The School Building Committee (SBC) has continued its work through the summer, including:
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a second Charrette on August 2nd to examine the fit tests further and to determine whether other options should be pursued; |
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site visits to local high schools for comparative evaluations; |
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articles in The Wellesley Townsman on the rationale and considerations for decision making; and |
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continued review of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) program parameters. |
Following is more detail on each of these activities. We are committed to keep you informed as work continues on what promises to be an increasingly complex project. We welcome any comments or questions you have. Thank you for subscribing to this communication effort. If you are not a subscriber, but would like to be, click here to join our mailing list. We encourage you to forward this newsletter to your friends, neighbors and colleagues in our town.
~The Wellesley SBC
August 2nd Charrette
The SBC, the School Committee and the PBC met with the architects (SMMA) with an agenda covering the following topics:
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Consideration of the original concept (Town Meeting 2005) of constructing a 15 classroom addition at the current Wilbury Crockett Library location in order to meet the immediate enrollment needs; |
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Update on communications with the Federal, State and Local government agencies regarding the wetlands and the usability of the current site and the "Selectmen's Parcel"; |
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Quantity and location of parking; |
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Renovation of the auditorium for either a new auditorium or alternative uses (e.g., library media center) discussion on compromises and benefits of each scenario; and |
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Further exploration of a more compact fit test option to address the site constraints. |
The latest testing and work done by the architects on the site indicate that the floodplain issues will require the first floor of any new construction in the parking lot area be close to 2 feet higher than the existing building's first floor. This poses another design challenge.
To address the limitations that the wetlands and riverfront issues impose on the site, the SBC asked SMMA to work on "vertically stacking" the building components, making the footprint more compact and allowing for a better integration of the building on the site.
The SBC decided to pursue building a new auditorium with adjacent Performing Arts spaces. They have requested that SMMA continue consideration of renovating the current auditorium space into a Library Media Center.
In summary, based on the charrette work, the SBC directed SMMA to make refinements to the renovation and all-new construction fit test options to incorporate a more compact design, parking alternatives, and a phasing plan which will address the need for classrooms earlier in the project.
Summer Tour Series
The SBC has been on a 10-stop tour of local high schools, all of which are new facilities or have recently undergone major renovation. The objective of the "Summer Tour Series" is to gain insight into the best practices of building projects and to see what works, what does not and what is cost-effective. At each school, the group speaks with local school staff, asking questions about the construction process and the final results. The SBC members are hearing candid opinions on topics ranging from construction materials to preservation activities to building flow to classroom layouts to green design considerations. The following high school facilities have been or will be toured by the end of the summer: Boston Latin, Brookline, Salem, Swampscott, Bridgewater-Raynham, Whitman-Hanson Regional (specifically to review a completed "green" project), Reading, Woburn, Ashland and Hudson high schools. Last summer, members of the Visioning Committee toured Acton-Boxborough, Ipswich, Marblehead, Newton South, Lincoln-Sudbury, and Westwood high schools.
A Frame of Reference
The High School Project process is a series of simultaneous, interconnected activities. In an effort to articulate and document the basis for decisions made to date and provide a framework for those in the future, members of the SBC, the School Committee and the School Superintendent have written a series of informational articles, many of which have appeared in the The Wellesley Townsman. These articles, together with the more detailed Position Papers drafted by the School Committee, will provide a good frame of reference going forward.
We encourage you to read and digest the information provided and seek further details as your time and interest warrants. Enabling Core Values, by the School Building Committee. The key principles (in order of priority) to serve as the foundation for decision-making in the High School Project. The WHS Project and You, by Katherine L. Babson, Chair of the School Building Committee. The impact of the High School Project on each and every resident and the commitment to two-way communication. How Public Education has Evolved in Wellesley, by Bella Wong, Superintendent of the Wellesley Public Schools. How the many changes in teaching methods, state and federal mandates to education, and the importance of the extracurricular programs impact the current Educational Program. WHS Project: The Pieces of the Puzzle, by Bella Wong, Superintendent of the Wellesley Public Schools. A summary of the physical space needed to enable the WPS Educational Program. The resulting "Architectural Educational Program" details what is included and where it is located and as such, becomes the basis for the building design. WHS Project: The Importance of Site, by Marlene Allen, Member of the School Committee and Chair of the interboard Land Use Working Group. A summary of the study conducted by the Land Use Working Group to assess the constraints and opportunities afforded by the land parcels adjacent to the current High School site.
MSBA Update
As the state authority governing the amount of reimbursement that a town may receive for a school building project, The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) plays an active role in the entire project, from beginning to end. As such, the SBC is committed to engage and consult with the MSBA throughout the process. The SBC has submitted a
Statement of Interest (SOI), the first step of the process. In response to the many SOIs, the MSBA has requested all school districts that have submitted multiple SOIs to designate its highest priority. Wellesley has designated the Wellesley High School as its top priority for consideration by the MSBA.
The next step will be for the MSBA to undertake a facility assessment of the current High School. Because the facilities assessment program is new as of this past spring, the MSBA identified 18 towns to participate in a pilot program. Wellesley is not in the pilot program. MSBA assessments of all projects are anticipated to be completed by year-end. The SBC, School Committee and PBC will continue to evaluate the fit test options and project process over the coming months in
anticipation of MSBA engagement.
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We welcome your input, questions and concerns.
SBC MEMBERS
Katherine L. Babson, Jr. BOS Representative SBC Chairman
Steve Baker Citizen-Architect
John Donahue Facilities Administrator
Tom Goemaat Citizen-Contractor
Steve Gagosian PBC Representative
Rusty Kellogg Advisory Representative
Andrew Keough High School Principal
Hans Larsen Executive Director
Suzy Littlefield School Committee Representative
Kathy Mullaney PBC Projects Administrator
Cynthia Westerman Citizen-Project Manager
Bella Wong Superintendent of Schools |
