The 2025-2026 school year starts Monday in the Newton School District, and Thomas Jefferson Elementary Principal Jolene Comer says the addition and renovations that began last fall are still four to six weeks from being completed. Work inside the school has gone well in Comer’s opinion, but rainy weather has delayed completion of driveways and parking around the building. Teachers, staff, and kids were in the building last school year while the project was ongoing, and Comer says that this year they get to benefit from some of that inconvenience. 

“We had a new wing that was built during the school year. Thankfully, because they were able to get started on it early, it’s done. Those classrooms look beautiful. We had to change some of our procedures with how to get to recess and our dismissal procedures were changed. But our staff was just so flexible and our parents and families did great with it. I just think it went really smoothly last year.’

If the weather cooperates, Comer believes the project could be wrapped up in four to six weeks. Because of the unfinished driveway and parking lots on the west and south sides of the Thomas Jefferson building, parents will start the school year dropping off students on the north side of the building, which will eventually be for bus drop off only. After school, the district is using the same procedure that was in place last spring for student pick-up. Students will be bused to the nearby School Administration Building, and be picked up there. Thomas Jefferson Elementary Principal Jolene Comer talks more about the start of the school year on today’s Let’s Talk Newton.