Consultants reported intensive educational programming and visioning work informing the Preliminary Design Program (PDP). They said the team completed dozens of meetings with district programs and departments and held student shadowing sessions to observe learning patterns and pinch points; the programming work informed a draft space summary that will be available for committee review in December.

Mike Perolo, joining remotely, summarized phase 1 as an immersion in district operations and said the team will hold two full-day visioning sessions — Dec. 9 and Dec. 17 — to develop a shared educational vision and then a program/adjacency mapping session on Jan. 9 to translate vision outcomes into space relationships.

Consultants emphasized the distinction between educational visioning (pedagogical goals and desired student experiences) and educational programming (how many spaces of each type are needed). They said programming meetings (49 reported) produced inputs for special-education, CTE (Chapter 74) programs, sensory/calming spaces, and more outdoor learning and community-facing program definitions.

Why it matters: the educational plan drives MSBA sizing formulas and justifications for reimbursable spaces. Consultants said MSBA requires options for code compliance, renovation and new-build in PDP deliverables and that the space summary template will track MSBA-reimbursable versus non-reimbursable categories.

Quotes and committee concerns: consultants noted that many educator suggestions were positive and forward-looking: “building sustainable, safe, comprehensive high school equity came up a lot” in stakeholder feedback. Committee members asked for clarity about how advisory teams will be staffed and whether community members who work or live in Medford can participate; presenters said a broader community call will follow committee sign-ups.

Next steps and timeline: the team will circulate a draft space summary and existing-conditions report for the next meeting; visioning and programming deliverables will continue in December and early January; the committee expects a PDP-approval vote on Feb. 23 and to transmit the PDP to MSBA on Feb. 25, 2026.