FAQs

Pollard School was identified as a critical part of the District’s long-term plan and is considered a key component in the multi-building strategy described by the 2020 School Master Plan Study to address the District’s goals of:

• Remediating the deteriorating physical infrastructure and programmatic deficiencies of the Mitchell and Pollard Schools, including the end-of-life middle school modular classrooms.

• Alleviating overcrowding and lack of adequate program space at the District’s two middle school facilities (High Rock and Pollard).

• Mitigating the impact of construction on one or more generations of students.

• Avoiding expensive building maintenance over time by completing renovations in a timely manner.

• Avoiding expenditures for temporary facilities to the extent possible.

• Providing for elementary enrollment capacity, including preparing Needham for Universal Preschool.

In conjunction with the School Master Plan, Pollard was identified by the School Committee as a priority school for improvement because:

• It makes possible the fastest resolution of the Pollard, High Rock, and Mitchell building issues.

• It ensures that no single generation of students would experience multiple construction projects.

• It unlocks a project sequence that circumvents the need for costly temporary swing space and offers the most elementary classroom capacity for enrollment growth.

Learn more by visiting our timeline page.

On December 13, 2023, the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) invited Needham’s Statement of Interest (SOI) for the Pollard Middle School into the MSBA’s Eligibility Period.

Learn more by visiting our timeline page.

Although the Town has undertaken significant repair and maintenance of the Pollard School over the years, all of the Town Master Plans agree that the building is in need of a comprehensive upgrade due to the building's age (32–68 years), deficiencies in many of the building’s systems, and poor energy performance.

As examples:

• The HVAC system must be totally redesigned and replaced to meet contemporary specialized energy codes and the Town’s stated goal of meeting net-zero emissions by 2050. Portions of the heating system are original to the building, and there is no central cooling system in place. The HVAC system requires constant repairs to maintain the design airflow, and the control system, which was installed in 1995, is past the end of its useful life.

• Portions of both the electrical and plumbing systems are also original to the building and are in need of replacement. Repair parts are no longer available for some equipment.

• Only about 40% of the building is sprinklered, which is less than the 100% threshold identified in the current fire protection code.

• Additionally, although the building structure and envelope are sound, renovations or additions to the building would need to conform to contemporary seismic and snow load criteria. Improving the thermal performance of the building will also require insulation to be added to the walls, windows, and roof.

• Finally, the ten modular classrooms, which were installed in 2002, are now at the end of their useful life. These classrooms are necessary for the school to accommodate the current population of students and must now be replaced with permanent construction.

The Pollard Middle School will be required to bring all existing envelope, structural, HVAC, and life safety systems up to contemporary building and energy codes with a major renovation project that exceeds 30% of the existing value of the building.

The School Master Plan was undertaken to address the School Committee’s goals of:

a) Remediating the deteriorating physical infrastructure and programmatic deficiencies of the Mitchell and Pollard Schools, including the end-of-life middle school modular classrooms.

b) Alleviating overcrowding and lack of adequate program space at the District’s two middle school facilities (High Rock and Pollard).

c) Mitigating the impact of construction on one or more generations of students.

d) Avoiding expensive building maintenance over time by completing renovations in a timely manner.

e) Avoiding expenditures for temporary facilities to the extent possible.

f) Providing elementary enrollment capacity, including preparing Needham for the possibility of Universal Preschool.

On April 5, 2022, the Needham School Committee voted Pollard as its priority school for renovation in conjunction with this Master Plan, because:

a) It makes possible the fastest resolution of the Pollard, High Rock, and Mitchell building issues.

b) It provides additional enrollment capacity around the district that offers the possibility for a renovated, three-section school on the Mitchell site – a school size that may be better suited to the constraints of the Mitchell site.

c) It ensures that no single generation of students would experience multiple construction projects.

d) It unlocks a project sequence that circumvents the need for costly temporary swing space and offers the most elementary classroom capacity for enrollment growth.

Learn more about the history of events by visiting our timeline page.

The School Committee’s preferred Master Plan scenario, "High Rock as Elementary School," is a multi-school plan to meet the above objectives. As originally proposed, it:

• a) Positions grades 6th-8th under one roof at the Pollard School.

