Introduction

In March of 2014, the Hopkinton School Board (Board) accepted the Superintendent’s recommendation to form a District Facilities Steering Committee (FSC). This recommendation was precipitated by a decline in projected enrollment and longstanding deficiencies in the Hopkinton School District’s (HSD) facilities. The FSC was tasked to develop a plan to consolidate the current three school configuration into a two school, P-­5 and 6-­12, model and address issues related to the conditions and configuration of the HSD’s facilities.

The FSC met regularly over the subsequent eighteen months. As part of this process, the FSC retained a contracted Architecture and Engineering (A&E) firm, Harriman Associates (Harriman), to assist with the development of potential programmatic configurations and estimated costs for the Board’s consideration. Facing an unanticipated increase in projected enrollment and the attendant costs to grow projected capacity within a two school footprint, the Board revised the charge in October, 2016 and directed the FSC to concentrate on a three-building solution to address the issues considered in the original charge.

Objectives

The objective of this effort was to meet the charges of the Board, as revised, while determining the best value to the HSD and to the Town of Hopkinton. Specifically:

  1. The most effective school, building, and grade configuration.
  2. The educational specifications necessary to deliver a high-quality program.
  3. The resolution of safety and security concerns.
  4. The resolution of accessibility deficiencies throughout the HSD.
  5. Resolving the deficiencies noted in the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) report.
  6. The satisfactory completion of appropriate deferred maintenance projects.
  7. The relocation of the School Administrative Unit (SAU) building.
  8. The ability of the project to meet community-related facility needs.
  9. The overall cost of the project.

Minutes and agenda for those meetings are on the Facilities Steering Committee website.