May 4, 2009
Dear Parents, Community Members, and our School Community,
We are looking forward with great anticipation to moving into our new Middle/High School campus for school opening in the fall of 2009. The weekly construction reports we receive are documenting the last stages of completion for Phase 1 of the building project, completion of the Middle and High School building. Following the building completion, Phase 2 will include the demolition of the current building and the site development including athletic fields which will then complete the project. The new Manchester Essex Middle/High School will be nothing less than a jewel in our communities!
In order to update parents, community members, and our school community, this web page has been designed. Here you will find responses to frequently asked questions with an invitation to submit additional questions you may have. Also you will find a “virtual” tour of the building taken in mid-March.
We look forward to updating this page as details are finalized so that you have a resource to reference. Again, we are eagerly anticipating the opening of our new MERSD Middle/High School campus and hope you will join us in the fall for Open House tours.
Sincerely,
Marcia Adams O’Neil
Superintendent
|
Manchester Essex's new school: First look before first day Green school takes cues from town's heritage |
|
|
MERSD New School Video – Mid-March 2009
Manchester-Essex Regional School District
Opening of the New School
Frequently Asked Questions
May 1, 2009
This information is current as of today. Look for updates as details are finalized and the new building becomes ready for occupancy.
Logistics
When will the new school open?
Faculty will return to work on August 31, 2009
The first day of school for students will be Wednesday, September 2, 2009.
Will the school address, phone numbers, email addresses and website be the same?
For the public, YES. However additional internal phone numbers will be issued to staff upon their return.
Manchester Essex Regional School District
Manchester Essex Regional High School
Manchester Essex Regional Middle School
36 Lincoln Street
Manchester MA 01944
District: |
Phone: 978-526-4919 |
|
FAX: 987-526-7585 |
High School: |
Phone: 978-526-4412 |
|
FAX: 978-526-2046 |
Middle School: |
Phone: 978-526-2022 |
|
|
Will students have a chance to tour the building before the opening of school?
Probably not. It appears that final set-up of classroom furnishings, unpacking of instructional materials and supplies, final cleaning and technology testing will take the full month of August.
How will students know where their new classes will be?
New class schedules will be sent to each student in August, along with maps of the new building. Rooms will be numbered and teachers will help. Additionally, within the first few days of school, time will be allocated for students to familiarize themselves with the facility.
When can the parents and public tour the new school?
An Open House for parents, citizens and their guests will be held in October. The final date will be determined once the District occupies the building.
Where will parents drop off and pick up students?
Final details are being worked out. There will also be information on the MERSD website and in local newspapers, in the summer. Parents will also be emailed.
Where will buses drop off and pick up students?
Final details are being worked out and will be communicated over the summer.
How will children who walk or bike to school access the building?
Final details are being worked out and will be communicated over the summer.
When can teachers get into the new building to set up their classrooms?
Teachers and staff will receive notification of times when various sections of the building will be open for them to begin setting up their new office and classroom areas. The earliest times will likely be the first week of August.
Where will graduation be held?
Graduation for the Class of 2009 will be held on June 5 at Coach Ed Field athletic field.
Graduation for the Class of 2010 is planned for June 4 at Hyland Field (the new field in front of the school).
Ongoing Construction
When will the old building be demolished?
Demolition of the old school building will begin in July and likely will continue through the fall.
What precautions will ensure safety during demolition and construction of the field and parking lot?
The demolition area will be fenced and no students will be allowed into that area. Steps will be taken to mitigate dust. All hazardous material will be removed from the old building during the summer. Air quality inside the new building will be monitored.
When will the new fields be done?
The new athletic fields are expected to be completed by March 2010, for the spring athletic season. Winter weather conditions will be a factor in timely completion.
What will happen to the old furniture that won’t be used in the new building?
- A few of the existing file cabinets, storage shelves, and newer pieces of equipment and furnishings will move to the new building.
- Most of the classroom and office furnishings have been offered to the two elementary schools first.
- The remaining items will be listed for the School Committee to declare as surplus.
- Unclaimed items will be offered to the Towns of Essex and Manchester and to other public school districts.
- A public yard sale of the surplus furnishings and equipment will be held during the summer, with donations requested for the support of the District’s educational programs.
- Useable remaining items will be offered to charity.
- The rest will be discarded and parts recycled.
New Building Features
How is the new building organized?
The new school is organized into areas around a central “Main Street” corridor. The Middle and High School wings bookend this central corridor.
Middle School: The Middle School has its own self-contained 3-story wing on the southwest corner of the building. The Middle School academic classrooms, lockers, bathrooms, and stairwells are within their wing.