• b) Repurposes High Rock as a sixth elementary school.

• c) Renovates the aging Mitchell School as a smaller, 3-section elementary school.

The execution of a Pollard project as a 6 – 8th grade Middle School would allow High Rock to serve as swing space for the Mitchell Elementary School students, until a new Mitchell School can be completed.

The 2020 School Master Plan (and 2022 Update) is available on the School Department’s website. Learn more about the history of events by visiting our timeline page.

The MSBA is the Massachusetts School Building Authority. It is a quasi-independent government authority created in 2004 to replace the former school building assistance program administered by the Department of Education (now the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education). It works with local communities to create affordable, sustainable, and energy-efficient schools across Massachusetts. The MSBA has a dedicated revenue stream of one penny of the state’s 6.25-percent sales tax. (Source: https://www.massschoolbuildings.org/building/modules_overview)

The MSBA's ("Core Program") capital process is depicted in this process flow chart. It consists of the following phases:

• Module 1: Eligibility Period The Town of Needham completes preliminary requirements, including obtaining community authorization for the project and funding for a feasibility study.

• Module 2: Forming the Team The Town selected the consultant Owner's Project Manager (OPM). The Town-employed OPM then worked with the MSBA Designer Selection Board to select the Architect and Engineering Design Team.

• Module 3: Feasibility Study After successfully procuring Owner's Project Management and Designer services as outlined in Module 2, the District and its team collaborate with the MSBA to document their educational program, generate an initial space summary, document existing conditions, establish design parameters, develop and evaluate alternatives, and recommend the most cost-effective and educationally appropriate solution to the MSBA Board. During this phase, the OPM will submit a Preliminary Design Program (PDP) in September 2025 and a Preferred Schematic Report (PSR) in December 2025 on behalf of the District and its Designer. Approval by the MSBA Board is required for all projects to proceed into schematic design.

• Module 4: Schematic Design The District and its team develop a final design program and a robust schematic design of sufficient detail to establish the scope, budget, and schedule for the Proposed Project. The Project Funding Agreement (PFA) identifies the level of MSBA reimbursement for the project.

• Module 5: Funding the Project Based upon the completed Schematic Design, the District and MSBA staff establish and document the project scope, budget, schedule, and MSBA financial participation to forward to the MSBA Board of Directors for their approval. This approval establishes the MSBA's participation in the proposed project. Once the District secures community authorization and financial support, the MSBA and the District enter into a Project Funding Agreement (PFA), which defines the scope, budget, and schedule for the Proposed Project. A town-wide ballot question will be presented to voters in November 2026 to approve the necessary funding for the project's construction. This tax override vote is a crucial and required step to secure the local share of the project's cost and ultimately authorize the Town to move forward with the project.

• Module 6: Detailed Design, Construction Documentation & Bidding The District and its team advance the design, generate construction documentation, procure bids, and award a construction contract in accordance with the agreed-upon project scope, budget, and schedule as documented in the Project Funding Agreement (PFA). The MSBA continues to monitor the project to ensure it remains on track and meets the expectations of both the District and the MSBA as defined in the PFA.

• Module 7: Construction Administration This is the phase where the approved design is brought to life through active construction of the school facility. The MSBA continues to monitor the progress of the project to confirm that it remains on track and meets the expectations of both the District and the MSBA as defined in the Project Funding Agreement.

• Module 8: Completing the Project This module involves the substantial completion of construction, commissioning of building systems, and final closeout procedures, leading to occupancy of the new or renovated facility.

• Module 9: Post Occupancy Evaluation Approximately three years after a project reaches substantial completion, the MSBA and its consultants coordinate with districts to conduct a Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE). This involves distributing surveys, pre-visit questionnaires, and scheduling building visits to collect both qualitative (user satisfaction) and quantitative (building system performance like energy and water usage) data. The goal is to ensure the building is operating as intended, performing as designed, and to apply lessons learned to future school building projects and the ongoing maintenance and operations of MSBA-funded schools.

