Darien School Board Committee To Review Middlesex Middle School Specs

DARIEN, CT — The Darien Board of Education Facilities Committee is scheduled to review updated educational specifications for Middlesex Middle School improvements during a special meeting Thursday, as district officials continue planning for the school’s long-term needs.

The committee is expected to receive a presentation and hold a discussion on the proposed educational specifications, which outline the design, space needs and program requirements for potential future improvements at the school.

According to a memo prepared by Darien Public Schools Director of Facilities Kevin Munrett, the updated specifications reflect input from the Board of Education, school staff and consultants, and are intended to guide future planning based on projected enrollment growth and evolving educational needs.

Among the key elements included in the proposal is the addition of a new theater space, as well as the reallocation of underutilized areas, such as locker rooms, to better support instructional programming.

The materials also call for a traffic study and a full site survey, including consideration of adjacent town-owned property at the former senior center site to accommodate potential future needs such as additional fields, parking or program space.

The specifications indicate that additional classrooms and support areas would be needed to address projected enrollment over the next decade, based on recent district studies.

The broader educational specifications outline a comprehensive vision for the school, including upgrades to academic, technology and building systems. The specs call for modernized science and STEM learning spaces, including multiple labs designed for flexible instruction, group work and integration of technology.

The specifications also emphasize accessibility and inclusive design, incorporating standards that ensure students, staff and visitors with disabilities can access all areas of the building, along with upgrades to infrastructure such as fire protection, plumbing and technology systems.

Middlesex Middle School, located on Hollow Tree Ridge Road, serves approximately 1,100 students in grades six through eight and was last significantly renovated in 2000, according to the materials.

The school was built in 1925 and is in generally good condition, but several building systems are aging out, officials have previously said.

The Facilities Committee special meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 26, at 8 a.m. in the DPS Administrative Office Meeting Room.

The full agenda and associated materials can be found here.