High School Restoration Plans Under Way

The renovation wish-list for seems to get longer and longer each year, but with help from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, the Norton Public School system is changing that.

"The time (to renovate) is now," Dr. Patricia Ansay said. "Construction costs are low and the building needs to be updated."

Eight years after Norton Public Schools initially visited the idea of building a new high school, the plans have changed to renovate the building with help from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Enrollment has been studied and is believed to remain at about 700 or so students, which is why a new building is not needed, Ansay said.

"(These renovations) are long overdue," said Norton High School principal Ray Dewar. "A 40-year-old building does not get younger and it does not fix itself."

On Sept. 30, 2009, the Norton Public School system received notice from the Massachusetts School Board Association (MSBA) that the high school project had been moved to the feasibility stage. This stage involves the MSBA and the school system to work together to determine what needs attention and to be renovated in the building.

Ansay and Dewar agree on many of the top concerns the building poses, including small classroom space and outdated science labs.

"One of the most important items to be looked at (for the feasibility study) is an assessment of the heating system," Ansay said.

The building is heated by electricity, which was popular when the high school was built in 1973, Ansay said.

"That does need to be examined for efficiency and conservation (concerns)," Ansay said.

Dewar said the science labs, which have not been replaced or renovated since the building was created, are also an important topic for the feasibility study to address.

"We need to address the science labs," Dewar said. "It's like stepping into a time machine."

Ansay said the MSBA will reimburse about 56-percent of the feasibility study, which has a price tag of $600,000 set by Town Meeting members on June 7.

"The MSBA is a partner every step of the way," Ansay said.

After the town submitted a statement of interest to the MSBA, endorsed by the Board of Selectmen and School Committee, an 11 member Building Committee formed, including Ansay, Dewar, Selectmen Brad Bramwell and Bob Salvo and School Committee member Tom Golata, to work on collecting all the data needed for the MSBA to continue the project.

The committee is currently working with Pinck & Co., who the School Committee chose as the high school's operating project manager after a recommendation by the Building Committee, Ansay said.

Serving as the project manager, Pinck & Co. is now in charge of finding an architect to design renovation plans. Bids are due this month  and with what Ansay calls "an aggressive schedule," the design should be ready for approval at an upcoming Town Meeting.

The prospective architect, Pinck & Co., and the Building Committee are also looking into adding about 20,000 square feet to the building to help deal with the space issue facing the high school today.

"It makes a big difference what you get out of class if you are comfortable," Dewar said.

A meeting with the School Committee, Selectmen, Finance Commission and Building Committee is scheduled for Dec. 14, 6:30 p.m. at the high school to provide an updated report on the progress of the project.

Other wants and needs

• An additional two science labs to the current six labs

• One conference room that fits less than 10 people in it

• Another conference room

• Updated sprinkler systems

• Full size elevator