The City of Somerville is developing plans to build a new school building on the site of the former Winter Hill Community Innovation School at 115 Sycamore Street. This new facility will be a state-of-the-art educational center and a community gathering place to benefit students and their families for generations to come. 

This spring, Superintendent Carmona and the school district will work closely with project managers, city planners, and the Mayor's office to complete the feasibility study, which includes two key documents - the Preliminary Design Program and the Preferred Schematic Report. In each instance, the School Committee will review and vote to approve these documents for submission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), the project's funding partner. 

The City website includes a complete overview of the project, plus important documents and upcoming dates. The site is updated regularly as a vital resource for those following the New School Building Project. Residents can also sign up to receive a monthly project newsletter from the City. 
 


HOW WE GOT HERE

In June 2023, the Winter Hill School on Sycamore Street was closed and the school was relocated to the Edgerly Building on Cross Street. In March of 2024, the City launched an initiative to build a new school to replace the aging Winter Hill. A Construction Advocacy Group (CAG) was appointed by the Mayor's office to recommend a viable course forward, and late in 2025 the group issued its report. They concluded that the best course of action would be to build a new school on the site of the original Winter Hill building, at the largest possible capacity of more than 900 students. The scope of the project would therefore include relocating students and staff from the Brown School, the oldest school in the district, to the new facility at 115 Sycamore. The new school would open in Fall 2032. Review meetings and documents from the CAG process at the City's website. 


WHAT'S NEXT

Work on the feasibility study will continue throughout Summer 2026 for a late August submission to MSBA. This fall, work begins on the Schematic Design, as the look and layout of a new school begins to take shape. During the entire process, project managers urge the community to participate in public forums and discussions to offer constructive feedback on the development. Additionally, the school district will identify opportunities to engage Winter Hill and Brown families directly, and those will be shared through SPS channels as well as directly through school communications. Upcoming community dates can be found at the City's website. 

Ultimately, the residents of Somerville will vote at the ballot box to determine if and how the plan moves forward. 
 

FAQ

Answers to the most asked questions about the New School Building Project.

What does the planning process involve?
Projects of this scale must undergo a multi-year planning and design process, followed by approximately 3 years of construction. Additionally, the MSBA has a defined process and timeline for participating cities. It is important to note that we are currently on track and moving forward according to the MSBA’s timeline. A full outline of this process and timeline is available at somervillema.gov/newpkto8.

How will the school be paid for?
The City is currently working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to obtain state funding. The MSBA would fund approximately half of the project, and the City would fund the other half. Even with funding from the state, the City will need to raise property taxes to pay for a new school, as it did for the new Somerville High School. This would require voters approve a property tax increase called an override. Even with the state funding approximately 40-50% of the project’s cost through the MSBA, the City will need to increase property taxes to pay for a new school. This would require voters to vote to approve a property tax increase called a debt exclusion proposition 2 ½. We currently anticipate the vote on a debt exclusion would take place in the fall of 2027.

What is the status of the Brown School?
The City prefers to build a school a 115 Sycamore Street with the largest possible capacity. Pursuing this this requires that approximately 250 seats ultimately be relocated from the Brown School to the new school building. However, the specifics and timeline of that transition is dependent on further discussions about both how we plan to address building needs at our school across the district and educational programming across SPS. 

If the MBSA approves funding for a school to include the Brown population, do we still have to close the Brown School?
Accepting state funding to meet the student population needs of the Brown School means these student seats would need to shift to the new school building. The specifics of how the Brown School community would transition to the new building are dependent on school committee discussions about education programming at the new school and throughout the district. 

If the Brown population moves to the new school, will it still be called Winter Hill Community Innovation?
No, there is no intention to simply absorb the Brown School community into the Winter Hill school. The configuration and programming on the new school building needs to be the subject of extensive School Committee discussion on how we best meet the needs our students and school community. 

During the MSBA process, will building updates continue at the Edgerly and Brown?
Yes, we need to ensure that both buildings can continue to serve our students through the completion of the new school building and beyond. 

Will the public have input on this project?
Absolutely. The City, school district, and project developers are eager to hear feedback from the community through a variety of opportunities, including Community Forums and Coffee Hours. These are announced via the City website and social media channels. Keep up to date by signing up for the project newsletter!