Curry and Connolly Communities Break Ground on Rebuilds
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The Curry Elementary and Connolly Middle School communities came together on October 19, 2025 for a moment decades in the making: the official groundbreaking of their campus rebuilds. Students, staff, and families celebrated the start of a new chapter for both campuses. They were joined by Tempe Mayor Corey Woods, representatives from Tempe and the city council, the Tempe Elementary School District Governing Board, and representatives from DLR Group and CORE Construction.
“This groundbreaking isn’t just about construction—it’s about our commitment to the next generation,” said Connolly Middle School Principal Dr. Lucas Pugh, who opened the ceremony. “Over the past 50 years, thousands of students have walked the halls of both Curry and Connolly… and some of them are here in person today to help us celebrate.”
Performances from the Connolly Jazz Band and a joint effort from the Curry Fifth Grade Choir and Connolly Honors Choir set a celebratory tone, as students led the National Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance before dignitaries addressed the crowd. While students performed and joined the audience, many more watched the celebration unfold via livestream from their classrooms at Curry and Connolly.
Superintendent Dr. James Driscoll expressed his gratitude to all who helped make the rebuild possible, including the voters who passed the 2022 bond that will fund the project. “Today is the start of a new beginning—one that started with the vision of our Governing Board,” Dr. Driscoll said. “Our hope for our future generations is that these new spaces will inspire curiosity, collaboration, and a love of learning. In the very near future, our students will walk through brand new doors into limitless possibilities—and it all begins today.”
That focus on students was woven into every part of the morning’s celebration. From the music to the leadership shown by student speakers and participants, every moment reflected the district’s belief that students are at the heart of every milestone and at the center of this community’s vision for the future.
Governing Board President Allison Ewers reflected on the power of community partnerships. “This groundbreaking represents what can happen when we all work together with one goal—creating the best possible environment for our students to learn and thrive,” she said. “While we say goodbye to the old buildings, we carry forward the values and traditions that made them so special.”
Closing the ceremony, Curry Elementary Principal Colleen Love reminded attendees of the schools’ rich history and the bright future ahead. She shared the story of Curry’s namesake, John J. Curry, whose work with the Works Progress Administration helped build schools across the community during his time as deputy director. This project continues that legacy. “He spent his life making sure students had places to learn and grow,” Love said. “Rebuilding Curry and Connolly means we are building a very bright future for generations of Tempe students.”
The celebration concluded with six students, Mayor Corey Woods, Dr. Driscoll, members of Tempe City Council, the Tempe Elementary School District Governing Board, and the Connolly and Curry principals donning hard hats and taking up shovels to officially break ground, symbolizing the promise of what’s to come for the Curry and Connolly communities.
Construction of the two schools will be completed for the 2027-2028 school year. Up-to-date information on the rebuilds, construction timelines, and design renderings are available on the Connolly-Curry Rebuild website.
This opportunity reflects Tempe Elementary’s commitment to ensuring that families will choose to attend any Tempe Elementary school — and that more out-of-district students will attend under open enrollment — increasing student enrollment at all schools, as outlined in Goal 3 of the Strategic Plan.
About Tempe Elementary Schools
Tempe Elementary School comprises 21 small, neighborhood elementary and middle schools in Tempe, Arizona. Tempe Elementary is committed to providing a welcoming, achieving, eye-opening, and future-ready preschool to 8th grade education to free the boundless potential in each child - so they are fully prepared to embrace the opportunities of tomorrow and excel for a lifetime. Learn more about Tempe Elementary Schools.