Magnet School Serving Upper Fairfield County Unveiled

Bridgeport and state officials have officially greeted the Fairchild Wheeler-Interdistrict Magnet High School, scheduled to open for classes next week.

“The opening of Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Magnet Campus represents a transitional moment for Bridgeport and for the entire country,” said Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch as he addressed the crowd of nearly 500 people gathered in front of the school’s main entrance.

“We have gone from three high schools in Bridgeport to seven, thanks to the opening of this new campus. This school will provide unprecedented curriculum in fields that are critical to the future of our nation. We need more engineers; we need more information technology and we need more scientists fighting climate change.”

The tri-magnet school teaches Information Technology, Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences with 500 students in each magnet. The school can handle 1,500 students, 70 percent of whom are supposed to be from Bridgeport.

The school will also educate students from Trumbull, Shelton, Easton, Redding, Fairfield, Milford, Monroe and Stratford. Trumbull is sending 39 ninth-graders and 17 10th-graders.

About 500 people attended the opening, including Finch, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Bridgeport Schools Supt. Paul G. Vallas, among  a "host of local, state and federal dignitaries, in a large crowd of parents, students and supporters," said Bridgeport Mayoral Spokeswoman Elaine Ficarra.

"The new $126 million state-of-the-art school – the largest and most ambitious school infrastructure project in Connecticut history – is the most environmentally friendly school in the state," according to a statement.

"LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certified the building will get close to 120kW of power from 10 wind turbines and solar panels. It has a green roof design and its construction includes eco-friendly building materials with energy-efficient mechanical systems. The completed landscaping will use native vegetation and 76% of the site will be maintained as open space," it stated.

The school is built on land once owned used by Bridgeport, then Trumbull, and now Bridgeport again. It was a park in Trumbull until the state legislature redrew the boundaries, putting it in Bridgeport, and gave Trumbull a lease on land next to the Pequonnock River.

Both sites are off of Quarry Road in Trumbull. Trumbull's riverside land may be used to connect the rails-to-trails path running from Newtown to Bridgeport.