FAQs

The Massachusetts School Building Authority ("MSBA") is a quasi-independent government authority created to reform the process of funding capital improvement projects in the Commonwealth’s public schools. The MSBA strives to work with local communities to create affordable, sustainable, and energy-efficient schools across Massachusetts.

The project is currently working through the Feasibility phase (MSBA Module 3) which will carry into the Schematic Design phase ( MSBA Module 4).  During these phases, the project team will study all renovation, addition/renovation, and new construction options on multiple potential sites throughout Hamilton & Wenham.  Once options are created for consideration, cost estimates will be applied to each option so the HWSRD School Building Committee can select a preferred option.  Once a preferred option is selected and a Schematic Design level estimate is created, the project will go to Town Meetings for a vote and then a Ballot Vote in the Spring of 2025.  If the preferred building option selected passes, the building design will continue through 2025 into 2026 when construction is anticipated to begin.  Construction is expected to take roughly 24 months to complete which would allow the building to be occupied for the 2028 – 2029 school year.  This timeline will continue to be adjusted as the project advances through the various phases and submissions.

During the Feasibility phase, the HWRSD brought an Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) and a project Designer on board.  The OPM selected is PMA Consultants and the designer is JCJ Architects.  This will be the project team through Feasibility and Schematic Design.

The complete list of the School Building Committee can be found HERE.

The project Designer is JCJ Architecture.  JCJ has a team of designers, consultants, and engineers that will design the building which will include site work and landscaping, all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection (sprinkler) systems, and all interior finishes. The design of the school will be defined by the HWRSD education plan created by the district’s educators.  The project will also hold many community forums which will allow for the community to get involved and ask questions. 

The purpose of the Preliminary Design Program is to define the programmatic, functional, spatial, and environmental requirements of the educational facility necessary to meet the district’s educational program and perform the review and investigation required to clearly define the existing building deficiencies. Based upon a review of the district’s educational program, the designer will identify and prepare in written and graphic form for review, clarification, and agreement regarding the educational goals and programmatic space needs for the subject school. The space needs along with an evaluation of existing conditions and site development requirements will form the basis of the designer’s recommendation for an evaluation of alternatives upon which the most educationally appropriate and cost-effective solution may be recommended.

The purpose of the Preferred Schematic Report is to summarize the process and conclusions of the Preliminary and Final Evaluation of Alternatives and substantiate and document the district’s selection and recommendation of a preferred solution. The report should address all concerns and questions raised by the MSBA during its review of the Preliminary Design Program and identify any changes incorporated by the district based on further evaluations and considerations.

Some factors to consider in deciding between new construction and an addition/renovation include:

• New construction is more costly than a renovation or addition plus renovation.
• An addition plus renovation may be more environmentally friendly if it creates less demolition waste by reusing large parts of an existing building.
• An addition plus renovation would have less impact on athletics because playing fields would largely be maintained, whereas new construction would likely take the space of existing playing fields.
• A newly constructed building would have a shorter construction timeline than a comprehensive addition plus renovation project.
• New construction would have a limited impact on academics during construction. While any renovation would be phased to minimize disruption, renovations are inherently complicated and disruptive.
• The phased approach of an addition/renovation project would also drive a longer construction timeline than would a new building.
• Once open, a newly constructed building would be more efficient to operate than an addition/renovation, with fewer break/fix activities and more routine maintenance.

FULL QUESTION: I am concerned that once this project gets before a town vote in 2025, everyone will realize we are creating a bigger (not better) elementary school with a huge price tag and vote it down, like what happened in Ipswich. Why isn’t the option to only renovate Cutler being considered more seriously?

The MSBA process requires equal emphasis on all design options (including the Cutler addition/renovation option) to be considered by the School Building Committee during the Preferred Schematic Design phase.  The School Building Committee will objectively evaluate the design options using the same criteria including, but not limited to, educational appropriateness to support the Educational Program, cost and schedule, community use, site and building layouts.

During the Feasibility and Schematic design phases, the designer will review all potential sustainable building options that are fiscally responsible.  This includes studying potential Net Zero building systems. 

With the project team formed for the Feasibility and Schematic Design phases, multiple visioning sessions with school faculty and students will take place over the next year.  During this time the project team will also be holding Community Forums to keep the Hamilton and Wenham residents informed.  These forums will also allow the community to ask questions and get involved!  The project team will also be making appearances at Hamilton-Wenham community events so keep an eye out for a HWRSD School Building Project booth. The project website will also be updated with project information and schedule updates so the community can stay up to date as the project progresses.

