Manali Shah
A groundbreaking ceremony was held for a school building being constructed by the Math and Science Academy in Woodbury.
WOODBURY, MN (WNN) – On an unusually warm Monday, the Math and Science Academy held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new 6-12 grade school building on Bailey Road in Woodbury.
The construction project will allow the school to double its enrollment and add a K-5 elementary school at its current site.
The groundbreaking was a joyful event attended by school board members, alumni, students, families, and well-wishers. Kate Hinton, the academy’s executive director, began the ceremony.
“This is an exciting time for the Math and Science Academy. We are looking forward to a new chapter for MSA in a building that will better serve the needs of our students, staff and families,” Hinton said. “This community has embraced us and entrusted us with the education of their children. We take that responsibility seriously as we deliver an education that ensures success for all students. This new building will give us the space needed to provide an even better educational environment for our students.”
Before the actual groundbreaking, senior Abigail Wudmatas, who is also a student representative on the Academy’s board, reminisced about her last seven years, “almost half my life,” at the school.
She recalled limited facilities for sports, lunchrooms, and classrooms compared to other schools. “We had limited space so we had to choose between which classes to pick and sacrificed other activities,” Wudmatas said.
Expressing optimism about this new expansion, Wudmatas said, “This expansion will only bring good things. It will solve a really big issue, this new space will give us space for a kitchen and a lunchroom. Now we can get hot lunches at school!”
Board Chair Wendell Sletten also spoke. “Our vision is to build more than just a school,” Sletten said. “We continue to aim to create a sustainable model of academic excellence for students from all walks of life.”
US News ranked the Academy as the Best High School in Minnesota in 2023-2024 even in its current space.
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Top Ranked Math And Science Academy Expanding To Include Grades K-5 and Building A New Facility