Longmeadow middle school reaches 60% design; district to begin site work ahead of June groundbreaking

The Longmeadow School Committee heard on May 14 that the district’s new middle school project has reached a 60% design milestone and is moving toward construction. The superintendent said the middle school building committee recently approved the 60% submission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) and that enabling work and site preparation will start imminently, with a planned groundbreaking in June and an expected opening of the program in 2028.

The superintendent described the current phase as “enabling work,” meaning contractors will prepare the site before major construction begins; Fontaine is expected to be on site for that work. The administration also noted a public fly-through video of the design is available online to help residents visualize the project and that community engagement continues through scheduled meetings and LCTV broadcasts.

Committee members discussed next steps including decisions about school identity. The superintendent said the design team (JWA) is preparing outreach activity ideas — such as a student survey or mascot/colors contest — to involve students in selecting school colors and mascot. The working name used with the MSBA and the building committee is Longmeadow Middle School; no formal naming action was taken at the May 14 meeting and the item will return for consideration at the next meeting.

The superintendent framed the milestone as a product of coordinated planning between the district, the building committee and MSBA, and invited committee members to upcoming events tied to the project. The committee did not take any binding votes on naming or design changes at the May 14 meeting.