The Cutler Elementary School Project may serve all three schools within the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District.  When applying for State funding from the MSBA, one of the schools must be selected as the basis of the project.  When the District submitted the Statement of Interest (SOI) to the MSBA, it was decided that the Cutler ES would be the basis of the project.  The project team will be reviewing Cutler, Winthrop, and Buker to understand what the district’s needs are so that the building project can be designed to the correct grade configuration and student enrollment.  The project team will continue to update the District throughout the Feasibility Study on what options are being considered.  For the purposes of community outreach and discussions, the project will be referred to as the Hamilton-Wenham Elementary School project.  For all MSBA submissions, the project will still need to be called the Cutler ES project since that is what the Statement of Interest submitted to the MSBA called the project.  When Hamilton-Wenham votes to approve the project funding in April 2025, the School Committee can vote to change the name of the project to match the name of the new school.  The name of the school can remain Cutler ES if that is what the School Committee/District decides.

All school facilities were originally constructed in the 1950s, with the exception of the Miles River Middle School constructed in 1999. Various renovations and expansions have been completed over the lifetime of the buildings. The last major expansion in the district was at the Cutler School in 1992.

As facility infrastructure ages, disturbances to the learning environment become more prevalent.

• Not fully ADA-compliant
• Water leaks throughout the building
• Heating & ventilation is inadequate
• Windows in fair to poor condition throughout the building
• Exterior trim, bricks, windows, and doors need to be replaced or repointed
• Restrooms do not have adequate clearances and fixture heights
• Electrical service underrated
• No backup generator
• Most plumbing fixtures are original
• The modular wing is past its useful life with rot and leaks

It is our sincere hope that we all can work in concert to address the many deficiencies in the public school facilities.  For more information about the conditions of the Hamilton-Wenham Elementary School Buildings please find the Statement of Interest submitted to the MSBA here (Cutler School SOI 2021, Winthrop School SOI 2021) and the State of our School Facilities study completed in 2022 found here (State of our School Facilities)

The financial impact of the project for the residents cannot be accurately determined until the School Building Committee votes on a preferred design in April 2024. After the preferred design is identified, the team will receive cost estimates from professional 3rd party estimators. The team will develop cost estimates in Fall of 2024 and also have a better understanding of the MSBA reimbursement rate for the project (est. 47%-51%). Once we have a more precise total project cost estimate, each town’s Finance Committee can begin to calculate potential tax impacts for residents. 

Hamilton & Wenham will vote at their April 5, 2025, Town Meetings and again at the Ballot Vote to approve funds for the project through a Proposition 2 ½ override. 

At this time the project cost has not been determined so it is not known what the State’s contribution will be.  Currently, the MSBA has approved a reimbursement rate of 47.63%.  This reimbursement rate is subject to change as the building design progresses.  The district can earn additional reimbursement points through the following categories: Newly Formed Regional District, Major Reconstruction or Reno/Reuse, Overlay Zoning 40R & 40S, Energy Efficiency – “Green Schools”.  Not all of these additional incentive points will be applicable to this project.  The district will know what the MSBA contribution is when a Project Scope and Budget Agreement is executed in 2025 (if the project funding is approved by both towns). 

]Town Meetings and Ballot Votes will occur in April of 2025.  Project updates and community outreach events will occur up until that date so all residents in Hamilton and Wenham have the opportunity to stay informed and involved throughout the entire process.

Read the complete question HERE

ASHRAE 241, released in July 2023, will be assessed by the project team during the design phase to ensure compliance with the applicable state building codes and the applicable MSBA (Massachusetts School Building Authority) Project Advisories. Should the Hamilton-Wenham Elementary School Building Committee opt to incorporate Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) design elements beyond the code and/or MSBA mandated requirements, it may result in additional design and construction expenses that could be deemed ineligible for reimbursement by the MSBA. The project team remains committed to evaluating and incorporating all building standards to align with the District's requirements.

As of the District's acceptance into the MSBA Feasibility Study, it is currently not feasible to modify item #5 on the Statement of Interest (SOI). No alterations can be made to the SOI once approved by the MSBA. As previously mentioned, the project team will assess and implement any necessary IAQ measures to satisfy building code specifications.

