The Oakdale project, which was prioritized through a Master Plan process started in 2018, will explore ways in which the Town can capitalize on State funding support to improve and update our Elementary school facilities.

After the completed construction of the Dr. Thomas J. Curran Early Childhood Education Center in 2019, the focus of  ongoing Master Planning efforts centered around reviewing and providing recommendations for the Greenlodge, Oakdale and Riverdale Elementary Schools, as well as Dedham High School, all of which have not undergone major renovations or reconstruction in the past 30 years or more. 

Educational Considerations

• Our new school facility should enhance teaching practices and learning for all.

• Our new school facility should encourage ensure access for all students and members of the community. 

• A combined school puts more professional resources under one roof. This improves professional learning and collaboration which have a direct impact on student support and learning. 

• A combined school localizes specialized educational services and resources for students in need. 

• A combined school provides greater flexibility in absorbing enrollment fluctuations over time and formulating class configurations that are optimized for learning. 

• A larger, combined school enhances continuity of learning experiences for children across the district and supports learning efficiencies as children proceed to middle school. 

Financial Considerations

• Oakdale, Riverdale, and Greenlodge are aging, costly to run and maintain, and will need to be replaced in the years ahead. 

• The cost of materials and labor increase approximately 5% per year. The cost of new school buildings in 5 years will be 25 - 30% greater than today and in 10 years will be 55-60% greater than today. 

• The MSBA will reimburse up to 45-50% of eligible costs (subject to MSBA cost caps) to design and build one new school that could replace up to two of our existing schools. 

• Energy costs have increased substantially and will continue to escalate in the future. Sustainable and efficient facilities will reduce operational costs to the Town. 

• Repairing and maintaining aging facilities is expensive and costs will escalate as buildings age. 

• Renovations of existing buildings are more expensive than new construction and are more disruptive to student learning. 

• In April, 2021 the Massachusetts School Building Authority officially invited the Oakdale Elementary School into the MSBA’s Eligibility Period.  

• At the Fall Town meeting on Monday, November 15, 2021, the expenditure of up to $1 million to proceed with a feasibility study that will examine options for addressing Oakdale Elementary school deficiencies was unanimously authorized.   

• In July 2022, Compass Project Management was officially confirmed as the Owner’s Project Manager on record for the project. 

Why Oakdale? Oakdale was rated as in most need of rehabilitation

The Oakdale main building was originally built in 1902 and is completely inaccessible to anyone with accessibility disabilities or challenges.

The last new school building project in Dedham in the 20th century was the 1959 construction of Dedham High School.

Dedham built additional space at Greenlodge and Oakdale in the 1960s and expanded the High School in 1975. But from 1975 until construction of the new Middle School, which opened in 2007 – a span of over 30 years – the town engaged in little significant school rehabilitation in Dedham.

From 1959 to 2007, no new school construction.

From 1975-2007, no new town building construction in Dedham