Just ahead of the start of the school year, students cut the ribbon Thursday on the new South Buffalo Charter School. The $21 million facility on South Ogden Street opens Monday with an enrollment of about 800 students in grades K-8. Head of School Brian Wiesinger says after 14 years, the school outgrew its old space on South Park Avenue near Mineral Springs Road. Wiesinger says now they have room for 1,000 students.
"We're excited about the expansion and we're excited about the new facilities, being able to have the space to do everything that we can do, including a brand new state-of-the-art cafeteria which we did not have in the old building," Wiesinger said.
The new facility also includes a cafeteria, library, technology and computer labs, art studios, music rooms and a 500-seat auditorium.
Wiesinger says for years, applicants had been turned away at the old school building.
"We needed to be able to provide a better opportunity for more people," he said.
Established in 2000, South Buffalo Charter School was the second charter school to open in the City of Buffalo.