A Decade in the Making, Amethyst Brook Elementary Opens its Doors

By David Porter

Schools Superintendent Dr. E. Xiomara Herman characterized it as a project marked by “innovation, passion and heart.” Principal Allison Estes described some staffers being overcome with emotion when they walked inside and saw their new work spaces for the first time.

They and several hundred students are about to experience what no one in Amherst has experienced in more than 50 years, and what a relatively small percentage anywhere get to do: walk into a brand new building on the first day of school.

A decade in the making, the Amethyst Brook Elementary School on South East Street officially opens its doors on Wednesday to between 500 and 600 students in grades K-5, most from the now-closed Wildwood and Fort River elementary schools. During an official tour on Friday, the main office was abuzz with activity as workmen outside prepared walkways and spread a final layer of asphalt on the basketball courts.

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Inside, the three-story structure is marked by abundant natural light, particularly in the library, cafeteria and gymnasium, and an overwhelming sense of spaciousness. Estes said a few employees shed tears when they saw the interior for the first time, including one who had worked for years in a small office with no windows.

“I had one teacher say, ‘It feels like I’ve taught my whole career in dank and dusty places,’” she added.

The original proposal to build a school that would combine two existing schools was voted down by Town Meeting in 2016 but eventually approved by Town Council in 2023 via a debt exclusion vote. Construction on the roughly $100 million, net-zero energy building began in late 2024 on the site next to the Fort River School, where the school’s athletic field stood. The elementary school building is the first major municipal building project since the downtown parking garage opened in 2001 and the police station building in 1989.

Work is continuing on the grounds around the building, and playing fields won’t be usable until the former Fort River school is torn down, expected to happen in early 2027. That will also free up more parking; until then, many employees will park in temporary lots off South East Street and Amherst Road.

Estes emphasized the school’s integration of a host of offerings under one roof, from a dual language program to programs for students with a variety of special needs.

Diane Chamberlain, an administrator for specialized education programs at the school, said, “There’s a whole potential for learning that we haven’t tapped into. It’s a great foundation, with endless potential; it’s just a new environment we’ve never explored before.”

The psychological boost that new surroundings can bring may be the X factor.

“You feel cared for,” Estes said. “You feel like people are willing to take a bet on you, and what does that mean for you to show up to be your best self. Because you have this whole community that said, ‘Hey, we’re willing to invest this in you.’ Not just the children, but the adults as well.”