THE SHAUN F. BEASLEY Track and Field would become the site of a new Wakefield Memorial High School if the project is approved by the Massachusetts School Building Authority and local voters. The athletic facility would then be reconstructed on the site of the demolished old high school building. (Mark Sardella Photo)
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD – Dates have been announced for a potential Special Town Meeting and Special Election should the Massachusetts School Building Authority approve Wakefield’s plan for a new high school at its board meeting on Dec. 22.
Pending Town Council approval, a Special Town Meeting would be held on Jan. 28 followed by a Special Election on March 11 where local residents would vote on whether or not to go forward with the project, officials said last night.
The 11th community information forum on the proposed new Wakefield Memorial High School building project was held in the high school cafeteria last night under the auspices of the Permanent Building Committee.
Representatives of architectural firm SMMA and project management firm LeftField were on hand, along with members of the WMHS faculty and administration.
School superintendent Doug Lyons opened the meeting by reviewing the process of getting into and working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) funding program.
Lyons said that the goals for a new Wakefield Memorial High School are to create a building that is more accessible and more consistent in terms of producing better educational outcomes.
Lyons spoke of the accreditation issues at the high school, noting that that the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) is the agency that assesses member schools for accreditation. He said that NEASC visiting teams have consistently praised the quality of the WMHS curriculum and staff, but have noted significant deficiencies with the physical plant.
Lyons called upon members of the administration and staff to talk about some of the issues with the high school building, including the problematic layout of the school, the inconsistent classroom sizes and the need for “flexible spaces” and “gathering spaces” within the school.
WMHS Principal Any McLeod elaborated on the issues with the layout of the school and the circulation problems with long distances between classrooms. She talked about the need for clear layout that allows for active and safe areas for academic collaboration and informal gathering.
Tim O’Brien, Director of Facilities at WMHS, talked about the inconsistent temperature throughout the building due to HVAC issues as well as the need to meet ADA accessibility standards.
Permanent Building Committee chairman Joseph Bertrand discussed the various options that were considered to address the building deficiencies and their respective costs. Those options included a code upgrade ($178 million), addition/renovation ($272 million), and new construction ($273.5 million). He said that the Permanent Building Committee determined that new construction on the current site of the Shaun F. Beasley Track and Field would be the best option as it would be less disruptive to teaching and learning and would take less time to complete than an addition/renovation.
Lynn Stapleton of Project Management firm LeftField observed that the project is currently at the end of the planning phase and noted that the MSBA Board is scheduled to review and vote on the final project plan at its Dec. 22 meeting. Assuming approval, Stapleton said that a Special Town Meeting would be held on Jan. 28 followed by a Special Election on March 11 where local residents would vote on whether or not to go forward with the project.
If the project is approved locally, construction would begin in January of 2024 and the new high school would open in 2027, Stapleton said. Since the project would be built on the current site of the Shaun F. Beasley Track and Field, the athletic fields would be reconstructed on the demolished site of the old high school building once the new school is built.
Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio spoke last night about the project cost. He noted that the total project cost increased from earlier estimates to $273.7 million due to escalating construction costs. He also noted that the MSBA only reimburses at a rate of $360 per square foot of eligible construction, while actual construction costs are much higher than that.
But he offered some hope, noting that there are credible rumors that at the same meeting on Dec. 22, the MSBA Board will increase the reimbursement ceiling for projects like the proposed new WMHS.
Maio also talked about the tax impact for homeowners at various home values. He said that 68 percent of Wakefield homeowners would end up paying less than $1,000 a year for the next 30 years. He added that the tax burden could end up being even less if the MSBA comes through and increases its reimbursement.
Pleasant Street resident Kathleen Scharff asked about any alternative energy features planned for the new school.
Helen Fantini, a project manager at architectural firm SMMA, talked about the plan for the building to be all eclectic. She added that the Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department will provide rooftop solar panels, electric vehicle charging stations and a backup power grid.
In response to another question, Maio described the property tax credit that the town is offering to eligible senior citizens to help with the added tax burden.