Participate in the Pollard Middle School Project

Pollard Middle School is over 65 years old, and the aging infrastructure is in need of critical upgrades. This initiative is a direct continuation of the Needham School Master Plan, building upon its foundational work to design a renovated or new school that will fully meet the educational needs of our 1300+ middle school students.

Needham has a unique opportunity to partner with the state for partial funding of this project. Its success requires the input and support of our entire community, and we want to understand your priorities.

Stay involved! We hope you will attend the upcoming community meetings and sign up for our Pollard Middle School Project email updates below.

CURRENT PHASE

Feasibility Study: Preferred Schematic Report (PSR)

IMPORTANT DATES:

SBC Vote on Preferred Schematic Report (PSR)
Monday, December 8
MSBA Submission of PSR
Thursday, December 18

UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS:

PPBC/SBC
Monday, December 8, 7:30pm
Hybrid at 500 Dedham Avenue & via Zoom
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Tuesday, December 9, 6:30pm
Hybrid at Broadmeadow Performance Center & via The Needham Channel

SBC MOTIONS PASSED 11/24:

Motion 1: Recommend Grade 6-8 Grade Configuration- PASSED

Motion 2: Recommend New Construction- PASSED

Motion 3: Recommend 750 Seat Auditorium- PASSED

Motion 4A: Recommend Pollard Site- PASSED

COMMUNITY QUESTION

Why don’t we have more detailed cost information yet? How can we choose an option without it?

The project is nearing the end of the Feasibility Study phase of the MSBA process. During this phase, seven possible options are examined to understand whether each is viable. The goal is to complete enough due diligence to identify one preferred option to bring into the next phase, Schematic Design.

The four essential questions being evaluated:

Grade configuration: Should the school serve grades 6–8 or remain 7–8?
Building approach: Renovate/add on, or build a new school?
Auditorium: Should an auditorium be included?
Site selection: Should the school be on the current Pollard site or a portion of the DeFazio site?

Why the cost information is still preliminary:

During Feasibility, there are two rounds of cost estimating. Because the options at this point in the process are only conceptual, the estimates are based on square footage and projected construction costs informed by comparable recent school projects. These estimates are intended as a comparison of the relative cost between options and not a prediction of the actual final cost of any individual option.

First estimate (submitted 9/3 in the PDP): Shows major cost differences tied to grade configuration (which drives square footage) and renovation vs. new construction (which affects schedule and complexity).
Second estimate (received 11/21): Provides more detail about cost differences between the Pollard and DeFazio sites. Considerations include:
- 1. - Site preparation and/or the amount of field restoration required
    - Traffic mitigation
    - Existing building demolition
    - Field replacement
    - Length of construction period
    - Potential permitting delays
    - Potential impacts to the School Master Plan (e.g., if Mitchell construction is delayed)
    - Need for swing space or modular classrooms (for a 7–8 configuration)

Information from the second estimate will be presented at the 11/24 All Board Summit. Full, detailed estimates from two independent estimators will be provided in the Preliminary Schematic Report (PSR).

These relative cost comparisons help inform which option should move forward to Schematic Design. In that next phase, the project team will develop a more precise building design and refine the scope to align with the project budget, enabling much more detailed and accurate cost information.