Greenlodge-Oakdale Elementary Building Project
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The Greenlodge-Oakdale Elementary Building Project will explore ways in which the Town can capitalize on state funding to improve and update Dedham’s Elementary school facilities. The project has explored all potential construction opportunities, from the reconstruction of the Oakdale School alone, to a broader plan with multi-site review and a different approach to elementary school configuration. On August 22, 2023 the Dedham School Committee voted to approve the SBRC recommended Preferred Schematic Report (PSR) which outlines a new Elementary School Building design to be located on the Oakdale school property for 550 students, combining the student popultations of the current Oakdale and Greenlodge elementary schools.
Project News
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Enrollment Numbers Update & School Committee Call For Feedback
Based on the increasing student enrollment in the Dedham Public Schools, the Massachusetts School Building Authority recently altered the enrollment projections and space capacity for the proposed Elementary School Building project. Members of the Dedham School Committee and Superintendent Nan Murphy will hosting a series of online and in-person community forums to answer questions and gather input in advance of a planned March 20th vote.
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SBRC Update: February 6, 2024 Meeting
The Dedham School Building Rehabilitation Committee (SBRC) held a hybrid public meeting on Tuesday, February 6 to provide an overview of the project as it currently stands, and to discuss the recent communications from the MSBA regarding potential enrollment options and the official certification process.
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SBRC Update: December 19, 2023 Meeting
The Dedham School Building Rehabilitation Committee (SBRC) held a hybrid public meeting on Tuesday, December 19 that included discussions about the differences between a design-bid-build or a construction manager at risk project delivery method and value management, but primarily focused on recent communication from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) with updated projections (informal) for three school enrollment options: Oakdale School, Consolidated Oakdale/Riverdale School, and Consolidated Oakdale/Greenlodge School.
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SBRC Update: December 11,12, 13, 2023 Meetings
The Dedham School Building Rehabilitation Committee (SBRC) participated in three public meetings this week (December 11, 12, and 13) that included discussions about updates to the proposed schematic design, geothermal energy options, debt exclusion votes, and a review of current school building conditions that amplify the need for new facilities to benefit students, teachers, and families.
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SBRC Update: December 4, 2023 Meeting
The Dedham School Building Rehabilitation Committee (SBRC) meeting held on Monday, December 4, 2023 included discussions about updates to the proposed schematics design and potential impacts to the overall project budget, traffic study, School Department update on enrollment data, and a reminder of upcoming public meetings and community engagement opportunities.
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SBRC Update: November 21, 2023 Meeting
The Dedham School Building Rehabilitation Committee (SBRC) meeting held on Monday, November 21, 2023 included discussions about recent community meetings, the proposed joint meeting with the Select Board to discuss options for future votes, a recap of project milestones to date, conceptual design updates, and a School Department presentation of the benefits that a larger school can bring to educators, students, and administrators.
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SBRC Update: November 7, 2023 Meeting
The School Building Rehabilitation Committee meeting held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 was a joint meeting of the SBRC and the Dedham Parks and Recreation Commission to discuss the landscaping and field designs proposed for the Greenlodge-Oakdale Elementary Building Project. Parks and Rec Director Robert Stanley, as well as Commission members Lisa Farnham, Lisa Moran, and Jonathan Briggs were in attendance.
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SBRC Update: October 23, 2023
At the latest School Building Rehabilitation Committee meeting held on Monday, October 23, 2023 the discussions advancing the Greenlodge-Oakdale Elementary School Building project centered around estimated tax implications for Dedham residents, as well as a design update with new renderings, and an update on the traffic study underway.
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SBRC Update: October 11, 2023
The ongoing project to address Dedham’s need for a new Elementary school building continues to move ahead, with votes taken at the School Building Rehabilitation Committee meeting held on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 that confirmed the final proposed design, expanded the SBRC membership by six new ex-officio members and determined the future of the 1902 Oakdale school building.
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SBRC Update: September 27, 2023
The ongoing project to address Dedham’s need for a new elementary school building continues to move ahead, with the latest School Building Rehabilitation Committee meeting held on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. Key topics addressed during this public meeting included an update on the MSBA process, a design update to accommodate requests to look at moving the current planned placement of the gymnasium, a discussion around the plans for the current 1902 Oakdale building and an update on the planned traffic study.
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SBRC Update: September 13, 2023
At the School Building Rehabilitation Committee meeting held on Monday, September 11, 2023, the committee focused on key topics related to the ongoing Greenlodge-Oakdale Elementary Building project, including an update on where we stand in the MSBA process timeline, new building design updates and planned traffic studies.
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Dedham School Committee Update: August 23, 2023
On Tuesday, August 22, 2023 the Dedham School Committee voted to approve the proposed Preferred Schematic Report, as recommended by the Dedham School Building Rehabilitation Committee (SBRC) for submission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The PSR submission outlines plans and preliminary design preferences for a new, combined Greenlodge-Oakdale Elementary school to be built on the current Oakdale property.
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THE NEXT DECISION: DESIGN - Overview of 4 School Design Concepts
There are four proposed designs under consideration for the new construction of a 550-student Elementary School on the Oakdale Elementary property. The large size of the Oakdale campus is considered advantageous for allowing adjustments to parking, traffic flow, and for its flexibility of play and open space. Each structure is situated to maximize natural light for learning, potential solar power and efficiency. All four design concepts include the same number and sizes of classrooms, specialized instruction spaces, cafetorium, Gym (with community entrance), and all other support spaces.
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SBRC Project Update - July 2023
The ongoing project to address Dedham’s need for new Elementary school buildings has been moving quickly since the beginning of June, as necessary choices and decisions regarding the future of the project have come to vote in front of the Dedham School Building Rehabilitation Committee (SBRC) and the Dedham School Committee. These votes marked a critical step forward in a process that began several years ago after the need to repair or replace three substandard Dedham elementary schools – Oakdale, Greenlodge and Riverdale - was identified in the 2020 Long Term Facilities Master Plan. Currently, 700 students attend Dedham elementary schools with deficient physical spaces that are considered well below modern facility standards.