High School Classrooms: The High School classrooms are primarily located in the 3-story wing at the northwest corner of the building. All High School lockers are located there as well.
“Main Street”: “Main Street” is the central corridor of the school. It begins at the front entrance, with the Middle and High School Administrative Offices on either side, and runs the full length of the building from south to north.
Shared Spaces: Science labs are located on the central corridor, or “Main Street.” Additionally, “Main Street” is where shared and flexible spaces used by both the Middle and High School students (technology, art, computers, etc.) are located. Other shared spaces such as the library/media center, auditorium and stage, guidance office, and health services are accessible via this central corridor. Instrumental music and chorus each have their own rooms and practice rooms to the north of the auditorium.
Dining Area: The Dining Room and kitchen are located to the east of “Main Street” and will overlook the new athletic field and provide a balcony view into the gymnasium. The Dining Room is designed so that the administration may separate the Middle and High school students during lunchtimes if desired. A Community Room provides an area for teachers at lunchtime and small groups at other times. There is an outside, south-facing balcony overlooking the athletic fields.
Athletics facilities: The gymnasium, locker rooms (separate for high school, middle school, and visiting teams), fitness room, studio, and training rooms are on the lower level to the east.
District Offices: Offices for the regional school district are on the lower east side of the building.
What 21st Century features have been included in the design?
This is a twenty-first century building. Classrooms have been designed to provide a healthy learning environment with access to appropriate technology for the given academic discipline, with some rooms equipped with smart board technology, and science labs equipped with state of the art equipment. Art studios, band, chorus and music practice rooms are designed to meet the needs of individual students as well as larger groups. The media center (library) provides study space and will house the collection of print and other reference media. The auditorium can seat up to 480 or can be divided into two smaller learning/lecture spaces. The stage and drama area includes dressing rooms, a catwalk, and a sound system.
How does the campus design reflect the towns’ histories and characters?
The building was designed to incorporate the maritime history and seaside environment of our member towns. Throughout the building are design elements that echo this theme, such as wood beams that represent the ribs of boats, a blue and green color scheme that reflects the colors of the sea and marsh landscapes, and design elements representing the sails of ships on the walls of the main corridor and in the media center.
How is the building “green’?
The new school is eligible for the highest level of Massachusetts green school certification. This is a result of energy efficiency in the heating and cooling of the building, reduced electric demand, water conservation (low flow toilets and waterless urinals), and material selection. Classrooms on the south side of the building have shades to reduce glare and internal “light shelves” to bounce sunlight deep into the room while automatically dimming the lights with sensors to reduce energy use. Photovoltaic solar panels will be installed in the near future.
How big is the new building compared with the old?
The new school covers about 155,000 square feet, approximately twice the size of the old building.
Space Type |
Old Building |
New Building |
|
|
|
Teaching Space |
28,140 |
38,800 |
Special Ed |
1,100 |
5,950 |
Art and Music |
5,787 |
8,080 |
Auditorium/ Drama |
880 |
8,400 |
Media Center |
2,512 |
5,950 |
PE and Athletics |
11,687 |
19,200 |
Dining and Food Service |
4,035 |
7,350 |
Medical |
384 |
450 |
Administration and Guidance |
3,367 |
11,040 |
Custodial |
954 |
5,480 |
|
|
|
Net Square Feet |
58,846 |
111,700 |
Gross Square Feet |
85,020 |
154,700 |
|
|
|
Will there be changes in lunch and other food service?
The new Dining Room will be arranged in a ‘food court’ manner.
Community use of the New Facilities
When will the building be open for community use?
The building will be open for community use beginning in the fall of 2009.
Who will be allowed to use the auditorium, gym, and cafeteria outside of school time?
Use of the building by groups that are not part of the school district will follow the same policies and procedures as were in effect for the old building. (Building Use Policies and Forms)
Who will coordinate community use of the building?
Arrangements for community use should be made through the High School Office by calling 978-526-4412, at this time.
What will happen to the schools’ trophies, photographs and awards collected over the years?
All trophies, memorial frames and plaques, furnishings, photographs and paintings are currently being prepared for the move to the new building. As areas are completed, appropriate locations will be designated to showcase the history and successes of the Manchester-Essex school community.
We encourage you to ask new questions to be answered in future updates of this FAQ list. Please address them to Jean Shepherd, Assistant to the Superintendent, at shepherdj@mersd.org. In the Subject line, put ‘New questions for FAQ’s’.
| 
