SBRC Greenlodge-Oakdale Elementary Building Project Update
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.
If you were unable to attend the February 6 meeting, please visit the Dedham TV website for a complete recording: www.dedhamtv.com.
Enrollment Options - What does all this mean?
Recently, there has been a lot of conversation about enrollment numbers referenced in this project and if there are any adjustments to these numbers, what this could mean for its future. To help provide context, we have put together the following project timeline that summarizes where this all began and what we anticipate for next steps.
Overall Project Timeline - How did we get here and what are the next steps?
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April 2020: Dedham submitted a statement of interest to the MSBA, seeking funding on behalf of the 120-year-old Oakdale Elementary School.
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April 2021: Among 161 applicants, Dedham was one of 15 towns invited into MSBA’s funding program, based on the condition of the Oakdale School. The MSBA provided three enrollment options based on 2020-2021 data: a 235-student standalone Oakdale, a 450-student combined Oakdale-Riverdale, or a 550-student combined Oakdale-Greenlodge.
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November 2021: Town Meeting unanimously approved funding for a feasibility study. The SBRC selected Vertex as Project Manager and JLA as Project Designer.
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March 2023: The SBRC submitted a Preliminary Design Plan to the MSBA.
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June 2023: The School Committee approved the 550-student enrollment option and the SBRC selected the 6.2-acre Oakdale campus as the site for the combined school.
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August 2023: The SBRC submitted a Preferred Schematic Report to the MSBA.
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October 2023: The SBRC unanimously voted for schematic design D.2. The committee and JLA continued to refine the design with input from DPS educators and staff.
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November 2023: NESDEC issued updated 10-year student enrollment projections, reflecting a significant increase for Dedham. The School Committee and SBRC contacted the MSBA to informally inquire about adjusting the enrollment figures and the MSBA replied that an upward adjustment could be possible if a formal request was made.
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December 2023: The SBRC unanimously voted to pause the project and submit a formal request to the MSBA for a full-scale reevaluation of enrollment numbers.
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January 2024: The MSBA revised enrollment numbers to 360-student Oakdale, 550-student combined Oakdale-Riverdale, and 665-student combined Oakdale-Greenlodge. The School Committee took a procedural vote to certify these enrollment numbers.
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February 2024: The MSBA Board is expected to formally approve the updated enrollment numbers.
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March 2024: The School Committee will consider updated enrollment options, determining whether to proceed with a standalone Oakdale or a combined school.
The School Building Rehabilitation Committee remains committed to the entire community, taking direction from the School Committee and working collaboratively to put forth a school that will serve generations of Dedham students and families.
Next SBRC Meetings:
The SBRC plans to host upcoming public meetings on the following dates (as of today):
- March 5, 2024
- March 25, 2024
Additional meeting dates to be finalized. Please review the Town website calendar at www.dedham-ma.gov/calendar and sign up for email notifications at www.dedham-ma.gov/subscribe.
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