City and state officials marked a milestone in Springfield Thursday in the construction of a new school to replace one that was destroyed by the 2011 tornado.
There was a topping off ceremony that saw the final steel beam raised into place for the Brookings Elementary School. Principal Terry Powe saw to it that each of the 300 students were able to sign the beam before construction workers raised into place. The students have been in modular classrooms since the tornado destroyed the old school.
"I really appreciate the fact the city was able to give us a place to educate the kids and give them some normalcy after so many families lost their homes and had to make changes," said Powe.
The cost of the new school is $28 million. Most of the funds came from the Massachusetts School Building Authority with some money from FEMA. Construction is scheduled to be finished next February.
