WAKEFIELD — Superintendent David DiBarri and the Northeast Metro Tech Building Committee are pleased to announce that the Town of North Reading and the Town of Stoneham have voted to support the District’s proposal for a new state-of-the-art school building.
Voters at Town Meetings in both communities met on Monday, Oct. 4, and unanimously supported Northeast Metro Tech’s request.
Students attend classes in a more than 50-year-old building that requires educational, capital and maintenance improvements. The new school will address the current facility’s outdated building systems, including much-needed ADA accessibility and code compliance upgrades, in addition to overcrowding.
The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) recently awarded the district a grant of up to $140.8 million for a new building.
“Thank you to Town Meeting voters in North Reading and Stoneham for their overwhelming backing of the school building project, and to the town officials who have supported this,” Superintendent DiBarri said. “These Town Meeting votes validate the need for a new building and the countless hours the Building Committee has spent developing the best and most cost-effective project possible.”
The new school will feature 21st-century learning environments, improved Individualized Education Program (IEP) accommodations, state-of-the-art shop space, expanded program offerings, a new primary access roadway from Farm Street to reduce traffic congestion, a full-size gym, a 750-seat auditorium, outdoor space for learning and a new cafeteria.
With a focus on sustainability, the project is targeting LEED Silver+ certification with energy-efficient mechanical systems, provisions for solar panels, and vegetated roofs. The compact, four-story design will feature an upper-level courtyard, roof decks, and a double-height library rotunda.
The project is estimated to cost $317.4 million. The project will proceed on schedule if all district communities legislative bodies do not negatively oppose the project. If one does, voters can support the project in a district wide referendum planned during the winter. The communities will save $25 million in costs if this project is approved in a timely manner.
Updates regarding the project and details about future community forums will be posted to the building project website here and Facebook page here, as they become available.
Future meetings
Northeast Metro Tech officials encourage residents in sending communities to learn more about the building project at public meetings in the coming weeks:
- Tuesday, Oct. 12: Malden City Council, 7 p.m., Malden City Hal
- Monday, Oct. 18: Chelsea City Council, 7 p.m., Chelsea City Hall
- Monday, Oct. 18: Saugus Special Town Meeting, 7:30 p.m. (meeting will be held on Zoom; residents are asked to request the meeting link from the Town Clerk)
- Tuesday, Oct. 19: Winthrop Town Council Finance/Executive Committee, 6 p.m., Winthrop Town Hall
