SANFORD — Shovel loads of sand were flung into the air to mark the official groundbreaking Wednesday of Sanford’s new high school and regional technical center.

Fifteen people in white hard-hats did the honors – folks representing the School Department, the city, the building committee, the School Committee, former administrators, the architect and the construction firm chosen to build the $102 million project.

It’s been a long time coming, and sorely needed, as evidenced by a small city of portable classrooms around the current, 40-year-old high school and technical school building.

The groundbreaking ceremony was at the entrance to the complex, staged in an area that will be part of an athletic field. The vast building will be located much farther way from the hubbub of lower Main Street.

“Its enormous,” said Marty Walton as she checked out a rendering of how the 320,000-square-foot building will sit on the property.

Enormous it is. The building will educate about 1,200 Sanford students as well as an additional 400 more, with morning and afternoon technical school sessions that will bring in students from seven surrounding districts.

The actual groundbreaking and site clearing began a couple of weeks ago. The building is scheduled to open for classes in September 2018.

Wednesday was for celebration and “thank you’s,” and to reflect on the process that began years ago.

The Sanford School Department began its quest for a new school 15 years ago, said Superintendent David Theoharides. In 2008, under former Superintendent Betsy St. Cyr, an application was made with the state.

That application was not successful, but officials learned in 2011 that an application submitted the previous year had passed muster. At long last, Sanford was on the state school construction list.

The project will be built with about $92 million in state funds and more than $10 million in local funds.

Attendees were happy and reflective, including St. Cyr, who retired as superintendent a few years ago. The collaborative process, she said, was a model of how such projects should be approached. That theme of collaboration ran through the 30-minute ceremony.

Scott Brown, director of school construction for the state Department of Education, said he’s worked on 75 construction projects during his 20-year tenure with the DOE.

“This is a model for a state-local project,” he said.

Following the ceremony, Sanford Regional Technical Director Kathy Sargent said a relationship with another nearby school district has already been re-established.

RSU 21, which includes Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Arundel, used to send students to SRTC, but ceased to do so for a time. Now they’re back, one of eight school districts, including Sanford, that are served with an array of technical programs.

Both Sargent and Sanford High School Principal Marianne Sylvain said teachers in the two systems have begun collaborating in preparation for the integrated school that will offer students four pathways to complete their high school education – Arts and Communications, Science and Technology, Business and Management, and Health and Human Services.

“This is the beginning of a new educational commitment in Sanford,” said Mayor Tom Cote. A reexamination of the city’s elementary and junior high school is ongoing, and another building project is to come – likely the repurposing of the current high school.

Cote said students deserve the new school.

“Make us proud, Spartans,” he said.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].