SBC Shares Details On New Elementary School Project

Medfield MA

27 October, 2021

10:01 AM

Description

SBC Shares Details On New Elementary School Project "The School Building Committee is excited to be presenting a proposal for a new elementary school at the November 7th Special Town meeting," shared Anna Mae O'Shea Brooke, School Building Committee (SBC) member. "Replacing the Dale Street School has been on the town's agenda for over a decade." After being rejected by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) two times as early as 2012, Medfield's application was ultimately approved in December 2017. "Once accepted," continued O'Shea Brooke, "the School Building Committee got right to work, and after four years of planning, evaluation, and community discussion, Medfield residents will be asked to vote next month on building a New Elementary School for grades 4 and 5 adjacent to the current Wheelock School on Elm Street." Medfield undertook this project because Dale Street School, now over 80 years old, simply no longer meets the standards of a modern elementary school. "We have been maintaining Dale Street School for decades, but unfortunately it is an aging, deteriorating, and outdated facility that cannot meet the educational needs of our students and faculty. The mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems are at the end of their useful lives, and the building does not meet current building codes, handicap accessibility codes and special education requirements," said Dr. Jeffrey Marsden, Medfield School Superintendent. "This New Elementary School will fundamentally improve the way Medfield students are learning today," continued Marsden, "with properly sized classrooms, project-based and small-group learning areas, science and technology rooms, and other facilities that are at the heart of Medfield's high-quality educational program. This school will be an investment in Medfield's students for the next 50-plus years." The new school design would have approximately 95,828 square feet of space which represents 50% more space than the existing Dale Street School. The new building includes modern classrooms and spaces dedicated to supporting special education services and the guidance department. The proposed design also includes a media center, cafeteria, gymnasium, and performance area. The performance area and music room, which are standard features for elementary schools, have not been available in the current grade 4 and 5 school. The plan is also for a Net Zero Energy building which will save on energy costs and could potentially qualify for an additional MSBA reimbursement. "Building on the Wheelock site allows for future flexibility to address the uncertainty regarding inevitable enrollment fluctuations across all elementary schools," explained Marsden. "Moreover, creating an upper elementary school campus allows for sharing resources across four elementary grades, improves teacher collaboration, and professional development. Proximity naturally builds in economies of scale that will have immediate impact and long-term benefits for the management of the elementary division of the school system." Creating an upper elementary campus provides several immediate benefits for the Wheelock School. As part of the project, much needed parking will be developed, and the grounds of the entire campus will be improved. The New Elementary School includes outdoor learning and outdoor physical education that will be shared by all grades. "Another important part of the move to Elm Street has been planning and addressing traffic mitigation to minimize neighborhood disruption, making sidewalk improvements, and adding a new crosswalk," noted Mike Quinlan, SBC chair. "We've been working throughout the project with Elm Street residents and the Department of Public Safety. If the project is approved, there is more work to be done to ensure proper traffic mitigation and to ensure construction disruption is minimized. This will be a key part of the next phase of the project." The total cost of the project is estimated to be $81,893,663. The maximum MSBA grant is $19,599,995 which brings the estimated cost to taxpayers at $62,293,668. It is estimated that, if approved, the tax impact to each household will be approximately $1.23 per $1000 of assessed value. "We knew going into the project the new school would be the largest capital building project the Town has undertaken, and it was a responsibility that each SBC member took very seriously,'' emphasized Quinlan. "We believe the scope and scale of the project we are presenting to the Town strongly aligns the educational needs of students with the overriding objective to present residents with a fiscally responsible option that will serve our town for at least five decades" "There really are few extras in the new building," said Quinlan, "although we did utilize the outdoors by including outdoor learning spaces that are now very common in elementary education." It is important to note that outdoor spaces, the gymnasium, and performance space add new functional capacity that will be available for community use. "There are currently over 10 school projects in the works throughout MetroWest communities," added O'Shea Brooke. "Our neighboring towns are grappling with the same challenges of aging buildings and the need to replace them." If the new school is approved, the Permanent Building Committee has recommended to reuse the Dale Street facility as a new home for the Parks and Recreation Department and Medfield Outreach programs. This plan would solve some of the short term needs of Parks and Rec and Medfield Outreach for minimal cost until the Town is in a better position to fully renovate the building. "The gymnasium will remain available for youth sports as well as the existing playground including the beloved Neptune climbing structure," added O'Shea Brooke. If the new school is approved, construction is set to begin in the Summer/Fall of 2022 and students would move in Fall of 2024. Voting for the New Elementary School will take place next month. The first vote is at a Special Town Meeting on Sunday, November 7 at 12PM at Medfield High School. There it needs to pass with a ⅔ majority in-person vote. The second vote is a Special Town Election ballot on Monday, November 15, at The Center on Ice House Road from 6AM - 8PM where a simple majority is needed for approval. If the project is not approved a new school will be delayed by a minimum of 3 to 5 years and will cost the town significantly more due to inflation and interest rates. The Town will need to reapply to the MSBA and there is no guarantee that the new Statement of Interest will be accepted. A no vote will also require the Town to undertake another costly feasibility study process (which has taken over 30 months). "The proposed new school will bring elementary education to an entire new level," added Marsden. "The existing facility presents so many challenges on a daily basis for students and faculty. It is rewarding to have come this far in the process and see the Town moving forward to address the critical needs facing our students and teachers and planning for the future. We hope for a favorable outcome. SBC committee members are available throughout the two weeks leading up to the Special Town Meeting and the Ballot vote to answer any questions and concerns." To learn more about the proposed new school, visit tinyurl.com/mednewschool, attend the Thursday, October 28 Community Forum at the high school, and/or email the SBC members at [email protected] with your questions.