Elementary School Building Project Update

Amethyst Brook Elementary School now has permanent power. The Elementary School Building Committee (ESBC) received assurances at their monthly meeting on March 13 that good progress in construction, both inside and outside the building, continues, and the school will be ready to open this fall. The next committee site tour will take place on April 28, 2026.

Chair Cathy Schoen raised several topics that will require decisions in the near future. Designs for a sign at the north (parent/staff) entrance on South East Street will be brought forward at the next meeting, but there was consensus that it should be simple and cost-conscious. It will also need to be approved by the Planning Board. Designs for a dedication plaque are also being developed and will likewise be simple. The issue of fencing at the periphery of the property and near the playground area was discussed and will be brought back to the committee in the future. School Facilities Director Michael Gallo O’Connell plans to have the existing fencing along the river inspected before then. Schoen noted that there is no budget currently to add any fencing. Amherst School Committee Chair Deb Leonard advised the building committee that the school committee is in the process of redrafting policies around seclusion and restraint of students that may have an impact on the reflection rooms planned for the new school. Wildwood Principal Alison Estes reported that educators would meet next week to address concerns raised by the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) and offer solutions compliant with new state rules. 

Town Special Projects Manager Bob Peirent recommended that the committee consider hiring a consultant to help the building achieve its net-zero intention. He is looking into contracting with Interval Data Systems, a firm that has worked on other MSBA and net-zero projects to help districts optimize building use and meet the low-energy-use goals permitted by the design. Schoen asked whether this could be conducted within the contract with the Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) Accenture, and that is the hope per Peirent. Several committee members spoke in support of pursuing this option, and OPM Ksenyia Slavsky pointed out that engaging a company at this point in the project has the advantage of learning systems while they are still under warranty. A proposal will be brought forward for the ESBC to consider at the next meeting.

Also upcoming are discussions about how to meet the Percent for Art obligation and planning for parking and traffic flow once the school opens in the fall when construction shifts to the north portion of the site.

Invoices totalling approximately $3.8 million were approved unanimously including:

Accenture (OPM) $    58,747

DiNisco (Designer) $    65,000

CTA Construction (GC) $3,622,277

Allied Testing Labs $      4,025

BVH Integrated Services (envelope testing) $      3,420

To date, there have been eight change orders totalling $1.5 million. This reporter requested a detailed breakdown of each of those and this post will be updated if/when that becomes available.