By: Sarah Wright | Troy Times | Published May 15, 2024
TROY — Students and staff from Troy Public School District, as well as members of the Board of Education, came together for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Smith Middle School May 8.
Students and staff from Martell Elementary School were invited as those students will likely be attending school at the new Smith Middle School once the project is completed as part of Series 1 of the Troy School District’s $555 million 2022 bond.
Construction costs are estimated around $70 million, and the project will likely be completed in the 2026-2027 school year. The new building will house around 800 students, and current students will continue their education at the old Smith Middle School in the meantime. The old building is 101,094 square feet, and the new one will be 124,200.
“A comprehensive analysis was conducted of the existing Smith Middle School that included current conditions and a program assessment,” a fact sheet from TSD Director of Communications and Strategic Initiatives Kendra Montante states.
A committee concluded that $50 million or more to upgrade the current building wouldn’t make financial sense and recommended that a new school be constructed on the site. The district said the existing school can be a “surge space” for other school communities undergoing remodeling.
The groundbreaking ceremony featured speeches from Superintendent Richard Machesky, Board of Education President Karl Schmidt, and Smith Middle School Principal Ryan Brinks, as well as words from a current Smith student and a performance from the middle school band, under the direction of Raymond Torres.
“I’m so excited to share this day with you,” Brinks said. “I would like to thank the Smith staff for their input for the architecture and their innovative ideas. The students’ voices also helped create our blueprint that encourages project-based learning.”
After the ceremony, while the Smith Middle School staff and students returned to their respective classes, the attendees were given time to take photos with the available shovels on the groundbreaking site.
“As we embark on this journey of construction, innovation, and transformation, we look forward to doing so with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to providing our students with a world-class facility to match our world-class education,” Machesky said.
For more information, visit smith.troy.k12.mi.us or troy.k12.mi.us/community-links/bond-2022-updates.