What to know about Biddeford’s newly opened elementary school expansion
Biddeford Primary School Opens New Wing After Four‑Year Construction
A ribbon‑cutting ceremony on Thursday marked the official opening of a new wing at Biddeford Primary School, giving the district a single building for pre‑K through second grade. The addition—comprising 16 new classrooms, a small office and several workspaces—was completed after a 2024‑year construction project that began following the closure of John F. Kennedy School.
Superintendent Jeremy Ray welcomed the new space, saying, “It’s exciting. … It’s less transitions for our kids,” adding that the building will allow the school to “get to know families and build relationships.” He also noted that the wing will help the district expand its pre‑K program, an area he said “is needed,” and that the climate‑controlled interior provides an ideal setting for summer‑school sessions.
The new wing was funded with a city bond that voters approved in 2023, bringing the project’s cost to just over $9 million. That is a fraction of the estimated $30 million that would have been required to repair the old Kennedy School, which was deemed structurally unsafe. “The renovation is not just about building space,” Ray explained as construction got underway in 2024. “It’s about building a brighter future for our students.”
Beyond classrooms, the addition offers outdoor learning opportunities. A balcony classroom with a bird window will allow students to conduct science lessons outside and observe nesting birds up close. The lobby is anchored by a brightly colored indoor slide, dubbed the “Tiger Tail” after the district’s mascot—a feature that students like second‑grader Brady Boucher and first‑grader Indie Martin enjoyed during the ceremony.
Mayor Liam LaFountain, who attended the ribbon‑cutting, said he was “honored to carry the project over the finish line.” He reflected on the building’s role in the community: “For families, this building is where the connection to Biddeford Schools begins. It is where parents entrust their children to us for the first time, and where those children begin developing the confidence, relationships, and love of learning that will carry them through graduation and beyond.” He added that he hopes students who graduate from Biddeford High will one day return to the primary school, having begun their education in the new, unified space.
The project was championed by three consecutive mayors. Alan Casavant secured the bond that financed the wing, Martin Grohman presided over the groundbreaking in 2024, and LaFountain saw the project through to completion. The new wing’s 16 classrooms now allow the district to keep all young students on a single campus, reducing the number of transitions students face each year and fostering a stronger sense of community.
With its expanded space, climate‑controlled rooms, outdoor balcony, and the beloved Tiger Tail slide, Biddeford Primary’s new wing is poised to serve the city’s youngest learners for years to come.
