Lehi Field named owner’s project manager for Brockton High feasibility study; committee OKs standing updates

Lehi Field, a project-management firm with K–12 experience, introduced itself to the Brockton School Committee on March 18 as the owner’s project manager for the Brockton High School feasibility study and offered a schedule for designer selection, feasibility work and community engagement.

The presentation, given by Jim Rogers, principal of Lehi Field, and members of the firm’s project team, outlined a two-year feasibility and schematic design process in partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). Lehi Field said the feasibility phase will include educational programming, site analysis and options ranging from code repairs to phased renovation or full replacement of the multi-building high school.

Why it matters: Brockton High is a large, complex urban campus; determining whether to repair, renovate or replace the existing buildings will shape where students attend school during construction, how much the city must borrow and whether a future debt-exclusion vote is required.

Lehi Field described the next steps for designer selection: the district received three designer submissions, the school will review references and invite firms to interview. The MSBA-led designer selection panel will hold a public presentation on April 8 and interviews on April 22; the top-ranked designer will enter contract negotiations. Rogers said the feasibility study will run about 12 months, followed by schematic design and an MSBA approval of scope and budget—targeted for December 2026—before any city council or debt‑exclusion votes.

Lehi Field emphasized community and student engagement. Senior project manager Alyssa Shetani described plans for educational programming meetings with teachers and administrators, student workshops and multilingual project communications. Community liaison Francois Exelom said the team will maintain a project website, monthly flyers and surveys in multiple languages to counter misinformation and solicit input.

Committee members pressed the team on site constraints and construction phasing. Kevin Sullivan, Lehi Field’s day‑to‑day contact, noted Brockton High’s compact site and active athletic fields, saying some options will require phased construction because there is little off‑site space to build a new school before demolition. Rogers said a full replacement could require separate swing space or extended phased occupancy, which would affect schedule and cost. "We are in the process of bringing on an architect," he said, "and once they're on board, they'll help us study this site in more depth and other sites and it'll allow us to determine the most cost‑effective, educationally appropriate solution."

The committee also heard that the city has authorized $2.5 million in initial borrowing for the feasibility work; the presenters said that authorization carried the backing of state review offices. The committee voted to add Lehi Field as a standing agenda item, with Lehi Field returning every other month to update the committee on progress.

Ending: Lehi Field and district staff said they will return with designer‑selection materials and public meeting dates in April. Committee members asked that future Lehi Field updates be scheduled regularly so elected officials and the public can follow the feasibility study as it proceeds.