Easthampton Public Schools

Building Project

Public Information Forum

March 20, 2018
 Forum Agenda
• Greeting – Nicole LaChapelle, Mayor
Cynthia Kwiecinski, School Committee Chair
• Introduction – Thomas Brown, Chair
School Building Committee
• Program Overview – Nancy Follansbee, Superintendent
- Dayle Doiron, Business Manager
• Options Considered – Mel Overmoyer, Owner’s Project
Manager
• Project Plans – Bert Gardner, Project Architect
Caolo & Bieniek Associates
• Project Costs & Tax Impacts – Nicole LaChapelle, Mayor

• Forum Attendee Q&A

 School Building Committee

Thomas Brown, Chair David Mottor

Nicole LaChapelle, Mayor Marin Goldstein
Nancy Follansbee, Superintendent John Atwater
Dayle Doiron, Director of Business Services Daniel Carey
Melissa Zawadzki, City Treasurer Patrick Brough
Cynthia Kwiecinski, School Committee Chair David Boyle
Larry Carnes, Director of Maintenance Debora Lusnia
Judith Averill, Principal Shannon Dunham
 The Need
• All 3 Elementary Schools are 100+ years old (Maple, Center, Pepin)
o Antiquated mechanical systems
o Inefficient and costly building shells leading to high utility costs
o Limited outdoor play and learning space
o Overcrowding
o No room to expand the buildings
o Inadequate parking

• White Brook Middle School

o 45 years old with failing building systems
o Poor energy efficiency - largest consumer of electricity in City
o Open classroom design provides poor educational environment

• Existing buildings do not meet current standards

o 21st century learning & teaching
o Buildings do not comply with current building space standards and codes
 Pursuing the MSBA Grant
(Massachusetts School Building Authority)

• Statements of Interest (SOI) submitted to MSBA for

White Brook Middle School in 2012 and 2013
o Must focus on a single building project
o Both years MSBA rejected Easthampton’s SOI for White
Brook MS

• Statements of Interest submitted to MSBA in 2014

o SOI’s submitted to improve White Brook MS, Maple,
Pepin, & Center Schools
o MSBA accepted SOI for only Maple
o MSBA also allowed evaluation of consolidation strategy
for grades Pre-K to 4 and Pre-K to 8
 Visioning

Participants
o Mayor
o School Department Administrators
o Teachers
o Students
o Parents
o Community Members
Conceptual Design Options
Costs Comparison

Maple Only
Repairs

Addresses
Maple, Center &
Pepin Only

Addresses
Maple, Center,
Pepin AND
White Brook
issues
 Cost Comparison: Repair
Existing vs. Build New Pre-K to 8
Total Repairs Only Cost
• Total Repair & Code Compliance Cost for all 4 schools (Maple ES,
Center ES, Pepin ES & White Brook MS) estimated at $135 million
• MSBA will participate in only one building project at a time.
• Repairs do not provide facilities for a 21st century educational program
• Repairs do not meet MSBA space standards
• When or if MSBA will invite another (third) future Easthampton project is unknown
therefore leaving 2 century-old elementary schools and White Brook unimproved

New Pre-K to Grade 8 School Preliminary Project Cost

• New Pre-K to grade 8 project estimated total cost is $109 Million
• Anticipated net total cost to Easthampton for Pre-K to grade 8
project is $59 Million
Delaying project will escalate cost
• Project cost for EHS in 2013 was $43.7 million; project cost for the
same school built in 2021 is $60 million (at 4% annual inflation)
Improvement Scenarios
(all four schools)
 New PreK-8 School
Best Value / Best Choice
• At the conclusion of the analysis of all
options considered, Easthampton’s School
Building Committee concluded a new PreK to
Grade 8 school is the one best option to meet
the educational needs of the community and
represents the best long-term value for the
City of Easthampton.
White Brook Site Development
Benefits: Considerations:
City-Owned Land with Potential Re-use of Site Soil Conditions
Utilities Traffic Condition at Entrance
Scenic Location with Ample Open Space
Access to Nature Trails, Wetlands, Streams and
Vernal Pools
Opportunities for School Gardens