Regardless of which sites are selected to be studied, the project will explore design solutions that avoid impacting the abutting properties including maintaining and/or augmenting existing vegetative buffers within the approved project budgets.

As required by the MSBA process, mechanical systems will be evaluated during Schematic Design. The Design Team will analyze multiple heating systems that achieve the District’s project and sustainability requirements.  The analysis will include, but not be limited to, a preliminary life cycle cost analysis along with a preliminary review of state and local funding/grants to determine potential returns on investment for each system considered.  The analysis will be presented to the School Building Committee for their review and approval to select the most appropriate and fiscally responsible system.

One of our goals and hopes for this project is to find an equitable design that will benefit all elementary students at one time during their K-5 experience. The Design Options C3.4 & C2.4 (Cutler) and W3.4 & W2.4 (Winthrop) would renovate or build a new, consolidated school to replace Cutler and Winthrop elementary schools, all students in the district in grades 1-5 would attend, serving grades 1-5. These Design Options would include students from Cutler, Buker & Winthrop. ALL of the Preschool and Kindergarten classes would be placed at the Buker School.  The HWRSD will continue to submit Statements of Interest to the MSBA for the Buker School renovation in the future. You can read more about each Design Option HERE.   

As part of our feasibility process, we’ve explored research about the impacts of school size on students and teachers. To remove any bias, we felt it necessary to review research data that captured all sides of the school-size debate. In addition to studies and published articles, we also spoke with two districts who, like Hamilton-Wenham, studied the feasibility of creating a consolidated school that would maximize educational equity and provide the greatest impact to the maximum number of students district-wide. Links to our research and a summary of our findings can be found below. We highly encourage everyone to read the research in detail, particularly the documented interviews with the building principals from the recently consolidated Northbridge Elementary and Mountain View School.  We have added a few articles from our consultant at the bottom of this document.

Overall research on the effect of school size on student achievement has been limited. The impact of school size on student outcomes is multifaceted and depends on various factors, including the specific characteristics of the school, the community, and the resources available. It's important to consider a holistic approach when examining the relationship between school size and student/staff experiences.

When it comes to school size, there is no right size that works for every student or teacher. Some students thrive in a smaller environment where they get lots of attention, while others prefer the variety of activities and peer groups available in a larger school. Certainly, small and large schools each have their pros and cons. No matter which direction we choose, we are committed to keeping elementary class sizes at their current average of 22 students.

In the report entitled, Small Learning Communities, Diana Oxley of the University of Oregon argues that small is not enough. She argues, “Small size creates the conditions to carry out student work that is active and collaborative. However, small size is not an end in itself.” Common planning time, development for teachers, and high-quality curriculum are all necessary to make small learning communities work.

Student Achievement:

• Research suggests that the relationship between school size and student achievement is complex and context-dependent. No real correlation has been demonstrated between school size and curriculum quality.
• Smaller schools may offer benefits such as smaller class sizes, personalized attention, and a sense of community, contributing to higher academic achievement.
• Some studies indicate that larger schools with more resources may provide advanced academic programs and diverse extracurricular activities, positively influencing student outcomes. 
• It’s also important to note that larger schools do not equal larger class sizes. The existing student-to-teacher ratio in Hamilton-Wenham elementary schools would remain no matter what size school is built.

Student Safety:

• Findings on the impact of school size on student safety are inconclusive.
• Smaller schools may be associated with a sense of community and closer relationships, potentially contributing to a safer environment. However, bringing students from different schools and communities together can often create a sense of community, giving new opportunities for teacher relationships and student friendship groups. More students often means more opportunities for students to find their group of peers. This also helps with the transition to middle school from grade 5 to grade 6.
• Larger schools may have more security measures in place and resources for addressing safety concerns.

Student Sense of Belonging:

• Research generally supports the idea that smaller schools foster a stronger sense of belonging.
• Smaller school settings often promote closer relationships among students and between students and staff, creating a supportive and inclusive atmosphere.
• The limited populations in small schools often limit the ability to mix groups and shift dynamics as needed. Larger schools allow opportunities for mixing and based on the organization of the building, smaller learning communities can create the same sense of belonging found in small schools. 
• Large schools can offer more specialized programs for disadvantaged students and students with special needs. A wide variety of classes and activities make it possible for students to find their niche.
• Larger schools may implement specific strategies to enhance students' sense of belonging, such as smaller learning communities or mentorship programs. Both Northbridge Public Schools and Easthampton Public Schools (the two districts interviewed with newly consolidated large schools) found no impacts to students’ sense of belonging and shared how being intentional about creating community is important to the process no matter what size school is created.
• Small schools benefit parents most, as they feel they can have a larger involvement. 
• Large schools may provide more diversity and may make it easier for different types of students and families to find their niche.

