Correction: An earlier version of this story said 250 students would be moved to West El next year. The actual number will be determined by Andover Public Schools at a later date with the help of a consultant.
The 590 students at the new West Elementary School will have company in future schools years as Andover Public Schools undertakes a redistricting to fill the building.
The 191,028 square-foot school, which opened at the start of the school year last month, was built for 1,055 students. The adjoining, two-story Shawsheen Preschool will open at the start of the 2025-26 school year, while additional students will be moved from other elementary schools into the three-story West El next fall.
APS spokesperson Nicole Kieser said “the district will create a Redistricting Advisory Council and opportunities for public engagement, and we will be sharing more information on this process in the coming weeks.” She noted APS underwent a similar process in 2015 after the new Bancroft Elementary School opened in 2014.
“We anticipate a redistricting plan will be developed and will likely go into effect at the beginning of the 2025-26 school year,” Kieser said. “Based on the larger capacity of the new building, an outside consultant would support the district to evaluate current and projected enrollment in each school, redraw school boundaries, and recommend the reallocation of district resources.”
A ribbon cutting ceremony for the new, $168 million West El is scheduled for Sept. 20.