Schools

Asbestos Abatement Will be Costly in School Projects, Soil for Foundations in Good Shape

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Asbestos was found deep in the walls of Hosmer Elementary School, which will result in higher costs of demolition when the new school is built.

Architects gave the School Building Committee some good news and some bad news with the costs related to hazardous material removal and the grounds where foundations will be built for the upcoming construction projects. In preparation for the construction projects at Watertown’s three elementary schools, architects have been looking at the conditions for demolition of the current schools, and to put in foundations for the new ones. The Bad News

When the schools were examined the schools for hazardous materials some asbestos was found in some hidden places, said Scott Dunlap, project architect for Ai3 Architects. The school with the most was Hosmer Elementary. “What we found at Hosmer we have only seen it a couple times,” Dunlap said, who described a layer of asbestos buffering between the exterior brick wall and the cement blocks inside.

Around Town

Architects Discuss School Gardens, Playgrounds & Outside Learning Spaces

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A drawing showing the outdoor learning space outside Lowell Elementary School. The amenities surrounding Watertown’s three elementary schools after they are rebuilt or renovated are taking shape, but the School Building Committee and others have some concerns about handicap accessibility, deliveries and more. The designers of the town’s three elementary schools, Ai3 Architects, showed the School Building Committee details of the plans for the playgrounds, outdoor learning spaces, school gardens and even delivery areas at the Aug. 21 meeting. Gardens & Outdoor Learning Areas

The designers are working with teachers, staff and the district’s School Garden Coordinator, Judy Fallows, to help design the school gardens.

Schools

Architects Vying to Design New Watertown High School Narrowed to Finalists

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The quality of the of architects seeking to design the new Watertown High School pleased Watertown officials as well as members of the state board that chose the finalists. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) Designer Selection Panel met Tuesday and heard presentations from eight firms vying to be the designer for the WHS project. Three finalists were chosen.

At Wednesday’s Watertown School Building Committee meeting, Superintendent Dede Galdston said the crop of architects impressed the panel, which works with communities from around Massachusetts that have been selected to be in the state school building program. “The Designer Selection Panel said this is the best pool of architects they have seen in quite some time,” Galdston said. “This leads us to believe that Watertown is a hot commodity and people want to work here.”

Schools

MassBay Invites Current, Prospective Students to Campus

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The following information was provided by MassBay Community College:

MassBay Community College be open this Saturday, August 24, 2019 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. on the Wellesley Hills campus for students to get ready for the start of the fall semester on September 3, 2019. Prospective students, new students and returning students can apply for admission to the College, register for classes, pay their tuition bills, fill out and drop off financial aid paperwork, speak with an advisor, attend new student orientation, and more. “With August coming to a close, students are starting to finalize their fall semester plans,” said MassBay Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management Lisa Slavin. “Whether you’re returning from military service, your fall college plans have changed, there is still plenty of time to enroll at MassBay for the fall classes. Course offerings include day, evening, weekend, online, accelerated, and hybrid courses.

Little Sprouts

UPDATE: Watertown-based School Hosting Night of Gratitude for Early Educators

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NOTE: The date has changed for the Night of Gratitude event. The following announcement was provided by Little Sprouts:

Little Sprouts, an award-winning network of preschools in New England, announce the kickoff to their “Gratitude is Good” campaign with a Night of Gratitude event devoted to early educators. The event takes place at the Little Sprouts Watertown school located at 150 Coolidge Avenue, Watertown, MA on a date to be determined. Designed to celebrate the tenacity and capacity of all professionals who dedicate their careers to helping children learn, grow, and thrive, a Night of Gratitude will include light refreshments, thank you gifts, and an inspiring presentation from early educator, World Marathon Champion, and TB12 Sponsored Athlete Becca Pizzi. Pizzi’s experience as a leader in both the fields of early education and physical training offers a unique and inspiring perspective on how to build stamina, persistence, and resilience.

Schools

Designers Show Latest Look for New Cunniff School, Seek to Meet Green Goals

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A drawing of the latest design for the entrance for Cunniff Elementary School. The latest drawings for the entrance to the new Cunniff Elementary School provides a simpler design and removes the stone features that architects had previously considered. Members of the School Building Committee, which oversees the projects at Watertown’s three elementary schools, did not care for the previous design. Some said they thought a large stone feature around the three-story entryway seemed too imposing, looked cold and did not seem inviting. At the Aug.

Schools

Committee Overseeing School Projects Concerned with Rising Construction Costs

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A view of the most recent design of the new Hosmer Elementary School. Members of the School Building Committee worry about controlling the costs in Watertown’s three elementary school building projects in a climate with a competitive construction industry and international tariff wars. The projects include brand new schools at Hosmer and Cunniff elementary schools and a major renovation and addition at Lowell Elementary School. At least one member was bothered that Watertown may have missed an opportunity to keep the projects on budget using an alternative to the typical construction model. The design firm, Ai3 Architects, have nearly completed the design development phase (the second of three major phases before construction) and the costs are currently being estimated.

Schools

Minuteman’s New School Building Opening in Fall

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A rendering of what the new Minuteman High School will look like when it opens this fall. The following announcement was provided by Minuteman High School:

When students arrive at Minuteman High School on September 3, it will mark the start of a brand new school year – and the beginning of an exciting, even historic, era for Minuteman itself. On that day, the doors will swing open for the first time at the new Minuteman High School, a $145 million, state-of-the-art facility some 11 years in the making. “It’s all I hoped for and more,” said Minuteman’s Superintendent-Director, Dr. Edward A. Bouquillon, who shepherded the project from conception to completion. “It exceeded my expectations in regard to design, quality and the practical, efficient use of space.