State of New Jersey Schools Development Authority
06/18/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/18/2026 15:36
New Jersey Schools Development Authority Breaks Ground on New Middle School in West New York
West New York, NJ - The New Jersey Schools Development Authority (SDA) today joined the West New York School District, along with city officials and students, at a groundbreaking ceremony for the new West New York Middle School.
"Today, as we celebrate the start of construction of a new school, we not only build the foundation for an exceptional learning facility, but also the foundation of a quality educational experience where students can learn and grow into the leaders of tomorrow," said SDA CEO Manuel Da Silva. "Alongside our skilled contractors, dedicated school officials, committed local officials, and community members, we gather here with a shared vision and purpose to construct a new school that will create better and brighter educational opportunities for West New York students."
"Today's groundbreaking ceremony marks more than the start of construction-it represents our commitment to our students, families, and our community, said Clara Brito Herrera, Superintendent of West New York School District. "This school will be a place where curiosity is nurtured, talents are celebrated, potential is realized, and generations of learners will be inspired to achieve their dreams. We are grateful to all our local and state partners for their commitment to investing in the children and families of West New York. Together, we are not just building a school, we are building future opportunities for students."
The new school will be an approximately 162,000 square-foot facility designed to educate a maximum of 876 students in sixth through eighth grade. This high-quality facility will include: 30 general classrooms, six science labs, three art class/project rooms, a kiln, a STEAM lab, a dance/aerobics studio, vocal and instrumental music rooms, an auditorium, a gymnasium, a media center, and a cafeteria.
Once complete, this $121.8 million project will be the seventh capital project completed by the SDA in West New York since the inception of the school construction program. The SDA previously invested more than $216 million in completed projects in West New York.
The construction of this new school project is advancing through a design-build approach. The design-build method differs from a traditional design-bid-build approach by allowing the SDA to contract with one firm for both design and construction of a school facilities project. Terminal Construction Corporation is the design-build contractor. As part of the design-build contract, Terminal Construction Corporation is working with DMR Architects, Inc., on the design. EPIC Management, Inc., is managing the project.
As a result of SDA's commitment to building energy-efficient buildings that consider the surrounding environment, this school will be built with the goal of achieving LEED (United States Green Building Council - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification.
About the New Jersey Schools Development Authority
The SDA is the State agency responsible for fully funding and managing the new construction, modernization and renovation of school facilities projects in 31 SDA Districts. Its current portfolio of active projects is valued at approximately $2 billion - including the Capital Project portfolio, emergent projects and Regular Operating District grants. Since the program's inception, the SDA has provided funding for and management oversight of 900 completed school facilities projects in SDA Districts and has executed more than 5,400 grants for Regular Operating Districts throughout the State of New Jersey. For more information about the SDA, please visit our website at: www.njsda.gov or follow us on social media at: Facebook; Instagram; LinkedIn; or Twitter.
State of New Jersey Schools Development Authority published this content on June 18, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 18, 2026 at 21:36 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]