The proposed cost of the Pollard project included within the School Committee’s preferred Master Plan Scenario is ‘in the ballpark’ of similar projects in the MSBA pipeline. Of Middle School projects currently in Module 5 (Project Funding), new construction costs range from $732 - $896/sf. (Source MSBA, https://info.massschoolbuildings.org/TabPub/TableauCostData.aspx, date as of March 2025)

If approved by MSBA, the feasibility study effort is expected to take approximately two years and lead to an October 2026 Special Town Meeting appropriation request and a November 2026 ballot override vote.

The MSBA's share of the overall project cost is determined after the feasibility study is completed, following a funding formula established by state law (MGL c. 79B s 10). The statutory formula starts all districts at a base rate of 31 percentage points, which is then adjusted based on three sliding-scale socioeconomic factors:

• Community income formula: This considers the district's per capita income as a percentage of the statewide average per capita income.

• Community property wealth factor: This looks at the district's per capita equalized property valuations as a percentage of statewide average per capita valuations.

• Community poverty factor: This is measured by the district's proportion of low-income students (defined by federal eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch) as a percentage of the statewide average proportion of low-income students.

The final step in the reimbursement process is for the MSBA, in its sole discretion, to award incentive points to eligible districts. Current categories for incentive points include:

• Routine and Capital Maintenance Rating: Up to 2 percentage points.

• Green School Program: Up to 4 percentage points. In June 2023, the MSBA updated its policies to change the standard for receiving additional incentive points under the green schools program. Now, districts may receive an additional reimbursement of up to 3% for meeting the minimum energy efficiency requirements in the "Opt-in-Specialized Code" and up to an additional 1% for achieving a minimum of five points in the LEED indoor air quality points. These standards exceed those in place during the Sunita Williams project, which granted up to two additional reimbursement percentage incentive points for meeting LEED Silver. The LEED-Silver rating is now a minimum requirement. More details can be found here.

• Overlay Zoning District: 1 percentage point.

• Newly Formed Regional School District: Up to 6 percentage points.

• Renovation or Reuse of an Existing Facility: Up to 5 percentage points, if the project is a renovation of an existing facility that requires no new construction. The MSBA may award a lesser amount for an Approved Project that combines renovation of an existing facility with the building of some additional square footage for new educational space. This is based on a sliding scale that relates the percentage of renovated space to the percentage of newly constructed space.

The sum of the base rate, plus any additional points from the socioeconomic factors and incentive points, results in the MSBA's reimbursement rate for the project.

No, in the MSBA regulations, certain costs are ineligible for reimbursement. These include, but are not limited to:

• All costs associated with site acquisition.

• Swimming pools, skating rinks, and field houses.

• Needham’s debt issuance, legal, inspection, and permitting expenses.

• District administrative space.

• Auditoriums for middle schools.

• The lease, purchase, or rental of storage space, storage facilities, storage trailers, storage containers, or other moving costs.

• Costs associated with the purchase, lease, improvement, or maintenance of temporary modular units.

• All costs associated with the abatement or remediation of any contaminated soils, fuel storage tanks, or floor and ceiling tiles.

In addition, the regulations cap the reimbursement of certain eligible costs as follows:

• Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment: In excess of a $1,200 per student allowance.

• Technology: In excess of a $1,200 per student allowance.

• Soft Costs: That exceed 20% of the Construction Cost.

• Owner's Project Manager (OPM) fees: Often capped around 3.5% of the construction costs, subject to MSBA participation caps.

• Contingency: MSBA typically has caps on reimbursable owner's contingency (e.g., 0.5%) and construction contingency (e.g., 1%).

• Areas exceeding MSBA guidelines for square footage: If the school design includes square footage significantly beyond the MSBA's guidelines for student enrollment, those additional square feet will not be reimbursed.

• Certain specialized athletic facilities/equipment: Beyond basic playgrounds/fields for elementary schools, specialized athletic stadiums, synthetic turf, spectator amenities, etc., are typically ineligible.

• Hazardous material abatement (for existing buildings) and demolition: While generally ineligible, the MSBA may deem these costs eligible in certain circumstances if it is the most cost-effective and educationally sound option, or as part of their Model School Program. These costs are often included within or in addition to the site cost allowance.

