The Waterbury, Connecticut, Board of Alderman has approved plans for a $37 million renovation and expansion of the Roberto Clemente International Dual Language School.
CT Insider reports that the project will enable to magnet school to expand its language immersion program through grade 8 as originally planned.
The school provides instruction in English and Spanish across all subjects to evenly divided classes of native English- and Spanish-speaking students.
It opened in 2021 with prekindergarten, kindergarten and first grade classes. The academic plan called for adding a new grade level each year until the school reaches the eighth grade in 2028-29.
The deadline to apply for a state grant that is expected to pay nearly 80% of the $37 million cost is June 30. The project must be on the annual school construction priority list that will be forwarded to the state legislature in late December for consideration in the 2026 legislative session.
The plans for the renovation and expansion were scaled back after Waterbury Mayor Paul K. Pernerewski and the Board of Aldermen balked at the initial proposal's $81.2 million cost.
The Clemente school is in the former Saints Peter and Paul Catholic school, which closed in 2019. The city acquired the property for $1.75 million.
The redesigned plan proposes to renovate and build additions to the existing school building and rehabilitate a vacant convent building abutting the rear of the school building and connect the two buildings through a corridor.
The three-story main school building was built in 1926 and a two-story addition in 1962. The convent building was erected in 1970. School officials reported inspections determined the two-story, brick building is structurally sound and suitable for its planned school uses.
School officials plan to locate the seventh and eighth grade classes in the renovated convent building. The project plan also calls for constructing a new cafeteria, a full-size gymnasium, dedicated art and music rooms, a media center and adding elevators in both buildings.
