Hollis Students Making Move To Renovated East Middle School

BRAINTREE, MA — In three years, the second grade students of Ross, Flaherty, and Morrison elementary schools will become the first fifth graders to attend a newly renovated East Middle School. For the first time, they will be joined by students from Hollis Elementary School.

While kids from Hollis currently go to South Middle School, Superintendent Frank Hackett said during an information session on the renovation project Monday night that they will instead to go East Middle School starting in 2020. Not everyone from Hollis will make the move, however. Students from Hollis who attended South Middle during the 2019-20 school year will not switch schools and Hollis students with a sibling at South Middle will not have to move to East Middle.

In summary Hollis students who are attending South Middle prior to the 2020-21 school year or has a sibling there will not move to the renovated East Middle School.

The $83.4 million renovation calls for a newly renovated space with an addition that features two academies. The fifth and sixth grades will make up one academy and seventh and eighth grade will occupy the other. During the day, neither academy at the school will have any interaction. Both groups will have their own cafeterias and gymnasiums as well.

Through a reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, about 58 percent of the costs will be paid for by the state. The rest will be paid for through the town budget and a debt exclusion vote will not be necessary, town officials have said in the past.

A similar plan is in the works for South Middle School. Hackett said Monday night that the school district has an invite to talk with the MSBA about the second renovation.

The East Middle School renovation is scheduled to be complete in time for the 2020-21 school year.

Image via Braintree Public School