The proposed total cost of the preferred Master Plan scenario is $313.915 million.  As noted above, however, the MSBA and Needham will consider many construction scenarios as part of the process, which may lead to a different recommended outcome and cost than the preferred Master Plan scenario.  The various options to be considered will include both new construction and renovation/addition, as well as both the current grade configuration (7th and 8th), and the proposed new configuration (6th, 7th and 8th.)

There will be milestone cost estimates throughout the Feasibility and Schematic Design. 

• District Submitted SOI to MSBA – April 2023

• MSBA Invited Pollard SOI into Eligibility Period – December 2023

• Eligibility Period Began – May 1, 2024

• Approved Funding for Feasibility & Schematic Design – May 2024 Special Town Meeting (STM)

• Approve Funding for Construction – October 2026 Special Town Meeting

• Override Vote/Ballot Question to Approve Construction Funding – November 2026

• Construction – June/July 2028 – August 2031

Learn more about the history and schedule by visiting our timeline page.

The Feasibility Study is the first step in the design process for a new school in partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The Feasibility Study includes three stages ending with the Schematic Design and Project Funding Agreement (PFA). The PFA becomes the basis for the override vote and the MSBA reimbursement for a school project.

If approved by MSBA, the feasibility study effort is expected to take approximately two years and lead to an October 2026 Special Town Meeting appropriation request and a November 2026 ballot override vote.

The Feasibility Study will investigate two main solutions:

1.  Status Quo: This maintains the current grade configuration, with 7th and 8th grades at Pollard and 6th grade remaining at High Rock.

2.  Relocation of 6th Grade: This option explores moving the 6th grade from High Rock to Pollard.

This part of the study will investigate multiple options, including:

A) Renovation of the existing building with the removal of the existing 20+-year-old modular classrooms.

B) Addition/renovation options.

C) New construction and demolition on the current site.

D) New construction on an alternate site at the DeFazio Field parking lot.

The project will be required to follow Needham Bylaw Section 3.11 Municipal Opt-in Specialized Stretch Energy Code. All compliance pathways under the Specialized Code are designed to ensure that new construction is consistent with Massachusetts’ and the Town of Needham’s Climate Action Roadmap’s net-zero emissions by 2050 goals, primarily through a combination of energy efficiency (which enables reduced heating loads) and efficient electrification. The project will require an all-electric building or the installation of solar to offset fossil fuel used on-site.

The benefits of incorporating sustainable design features are wide-ranging and include:

• Reduced operating costs: Features such as solar arrays and geothermal would dramatically lower utility costs for the building.

• Reduced construction costs: With rebates from MSBA, Eversource, and federal programs, the Town will be eligible for incentives to help cover construction costs.

• Safe, healthy, clean environment for students and staff: By minimizing the use of fossil fuels on the site, there will be fewer pollutants, toxins, viruses, and allergens present in the building.

• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions: Converting to an all-electric building would eliminate the carbon footprint of what is currently the Town’s second most energy-intensive building.

To mitigate the lack of appropriate and appropriately-sized classroom space for core curriculum, the Pollard School has been required to increase class size, subdivide existing space, and/or modify the existing curriculum, to the detriment of the educational program. Given the lack of additional classrooms, teachers have modified the existing curriculum, particularly science experiments, to meet the existing facility constraints. Units are often designed with safety and facility conditions in mind, rather than promoting student interest or delivering middle school programming. Similarly, most teachers have limited the type and scope of student projects to those that can be accomplished within the limited classroom and storage space. As enrollment increases, the quality of instruction will be further eroded as more students are squeezed into these spaces or as additional standard classrooms are converted into shared spaces.

Additionally, non-traditional spaces have been used for specialized instruction, which has limited the educational program in other ways. For example, the lack of a dedicated space for ELL instruction compromises the type of focused and individualized instruction that our multilingual students require. Furthermore, due to the lack of available space, special education spaces are shared or public, thus compromising the program and confidentiality of our students.

Common spaces such as the Pollard Auditorium, the gymnasiums, the lecture hall, the Library, and the Fitness Center are not large enough to accommodate a whole grade for any activity. These spaces are also scheduled at 80-100% usage every day, which causes shared spaces and congestion/overcrowding throughout the building.

