UVALDE, Texas – The Uvalde CISD Moving Forward Foundation and Uvalde CISD officially opened Legacy Elementary School at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday.
The opening marked a significant milestone for the community that’s still healing from the Robb Elementary School shooting.
“This school stands as a testimony to our remembrance, resilience, and commitment to our children, our staff, and the future of Uvalde,” UCISD Superintendent Ashley Cholis said.
Watch the full ceremony in the video player above.
She acknowledged the many contributors, including the Uvalde Moving Forward Foundation, architects from Huckabee, and construction partners Satterfield & Pontikes, who helped bring the vision to life.
Jesse Rizo — the uncle of Jackie Cazares, one of the 19 students killed in the May 2022 shooting — described the opening as bittersweet but hopeful.
“We know that the school will provide healing, unique opportunities, and establish hope for generations,” he said.
Rizo, also a member of the school board, urged the community to embrace each other with kindness and love.
KSAT got a private tour of the school on Thursday. Take a look inside the campus in the video player below.
Teachers will move into their classrooms next week, with the first day of school slated for Monday, Oct. 20.
The opening comes two years after construction began.
The $60 million campus was built with a focus on honoring the teachers and students who lost their lives at Robb Elementary.
The victims are not mentioned by name anywhere on the campus, but many tributes are made to them with the number 21, for the two teachers and 19 students who lost their lives on May 24, 2022.
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