Blanquita B. Valenti Community School by DEVCO | New Brunswick Development Corporation

This state-of-the-art public elementary school was developed to replace the former Lincoln Annex School. The 126,000 sf. school accommodates 900 – 1,000 students in grades K-8, and provides such amenities as separate gymnasium, cafeteria and multipurpose spaces together with a modern media center, Technology Lab and Makers’ Space. The new community school also offers a large outdoor playground as well as on-site parking for staff and visitors.

The development of the new school is the result of a unique collaboration between the New Brunswick Public School District, the City of New Brunswick, Middlesex County, RWJBarnabas Health, Rutgers Cancer Institute and DEVCO. Funding for the new school was provided by RWJBarnabas Health as part of the development of the new Morris Cancer Center.

The school, which is known as the Blanquita B. Valenti Community School, was dedicated in Valenti’s honor at the official groundbreaking ceremony for the project. Valenti was a longtime New Brunswick resident and public servant. While raising a family in New Brunswick, she spent nearly 40 years as an educator and held numerous local and county elected positions. In each instance, she was the first person of Latin American descent to serve in those capacities.