The first stop on the bus tour was Phase II of Arlington’s new 408,500 sf, all-electric high school, which is tracking LEED Platinum certification. Although the project will not be complete until 2025, portions of the school are already open to students due to the carefully planned phased construction. Phase II, the project’s largest phase, includes a central ‘spine’ that accommodates a 30-foot grade change and connects the school’s academic wings with circulation and shared spaces such as the primary dining area, forum stair, and media center. The tour also covered the new humanities wing, courtyard, pre-school, and administrative spaces scheduled to open this Fall as part of Phase II.

Next, HMFHers headed downtown to see our first high-rise school. Rising eight stories tall on a 0.9-acre site, the new Josiah Quincy Upper School supports the City’s commitment to equitable education and student well-being with common areas such as the gymnasium and auditorium available for community use, a spacious double-height lobby and dining area, and light-filled classrooms surrounding collaborative project areas. When the school opens in the Fall of 2024, students will have access to a rooftop learning and gathering space, which offers impressive views of Boston’s skyline.