New school opens 4 years after massacre in Connecticut

The new Sandy Hook Elementary School opened to the public for the first time Friday, containing no obvious memorials to the 26 people who died inside the old school nearly four years ago but created with them in mind.

The $50 million replacement for the school torn down after the December 2012 massacre was designed in a forest theme with the goal of being attractive, environmentally friendly, conducive to learning and, above all, safe.

Visitors will need to pass through a driveway gate, across a moat-like rain garden and past two police officers and a video monitoring system to get inside.

Local officials hope allowing people to take a look at the school this week will give students a “quiet, respectful and appropriate opening as teachers and students return” for the new school year on Aug. 29, Superintendent Joseph Erardi said.



Because of retirements and transfers, about 60 percent of the staff members from the original Sandy Hook are still with the school, he said.