Residents living near the site of the new elementary school can expect blasting to begin this July as the $91 million project shifts from permitting into active construction. During a March 26 community forum, project leaders outlined a timeline that targets a May 2028 completion, offering the most detailed look yet at the "school in the woods" design and the impending redistricting process that will follow the building's completion.

Eric, a representative for the project’s management team, confirmed that all construction items currently fall within the $91 million budget. He noted that the team is currently pre-qualifying subcontractors, with a finalized guaranteed maximum price for the full package expected by September. Regarding permitting, we’ve been meeting regularly with the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, and MassDOT, Eric stated, adding that neighbors in the calculated zone will receive formal notifications before the summer blasting begins. This project is moving forward alongside strategic town efforts to mitigate debt, including a recent Town Meeting vote to transfer $3.3 million in surplus funds from the High School project to this new elementary build.

Architect Carl Franceschi of DRA provided a visual walkthrough of the facility, which will be set back roughly 800 feet from Park Street. The design features a pinwheel layout with dedicated wings for different grades and a "Learning Commons" at its heart. This will be a very energy-efficient building, Franceschi explained. It will have geothermal ground source heat pumps for heating and air conditioning, using wells driven into the ground. It is a very sustainable building in both first cost and energy cost going forward. The school is designed to serve 600 students and includes a gymnasium sized with an adult basketball court for community and high school junior varsity use.

Alex from WT Rich Construction Manager addressed the logistical impact on the neighborhood, emphasizing efforts to mitigate disruption from steel and concrete trucks. We’ve enabled the site and we’re now getting ready to start our site utility and site drainage work, really getting the building pad ready, Alex said. He projected that the building would be enclosed by the end of 2026, with interior work progressing through 2027. We are currently targeting May of 2028 for completion so the school and community can be prepared to take over their building.

The physical construction is triggering an administrative overhaul as well. Superintendent Joseph Baeta informed the community that the district is currently securing a third-party consultant to lead the redistricting process. This effort follows recent School Committee concerns regarding space constraints, which led the board to opt out of the state’s school choice program for the upcoming year. Community voice is a critical part of our process, and we are committed to making sure that is heard, Baeta said. He noted that the final mapping will focus on aligning resources and reducing duplication across the district’s buildings.

Chair Chris Shannon monitored the virtual forum for public inquiries, though no residents spoke during the session. I'm not seeing any [questions], Shannon observed, though he encouraged residents to submit future inquiries to the dedicated project email address as the site work accelerates this spring. The meeting concluded with no formal votes taken, as the session served primarily as a public status update on the ongoing construction and permitting milestones.