June 15, 2016 Facilities Assessment Subcommittee | Massachusetts School Building Authority

The following District presented on the progress of its proposed project at the June 15, 2016 Massachusetts School Building Authority (the “MSBA”) Facilities Assessment Subcommittee (the “FAS”) Meeting:

City of Somerville
Somerville High School
Current Phase: Feasibility Study

Owner’s Project Manager: PMA Consultants
Designer: Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates

The City of Somerville (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 for an addition and renovation project at the Somerville High School, including the grade 6-8 Next Wave Junior High School (“Next Wave”) and grade 9-12 Full Circle High School (“Full Circle”) alternative school programs. The FAS, MSBA staff, and District discussed: 1) the connection of the Next Wave/Full Circle programs to the High School; 2) vocational/technical program adjacencies; 3) the location of Special Education spaces; 4) the availability of natural light in art rooms; 5) the location of the Freshman Experience Program; 6) the location of the makerspace; 7) the location of breakout spaces; and, 8) District and community use of the Somerville City Cable studio.

The FAS requested the following: 1) that the District and the design team review adjacencies in the floor plan as they are described in the educational program; 2) updates to the educational program to include any revisions based on the latest discussions with DESE and the MSBA; 3) a description of public support for a project of the proposed scope, size, and cost; 4) a brief update regarding the status of the approval process for inclusion of the two alternative schools and the Chapter 74 vocational programs; 5) assurance that the City has fully compared the various design options for this study given the recent reduction to the scope and budget of the project with significant revisions to the preferred solution; and 6) a complete record copy (hard copy and electronic) of the Preferred Schematic Report (“PSR”) that incorporates all content and all updated material.

MSBA staff is currently working with the District to reach a mutually agreeable solution to recommend to the MSBA’s Board of Directors.