Demolition of the Sandy Hook Elementary School is expected to take several weeks.
Bill Clark lives across the street. He says he believes it's going to take a long time for the community to heal. He said Friday town officials are "going to put up another beautiful school" and residents are going to move on.
A task force of Newtown officials voted unanimously in May to raze the school and build a new one on the property where the existing school is located.
Newtown has accepted a $50 million state grant for the project. A new school is expected to open by December 2016.