Woburn school feasibility study outlines multi‑million-dollar options for replacing, renovating four schools

Donna Dinisco, president of Dinisco Designs, told a Sept. meeting of the Woburn City School Committee that a 2023 feasibility study lays out options to address aging facilities at four schools — Kennedy, Joyce, Polinska and Alta Vista — and potential locations for the district’s early childhood program (ECP). The study presents options including repairing existing buildings, consolidating elementary or middle schools, and adding an attached or standalone ECP, with construction estimates, phasing considerations and possible state reimbursement through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

The study, which Dinisco said began with field work in 2020 and was completed in 2023, groups deficiencies by site and landscape, architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical and technology categories and lists urgent items such as roofs and boiler replacements. “We spent probably well over a year looking at all of the schools,” Dinisco said, adding that the firm has not revisited the buildings since 2023 and that some conditions may have worsened.

Why it matters: the consultant estimated that bringing the two remaining outdated elementary schools (Alta Vista and Linscott) to parity would require a new consolidated elementary school or large renovations. Construction cost estimates in the presentation included about $64 million for a single new elementary building (with a total project cost of about $80 million under the 2023 study’s assumptions) and roughly $88 million construction (about $110 million total project) to add the district ECP to that consolidated elementary site. A stand‑alone early childhood center in the study was estimated at about $27 million construction and roughly $33 million total project cost.

For middle schools, the study laid out several options. Keeping both Kennedy and Joyce and doing targeted work (including an added science wing at Kennedy) was estimated at roughly $112 million in construction costs (approximately $140 million total project cost). Consolidating middle schools via a renovation and addition at Joyce was estimated at about $170 million construction and roughly $212 million total project cost. Building a new consolidated middle school next to Joyce’s field house was shown in the study at about $210 million (construction estimates cited in the presentation) to serve roughly 1,080 students.

Dinisco emphasized phasing and disruption: many options were presented with the existing school remaining in operation while a new building is constructed and then demolished to create fields or open space. She said a typical timeline from decision to completed construction would include about 12–15 months of design and at least two years of construction, making project completion a multi‑year endeavor.

On funding and MSBA participation, Dinisco explained that the MSBA’s core program can cover up to roughly 50% of an approved project’s cost if a municipality is selected. She also said MSBA runs a separate “accelerator” or capital program for targeted repairs (roofs, boilers, windows) that can be pursued independently, but that MSBA will subtract prior MSBA participation from later reimbursement if a district later applies for a larger core project. “MSBA will not pay for a swing space,” she warned, noting that temporary relocation costs are not reimbursed by MSBA.

Questions from meeting participants focused on where an ECP could be placed, traffic and parking impacts if middle schools were consolidated at Joyce, what would happen to surplus buildings if consolidation occurs, and whether a stand‑alone ECP was feasible. Dinisco said an ECP of about 30,000 square feet (about 15 classrooms with support spaces) is a feasible “test fit” on several sites and that adding an ECP to a new or renovated school was supported by MSBA if it is part of an otherwise qualifying school project. She also recommended a full traffic study for options that consolidate students at Joyce and noted that some playing fields lost to construction could be relocated to other school sites.

A school official at the meeting provided current program numbers for the district’s early childhood program, saying a recent snapshot showed 238 students enrolled and noting that some classrooms run as integrated morning/afternoon sessions. The official explained that converting to full‑day preschool would require additional classrooms, teachers and paraprofessionals and therefore significantly increase staffing and space needs.

Dinisco and school staff also urged public input: a survey with a QR code was provided, and the study team said the school committee will use community feedback as it considers a statement of interest to the MSBA. Dinisco noted annual construction‑cost escalation (the study’s estimators used about 4% per year) and urged the district to develop a financial plan that the public can evaluate against likely effects on the city’s debt schedule and tax rate.

There were no formal votes or motions during this informational presentation. The committee said further community engagement and additional study will precede any fall vote on filing a statement of interest to the MSBA.