By contributing reporter Jennifer Bonniwell

The newly constructed Hardy Elementary School opened for the first day of school Wednesday with cheers and applause from parents, students, teachers and the costumed school mascot Hardy.

Hardy fifth graders Kennedy Coffey, William LaCombe Graf, Emily Lin and Eva Piazza helped Hardy Principal Grant Smith cut the ribbon while the students watched with their classes and teachers from the sidewalk. After, Smith welcomed the students and teachers to walk through the front doors for the first time.

hardy opening — Hardy the Husky along with Hardy Principal Grant Smith & fifth graders, from left, William LaCombe Graf, Kennedy Coffey, Emily Lin and Eva Piazza. (Photos by Jennifer Bonniwell)

“Today, we turn a page in Hardy’s history with the opening of this beautiful new school, which we hope will serve the children of Wellesley for the next 100 years, starting today,” Wellesley Superintendent David Lussier said.

School Committee Chairwoman Linda Chow said opening day was “extra special” because she has lived in the Hardy neighborhood for the past 30 years and her grown sons attended Hardy.

“I’m honored to be here today to take part in this wonderful and joyful milestone,” said Chow, whose mother still lives across the street from the school. “This is a wonderful reminder of how fortunate we are to be living in a community that values public education so highly.”

Faster Than a Wellesley Kitchen Reno

For those of you who left for the summer break when the old Hardy building was still standing, you may be wondering how this all happened so quick. It’s true, the old Hardy building was demolished July 9, just 50 days before the new building reopened to students (Yes, that’s faster than renovation time for most Wellesley kitchens). However, the new building is near the back of the school site, so construction began in February 2023 while students continued to use the old building. Students finished the 2023-24 school year in the old building and didn’t have to attend any other schools before the new Hardy opened. See the construction timeline and photos here.

The 18-classroom, all-new construction 80,039 square-foot Hardy building is designed for an enrollment of 365 students, with the flexibility for space to be reconfigured to include a 19th classroom in the case of a “bubble” year. The design includes purpose- built spaces for the district-wide Skills Program, a highly individualized and modified curriculum for students with autism spectrum disorder and/or other related disabilities that present with similar challenges.

The project is estimated to cost more than $72M, with a Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) reimbursement that will keep the town’s share under $60M.

Two New Elementary Schools

Wellesley residents voted to approve debt exclusions to fund construction of new Hardy and Hunnewell elementary schools in December 2021. The special election followed Town Meeting’s approval for the projects’ funding in October 2021. The Hunnewell project began first, with demolition in summer 2022. Hunnewell reopened to students Feb. 26, 2024. Students from Hunnewell were distributed to the town’s other six elementary schools.

In Other School News: WPS Honored For School Budget

Kudos to the Wellesley Public Schools (WPS) business office that prepares the annual school budget! For the third year in a row, WPS has been nationally recognized for the quality of its annual budget document. WPS received the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) from the Association of School Business Officials International for its Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget.

Only three Massachusetts school districts received the award: WPS, Worcester Public Schools and Springfield Public Schools.

The budget is prepared by the WPS business office team led by Cynthia D. Mahr, the WPS Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations.

A panel of school finance professionals reviewed the materials for compliance with the MBA criteria and noted in their comments that “the District’s budget document for another year meets or exceeds all MBA requirements. The document flows well and is an exceptional explanation in narrative and visual form of the District’s financial condition, goals, and long-term strategic financial management.”