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Board approves educational specifications to replace Madison Elementary; design work begins
Summary
The board approved educational specifications for a replacement Madison Elementary School as part of the district's 2022 capital levy work; the project will be designed for roughly 600 students on the existing 9.6-acre site and is scheduled for construction starting in 2027.
The Everett Public Schools Board of Directors approved educational specifications for a replacement Madison Elementary School by general consent during the Aug. 19 meeting, authorizing staff to proceed with design and permitting work.
Capital projects staff told the board the project is funded through the district's 2022 capital levy program and that the district contracted Dyckman Architects to facilitate seven workshops with school staff, administrators and community stakeholders. The workshops included school visits, bubble-diagraming, numeric programming and adjacency exercises to translate educational priorities into facility design criteria.
Facilities staff said the new school program targets a two-story building of about 80,000 square feet with capacity for approximately 600 students and roughly 30 teaching stations. The plan anticipates building on the school's play field in a two-phase approach so the existing school can remain occupied during construction: a right-side (phase 1) building, move-in, then demolition of the existing structures and completion of fields and landscaping in phase 2.
Presenters said the guiding principles that informed programming include accessibility, connection to nature and natural light, flexible collaborative teaching spaces, safety and security, and maintaining the school's neighborhood role. Staff also said the existing campus includes several unreinforced masonry elements, aging mechanical systems and tired interior finishes dating to previous renovations; the original building opened in 1947, expanded in 1952 and modernized in 1991.
The timeline presented starts design in August 2025, with permit submission targeted for May 2026, contractor bidding in autumn 2026, and construction beginning in 2027 with anticipated occupancy in 2028. Staff warned final outdoor site work such as fields and landscaping is weather-dependent and could extend into 2029.
Board members asked about salvaging historic features; staff said the district plans to seek salvage opportunities for notable elements such as the Art Deco nameplate. The board adopted the educational specifications by general consent, allowing staff to continue architect selection and the design process.
