Belmont High School Building Committee June 2017 Update

Posted on: September 25, 2017 - 9:14am

OVERVIEW

The Town of Belmont has been accepted into the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) grant program to identify the needs, the design, and the feasibility for construction of an educationally appropriate, flexible, sustainable, and cost-effective high school facility that adequately addresses the changing needs of the town.

PROCESS

The MSBA building process is comprised of eight modules, or steps as defined by the MSBA. The Belmont High School Building Committee (BHSBC), in conjunction with Town and School officials, steers the process through these prescribed modules and provides information to the MSBA for approval. The requirements and timing of each module are established by the MSBA. Detailed descriptions of each module and the MSBA grant program are available at massschoolbuildings.org/building.

PROJECT TIMELINE & COMPLETION INFORMATION

JANUARY 2016

Belmont was notified by the MSBA that it was invited into the Eligibility Period (Module 1) process.

FEBRUARY 2016

Belmont’s Town Meeting established the Belmont High School Building Committee (BHSBC). Information on the members of the BHSBC and the selection process can be found at www.belmontma.gov/belmont-high-school-building-committee.

MAY 2016

Belmont’s Town Meeting approved funding for the initial modules of the project.

JANUARY – NOVEMBER 2016
MODULE 1 – ELIGIBILITY PERIOD - COMPLETE

The BHSBC completed, within the prescribed 270-day period, all preliminary MSBA requirements. Requirements included: 

  • Completion of Educational Profile Questionnaire and online enrollment projections
  • Validation of enrollment projections by independent organization
  • Completion of Enrollment Certification to identify enrollment targets for grade configurations
  • Report of maintenance and capital planning information
  • Appropriation of $1,750,000 by Town Meeting to undertake the hiring of a Project Team to develop a Feasibility Study and Schematic Design
  • Execution of a Feasibility Study agreement between Belmont and the MSBA, including the MSBA’s commitment to fund 36.89 percent of the Feasibility Study’s eligible costs

Supporting documentation for reports compiled and completed under Module 1 are available at http://www.belmont-ma.gov/belmont-high-school-building-project/pages/documents.

NOVEMBER 2016 – JULY 2017
MODULE 2 – FORMING THE PROJECT TEAM – IN PROCESS

To complete Module 2, the BHSBC willselect a team of experienced professionals utilizing MSBA-specific processes and standard Request for Services (RFS) templates and contracts.

BELMONT HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECT TEAM - TO DATE:

OWNER’S PROJECT MANAGER (OPM) - DAEDALUS PROJECTS, INC. RICHARD MARKS, PRESIDENT THOMAS GATZUNIS, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER SHANE NOLAN, SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER

Thomas Gatzunis will serve as primary OPM on the Belmont High School Building Project. He will provide project management services to the District though every step of the planning and building process, coordinate communication and reporting with the MSBA, and advise the District with respect to design, scope of work, cost estimates and cost-control, scheduling, and construction management. Mr. Gatzunis was formerly the Commissioner of Public Safety for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and previously served as Belmont’s Director of Community Development, Town Engineer, and Building Commissioner. Daedalus Projects served as OPM for the Chenery Middle School project. For additional information about Daedalus Projects and Mr. Gatzunis, visit www.daedalusprojects.com/company.

ARCHITECT/DESIGN TEAM

Proposals have been submitted for review by the BHSBC and the MSBA. Each Architect/Design Team proposal must identify consultants in twenty-nine different categories including specialties such as educational programming, engineering, cost estimating, site analysis, sustainable/green design, security, and traffic. It is estimated that an Architect/Design Team will be in place by the end of July 2017. Once a contract is executed, the Architect/Design Team will work closely with the OPM and the BHSBC as part of the Project Team to complete the Feasibility Study (see Module 3).

JULY 2017 - AUGUST 2018
MODULE 3 – FEASIBILITY STUDY

With the Project Team in place, the District will generate a detailed Feasibility Study report to document Belmont’s “educational program, generate an initial space summary, document existing conditions, establish design parameters, develop and evaluate alternatives, and recommend the most cost effective and educationally appropriate preferred solution to the MSBA Board of Directors for their consideration” (from MSBA Module Overview). The Feasibility Study components have been defined through an agreement with the MSBA and will explore three possible enrollment groupings including grades 9-12, grades 8-12, and grades 7-12. Each of these three grade configuration studies are required to include considerations for renovation of the existing building, renovation with additions, and new building construction. While the 8-12 and 7-12 grade configurations offer significant opportunities in terms of relieving overcrowding at the elementary schools and the middle school, these potential options require that appropriate physical and programmatic separation from the 9-12 students be evaluated and planned. The pros and cons of all three grade configuration options will be explored during the Feasibility Study.

COMPONENTS OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY

Educational Programming – A detailed examination of both existing and proposed programming; summary and analysis of physical conditions of the current building; current and proposed grade configuration studies; technology needs; examination of teacher and staff space; art, music, performing arts, 3 and physical education programming; student transportation needs; and security needs, among other programming considerations. (See Educational Planning section for additional information.) Space Summary – Based on Educational Program analysis, identification of the spacesthe District believes are needed to deliver its Educational Program. Evaluation of Existing Building Conditions – Analysis of current building, development restrictions, building codes and compliance, and geotechnical and hazardous material evaluations. Site Development Requirements – Specifics of current structure, parking, site access for phased construction, building codes, easements, site security issues, athletic field analysis, life-cycle costs, and operating budgets.

EDUCATIONAL PLANNING – ON-GOING IN SUPPORT OF FEASIBILITY STUDY The MSBA requires that all schools in the building process have a comprehensive educational plan. This plan should “inform school designs that are responsive to current teaching and learning practices, while providing flexibility to accommodate future changes in learning environments and educational delivery methods during the useful life of a school facility” (from MSBA Educational Planning Guidelines). Superintendent John Phelan has been working with an educational planner, Frank Locker, who specializes in advising districts through the education vision process. Several meetings with small teams of BPS educators, two community visioning workshops consisting of parents, students, and educators, and one educator session have been convened with the guidance of Mr. Locker. • In Janurary, Locker facilitated two all-day educational planning meetings with educators • In April, Locker facilitated an all-day vision planning meeting with educators • In May, Locker facilitated two all-day visioning meetings with community members, parents, students, and educators • BHSBC will hold additional forums in the fall to continue this dialog with the larger community. Stay tuned for more details. These workshops are designed to provide information, generate discussion, and answer questions to more clearly define the District’s vision of “good teaching and learning” and to explore how this vison could be enhanced by a new space.

COMMUNICATION WEBSITE – COMING IN JULY 2017 The BHSBC is pleased to announce www.belmonthighschoolproject.org, a website dedicated to all aspects of the planning process. Please visit the site for updates, FAQs, links to videos, and supplemental information.

MEETINGS All BHSBC meetings are open to the public and the community is always welcome. For a full listing of meetings, visit www.belmonthighschoolproject.org. The first large-scale community forum was held on April 6th at the Beech Street Center and the first community visioning workshop was held May 4th -5 th . The next community forum will likely be planned for the fall of 2017. Community members will receive notification of all upcoming meetings through postings on the BHSBC website, through various communication methods at each school in the district, and through emails from district and community listservs.

MEET BELMONT Visit the BHSBC table at Meet Belmont on August 29th . There will be updates on the project and committee members will be on hand to answer questions. Questions or Comments? Email BHS-BC@belmont-ma.gov