will hold more than 600 students in grades PreK-5.
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"I am thrilled to see this project completed, and just in time for a new school year," Cohen said in a statement. "Neck River is a vision of the future - it uses clean and energy efficient technology, while creating a classroom that will best serve the needs of students in today’s age. This project is a great example of local and state collaboration to best serve our residents. What will now truly bring this school to life are the hardworking teachers who inspire and the students who will fill the halls with laughter and learning."
Added Rep. Parker, "This ribbon cutting is the latest in a series of projects that will provide critical renovations to the infrastructure of Madison's schools. As this project is in my hometown, it holds special meaning for me, and I’m especially proud of the role we played in securing a higher state reimbursement rate — saving taxpayers in our district $6 million. These construction projects will provide our students with the modern facilities they need for their education, and I can't wait to see the final result."
"Neck River is one of many major investments being made by the Town as part of the Madison School Renewal Plan approved by voters in 2022 - a plan which has allowed us as a community to create new, up-to-date learning spaces that live up to our well-deserved reputation as an exceptional school district," said Lyons. "Just as previous generations built and supported so many of our school buildings over the last 75 years, now it is our turn to open up this new, beautiful, highly efficient building and continue our commitment to invest in Madison’s very bright future."
Neck River is the first new school in Madison in more than 20 years, according to Cooke. "This beautiful school reflects the town's commitment to ensuring that Madison students have modern, dynamic, comfortable learning spaces."
Added Board of Education Chair Seth Klaskin, "At the end of the day, this project says, 'We care.' We care about our students, our educators, and our community’s future. We’ve invested in modern, safe, energy-efficient, and educationally appropriate schools because that’s the Madison Way. To my fellow taxpayers and voters—thank you for sharing in the vision and making it real. I am immensely proud and deeply humbled to have played a role in this progress for our town."
About the project:The Neck River Elementary School project broke ground in the spring of 2024 and reached substantial completion in June 2025. The new school is part of the larger Madison Schools Renewal Plan that was approved by the voters in February 2022. The plan includes the construction of a new PreK-5 building, transforming Brown School into a PreK-5 school, and significant renovations at Polson including a new HVAC system. The plan results in the closure of two of our oldest school buildings - Jeffrey and Ryerson elementary schools - as well as the Town Campus Learning Center Preschool (TCLC), contracting the district down to four buildings.