The construction of the new Bryden and Hilltop elementary school buildings began this past summer.

Asst. Superintendent Dr. Ken Veon, who oversees the project, is optimistic.

“We believe that this project will be beneficial not only to the community as a whole, but also our students and their ability to learn,” he wrote in an email.

Veon explained that the project was approved by voters in a May 2023 levy.

“The district presented the idea to the voters of Beachwood, and the community felt that there were benefits of building new elementary schools, ” he wrote.

He further explained that the new buildings will include much-needed upgrades.

“Our HVAC, plumbing, and technology infrastructure needed to be enhanced to meet the needs of our students and staff,” he wrote.  “For example, this includes air conditioning, a tremendous increase in the number of restrooms in the building and improvements to the wifi coverage/speeds.”

According to the Beachwood School District website, the project timeline is divided into five stages, and is estimated to take around two years to complete with an estimated completion date of late August 2026. 

With fencing, installation and other extensive site work already complete, the second stage of the project, which consists of building the foundation of both of the schools, is underway.

The construction of the two new schools began last month and is scheduled for completion around Dec. 2025. 

Bryden Elementary School Principal Arianna DeGeorge explained that the construction crews have limited disruption to students’ learning.

“Our students have done a great job so far with the work in progress”, she said. “Our construction crew is purposeful about the work that is being done throughout the day as to limit the amount of noise, as much as possible, that is going on during the school day.” 

“The students are excited to see the construction in process, and we plan on using it as a learning experience and teaching students about the process along the way,” she added.

Students are supposed to move into the new buildings in Jan.  2026. As soon as that happens, the demolition of the original facilities will commence, followed by the construction of permanent drives, parking lots, playgrounds and blacktops. 

The completion of those elements will be around August 2026, and the new fields will be completed in the spring of 2027, as they need multiple growing seasons, according to the school district website.

The website also explains that the new buildings will feature bigger windows to maximize the amount of light entering classrooms to better help with students’ learning. 

Other internal structure improvements will allow the cafeterias and gymnasiums to double up as community areas. 

Both schools will also include lots of outdoor facilities, such as larger green spaces, and newer, safer playgrounds.

Veon described some of the specific upgrades that will be made to classrooms. 

“We are including flexible learning spaces, improved specialty rooms, such as a new library/media center, improved art rooms, and music rooms tailored to the incredible programs we offer,” he wrote.

Veon also explained that safety has been a priority in the design of the buildings.

“Security was a top priority when we considered building new schools,” he wrote. “Given that the buildings are on the first floor, classrooms have two exits as a means for egress”.  

“Our entrances are closely monitored and will have improved video camera coverage throughout the building and on the grounds,” he added. 

With these improvements, Veon and the school district leadership are confident that this will be a very successful investment.

DeGeorge also believes students will benefit from the new buildings. 

“We are designing spaces that meet the needs of where our students are at right now, which will only enhance their learning,” she said. “We have also been able to design new spaces that we do not have currently, that will highly benefit their ability to learn.”