Local collaboration and coordination in Cecil will bring the new Northeast Middle School (NEMS) and Northeast High School (NEHS) building online sooner than expected, with a forecasted $8-10M taxpayer savings.

According to a recent Cecil Whig article, the early stages of construction on the new joint middle-high school complex in the county are continuing at a noticeable pace. Work crews began in July to begin clearing the site of the new 294,000-square-foot NEMS/NEHS building. The facility will replace the North East Middle School, built in 1932, and the North East High School, with construction dating back to 1970.

The new NEMS/NEHS building will cost around $181M, which will be split between the county and the state. Current projections show $103M to come from the state and the county playing about $78M. The county will however, forward-fund the state’s portion in order to get the project completed faster. The new timeline has the facility scheduled to open in the Fall of 2027 in time for the school year to begin.

From the article, Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Lawson applauded the efforts of the local government:

“We appreciate the county’s effort to ensure that the new school is completed within the expected timeline. Otherwise, it would be 2031, 2032, before it would finished.”

A recent press release from County Executive Danielle Hornberger’s office underscored the importance of accelerating the completion of this project for the community. Residents can follow along with progress on the new school complex through regular meetings that are published on the Cecil County Public Schools website.