Frequently Asked Questions

Established in 1970, the Medford High School has served as a cornerstone of Medford’s educational infrastructure. However, over time in a space that is now over 50 years old, the building has become increasingly outdated and no longer meets the evolving needs of students, educators, or the broader community. The facility’s aging systems, limited space, and lack of modern learning environments have prompted the City to pursue significant renovations and improvements to the high school campus, as explained in the Statement of Interest submitted to the MSBA

As of Fall 2025, the project has been accepted by the MSBA, and the project team has begun being formed. The project is currently in the first stages of the Feasibility Study, which is expected to take 18 to 24 months. The Feasibility Study will determine the full details of the project including location, size, and cost.

The MSBA process is a series of modules 1 through 9 that start with the invitation of the project, feasibility study, all the way through construction and closeout. Partnering with the MSBA allows local communities like Medford to create affordable, sustainable, and energy efficient schools with support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To learn more about the modules, visit the MSBA website at www.massschoolbuildings.org.

The MSBA calculates a base reimbursement rate for Feasibility Study at the time of invitation into the program. Reference this link to the guidelines for the base calculations: https://www.massschoolbuildings.org/sites/default/files/edit-contentfiles/Guidelines_Forms/Pro-Pay/Reimbursement-Rate-Calculation-UPDATE%20with%20changes.pdf

Based upon the completed Feasibility Study, the District and the MSBA then establish and document the project scope, budget, schedule, and MSBA’s financial participation, and at that time the MSBA will determine the final reimbursement rate of eligible project costs for the Medford High School Building project, as part of issuing the Project Scope and Budget. 

Voters will decide whether to accept the MSBA’s contribution of funding towards the project cost and approve a debt exclusion to the fund the remaining balance of the project, an amount for which Medford’s taxpayers will be responsible for. This vote is currently expected to occur in the Spring of 2027. 

After careful consideration and thoughtful studies in collaboration with our OPM, the Medford High School Building Committee has determined that there are no other viable options for sites in the City of Medford other than the existing site. The project will proceed with evaluating options of how to rebuild or renovate the high school at the existing site only.

The project team for the High School Building project includes the Medford High School Building Committee, our OPM LeftField, the design team, and other school district and City of Medford staff members.

As the project progresses through the Feasibility Study, it will be determined whether the project will consist of an addition or renovation to the existing school or a new building. During construction classes may need to be held in temporary classrooms, but the project will always ensure that a safe learning environment remains the number one priority and will strive to limit the impact on all students, faculty, and staff.

The timeline for completing the project will be determined after a decision has been made regarding the addition, renovation, or new construction of the school. Generally, a project of this magnitude and complexity requires approximately five to eight years to complete, including the feasibility study. In accordance with the MSBA timeline, Medford was invited into the Feasibility Study in February, 2025. 

The feasibility study process will include public meetings, public forums, working group sessions, and more. This website will provide access to all published public documents and presentations throughout the study for easy access.

To sign up for the mailing list about the project, please visit here.

Additionally, you can read monthly reviews of the project provided by our OPM LeftField by in the Monthy Recaps on our website.

During this step of the project, and OPM (owner’s project manager) and Designer (architects, engineers & subconsultants) are hired by the City of Medford. We are delighted to have LeftField on board as our OPM. 

OPM is the owner’s project manager who represents the City of Medford and is in charge of organizing the process and making sure all the appropriate steps are followed throughout the project. The Construction Manager is hired later on to manage and oversee the construction portion of the project. The Designer manages and issues all the design documentation, building design, and educational programming.

This stage of the process is expected to take 5-6 months from advertising for an OPM throughout hiring the Designer. Medford has so far hired an OPM and is in the process of hiring a Designer for the project.

This step will evaluate all the options for design, programming, budget and schedule. The overall process is anticpated to take 8-10 months. It will start once the designer is on board in early October 2025.

Project costs will be determined during the feasibility study and schematic design. This is anticpated to be completed in April 2027 and the process will start once the designer is on board.

This will be determined throughout the project and will be based on the educational programming, goals of the project, and potential reimbursement from the MSBA, among other factors. Community input will be gathered during multiple stages of the Feasibility Phase of the project.

To learn more about the Space Summary submitted as part of our PDP submission, please visit here for an informational video.

Yes! We plan on keep the existing programming of both the CTE programs and the traditional curriculum while also incorporating several new CTE programs. These new programs, as listed in our Chapter 74 viability document submitted to the MSBA, include Dental Assisting, Criminal Justice, Plumbing/HVAC, and IT Networking.

For a further explanation on the size of the CTE spaces, please watch the video here from the project team. 

As the project progresses through the Feasibility Study, it will be determined whether the building project involves an addition or renovation to the existing school or a new build. During the construction process, events may need to take place in alternate locations, but the project will prioritize creating a safe environment for athletes, coaches, performers and spectators while minimize the impact on all facilities and activities.

Yes, the goal of the project is to maintain the current programming and activities at the high school.

The goal for all projects is to eliminate or minimize potential impacts on the environment. The project will adhere to all Federal and State regulations and will consistently involve collaboration with environmental and building code agencies.