With the help of Cayuga Heights Elementary students, Depew Union Free School District cut the ribbon on the new elementary auditorium, marking the official opening of the long-awaited project.

A year and a half after the first shovels went into the ground, the community got a look inside the new space during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 15.

In addition to the look inside, they watched a timelapse video of the construction and got a preview of what performances would look like in the new auditorium, as the leads from the Cayuga Heights musical performed on stage.

Attendees who stayed for the board meeting that followed were also treated to musical performances from multiple student groups as part of School Board Recognition Week.

The new auditorium was part of the 2021 Capital Project, which brought several state-of-the-art improvements to the school and facilities.

Ground was broken on the auditorium on May 9, 2023.

The District is thrilled to inform the community that we have broken ground on our Capital Improvement Project 2021! We welcomed the community to join us for a groundbreaking ceremony on May 9, 2023 at 6 p.m. at the project site, Cayuga Heights Elementary, where we celebrated this momentous occasion with the Depew Schools Board of Education, our architectural and construction management team and the Wildcat supporters who have made this exciting project possible. (See the official press release below.)

This is a significant milestone for the district that will be completed in two phases. Phase 1 will cover a range of major projects aimed at improving safety, comfort and functionality in various areas of the district. These include replacing the underground fuel storage at the Bus Garage with an above-ground system, making HVAC improvements to the AC systems at Cayuga Heights, renovating toilet rooms at Cayuga Heights, constructing an auditorium and classroom addition at Cayuga Heights and implementing district-wide upgrades to the PA and lockdown control systems. 

Phase 2 construction is set to begin in May 2024. It will improve the physical and technological infrastructure of the High School and Middle School to provide students with a better learning environment. The design team is currently working on this phase and hopes to submit their plan to the State Education Department for approval later this year. 

Thank you for the ongoing input and support from the community we have received over the past decade. Going back to Renovations 2016 and through to the present Capital Improvement Project 2021, you have been essential to embarking on this path to preserve, upkeep and reinforce our building infrastructure and facilities for many years into the future. We look forward to continuing to work with you to make our District the best it can be.

Proposition 1:

DISTRICT FACILITIES UPGRADES PROJECT

Proposition 2:

CAYUGA HEIGHTS AUDITORIUM ADDITION PROJECT

Proposition 3:

DISTRICT WIDE AIR CONDITIONING PROJECT

*Note: Proposition 1 needed to pass before Proposition 2 can be considered, and Propositions 1 and 2 needed to pass before Proposition 3 can be considered.

CAPITAL PROJECT VOTE

December 14, 2021
Noon to 9pm
Depew High School Gymnasium