At Farmington High School, many teens are eagerly looking forward to next school year, when a brand-new building is expected to be completed and they can finally move in. While students at Bulkeley High School in Hartford complained of a former campus that was “falling apart,” the interim plans — splitting students into two different campuses across the city from each other — have meant limited extracurriculars, disruptions to learning and the loss of a cafeteria. At Bulkeley High School, the $210 million renovation comes after decades of operation without major upgrades, other than a new sprinkler system installed in 2000. Approved for renovations in 2018, the high school in south Hartford began construction in 2020. Originally slotted a $149 million budget and supposed to be completed by August 2024, Hartford officials say Bulkeley’s reopening will not only be delayed a year but will also cost an additional $61 million because of COVID-19 and supply chain issues.
Getting a new high school: A different story in two CT towns