Why are the Norfolk Public Schools
requesting a building addition?

The Norfolk Public Schools are experiencing a significant shortage of educational space. Enrollment at the H. Olive Day School has increased by approximately 100 students (25%) over the past ten years.  In order to accommodate children who are currently enrolled, the music room, technology lab, teachers prep room, server room and library offices have been converted into classrooms. Curricular and instructional programs have been negatively impacted by the lack of educational space. The Freeman-Kennedy School is also reaching maximum capacity.  

Multiple demographic studies (NESDEC 2019 & 2021, Demographic Analytic Advisors 2023) project enrollment growth in the district will continue for the foreseeable future, with an additional 200 students expected to enroll by 2035.  The School Committee, and more recently the School Building Committee, have been studying this issue since 2018, and have undertaken two separate feasibility studies to identify a solution. In order to prevent substantial overcrowding in the Norfolk Schools and avoid the need for temporary modular classrooms or other costly short-term solutions, the Norfolk Public Schools are asking the town for funding for design services for a building expansion project at the Freeman-Kennedy School.  This single building project will address space shortages at both school buildings by relocating preschool programs from the H. Olive Day School to the new addition and adding additional classrooms for students in grades 3-6.

Why Move Forward Now? 

Importance of Timing: 

• Enrollment continues to grow 

• We are out of space at the H. Olive Day 

• We will be out of space at the Freeman-Kennedy School by 2026

• A building project will take 3 years

• lf we move forward now the addition would be ready for fall 2027

• lf we delay until Spring, the addition would not open until fall 2028

• A delay in the project will require the district to consider

temporary educational space solutions at an additional cost

• Construction costs escalate annually between 4-12%

• There is a low likelihood of receiving state funding through MSBA