In June 2021, City of Leominster submitted a Statement of Interest to the MSBA for the Fall Brook Elementary School and in December 2022, the district was invited to partner with the MSBA in conducting a Feasibility Study for the school. In June 2023, LeftField was selected as the Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) and in December 2023, Miller Dyer Spears was hired as the Designer.

The Fall Brook Elementary School project is an exciting opportunity to create a modern elementary school that meets current and future educational needs of the community while retaining the charm and welcoming atmosphere of the original 1960’s era school. The current school, although beloved, is almost 60 years old; the school building and its systems are well beyond their useful life. The project team studied multiple options for Fall Brook Elementary School, including renovating the existing school, an addition/renovation option, and several new construction building options. The Fall Brook Building Committee (FBBC) identified one of the new construction options as their preferred solution.

The proposed project is a new, 2-story building, with a design enrollment of 610 students and a floor area approximately 40% larger than the existing school. This modern, 105,000 SF facility will transform the learning experience. Students will have access to specialized classrooms for art, music, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math); spaces that are specifically designed to inspire creativity and foster hands-on learning. The new building will feature dedicated areas for OT/PT, pull-out project spaces, speech therapy, sensory rooms, English Language Learners (ELL) classrooms, and flexible learning spaces tailored to different learning styles and needs. The project includes a variety of special education spaces and support rooms to help students of all abilities thrive.

The building systems will be modern and efficient and will provide a safe, healthy, and sustainable educational environment. The gym and library will be rightsized to alleviate the current crowded conditions. Classrooms and support spaces will have ample natural light and will provide views to the outdoors and surrounding trees and natural areas. The outdoor areas will include new and upgraded playgrounds, athletic fields, and outdoor learning spaces. Parking and access roads will be enlarged and reconfigured to ease congestion on Decicco Drive and separate through traffic to Samoset Middle School, which shares the property with Fall Brook Elementary School.

The project, developed in partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority, will provide the families of Leominster with a modern and cost-effective learning environment that will help their students continue to succeed.