Achievement First Linden Middle School in Brooklyn celebrates opening of new building.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Achievement First Linden Middle School in Brooklyn celebrated the grand opening of its new, state-of-the-art building on Friday.

The spacious four-story facility provides a much-needed upgrade for the school's 343 students in grades 5-8, addressing overcrowding issues and offering modern amenities.

The new building on Pitkin Avenue features a gym, dance room, and science labs, giving students ample space to learn and grow. Sixth grader Rochelle Abbott shared her excitement about the move, noting that the previous building was "very crowded."

"There was fifth grade and sixth grade on one side and seventh and eighth grade on the other side," Abbott said. "I think it's really good now that we have more space, and we have four floors and there are more bathrooms."

Principal Stephanie Blieka emphasized the importance of the new building in addressing the challenges faced in the previous location. "Our relationship with our other schools in the building was fantastic, but it's really challenging to compete for space," Blieka said.

The move brings significant improvements for students and staff, including more space for learning and improved facilities. "We went from one singular hallway to five floors where kids can actually transition and not stay in the same classroom all day long," Blieka said.

Students like Abbott are already enjoying the benefits of the new building. "It's just bigger and better than the old one," Abbott said.