New Hampshire High School Announces $21M Social Studies Wing

Pinkerton Academy High School in Derry, N.H., recently announced plans to build a $21-million replacement social studies wing, according to a news release. The existing structure was built in the 1970s as a temporary space and no longer meets the needs of the growing student population or the academic programs housed there.

According to a presentation on the school’s website, the new wing will cover 30,275 square feet and stand three stories tall. The first floor will house the ACT office and nurse station, as well as five classrooms and 10 specialized spaces. The second floor will house seven classrooms and five specialized spaces, including student breakout rooms and a teachers’ room. The third floor will house eight classrooms and administrative space.

“The design of the building and location is done in a cost-effective way to not only meet NEASC accreditation requirements, but also and most importantly, meet the current and future needs of the programs that it will house—while also having the flexibility for expansion in the future, should the need arise,” according to the school’s website.

The school is partnering on the project with Eckman Construction. Demolition of the current space and construction is scheduled to begin this summer, with an estimated completion date of December 2024.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Colorado School District Breaks Ground on Unified PK–12 Campus

    The Haxtun School District No. Re-2J in Haxtun, Colo., recently announced that ground has been broken on a renovation/addition project that will unite its two schools, Haxtun Elementary and Haxtun Jr/Sr High School, according to a news release.

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • Universities Continue to Launch Multimillion-Dollar Campus Transformations

    What makes the current wave of campus development especially noteworthy is its emphasis on multi-use functionality and community integration. Institutions are no longer investing solely in academic or athletic facilities in isolation. Instead, they are creating destinations that blend recreation, health, housing, and event-driven economic activity.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.