SWAMPSCOTT — Residents should expect to know by the end of October what the town’s next elementary school might look like — and where it might be.
Swampscott has been working toward constructing a new elementary school to replace Hadley Elementary School on Redington Street. Currently, a “feasibility study” is underway to examine potential sites for the new school, and the process is ongoing despite the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Vivian Varbedian — the “owner’s project manager” from Hill International Inc., who is managing the project on behalf of the town — has given an update on the project timeline. A preliminary design program should be submitted to the state’s Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) this July, followed by a preferred schematic design in October. The MSBA is expected to fund most of the project.
“(October) is the date when our submission that goes in to the MSBA is our preferred schematic design, the one option that is the preferred option for the town of Swampscott,” Varbedian said.
Residents’ involvement with the School Building Committee, which has been holding virtual public forums on the project, “up until that time frame and going forward is vital.
“It still is your school and your town and we always want to hear from you,” Varbedian said.
Last month, the School Building Committee informed the public that the search for a new school building site had been narrowed to five: the current Hadley Elementary School site, the site of the Department of Public Works building on Paradise Road, Swampscott Middle School, Phillips Park, and the site of Stanley School on Whitman Road. Architectural firm LBA has recommended the School Building Committee eliminate the Phillips Park and DPW sites due to projected poor traffic.
Sites have been evaluated using a number of criteria, including
traffic, with architects hoping to minimize the distance the majority of students will have to travel to school, as well as ensuring student safety by evaluating crosswalks and stop lights.
Following the submission in October, a final schematic design is to be submitted in April 2021, which will then go before the MSBA Board in June 2021 for approval. In September 2021, the town is expected to vote on the project.
At past public forums, architects have polled the public on their desires regarding the new school. According to Anne Ketterer, community facilitator with LBA, the biggest “goals” expressed by the public include reasonable on-site traffic and sustainability and energy efficiency. Ketterer said the four “pillars” guiding architects during the design process are “education” — creating a flexible, modern building — “site and traffic,” “sustainability,” and “community” — building a school that would increase enrollment and have an attractive exterior.
The next School Building Committee meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, at 7 p.m., and Tuesday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m. For information on accessing the virtual meetings, visit the town website at www.swampscottma.gov. For recordings of past meetings, visit Swampscott Educational Access Television at tv.swampscottma.gov.
Questions may be emailed to [email protected], or sent in by call or text to (617) 821-5075.
David McLellan can be reached at [email protected].