Candlewood Lake Elementary School
Welcome. This site currently only remains active to as an archive to view, retrieve, and download files and documents that were shared during the planning and construction of CLES. As of August 1, 2023, this website will no longer be updated.
Dear Candlewood Lake Elementary School Families and Brookfield Community,
We are thrilled to provide a status update regarding the transition to Candlewood Lake Elementary School. The school is currently undergoing final construction finishes and building inspections. We provide a status update below:
Moving to CLES:
Once the students recess for the summer on June 14th and the faculty finishes packing their boxes on June 15th, the movers will begin a week-long process to move materials from HHES, CES and WMS into their appropriate locations at CLES.
Most of the furniture (desks, chairs, shelving, etc.) has been delivered and is being assembled/installed this summer.
Huckleberry Hill will no longer have phone or internet access as of June 19th.
Beginning the week of June 19th, the administration and secretaries from Huckleberry will temporarily work from WMS until they soon thereafter receive authorization to work from Candlewood Lake Elementary School.
Construction Status:
We are near the final stretch of school construction. Classrooms and many common spaces are largely complete and the construction firm is working through finishes.
The utilities are connected and the technology is activated.
Flooring has been and continues to be the primary focus:
Carpeted flooring is complete for upstairs classrooms and support rooms and in office areas throughout the building. Terrazzo flooring in hallways and cafeterias is nearing completion.
The main floor classrooms in the Pre-K thru 2nd Grade neighborhoods still need floor tile installed. Similarly, other areas (art, music, multi-purpose rooms, nurses offices) are still underway.
The hardwood gym floor is the final room in CLES planned to be completed, in August.
A few final areas of construction are on their way to completion including the main entry, main office, gym and media centers.
Playscapes are planned, locally approved and in the state approval process as we write this letter.
View the CLES progress update photos shared at the June 7th BOE meeting
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1STebHb9F7a92gjIFZAUoSvL5z13Y5mYJ/view
Demolition:
After HHES is vacated, beginning the week of June 26, the beginning stages of demolition work will commence. You will not see noticeable demolition to Huckleberry Hill until later in July, when they will start with the gym area. The remainder of the building will be demolished during the fall months.
Site Work:
This summer, you will see a tremendous amount of site work being conducted, especially in the front of the school. The south parking lot will be developed along with an additional temporary parking lot for faculty & staff to begin the school year. The north parking lot (currently occupied by HHES) will not be complete until late fall. Since parking and driving space will be limited to begin the school year, Dr. Pepsoski will update parents in late summer regarding visitor parking and student drop off & pick up.
WalkThroughs of the New School:
As soon as the CLES Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the building inspector (anticipated later this summer) we will initiate opportunities for families and the public to walk through and enjoy our brand new facility. A formal ribbon cutting ceremony will be scheduled.
Moving into a brand new school is a once in a lifetime event. We could not be more appreciative of the community for supporting this project, and we know you join us with great anticipation for this historic transition to Candlewood Lake Elementary School.
We will keep you posted as things progress over the summer.
We can’t wait to welcome you all to Candlewood Lake Elementary School!!
Have a restful, enjoyable and safe summer!
Dr. David Pepsoski CLES Principal
Dr. John W. Barile
Superintendent
Mr. Robert D. Belden Jr.
Board of Education Chairman
CLES Mission and Beliefs
At Candlewood Lake Elementary School, we are a student-centered community dedicated to challenging, supporting, and empowering all learners to contribute positively to our world.
To achieve our Mission.
We create a safe and welcoming climate so everyone can develop academically, socially, and emotionally.
We build collaborative partnerships with parents and guardians as they are a child’s first teacher.
We ensure that the curriculum promotes critical thinking and creative problem solving allowing all learners to persevere and find their own way.
We provide meaningful and engaging learning opportunities so all students feel connected and are active, motivated learners.
We honor everyone’s progress and celebrate growth as well as achievement.
Overall Description of Our New School - Architectural Design
“No house should ever be on a hill or on anything. It should be of the hill. Belonging to it. Hill and house should live together each the happier for the other.”
-Frank Lloyd Wright
The new Candlewood Lake Elementary School should be a celebration of Brookfield and Community. The design and concepts of the school are intended to relate and live within the natural outdoors to allow the community to experience the building in more ways than just being a school. Materials were selected as a nod to our Town such as the heavy timbers, Connecticut field stone, and ironspot brick. Restoration of streams and walking bridges adorn the site to help create a welcoming and inviting environment for our students and community. Throughout the school, images from town such as the Happy Landings windmill, birch tree forest, Hop Brook, and Lake Lillinonah are highlighted along with boulders and other natural materials. The aesthetics are heightened in various ways such as the Still River terrazzo floor at the main entry and tree and canopy forests in the Lower Cafeteria and Gross Motor Skills room.
The individual classroom wings are themed to represent various ecosystems as follows:.
PreK- Ponds
K- Forests
1- Oceans
2- Grasslands
3- Rainforests
4- Reefs
5- Tundra
Graphic wall panels and highlighted sculptures replace institutional looking hallways as natural light floods the entire building creating support for an enhancement of human health and general well-being.
Highly engaging instructional approaches are enhanced through the design and implementation of various technologies and spaces within the new school.
From outdoor amphitheater classrooms, breakout spaces, interactive wall and floor displays, and by providing flexible spaces for activities and teaching methods; the only limit will be our own.
The goal of the new school project has always been to show our community what a building can be and how it can better our students and their well-being through proper planning and design. We are excited to share and celebrate this experience with everyone.
CLES School Safety slide show.pdf
CLES Completion Narrative By Month - Presented to BOE 12/14/22
221213 CLES COMPLETION NARRATIVE BY MONTH FOR BOE.pdfCLES Completion Plans for BOE - Presented to BOE 12/14/22
221213 CLES COMPLETION PLANS FOR BOE.pdfBrookfield ES - November 2022 Progress Photos.pdfCLES - August 2022 Progress Photos (1).pdfCandlewood Lake Elementary School Brookfield - Leadership Team.pdf22 0215 Brookfield MBC-BOE Final Furniture Presentation.pdfGroundbreaking Ceremony - Saturday, May 1, 2021
New School Name Updates
In the very early hours of October 1st, the State legislature passed HB 7010 which authorized the State grant commitments for school building projects including $16,745,712 for our new Brookfield elementary school! The grant application was submitted on-time, well over a year ago, and represents a lot of hard work as well as support from this community!