State of the art school opens in New Haven

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- Many students around the state are heading back to class this week and some in New Haven will be walking into a brand new school.

A new school year means a new school building for kids at Hill Central School. It serves students preschool to 8th grade, and 8th graders remember what the old building was like.

"This is way better," said Ruben Maldonado. "It looks way better that what it was before."

"The lockers are nicer and there are the computers," agreed classmate Dena Bruno.

Glen Worthy, the school's principal, agrees; computers like the huge Mac lab in the library will be a big help.

"All the technology that's in this building is a big advantage and they never had that," he said.

There are interactive smart screens in every room and full science labs, plus open, airy spaces that are a huge improvement over the dark, dingy building that was here before. It's even environmentally friendly; a huge fuel cell provides most of the building's power.

This is the 36th school New Haven has either built of rehabilitated in the last 14 years.

"Some people say it's not a good investment. I say it's the best investment we can make," said Mayor John DeStefano.

DeStefano is behind the long term project to redo every school in the city, but says that's just the beginning.

"So the school buildings are great, and God knows we've dedicated a lot of resources to them, but really the magic is in the academic support these people get in the home and in the schools," he said.

There's only a dozen or so school to go.