Project Overview

Wakefield Memorial High School (“WMHS”) was originally built as a Junior High School in 1960. In 1972, the Junior High was converted into the current WMHS through the construction of major additions to the north and south of the school. Since then, except for some relatively small improvements and modifications made toward meeting the accreditation requirements, the High School has remained virtually untouched.

In 2016 a comprehensive facilities assessment was completed and presented to the Wakefield Permanent Building Committee. The study highlighted numerous physical building challenges, the most significant being related to the buildings envelope and lack of thermal insulation in the exterior walls, poor ventilation and air quality of the mechanical systems, outdated electrical and fire alarm systems, insufficient plumbing and large sections of the building that are not ADA/MAAB compliant. 

The facilities assessment also highlighted programmatic constraints that hamper the High School’s ability to provide a learning environment consistent with the District’s Educational Program. There are educational program deficiencies and challenges within the building related to spatial provisions, configurations and adjacencies which limit the rational and functional relationship of programs within the building. Likewise, the absence of some key types of educational and support spaces exacerbates the educational challenges faced.

On April 9th, 2019 the Town of Wakefield submitted a Statement of interest (‘SOI”) to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”). Submitting an SOI is the critical first step in the MSBA’s program for school building construction, addition/renovation, and repair grants. The SOI allows districts to inform the MSBA about deficiencies that may exist in a local school facility and how those deficiencies inhibit the delivery of the district’s educational program.

On December 16, 2019, following review of the SOI, the MSBA invited Wakefield Memorial High School into the Eligibility Period. Having fulfilled the preliminary requirements during the Eligibility Period the MSBA subsequently invited WMHS to conduct a Feasibility Study. A Feasibility Study Agreement was executed by the MSBA and the Town of Wakefield on March 25, 2021. 

“(This Feasibility Study) will carefully examine potential solutions to the issues identified at the school facilities and will help us develop the most cost-effective plan to address those issues,” stated State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the MSBA. “We look forward to partnering with the Districts to move these potential projects forward.”

During the Feasibility Study, the District and its team will collaborate with the MSBA to generate an initial space summary based on the District’s educational program, document existing conditions, establish design parameters, develop and evaluate preliminary and final alternatives, and recommend the most cost effective and educationally appropriate solution to the MSBA Board of Directors.

Project Timeline and Status

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