Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Massachusetts District Begins Work on $66.7M Middle School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 01/31/22

Braintree Public Schools in Braintree, Mass., recently announced that construction has begun on a new school facility for the district. The structure will serve as a new home for the existing South Middle School, and it will also be the town’s first new school construction in more than 50 years. The new school measures in at about 146,000 square feet. It’s estimated to cost about $66.7 million and is scheduled for completion in time for the start of the 2023–24 academic year.

Local news reports that the COVID-19 pandemic had delayed plans to vote on a temporary tax increase to help pay for the project. After a special election in fall 2020, Braintree voters approved a $63-million debt exclusion, and the state is expected to pay about $31 million.

"This is a very exciting time for Braintree," said Mayor Charles Kokoros. "It has been a very long road, and I couldn't be happier to be a part of such a momentous occasion."

The new facility for South Middle School will consist of three parts, according to local news reports. The first part will include a dining room and auditorium, media commons, two innovation labs and a band room. The second part will include two two-story sections containing classroom organized by grade. The third part will be the athletic wing and feature two gymnasiums, one including bleachers and one without. The school’s design also includes an outdoor courtyard with three seating areas.

The school will serve about 800 students in grades 5–8. Braintree Public Schools is partnering with MDS Architects on design and Bacon Construction as the construction manager.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Porter Family Center

    Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. The Porter Family Center for Innovation and Academics has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.

  • URI Cuts Underwater Ribbon on New Ocean Robotics Laboratory

    The University of Rhode Island recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Ocean Robotics Laboratory at its Narragansett Bay Campus, according to a news release. Two students used a remotely operated vehicle to cut an underwater ribbon in a 30-by-20-foot test tank.