Parker Middle School building at 75 Graniteville Road

by Jen Oemig

CHELMSFORD – The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) has officially invited the Parker Middle School Building Project into its feasibility study phase following successful completion of all eligibility period requirements.

The MSBA’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to accept the Town of Chelmsford into the next phase of the building project process during its meeting on Friday, Dec. 13.

Dr. Jay Lang, Superintendent of Chelmsford Public Schools, thanked State Treasurer Deb Goldberg and the entire MSBA team for their support throughout the eligibility period.

“We are grateful for this opportunity to potentially build a new school in town, which would be the first in over 50 years,” he said. “The project would address not only the town’s short-term, but also long-term student enrollment needs while continuing to provide an excellent education for the students and families of Chelmsford. We’re very excited.”

The Town of Chelmsford was invited into the eligibility period for the Parker Middle School Building Project on Dec. 13, 2023.

Dr. Lang said he had not anticipated the project being on the board’s agenda until February.

But because all the milestones required during the eligibility period, including the vote to appropriate funds for the feasibility study, have already been completed, the decision was made to advance the project to the next phase.

During the feasibility study period, the MSBA will be working with the Town of Chelmsford to study three options for a new school building.

Those options include:

• Replacing Parker Middle School in its current configuration with grades 5 and 6.
• Building a facility for grades 4-6, which would relocate fourth grade students from the district’s four elementary schools.
• Consolidating Parker and McCarthy Middle Schools to include grades 5-8.

The MSBA will work with local officials to generate an initial space summary based on the district’s educational program; document existing conditions; establish design parameters; develop and evaluate preliminary and final alternatives; and recommend the most cost-effective and educationally appropriate solution to the MSBA Board of Directors.

An invitation to collaborate with the MSBA on a feasibility study does not guarantee approval for a project.

If all criteria are met and the feasibility study is a success, the project will move into the schematic design phase, during which a robust schematic design of sufficient detail will be developed in order to establish the scope, budget and schedule for the proposed building project.