Braintree's new South Middle School: Take a look inside

BRAINTREE ― The hallways of the new South Middle School were filled with families this week, as they got a sneak peek at the town's first school building built from the ground up in a half-century.

There were parents and grandparents. There were children who will be starting grade 5-8 classes there on Wednesday. There were some who will have to wait few years before they get their chance. There were neighbors who endured months of construction disruption and residents with no children in the schools who wanted to see how $66.7 million of their state and local tax dollars were spent.

The reviews have been unanimously positive, said School Superintendent James Lee.

"The reaction has been tremendous," Lee standing outside the school office. "People are really overjoyed at how it came out."

Those who attended the open house took a self-guided tour of the first floor, past the gymnasiums, cafeteria/auditorium, media center, through the school courtyard and by classrooms and science labs.

Lee said there are some small items to finalize − work that will continue after classes start.

"The building is ready to go," the superintendent said.

Chris Maloney, whose son Connor will be a seventh grader at the school was one of the impressed parents.

"I think it's fantastic. They did a great job," he said.

More: Braintree delays moving kindergarten, closing Monatiquot School

Heather Cash, a seventh grade resource room teacher, is thrilled with her new workplace. She likes that her special education classroom is located next to those of subject area teachers, allowing for closer collaboration.

"It's unbelievable," Cash said.

Construction of the new South Middle School, which will replace a more than 60 year old building, was paid for in part by the Massachusetts School Building Authority with the remainder coming through a temporary tax increase, or a debt exclusion, approved by voters at a 2020 special election. It was the first time the town's voters approved lifting the property tax limits set by Proposition 2½ since the referendum passed in 1980.

The special election had to be postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the project had to be rebid after a court struck down a proposed project labor agreement, which establishes wages and working conditions for the workers on the project. It left a tight construction schedule of 20 months for the building.

The construction of this new school, along with the completed renovation and expansion of the East Middle School, was part of a plan to move Grade 5 classes to the middle school, thereby freeing up space in the elementary schools. The school is divided into two academies, one for grades 5 and 6 and the other for grades 7 and 8.

The last school built by the town was Braintree High School, which opened in the early 1970s. The old building will be renovated over the the coming year and reopen in 2024 as a kindergarten center and school administrative offices.

The Bacon Construction Co. of East Providence, Rhode Island, is the general contractor on the project.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the school with state and local officials was held Friday morning.

South Principal Damon Rainie said the staff is excited to come to work in their new home.

Reach Fred Hanson at fhanson@patriotledger.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: New Braintree South Middle School ready to open on time