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.

The design of the new Pollard building is driven by the educational program requirements that have been developed for students in grades 6-8. The new school will provide a cohesive learning journey that aligns with the "Portrait of a Needham Graduate": 

Progressive Learning Journey
Grade 6: Focus on exploration across disciplines and interests.
Grade 7: Build foundational knowledge and essential skills in core subjects.
Grade 8: Culminate in a year of action, production, and demonstration.

Core Academics
Utilize a Cluster Teaming Model in which students experience an integrated curriculum by a collaborative team of teachers. This approach fosters deeper connections between subjects and provides consistent support.

Support & Enrichment
The plan includes robust student counseling and a variety of academic support spaces. A wide range of enrichment activities, including Wellness, World Languages, Engineering & Design, Video Production & Theater, Technology & Coding, Literacy & Writing, and more will provide a well-rounded student experience.

In 2024 the Town was accepted into the Massachusetts State Building Authority (MSBA) Core Program, which provides significant reimbursements to towns to help reduce school building costs. The Pollard School Building Committee was formed to guide the project through the MSBA process and make decisions to move the project forward, informed by input from the School Committee, NPS educators and staff, and the community at large.

In September 2025 the town submitted seven options to the MSBA in the Preliminary Design Program (PDP). The seven options included two possible sites — the current Pollard site on Harris Avenue and DeFazio on Dedham Avenue — and two possible grade configurations — 6-8 or 7-8. The MSBA requires that an option of a base repair be included as a point of comparison, although that would not be eligible for MSBA reimbursement.  

All seven options were studied in greater depth in order to be narrowed down to a single preferred option with a vote by the School Building Committee (SBC) in late November 2025. At that time, the SBC voted for new construction of a grades 6-8 school on the current Pollard site, to be built in two phases. 

> Learn more about the Project History

On December 18,  2025, the Preferred Schematic Report (PSR) was submitted to the MSBA, and on February 25, 2026, the MSBA Board of Directors voted to approve the PSR and the completion of Module 3 in the MSBA process. With this approval, the MSBA affirmed the proposed direction for the project and allowed the Town to move into Module 4, the Schematic Design phase, where the building’s design is further developed and refined. 

In early March, after a four-month search process, Bond Building Construction was selected as Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) for the project. A CMR is hired to manage a project’s construction with the goal of staying on budget and schedule. They provide early cost estimates, help identify potential construction challenges, and suggest design adjustments to save time or money. Bringing a CMR on during schematic design allowed the team to incorporate practical construction input early, which helps reduce surprises, optimize materials and systems, and make the overall project more buildable and cost-effective. 

Over several months the design was adjusted and refined, informed by feedback from educators, town leaders, and community members, along with findings from traffic, tree, and sustainability studies. Value engineering around space planning, square footage, mechanical systems, and construction phasing took place in an effort to reduce the overall cost of the project.

On June 25, 2026, the Schematic Design package was submitted to the MSBA, and the town met with the MSBA Facilities Assessment Subcommittee (FAS) on July 29. MSBA staff is reviewing the submission and will hold a Project Scope and Budget Conference with the Town. The project will then go before the MSBA Board of Directors on August 26 for approval of a Project Scope and Budget Agreement, the document that formally establishes MSBA's financial participation and reimbursement rate in the project.

Following MSBA Board approval, the Town will bring the project to the community for authorization through a Special Town Meeting on October 19 and a debt exclusion vote on the Town election ballot on November 3.

> Learn more about the Building Design

> Learn more about Sustainability

At its June 8 meeting, the School Building Committee voted unanimously to approve the schematic design for the new Pollard Middle School at a total project budget of $325.4 million, $10.9 million less than an earlier $336 million estimate, even as the building grew by 11,000 square feet to meet the educational program.

The savings stem from a faster construction schedule, reducing Phase 2 to only the sixth grade wing, and right-sizing the building envelope. Locating the geothermal well field on Warner Field also contributed significantly, avoiding the complications of multi-phase drilling on the existing sloped site and eliminating the need for temporary mechanical systems during Phase 1. Bond Building Construction has been instrumental in refining construction logistics and scheduling, and value engineering will continue at each step of the design process. 

The School Committee voted on June 16th to authorize submission of the Schematic Design package to the MSBA, with a final SBC vote on June 22nd. The package was submitted on June 25th to the MSBA.

MSBA staff will review the submission and schedule a Project Scope and Budget Conference with the Town. The project will then go before the MSBA Board of Directors on August 26 for approval of a Project Scope and Budget Agreement, the document that formally establishes MSBA's financial participation and reimbursement rate in the project.

Following MSBA Board approval, the Town will bring the project to the community for authorization through a Special Town Meeting on October 19 and a debt exclusion vote on the Town election ballot on November 3.

The current schedule anticipates that construction would begin in the spring or summer of 2028. New construction will take place in two phases, allowing the new school to open for the 2030-31 school year for grades 7 and 8, and in January 2032 for grade 6. 

> Learn more about the Project Timeline