PROJECT UPDATE

On December 17 the third community forum for the project was held at the Elks Lodge in Chelmsford. To access the presentation, please click below.

PROJECT INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Colonel Moses Parker Middle School Project website! This site is your resource for information about the project, the partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), the feasibility and schematic design process, and upcoming steps.

The Chelmsford Public School District currently serves approximately 5,068 students in grades PK–12, with enrollment expected to grow steadily through the 2033-34 school year. The district operates four elementary schools serving 1,922 K–4 students, along with a separate school for 158 PK students. These elementary schools vary in size, age, and condition.

At the middle school level, Parker Middle School serves 778 students in grades 5 and 6, while McCarthy Middle School serves 808 students in grades 7 and 8. Chelmsford High School serves 1,402 students in grades 9–12.

Originally constructed in 1965 and opened in 1967, Parker Middle School is a three-story, cast-in-place concrete structure with a masonry veneer exterior. The school encompasses approximately 109,300 gross square feet, excluding modular classrooms. The original building was designed to accommodate 684 students, based on general classroom counts, not including modular additions. In April 2023, the Town of Chelmsford submitted a Statement of Interest to the MSBA, identifying various facility challenges at the Colonel Moses Parker Middle School. The MSBA is an independent public authority that partners with districts across Massachusetts to fund and manage school construction and renovation projects. In December 2024, the MSBA Board voted to invite Chelmsford into the feasibility study phase, launching a collaborative process to assess possible solutions for Parker Middle School.

The feasibility study will address the identified facility challenges, assess a range of options and enrollment scenarios, select a preferred solution, and develop a detailed schematic design. The preferred option is expected to be presented to the Town in April 2027 for consideration of full funding to complete design and construction.

In collaboration with the MSBA, the study will evaluate the renovation of the existing school, an addition/ renovation to the existing school, and/or new construction. In addition, the feasibility study will examine three (3) enrollment options agreed upon with the MSBA including the current grade 5 and 6 enrollment configuration (930 students), a proposed grade 4 through 6 enrollment configuration (1,390 students), and/or a proposed grade 5 through 8 enrollment configuration consolidating Parker Middle School with McCarthy Middle School (1,885 students).

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