Potential
Tennis Courts

Proposed
School

Potential Track

New Football
Field
 Building Organization
Elementary and Middle School Communities:
Separate M.S. and E.S. Entrances
Separate Cafeterias
Separated Nurse Access
Separate Gym Entrances
Shared Program Buffer ACADEMIC
NEIGHBORHOOD

Program Requirements:
5 Classrooms / Wing
3-Station Gym ACADEMIC
NEIGHBORHOOD
Adaptive P.E. SHARED
M.S.
3 Lunch Sittings
Distributed Administration
Entrance PROGRAM

Functional Relationships:
Flexible Gathering Space at
Entrances
Cafeteria Adjacencies to
Kitchen
Controlled Entry/ Secure E.S.
Classroom Wings Entrance
 Building Security

= Security Door

Security Provisions:
Public Access through ES or MS
Entrances Only
Controlled Entry Sequence
Bullet Resistant Glass at Secure Interior
Vestibule Doors
Shatter-Proof Glass at All First Fl.
Windows Below 7’-0” High.
Security Doors at Classroom Wings
Video Surveillance, Viewable from PD
Dispatch
Lockdown Hardware at Classroom Doors
Window Treatments at Exterior Windows
and Classroom Doors
 Building Entrances
Secure Entrance Sequence:
View of Approaching Visitors
Outer Vestibule Doors unlocked
Interior Vestibule Doors Locked
Video Monitored Office Door (Locked)
All Visitors Must Be Buzzed Into
Office
Guests Sign-In Prior to Admittance
to Lobby

View

View

A.P. SRO

Office
Office

E.S. Entry Sequence M.S. Entry Sequence

Concept Classrooms
Classroom Amenities:
Every Classroom with Outdoor View
Every Classroom with Natural Light
Every Classroom with Ample Storage
Embedded Technology
Teacher Station
Interactive White Board
Countertop Display and Workspace
Flexible Furnishings
Desks Designed for Classic or Group
Arrangements
‘Rockable’ Seating Options
Comfortable Seating
Direct Adjacency to Small Group Rooms
Building Massing
Building Massing
 Project Schedule
New Pre-K to Grade 8 School

New High School Schedule for Comparison

Assumptions & Considerations:
Tax Impact of a New Pre-K to 8 School
High End Preliminary Assumptions:
• Total bond debt for Project of $59 million
• Average Easthampton home assessment value of $228,400
• Preliminary tax impact range: $2.98 to $3.84 per $1,000 of
assessed value
• Bonding and timing considerations for determining annual debt
service:
– Bonding options
– Market conditions
• Timeline to bond – August 2019
• Financial team advising Mayor – Bond Agent, Bond Counsel,
Finance Director
 Anticipated Benefits
• Improvements to Teaching and Learning
– Equity of opportunity – all Easthampton students to have access
to a 21st century education
– Aligns academic groupings with district curriculum – PK-5
(elementary) and 6-8 (middle school)
– Full handicap accessibility for all students
• State of the art facility for community use
– Clustered and easily accessed recreational, performance, and
dining spaces
– Improved football field
– Provisions for improved running track
• Most cost effective solution over the long-term
– Maximizes cost share by MSBA
– Retains City financial resources for community use (CHOICE
and Charter)
– Addresses educational facility needs for a minimum of 50 years
 Next Steps
April 10, 2018 • MSBA Board approves Preferred
Solution
May 1, 2018 • Public Forum

May 22, 2018 • Easthampton Public Vote

By July 11, 2018 • Submit Schematic Design to MSBA
August 29, 2018 • MSBA Board approves Project
Funding Agreement (PFA)
Forum Attendee Questions