Monarch School Installs Solar Array

(l-r) Eric Cimon, Jewett Construction; State Rep. Donna Ellis; State Senator Jim Gray; Diane Bessey and Susan DeRoy, The Monarch School of New England; Christina Zlotnick, Revision Energy; and Ken Plourde, The Monarch School

Jewett GC

Rochester, NH – With the installation of a rooftop solar array this month, the Monarch School of New England under construction in Rochester has reached another milestone. Monarch currently operates two campuses in Rochester. The new school is expected to open in the summer of 2017. A gala event and grand opening will be held on Thursday, September 7.

Jewett Construction serves as the general contractor on the project, which was designed by DeStefano Architects. The 11,860sf facility will house a large multipurpose room, a computer lab, a woodworking/shop area, an art and music room, a greenhouse, a kitchen for preparing student lunches, and numerous classrooms and administrative offices. The exterior will include cementitious siding, an asphalt shingle roof, and multiple cupolas. Plans also include a half-court basketball court for students.

The day school serves students with significant physical, medical, developmental, behavioral, and emotional disabilities. The new facility will allow the school to enhance its career and technical education for young adults by providing the necessary equipment and space to educate and train students for a wide variety of work options in the agriculture, hospitality, technology, and service sectors.

ReVision Energy installed the 47.4-kilowatt solar array. The solar energy company owns the system through a power purchase agreement (PPA), which allows the school to benefit from lower electric costs with no upfront installation cost. The PPA also includes a future option for the school to purchase the array at a significant discount.

The construction of the school is being funded by community support, a generous pool of corporate donors, and a loan from the Bank of New Hampshire. An ongoing capital campaign seeks to raise $1.3 million.