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2026-10-13 - Committee on Joint School Buildings

Summary

Built from the official minutes of this meeting; no video or agenda is on file.

  • Met 5:00 to 5:33 PM. Present: Aldermen Bonilla and Fajardo and School Committee members O'Connell (chair), Turner and Hamer; Thomas absent. Also present: Lenfest and Cobanoglu (LeftField) and Superintendent Chmiel.
  • O'Connell thanked Vance Freeman, a Consigli Construction principal who is about to retire, for three years on the project and for sponsoring district events.
  • LeftField covered two months because the September meeting was missed: McLaughlin Middle School at 99 percent with a punch list; Hillside addition ahead of schedule with a mid to late November turnover; phased turnovers at Parkside and Southside; furniture and technology installation under way at all four middle schools; Beech Street earthwork, soil management with the state Department of Environmental Services, and foundations started.
  • All projects are within the $306 million, with no major schedule changes. O'Connell called McLaughlin the first of the five projects delivered on budget and on time.
  • Accepted the monthly LeftField status and financial report for the period ending September 2026 (motion Turner, second Hamer) and sent it to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen and the Board of School Committee for information. Adjourned on Turner's motion, seconded by Bonilla.

School Building Project

  • Furniture: Turner said families at the Hillside open house saw patched together furniture because the permanent furniture had not arrived. Lenfest said science room tables at Hillside were being modified within three weeks, with new furniture arriving at addition turnover around winter vacation. Superintendent Chmiel said the plan changed from furnishing everything at the end (as at McLaughlin) to phasing furniture in with each new space, to avoid wear from repeated moves; signage tells the community the work is not finished.
  • Hillside: no work inside the existing building during the school year. Students move into the addition in December and the existing building (vestibule, front entrance, music rooms, offices) is demolished and rebuilt next summer. Parkside and Southside renovations are phased during the school year. Hillside students go to Jewett in spring 2027.
  • Modulars: the three sets that must move are Hillside (around February), Southside (after its fall 2027 handover) and Beech Street (after the new school finishes in fall 2028). There is no plan for the McLaughlin, McDonough and Gossler modulars; they could be reused or sold once the district decides they are not needed.
  • Beech Street site restoration: Bonilla said residents keep asking for images. Cobanoglu explained phase one is the new school and phase two is demolishing the old one and restoring the site. O'Connell and Lenfest said SMMA's conceptual proposal is with the Department of Public Works and Parks and Recreation for review, with work starting summer 2028 and finishing around late November or early December 2028 by Harvey Construction under the $306 million. The scope is a field, basketball court, irrigation, lighting, water supply and seating; no track. Lenfest agreed to press Public Works for a timeline, and O'Connell said a final plan is needed in 2027 and should be demanded if not seen within six months. The new Beech Street school opens September 2028.
  • O'Connell praised Public Works (Josh Gagne leads for the City) for doing the work without added staff or budget. Lenfest said the school IT department and the builders now run the project websites.
  • Turner praised the McLaughlin ribbon cutting and the tours of Parkside and Southside. Fajardo missed the ribbon cutting while traveling for work and thought tour invitations went to this committee only; Superintendent Chmiel said invitations go to both boards and more tours will follow.

Sources