What grades will be in the new high school? What will the different grade configurations look like (for example, 9-12, 8-12, or 7-12)?

The Belmont High School Building Project has received approval from the MSBA to study options for multiple grade configurations: 9-12, 8-12, and 7-12.

Should the Town decide to include lower grades on the Belmont High School campus, careful work will be done to ensure adequate separation between younger and older students. Some strategies that may be employed to achieve this include: physical separation of classroom wings; adjusting school schedules such that older and younger students arrive and depart at different times; and carefully controlling the flow of students through communal areas.

Additionally, there are many exciting educational opportunities that exist when 7th and 8th grades are included on a high school campus. The opportunities for thoughtful educational connections between grades could include mentoring programs and other cross-grade learning opportunities as well as access to a shared robotics lab or maker space. Including lower grades on the new Belmont High School campus would alleviate crowding throughout the district.