October 30, 2024 By Carol Britton Meyer
The new $113.3 million Foster Elementary School is on budget and expected to be occupied by students, teachers, and staff by Jan. 2, School Building Committee Vice Chair Ray Estes told the select board this week, calling this “one of the biggest construction projects in the town’s history.”
“We’re almost finished. Things are moving quickly every day. Overall, I would say we’re pleased with the progress,” he said.
“When we were here the last time, we shared a little disappointment that we wouldn’t be able to keep to the original schedule to reopen this September.”
That said, the building committee acknowledged from the outset “that we had set a very aggressive schedule, and everything had to go perfectly [to meet that timeline]. That’s not quite the way it happened, as is often the case with big projects.”
The substantial completion date is mid-December, according to Estes. “It’s a tight schedule, but everyone is working very hard to keep that date. Plans are in motion to ensure that the school can receive the staff and students on Jan. 2.”
There may be enough left in the contingency budget for a softball field, irrigation system, and solar panels on the roof of the school, Estes said.
Reimbursement at $20.6 million so far
To date, the Massachusetts School Building Authority has reimbursed the town $20.6 million under it’s partial reimbursement program — with an expected additional $4 million to come over time.
The vertical construction of the building is more than 80 percent complete, “with a lot of interior finish work to be finalized,” according to Estes.
Playground installation is ongoing, along with numerous other details — including installing carpet, finishing the gym and classroom flooring, final painting of the hallways, and cleaning the classrooms in preparation for the move from the original building to the new one and installation of the furniture.
Each grade level has a common area featuring a different ecosystem design, which Estes called “unique and exciting.” There’s also a hand-painted three-story ecosystem mural.
Select Board Chair Joseph Fisher called the progress “impressive.”
Board member Liz Klein noted that although the timeline was “a bit delayed,” some delays were expected. “Safety first,” she said.
‘It’s the final stretch now’
In response to Klein asking about the student experience during construction, Estes expressed appreciation for the administration and staff for their patience. “They’ve been working with us through a very active construction process that is taking longer than we hoped. We appreciate their cooperation. It’s the final stretch now.”
Building Committee Chair Linda Hill commended Principal Matthew Scheufele for his “wonderful communication with parents,” noting that the new school year is going well.
Select board member William Ramsey observed that “the challenges of that site are significant” and that the principal, staff, and PTO “have been great.” Parents’ and students’ patience is also appreciated.
Surplus furniture, other equipment, and technology will be available to other Hingham schools, considering that some of the items may be of better quality than the ones they have now or the technology may be newer.
There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony after school opens in January, Hill said, but the timeline is uncertain at this time.
“In the meantime, we can wrap up the new school with a big ribbon,” Fisher quipped. “That will be [the town’s] holiday present!”
Demolition of the old school is expected to begin next March or early April.