Staff and Faculty:

• Specialists and support staff are co-located and more concentrated in a larger building and have the opportunity to spend more time with students instead of traveling between multiple buildings.
• Small school staff  can be insular or feel  isolated from other staff at other elementary schools in the District
• Large schools can support more diversity in the staff
• Large schools can have more resources for professional development
• Small schools can create a supportive, family environment for staff
• Large schools can support increased networking and sharing  opportunities for staff

Resources:

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/50960/how-being-part-of-a-house-within-a-school-helps-students-gain-a-sense-of-belonging

Pamela Z., Julie P. C., John R. S., (2011), Elementary School Size and Student Performance: A Conceptual Analysis (This work is produced by The Connexions Project and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License)

Schools within Schools. ERIC Digest, 2002, This digest was created by ERIC, The Educational Resources Information Center. 

Small schools versus big schools, Our Kids, The Trusted Source

How important is school size?, The Great Schools Editorial Team, Updated: June 12, 2023

Elementary enrollment is rising.  We currently have 847 students at the elementary level, the second-highest number of students in the last 10- years. This is an 8.5% increase since 2020. We understand that any additional expenditures either for the towns or school impact all of our tax-payers, especially those on a fixed income. This is why we continue to seek community input and host information sessions for townspeople of all ages.

COMPLETE submission below

Q: It was stated at the meeting yesterday that Winthrop School was off the table because a 5 year lease had been signed by the Selectmen and the state required a 50 year lease. Why not have the Hamilton Selectmen revise the lease to a 50 year period, go to a two story building, incorporate the Senior Center and continue to utilize Patton Park as a resource? Winthrop School is centrally located, has better access for cars and causes less neighborhood disruption.  

A: The Hamilton Select Board’s decision for the terms to renew the Winthrop School lease considered a number of factors which are best addressed by the Select Board.  A traffic study will be completed for the Preferred Solution during Schematic Design.  

Q: How was the design team chosen?

The Designer was selected in accordance with the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s (MSBA) quality-based selection Designer Selection Process.  Please visit massschoolbuildings.org/building/team/dsp for additional details.  

Q: I think the Manchester/Essex school appears from the photographs to be sterile and not much fun for small children. The designers spoke about "bringing the outside in" through lots of glass. An atrium would be a better approach as well as movable walls and repurposing spaces.

Thank you for your feedback on design elements to be considered for the proposed school.  

Q: Security was a concern. What better location than near the police station?

School security is a primary concern on every school project requiring the participation of local first responders throughout the project’s development and into construction.  The first of a series of meetings with Hamilton’s first responders was held on March 20, 2024.  

Q: Lastly, in terms of cost, the figures are way out of line. For 285 students you are outlining a plan that would cost $323,509. per student space for "C-2.1". Even with the help of the state, that seems high. The line item of "C-2.3" of Addition and Renovation is a made up number. That kind of work will need to be put out to bid and I would think the numbers would not need to be that high. All this being said, the schools do, at the very least, need upgrades.

The comparative estimates of probable costs for the conceptual designs are based on historical/market construction costs.  The estimates will be refined as the project and building systems are better defined.  At the conclusion of Schematic Design, the estimate of probable cost will become the basis for the total project costs used to establish the Project Scope & Budget Agreement with the MSBA.  

Q: Why was there no combination where Buker was incorporated as one of the 2 combination schools so that Wenham would share the burden? It seems unnecessary that they are only included in the 3 combination. These are a lot of questions, but I hope they prompt discussion that will help to revamp a new plan.  

As part of MSBA’s prescriptive process, the grade configurations inclusive of school consolidation options were established by the MSBA as part of their review and acceptance of the District’s Statement of Interest for the Cutler Elementary School.  This enrollment options established by the MSBA can be found HERE. Regardless of the school’s location, the cost of the project will be shared between both Hamilton and Wenham. Hamilton & Wenham will vote at their April 5, 2025, Town Meetings and again at the Ballot Vote to approve funds for the project through a Proposition 2 1/2 override.  

