Agawam High School

Building Project

Project Overview

Welcome to the Agawam High School Construction Project page. Here we hope you will find answers and information regarding the project background, process, and next steps.

The Agawam High School Building Committee typically meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month; meetings are subject to change, please check the Town of Agawam calendar at https://www.agawam.ma.us/agendacenter and the schedule page on this site for more meetings.

Students are the innovators, leaders, and change-makers of tomorrow. By investing in a high-quality educational environment, we are investing in the future of our communities. A new facility offers students the resources, technology, and infrastructure they need to excel academically, creatively, and socially and empowers students to reach their full potential.

In addition, educators are the driving force behind student success. They inspire, mentor, and guide students on their educational path. A modern facility provides educators with the tools and support they need to deliver engaging and effective instruction and create dynamic learning experiences. By investing in their professional environment, we acknowledge and honor the invaluable contributions of educators to our communities.

Together, we can ensure that future generations have access to the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to become our future leaders.

Sheila Hoffman

Superintendent of Schools , Agawam High School Class of 1992

School facility investments lead to modest, gradual improvements in student test scores, large immediate improvements in student attendance, and significant improvements in student effort,” according to a research study by Julien Lafortune and David Scönholzer, from UCLA and UC Berkeley. A new high school building for Agawam would instill a renewed sense of school spirit and pride for the entire school community.

Cheryl Salomão

Assistant Superintendent of Schools

As President of the Agawam Education Association and an Agawam High School alum, it is with great enthusiasm and excitement that we publicize our support for the construction of a new Agawam High School building and Early Childhood Center (ECC) to replace the current aged and outdated facilities. The future of our students, and the quality of their education, depends greatly on a modern environment in which they can learn, grow and thrive.

A new Agawam High School and ECC will not only provide a safe and accessible space for our students to study and excel, but will also give the opportunity to our highly-trained teachers to instruct Agawam students with the advantage of a facility designed for accredited, 21st-century education.This project is an investment in our future generations, ensuring that they have access the state-of-the-art facilities that will enhance their educational experience and set them up for success in an ever-developing-world.

This project is a necessary opportunity to all grade levels of students in this District; including a much needed ECC facility will lay a strong foundation of an educational journey which will culminate in their achievements at a contemporary Agawam High School building.

Curtis Miarecki

Agawam Education Association President, 8th Grade Civics, AHS Graduate Class of 2002

At the April 22 SBC meeting the design team unveiled the newly updated rendering for the project. The renderings are a great way to see how the project is taking shape, but the details for finishes, materials etc. are not yet determined and will continue to evolve once the project moves into Design Development.

If you were unable to attend any of the informational meetings, a link to the presentation is shown below

Project Timeline and Status

MAY 2, 2024

Town of Agawam and the Project Team submit SD to MSBA

February 2024

Town of Agawam and the Project Team selects Fontaine Bros/WT Rich as the CM

DECEMBER 13, 2023

Agawam High School Project is Approved to Move to Schematic Design by the MSBA Board of Directors

October 26, 2023

Town of Agawam and the Project Team submit PSR to MSBA

JULY 2023

Town of Agawam and the Project Team submit PDP to MSBA

March 14, 2023

Town of Agawam Selects Flansburgh as The Designer for the Project

December 2022

Town of Agawam Enlists LeftField , LLC as their OPM

August 2, 2021

MSBA and Town of Agawam Executes the Feasibility Study Agreement for Agawam High School

April 27, 2021

MSBA invites Town of Agawam to the Feasibility Study for Agawam High School

April 14, 2021

MSBA Invites Town of Agawam to the Eligibility Period for the MSBA Project for Agawam High School
(read more)

May 4, 2020

Town of Agawam Submitts the Statement of Interest to the MSBA for the Agawam High School project

Shortcuts

MSBA WEBSITE

Click here for more information about funding and protocols of capital improvement projects in the Commonwealth’s public schools

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Click here for a reference guide to clarify context and meaning to common terms used in the building process for public projects

PROJECT UPDATES

Schematic Design - Module 4

The High School project is now in Module 4 – Schematic Design. This phase will dictate the project budget and design that ultimately will be the basis of the Project Funding Agreement with the MSBA. The completed Schematic Design package will be submitted to the MSBA on May 2, 2024 and will be up for Board Approval at the June 26, 2024 MSBA Board of Directors meeting.

Part of the Schematic Design process also includes the procurement of a CM (Construction Manager) at Risk. This process started with public advertising of the project in December 2023, six very qualified CM firms submitted Qualification Statements and all firms were interviewed on February 14 & 15. Based on the ratings the final selection will be made by the CM-at-Risk Subcommittee the following days.

The project team submitted the Preliminary Design Program (PDP) to the MSBA on July 28, 2023, and received comments back from the MSBA which were responded to. The project team then submitted the Preferred Schematic Report (PSR) on October 26, 2023, and received formal comments back from the MSBA which were responded to on December 6, 2023.

Following the PSR submission, the project team and District then met with the FAS (Facilities Assessment Subcommittee) on November 15th, to introduce the project to the FAS group so they could make the recommendation to present at the MSBA Board of Directors meeting on December 13, when the MSBA Board of Directors unanimously voted that the Town of Agawam and the High School project was approved to proceed into schematic design.

UPCOMING EVENTS

MOST RECENT EVENTS

Project Information Night #4

May 1, 2024 – Sapelli School Cafeteria

Project Information Night #3

April 25, 2024 – Lunch at Agawam Senior Center

Project Information Night #2

April 24, 2024 – Phelps School Library

Project Information Night #1

April 10, 2024 – Doering School Auditorium

Community Forum #5

February 26, 2024 – 7pm at the Agawam Public Library

CM-r Subcommittee Meeting #3

February 15, 2024

CM-r Interviews

February 15, 2024

CM-r Interviews

February 14, 2024

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