New Amherst elementary school construction to begin

A groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the new Fort River Elementary School took place on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. at the site on 70 South Pleasant Street in Amherst.

There were short remarks from local officials and dignitaries, according to the Amherst Indy. The new school will serve students from kindergarten through 5th grade and doors are set to open in 2026. The new three-story school will have a higher teacher-to-student ratio, more accessibility for all, and room to expand.

The school will be built as a “green” energy building to have net-zero emissions through the utilization of ground source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels.

“It is an exciting new addition to our community and will give our students a state-of-the-art facility both from an educational standpoint and an environmental one,” said Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools Interim Superintendent Doug Slaughter.

Construction, which has already started with ground preparation, will mark the close of the normal southern entrance and all traffic will go through the northern entrance.

Fort River Principal Tamera Sullivan-Daley acknowledges that the construction will affect the normal drop off/pick up routine and recess. “I’ve been working closely with the building team,” said Sullivan-Daley, “I’ve got a professional learning community group of teachers that have thought really deeply about what arrival and dismissal and what recess will look like.” 

These temporary disruptions, however, will help pave the way for greater accessibility. The current Fort River and Wildwood Schools are in desperate need of extensive repair and renovations.

Students and teachers in the old school were negatively affected by poor ventilation, poor heating and cooling, outdated windows and doors, and other problems. “Being in a rundown building that’s as old as this one, with leaks, I think that the environment [affects] children,” said Sullivan-Daley. “It has had an impact on student academic growth.” 

Many areas of the current buildings do not meet the current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The current estimated cost of repairing and bringing the building to code at the Fort River School is 40 million dollars. The total for both schools is around 80 million, a number that does not include any upgrades to the school’s clean energy practices. 

The new school building will meet the ADA requirements, and in doing so will provide better access and spaces to support all learning. Changes include a fully accessible site and building that meets the ADA codes, including bathrooms, interior spaces, entrances, walkways, and parking drop-off areas.

“The building will be a space that is going to have the needs of the students and staff at the forefront,” said Wildwood Principal Allison Estes. The current enrollment at the elementary schools is 1,050, a decline of 800 students since 1994 meaning it will be more cost-effective and efficient to run one school instead of two.

Based on the school projection in the Preferred Schematic Report, replacing Fort River and Wildwood with one new school will reduce operating costs by at least $1 million annually.

The design company, Dinisco Design, has also worked on many other schools and projects in MA, including Danvers High School, Higgins Middle School in Peabody, and Woburn fire facilities. They have kept a positive reputation around Massachusetts. 

The combination of Fort River and Wildwood will create new dynamics as each grade will be double the size as before. Wildwood Principal Allison Estes looks to build the community before the building opens.

“We would like to figure out how to help the students at Fort River, Crocker Farm, and Wildwood have events that they can do together so that they have a sense of community before they enter the new building,” Estes said. 

Some residents are opposed to the demolition of the old school buildings, calling for a reuse instead of destruction of the space. One group would like to turn Wildwood’s previous building into a civic center, pushing a detailed plan which would include child care, senior use, and other community spaces. 

Despite the detailed plans and support from the school board, many residents are still unsure of whether a new school is needed. 

On May 2, 2023, the Town of Amherst voted and approved the plans with $2,248,000 being paid upfront to the construction company with a total project cost of $98 million, 43 million of which has been provided by Massachusetts School Building Authority.