By 1950, the school had become so overcrowded that an extension was built at the rear of the building and some of the old one-room schoolhouses were re-opened.

[9] On December 14, 2012, Adam Lanza shot his mother at home, then killed 26 people (20 children and 6 staff) and himself at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

[15] Many residents of Newtown expressed support for turning the site of the shooting at the former Sandy Hook Elementary School building into a memorial.

[17] The demolition of the school was highly guarded and workers were required to sign confidentiality agreements to protect the victims and their families.

The town accepted a state grant of $49.3 million to cover the costs of the demolition and construction.