The Town of Needham is designing a new Pollard Middle School to meet the educational needs of our 1300+ middle school students in grades 6-8.
The Town has been accepted into the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) program, which provides significant reimbursements to towns to help reduce school building costs.Â
PROJECT GOALS:
        Address aging infrastructure in need of repair or replacement.
The existing Pollard building is over 65 years old: it does not meet modern building, energy, and fire codes and is not ADA compliant. The HVAC, electrical, security and plumbing systems need replacement, along with the roof, windows, railings, ramps, and elevators. A sprinkler system is also needed.
        Provide the space needed for middle school programming.
Both High Rock and Pollard are lacking sufficient space. Most of the classrooms are undersized, as well as common areas such as the libraries, gyms, cafeterias, and performance spaces. Neither building has adequate space for special education, school counseling, and nursing services.
        Reunite grades 6-8 on a single campus.
Relocating 6th grade to High Rock was a temporary solution to overcrowding at Pollard. A reunited school will reduce transitions between schools, expand curriculum offerings for students, and provide the opportunity to develop skills and maturity as modeled by older peers. It will also provide more opportunity for coordination and collaboration of grade 6-8 staff.
School Committee
Tuesday, October 20, 6:30pm
In person at Broadmeadow Performance Center & via The Needham Channel
Debt Exclusion Override
Tuesday, November 3
Schematic Design
Fast Facts:
Reunites 1,300+ students in grades 6-8 on one campus
New construction built in two phases
Located at the current Pollard site on Harris Avenue
Expected occupancy in fall 2030 (7th-8th grade) and winter 2031 (6th grade)
Projected cost of $325.4M with up to $80.6M reimbursement from MSBA for a net cost of $244.8M
Town Meeting vote on October 19
Town-wide debt override vote on November 3
At the October 19 Special Town Meeting, funding for the Pollard project was approved by a vote of 207-21. The total project amount of $322,655,945 was appropriated for construction of the new school, with $2.75 million having been previously appropriated for the feasibility study. Â The MSBA has approved up to $80.6 million in reimbursement, for a net cost to the Town of $244.8 million.Â
The Town now brings the project to the community for authorization through a debt exclusion vote on the Town election ballot on November 3.