SMMA is proud to see the renovated Somerville High School open its doors for the first time on March 4, 2021. The six-story, 396,000 sf school is opening to highest needs and younger students first as part of the district’s phased return to in-person learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an article from The Somerville Times, Somerville Superintendent of Schools Mary Skipper expressed her excitement about the completed renovation:
“This project represents not only the educational vision of Somerville students, families, and staff,” she said. “It also represents the heart of this amazing community. As you walk through the building, evidence of the thought and care that went into planning, designing, and building a teaching and learning facility that will serve generations of students for years to come, and one that will also serve as a gathering place for our community, are evident at every turn.”
The new school preserves historic original architectural features such as the 1929 Memorial Hall repurposed as a state-of-the-art theater, hundreds of artifacts to commemorate the school’s rich history and its place on Central Hill, while creating a modern learning environment for the 1,590 students it will eventually facilitate. Features like classrooms designed for interactive technology, specialized Career Technical Education spaces, a collegiate-style lecture hall, as well as science labs and arts education spaces encourage authentic multidisciplinary learning for college and career preparation.
Spaces like the school’s newly renovated auditorium in the former historic gymnasium, Brune Field house, and public-facing services like a student-run restaurant and bistro, hair salon, and auto-technology bays invite the greater Somerville community to participate in the education and extracurricular activities of its students.
“This is an incredible milestone for our entire community, one that we have all been anxiously awaiting. This project speaks to the commitment of the Somerville community to our kids and their future,” added School Committee Chair Andre Green. “It goes without saying that we wish this historic moment had come under very different circumstances. However, our current reality does not diminish the importance of this moment and what it means for the future of our students.”
