The following districts presented on the progress of their proposed projects at the May 14, 2025 Massachusetts School Building Authority (the “MSBA”) Facilities Assessment Subcommittee (the “FAS”) Meeting:
District: Town of Dracut
School: Joseph A. Campbell Elementary School
Phase: Feasibility Study
Owner’s Project Manager: Liro-Hill Corp.
Designer: Mount Vernon Group Architects, Inc.
The Town of Dracut (the “District”), the Owner’s Project Manager, and design team presented an overview of the options studied during the Feasibility Study and the District’s preferred solution to proceed into Schematic Design to consolidate the student population of the existing Joseph A. Campbell Elementary School and Greenmont Avenue Elementary School, and construct a new facility serving Kindergarten through grade 5, plus Pre-kindergarten, on the site of the existing Joseph A. Campbell School. The FAS, MSBA staff, and the District discussed the following: the importance of professional development for staff in preparation for the transition to a new facility and opportunities for faculty feedback and engagement as the design progresses; considerations associated with the proposed consolidation of elementary schools including maintaining small neighborhood scale, sharing resources and school culture; suggestions for incorporating the cultures of the District’s growing English Learner population into art and music curricula; clarification of media center staff responsibilities; appreciation for the District’s Educational Program; distribution of Special Education spaces and DESE review process; appreciation of the simple and efficient building layout; site constraints, topography and building orientation; opportunities to further refine the site plan and proposed indoor/outdoor connections as the design progresses; and, interior connections and transparency in the proposed academic neighborhoods.
District: Town of East Bridgewater
School: Central Elementary School
Phase: Feasibility Study
Owner’s Project Manager: Leftfield, LLC
Designer: Raymond Design Associates, Inc.
The Town of East Bridgewater (the “District”), the Owner’s Project Manager, and design team presented an overview of the options studied during the Feasibility Study and the District’s preferred solution to proceed into Schematic Design to replace the existing Central Elementary School with a new facility serving Kindergarten through grade 2, plus Pre-Kindergarten, on the existing site. The FAS, MSBA staff, and the District discussed the following: appreciation for the District’s Educational Program and its detailed description of professional development activities and curriculum development; distribution of Special Education spaces, particularly on the proposed second floor plan, and DESE review process following Schematic Design; consideration of potential canopies for sheltered access to the building; benefits of providing a minimum of two sinks in each general classroom as well as sufficient storage to facilitate project-based learning and STE exploration; appreciation for the site plan and proposed indoor/outdoor connections as well as opportunities for further refinement as the design progresses; building massing and geometry with potential to consider simplification of the exterior form and volume; and, interior circulation, including the proposed location of stairs and the elevator, and considerations associated with how the proposed concept responds to the District’s universal design for learning principles.