Complete Question: Given the large amount of work and maintenance needed in these schools, it would be helpful for community members to have an accurate estimate of what they would need to pay if the new school building doesn’t move forward. Thanks!

The most comprehensive listing of capital projects needed across our district can be found on Page 59 of the Annual Report Voted on 3/7/24. The report can be viewed here:

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1709926067/hamilton/jdmimfo7ewmnvtxmuu9h/FY25BUDGETBOOKAPPROVED03072024.pdf . The TOTAL costs for a Base Repair/Code Upgrade for Both Cutler and Winthrop Schools can be found in the 4/18/24 School Building Committee Presentation:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rkwaAZqAeufLbycpaMHAvIAUZ-dBCDFS/view Please note: There are PSR COMPARATIVE DESIGN OPTIONS PRICING (High Level Rough Order of Magnitude Estimates for Comparison purposes only).

The most comprehensive listing of capital projects needed across our district can be found on Page 59 of the Annual Report Voted on 3/7/24. The report can be viewed here: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1709926067/hamilton/jdmimfo7ewmnvtxmuu9h/FY25BUDGETBOOKAPPROVED03072024.pdf                       

We continue to proceed with necessary capital projects in all of our schools. We will continue to submit Statements of Interest for both Winthrop and Buker School annually if necessary. This process typically takes up to 5 years once we have been accepted into the process but typically we would not be invited back into the process while we have an ongoing project with the MSBA.

The most comprehensive listing of capital projects needed across our district can be found on Page 59 of the Annual Report Voted on 3/7/24. The report can be viewed here:

https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1709926067/hamilton/jdmimfo7ewmnvtxmuu9h/FY25BUDGETBOOKAPPROVED03072024.pdf

We continue to proceed with necessary capital projects in all of our schools. We will continue to submit Statements of Interest for both Winthrop and Buker School annually if necessary. This process typically takes up to 5 years once we have been accepted into the process but typically we would not be invited back into the process while we have an ongoing project with the MSBA.

 We will continue to submit Statements of Interest for both Winthrop and Buker School annually if necessary. This process typically takes up to 5 years once we have been accepted into the process but typically we would not be invited back into the process while we have an ongoing project with the MSBA .

The School Building Committee determined that the 740 Student Enrollment Option would be the best choice to benefit ALL Elementary students in Hamilton-Wenham. When the MSBA determined our enrollment options for a project, they considered census data and population trends to determine the building size that will include projected student population growth. Our current Elementary Schools are at capacity, and we have no space to accommodate any additional students. A new elementary school would be better able to accommodate a population increase (if we have one).

If you have questions about the MBTA Community Zoning Law and how this could impact our towns, the Town of Wenham Planning Board is hosting a second MBTA Communities Public Forum on June 5th at Buker School. This is a complex law, and the zoning requirements will be different for each town in Massachusetts.  The Town of Andover published useful information that explains what 15 units per acre can look like and discusses capacity in greater detail. The information is linked HERE for your reference.

When submitting more than one Statement of Interest (SOI), the MSBA requires you to prioritize one (see excerpt below from the MSBA FAQs.) How many SOIs can a District submit? 

"The MSBA does not limit the number of SOIs that the district can submit. However, an SOI should only be filed for a facility where the district has the financial ability to proceed with a construction project at the time of submission. The district is only allowed to submit one SOI per school facility and should detail all of the facility’s deficiencies in that one SOI. If the district submits an SOI for more than one facility under the Core Program, it will be required to select one SOI as the “District’s Priority SOI” for consideration and due diligence efforts by the MSBA. If the district already has an active Core Program SOI in the MSBA’s Capital Pipeline, then that SOI is the district's Priority SOI for 2024 and will continue to be considered the district’s Priority SOI until the time of project completion.  Please note, if applicable, districts may express the need for multiple accelerated repair projects (generally projects for the partial or full replacement of roofs and windows) and selection of a Priority school facility is not required."

Consolidation was discussed as an option in the 2014 HWRSD Master Plan developed in partnership with SMMA. Each one of the subsequent SOIs that were submitted to the MSBA included potential consolidation and prioritization of the Cutler School. All of the SOIs were voted by the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School Committee in public session.