Unconventional Opening For New Somerville High School

SOMERVILLE, MA — In an opening no one could have envisioned at the start of construction of the new Somerville High School, the building welcomed younger students March 4 as part of the district's phased return to in-person learning.

"We are so excited for our students who will learn here over the years," Mayor Joseph Curtatone said in a statement. "But this is a bittersweet moment. We had imagined we would open up this building to our high school students. But the pandemic has robbed us of that as it has robbed us of so much."

Curtatone said the city is working to bring back high school students as soon as it is safe.

The six-story, 396,000-square-foot building features 14 specialized learning spaces for each of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, 12 science labs, three art rooms, three music rooms, a multilevel media center, a fully renovated gymnasium, a collegiate-style lecture hall, outdoor learning and dining areas and state-of-the-art technology throughout. Large exposures bring in natural light and create connections with the surrounding environment.

The new design takes care to commemorate the high school's history: the original 1895 school and the front of the 1929 War Memorial building were preserved, and hundreds of artifacts were salvaged from the old school and incorporated into the new one.

The school was designed to support a range of teaching and learning methodologies, expanding educational opportunities for students and preparing them for future success in college and the workforce.

In contrast to the previous building, the new SHS delivers dramatic improvements in both the quality and organization of the spaces to encourage authentic, multidisciplinary learning experiences. The CTE areas, for example, are now located throughout the building, rather than in their own wing, to better support interdisciplinary learning, and the new outdoor instruction areas and large-group facilities support a stronger connection to the community and "beyond the classroom" learning.

Planning for the new school began in 2012, and residents voted to fund the school four years later through the city's first debt exclusion. Construction began in April 2018.

"This project represents not only the educational vision of Somerville students, families, and staff. It also represents the heart of this amazing community," Superintendent of Schools Mary Skipper said.

In addition to providing a modern learning environment for students, the building will serve as a premier gathering space for all Somerville residents. The lecture hall, field house and auditorium will offer diverse options for community meetings or events, a much-needed public amenity. On top of Central Hill between City Hall and the public library, the new campus's indoor and outdoor spaces will be a fixture of both academic and civic life in Somerville.

"This is an incredible milestone for our entire community, one that we have all been anxiously awaiting. This project speaks to the commitment of the Somerville community to our kids and their future," School Committee Chair Andre Green said. "It goes without saying that we wish this historic moment had come under very different circumstances. However, our current reality does not diminish the importance of this moment and what it means for the future of our students. I cannot adequately express my gratitude to the Somerville community, and in particular to our Somerville High School students and staff, for your patience, strength, and resilience throughout this project."

Work continues on the auditorium and cosmetology lab, expected to be completed later this spring, and on the athletic field behind the school, expected to be completed in spring 2022.

Learn more about the new school, see photos, and take a virtual 3D tour at shsproject.org.

Summary of Building Features

• The new building is designed for 1,590 students, which includes capacity for 1,515 students within Somerville High School and 75 students for the Next Wave / Full Circle schools.
• It’s roughly 396,000 square feet, compared to the old school, which totaled 360,000 square feet.
• More than 200 different items, from archways to artifacts to furniture, were salvaged from the old school and incorporated throughout the new one.
• Fourteen specialized CTE spaces include electrical trade, graphic design, architecture, engineering, health and dental programs, culinary arts, automotive technology, and more. Programs are located throughout the building to integrate vocational and traditional academic programming and are highly visible to showcase student work.
• The building also supports a number of public-facing services, including a student-run restaurant and bistro, hair salon, and auto-repair bays, the Cambridge Health Alliance Teen Health Center, and the Somerville Child Care Center.
• The renovated Brune Field House features a new roof with photovoltaic panels, acoustic improvements, new HVAC and fire-protection systems, a competition basketball/volleyball court with wood parquet floor and resilient rubber subsurface, two practice courts, a weight room, a dance studio, relocated locker rooms, an extended bleacher bank for more than 1,500 students, a massive projection screen, and a wood-veneered climbing wall.
• Air handling in the building exceeds code requirements and guidelines established for virus transmission risk.
• The building exterior has been certified by the Air Barrier Association of America for energy efficiency and healthy occupancy.
• The Highlander Forum lecture hall, with stadium seating for 100 people, and the new auditorium, with seating for 750 people, will host educational and community-related events.
• Classrooms feature interactive technology and adaptable furniture and maximize teaching surface to support dynamic class configurations and a student-centered learning experience.
• A rooftop courtyard with plantings, chalkboards, and seating provides space for learning or social gatherings, as well as a safe, outdoor environment for medically fragile students.
• A new Somerville GovTV studio will be shared by City Hall and the SHS broadcast program.
• A variety of stormwater management techniques and strategies were incorporated to collect rain water and use it for irrigation throughout the site.