Walking into Albertville Primary School for the first week of kindergarten classes, families knew the issue at hand.
“This place is crazy. It’s crowded everywhere,” said one parent.
For Ann Marie Foucault, it’s a problem she’s familiar with. The school district’s superintendent, now in her second year heading up STMA schools, was once the principal at Albertville Primary. Friday, Sept. 9, she helped break ground on the school’s first expansion in more than 15 years.
“As we break ground on the classroom additions at Albertville Primary School, I am filled with gratitude, hope, and excitement,” Foucault said in a statement. “I’m humbled by the support from the community and am thankful for the trust they’ve placed in our schools and programs.”
The expansion is part of a $35 million overall district project that will add secure entrances to several schools – including Albertville Primary, athletic facilities and new technology at all buildings.
Albertville Primary has already seen its playground relocated and safety improvements made with fencing and some other basic improvements.
Two more groundbreakings are planned in October and November as the district marks the expansion of STMA High School and the construction of a new sheet of ice at the STMA Arena in Albertville. Both are at 4 p.m., with STMA High School’s set for Oct. 4 and the Ice Arena on Nov. 9. These events will be open to the public.