Somerville School Building Project: Phase One Community Feedback Survey

Take the 5-minute Survey

The City of Somerville is in the process of planning for at least one new PK-8 (Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade) public school building. This new school building would meet the needs of the Winter Hill Community Innovation School and potentially the Benjamin G. Brown School.

Due to the broad and significant impact, both the City and Somerville Public Schools are committed to a robust and inclusive community-wide engagement process as we evaluate options for this school building project. As the next step in this process, Somerville residents or members of the Somerville Public Schools community are invited to participate in a brief, 5-minute survey to help inform decisions about the size, scope, and location of the school building project.

Both the Winter Hill and the Brown School are in need of replacement or significant renovation in order to meet the needs of our students. The Winter Hill School, which opened in 1974, has had several issues throughout its history and is currently closed with students attending classes at the Edgerly Education Center. The Brown School is over 100 years old, and we must plan for its modernization.

The City is currently working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to secure state funding for this project. The MSBA has offered the City two options for this construction project 1) build to accommodate the needs of the WHCIS only, or 2) build a larger single school to address the needs of both the WHCIS and Brown School.

How will we pay for a new school?

The City is currently working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to obtain state funding. The MSBA would fund approximately half of the project, and the City would fund the other half.

Even with funding from the state, the City will need to raise property taxes to pay for a new school, as it did for the new Somerville High School. This would require voters approve a property tax increase called an override.

When do we expect a new school to be open?

At this stage, we anticipate construction of a new school building could be completed by late 2031 barring unforeseen circumstances.

Projects of this scale must undergo a multi-year planning and design process, followed by approximately 3 years of construction. Additionally, the MSBA has a defined process and timeline for participating cities. It is important to note that we are currently on-track and moving forward according to the MSBA’s timeline. A full outline of this timeline is available at somervillema.gov/msba.

What are the next steps in the process?

Due to the broad and significant impact, both the City and Somerville Public Schools are committed to a robust and inclusive community-wide engagement process as we evaluate options for this school building project. This process will include the input of voices not yet heard including underrepresented families, families of incoming 0-5 year-olds, the full SPS community, and the broader Somerville community who will be asked to vote on this project. The next step in this process is our currently active Phase 1 Community Feedback Survey.

Additionally, the currently active Construction Advisory Group (CAG) has been tasked with developing a recommendation to the Mayor on both the location and scope of a renovated or new school to meet the needs of the Winter Hill (WHCIS) and potentially the Brown School community.

Meanwhile, the state has recently advanced the City’s funding proposal. The City can now start a formal procurement process to hire an Owner’s Project Manager to oversee the project, and then a Design/Architecture firm.

About the Survey

What is the purpose of this survey? How will the results be used?

The results of this survey will help inform decisions about the size, scope, and location of the school building project.

This data will be used by City staff and shared with members of the Construction Advisory Group (somervillema.gov/cag), which has been tasked with developing a recommendation to the Mayor on both the location and scope of a renovated or new school.

How long does the survey take to complete?

The survey takes approximately 5-minutes to complete.

What types of questions does the survey include?

During the survey we will ask for your perspective on funding a future school building project and for your opinion on other investment priorities. We’ll also ask what you think is most important when it comes to the location, size, and features of our schools.

Questions include both multiple choice and open response.

Who can participate?

Anyone who is a resident of Somerville or a member of the Somerville Public Schools community can participate in the survey.

What if I can’t access the survey?

If you cannot access the survey digitally, we can help. Please call 311 (or 617-666-3311 from cell phones or outside the city) for support.

Learn More

Throughout the community engagement process, design, and construction of Somerville’s next school building, information about the project will be shared widely through City and Somerville Public Schools channels.

For more information on the project visit somervillema.gov/msba.

If you have questions, please contact 311 (or 617-666-3311 from cell phones or outside the city).