ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Rochester community is celebrating the completion of the first phase of the school district's multi-million dollar modernization program.
Students, families and staff came out on Thursday for the official ribbon-cutting of the new and improved John PB Duffy School No. 12.
RCSD superintendent Barbara Williams as well as the construction contractors gave remarks discussing the progress of the modernization program.
SecondGrade teacher Gilbert Doway says the improvements allow the students to feel secure.
"There's a community," Doway said. "We're back to a community. This is our home. So coming back home it's not just home, but a new home. There's this fresh, kind of airy. When I walk in here I feel like I'm at a college or a university, but this is a city school district so bravo to us."
New York State authorized up to $325 million for phase 1.
Phase 2 will run for the next five years and has a budget of $435 million.