HomeMy WebLinkAbout2026-03-00-SBC-ATM-rpt (Article 2) ^' LEXINGTON
March 2026
Dear Town Meeting Members:
On behalf of the School Building Committee (SBC) for the Lexington High School project, I am pleased
to share this update with you following a successful community debt exclusion vote. After an
eight-year planning journey, Lexington residents have said "yes" to building a new Lexington High
School. On December 8, 2025, roughly 62% of voters approved the debt exclusion and endorsed the
Bloom design, which means that in September of 2029, our students will learn in a new high school
built with their needs in mind.
To learn more about the Lexington High School planning process, please ii ....,tll ,,,, u ,iriiirn,t ,lrnd ,Irn,,",,
22.L.,,;;;12I111,,,,,,,,j„ 1nrirn,.16. ,,ii,20,,,,,,Ip!r 222.0. Iiio2.
PROJECT TIMELINE
With the successful debt exclusion vote now complete, the project is moving forward as planned.
Construction on the new high school is anticipated to begin following completion of the detailed
design phase in the summer of 2026, with a target occupancy date of September 2029. While it took
eight years of careful planning to reach this point, construction of the new high school is expected to
take just over three years.
MSBA MODULES, MILESTONES& MEETINGS
We are now entering the final stages of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) school
design process. The MSBA's jujiliamodlilies, ranging from eligibility through post-occupancy evaluation,
continue to guide the work ahead.
ModUll ,,,,,,,,SchematicDefq.ii irn
On November 12, 2024, the School Building Committee (SBC) voted to include design option cl„.5,,L
1E3Ilooln in the Preferred Schematic Report submission. The SBC has released aposilionstatement
outlining the rationale behind selecting this design as the preferred choice. The District and its team
then developed a final design program and robust schematic design to establish the scope, budget,
and schedule for the proposed project.
M o u II ,,,,,,,, Fund ii! 0; h P roI ct
Based on the completed Feasibility Study, the District and MSBA staff established and documented
the project scope, budget, schedule, and MSBA financial participation and forwarded the project to
1
the MSBA Board of Directors for approval. The total project budget was $659.7 million, and the
MSBA's contribution was $121.3 million.
Approval by the MSBA Board of Directors established the MSBA's participation in the proposed
project. Following community authorization through the Town vote on December 8, 2025, the District
and the MSBA entered into a Project Funding Agreement, which defines the final scope, budget, and
schedule for the project.
o uIIle 6Detailed Design
The District is currently in Module 6: Detailed Design. The District and its Project Team are advancing
the design, generating construction documentation, procuring bids, and preparing to award a
construction contract in accordance with the agreed-upon project scope, budget, and schedule as
documented in the Project Funding Agreement, and the requirements contained in the MSBA's
standard contracts for Owner's Project Management and Designer Services. The MSBA continues to
monitor the project to ensure it remains on track and meets the expectations of both the District and
the MSBA as defined in the Project Funding Agreement.
Modulle 7 ........Construction
The MSBA continues to monitor the project's progress to ensure it remains on track and meets the
expectations of both the District and the MSBA, as defined in the Project Funding Agreement.
ModUll ,,,,,,,,C aIr J ll, iirn the IPiro"
The MSBA performs the final audit to determine the final total grant amounts and make the final
payment.
Mod II ,,,,,,,, Post ponjoirnq,y11;;;v llUati10 n
Once an MSBA-funded project has been occupied for three or more years, MSBA staff collect both
qualitative and quantitative data related to building and site performance. These data are distilled,
summarized, and aggregated into various formats to provide actionable insights for school districts
and the broader architecture and construction communities.
LHS PROJECT RESOURCES
The SBC meets once a month, typically on the third Monday at noon. Community members are
welcome to provide input at every meeting. Agendas, meeting minutes, video recordings, reports, and
presentations are giailable...ga...guLyzelgstle. For more information about the project, please visit the
i„„,,xiirnn torn II--IIi1 In Schooll Il3u iill iirn Prdect welbsiite.
Additional resources include:
• II.....II...is Piroect Website
• II.....II.....IIS II'iroect IFAOs
2
w
w
w
w
w som with Otheir Schools
w Calculator
w 11 111.,�Ih Cost of 1�)oIn* Nothinq
We appreciate your continued support and partnership as we move into the next exciting phase of this
important project thatvvi|| aervetheneedaofournhi|drenformanyyeanatonome.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Lenihan
Chair' School Building Committee
3