Design Overview
The District’s preferred solution is a 9th – 12th grade high school, plus a Pre-K program for 95 Pre-K pupils. The proposed building consists of 126,823 proposed square feet.
The School Building Committee opted for an Add/Reno. One quarter of the proposed square footage will consist of the fully renovated existing auditorium wing and the remaining three-quarters will consist of new construction. The construction will take place in phases to allow the school to remain in operation throughout the construction process. An Add/Reno approach for this 9-12th grade school plus Pre-K will allow the District to move forward in a cost effective manner, preserving some of the memories and better bones of the existing school, while successfully bringing the building, school and District successfully into the 21st century.
The site layout will remain largely the same as it is today – with some critical improvements to access off Route 9, parking, circulation around the school, access to the playing fields, and new outdoor educational spaces.
A critical design goal was to take advantage of the site to the south of the building, between the building and the hill that leads up to the athletic facilities above. The existing school turns its back on the site– with blank masonry walls and very little circulation. In contrast, the proposed design connects the school to outdoor spaces, tying the school physically and educationally to the site.