SEYMOUR – A new Bungay Elementary School approved by voters in October could open in fall 2028.

So says Selectman Fred Stanek, who is co-chairman of the Bungay School Building Committee. Stanek gave the Seymour Board of Selectpersons a brief update Tuesday (Nov. 25) on a projected timeline for the new school.

Stanek laid out a timeline of dates expected to happen between December and the fall of 2028:

  • Dec. 9 – The building committee slated to approve and release requests for proposals to solicit architects to design the project.
  • Dec. 15 – The town’s application for school construction reimbursement will go before the state Department of Administrative Services for review. Stanek said the hope is that the project gets put on a priority list for the coming year and will also identify what the reimbursement rate for the project will be.
  • If the application gets on the priority list, it will then go to Gov. Ned Lamont’s office for a review and finally to a vote of the state legislature, which Stanek said could happen in late May or early June next year.
  • Jan. 13, 2026 – The building committee reviews bids from architects and schedules interviews.
  • Feb. 9, 2026 – The building committee interviews architects.
  • March 10, 2026 – The building committee makes a recommendation on hiring an architect.
  • March 2026 through December 2026 – The project design phase.
  • February 2027 through July 2028 – Construction phase (school should take 16-18 months to complete).

Residents, at an Oct. 9 referendum, approved building a new $60 million elementary school by a vote of 1,744-391.

The town is not expected to spend more than $20 million, because of the state’s school construction reimbursement program.

The new school will be built on the grounds of the current Bungay School on Bungay Road. Students will use the existing school while the new school is built. The new school will be built where the playing fields are now.

There are currently about 450 students in grades kindergarten through fifth and 70 staffers at the school, according to the school’s website.

The current building, which was constructed in 1954, hasn’t been renovated since 1996 when a first-grade classroom wing was added. Town officials have said building a new school is cheaper than renovating the current building.