The inadequate space available for curriculum instruction has also compromised the professional development program for teachers. Teachers who participate in professional development workshops are either squeezed into too-small spaces or rotated through a series of venues, neither of which is conducive to promoting effective teacher learning. Additionally, the limited available space constrains Needham's plans to increase collaboration among professionals, as there are no teaching collaboration or workspaces.

Finally, the HVAC deficiencies, leaking roof and plumbing problems, lack of ADA compliance, and sprinkler systems negatively affect the educational program. The HVAC system, which has had multiple issues over the years, including the loss of heat and air conditioning on school days, and inadequate ventilation, has made teaching and learning even more difficult. These issues have resulted in staff grievances, school cancellations, and the relocation of classes. The constantly leaking roof has led to overcrowding, shared spaces, and mildew and mold concerns, especially with our library books. Lastly, although the student (larger) restrooms were updated in the past five years, the private restrooms, which are deemed All-Gender, have not been updated in more than 40 years. Plumbing issues are constant in each of the restrooms, causing congestion for staff and students in the few restrooms that do work.

The renovated space will support the middle school program in a number of ways:

• Appropriately sized classrooms and science labs/classrooms will provide space for students and teachers to work together to maximize the curriculum and contemporary instructional models.

• The renovated/new building will be fully accessible, enabling all students to participate in every space and access their learning regardless of handicap, need, or disability.

• The proposed educational plan, which is at the center of the new middle school design for Pollard, meets the academic and social-emotional learning goals of Needham's middle school students, as well as addressing the key competencies in the Portrait of a Needham Graduate.

It depends on the option the community ultimately decides to build. If the existing school is renovated and expanded, construction will take longer, and students and staff will need to be relocated within the building as construction progresses. The Town has had experience safely renovating an existing school while students are on campus (e.g., Newman and the high school). If a new middle school is constructed at DeFazio, construction time will be shorter, and there will be little disruption to students at Pollard, who would move into a new school at DeFazio once it is complete.

High Rock as a “6th grade center” was viewed as a temporary fix almost 18 years ago when the School Committee authorized its use for this portion of the middle school program due to space constraints at Pollard.  The educational program at High Rock has been good for students and widely supported by the community.  It’s also true that disrupting the middle school experience by separating 6th graders from 7th and 8th graders has increased transition issues with an extra move between 6th and 7th grades. This has resulted in an inefficient use of programs, staff, transportation,  and other resources; and has curtailed the 6th grade educational experience with the program being located in an elementary-designed space that limits the 6th grade curriculum and program. It’s time to relocate the 6th grade in a developmentally thoughtful way that focuses on student needs and not just an available building.

Under the School Committee’s preferred Master Plan scenario, "High Rock as Elementary School,” the High Rock School would eventually become the District’s sixth elementary and/or preschool.  Additionally, the Master Plan proposes that the Pollard and Mitchell renovation projects happen in coordination with one another, such that the High Rock School could serve as swing space for the Mitchell Elementary School project, with some students re-distributed to other elementary schools until a new Mitchell School could be completed.   The re-use of High Rock as an elementary school also would allow the District to renovate the Mitchell School as a smaller, three-section school, which is a size better suited to the constraints of the Mitchell site.

Yes, the Education Program Requirements call for an auditorium that adequately supports curricular and co-curricular performing arts programming, is able to accommodate various community based performing arts groups, will foster collaboration with the performing arts program at the High School, and is able to meet increasing demands within town for an appropriate space for municipality meetings and town forums.

Yes. The School Committee and PPBC have a long and successful track record of engaging the community—and especially abutters and neighbors—in the design process. Neighbors were very much involved in design and traffic issues as part of the Needham High School, High Rock, Newman, and Sunita Williams construction projects. In fact, neighborhood participation and community interaction made each one of these projects better and improved traffic concerns and issues. The same will be true of the Pollard School project.

To learn more about this project and stay informed, you can:

• Visit our website: https://tinyurl.com/NPSPollardProject

• Subscribe to our event calendar

• Join our email list

• Attend our virtual and in-person meetings