The critically important debt exclusion vote for the new high school is coming this fall! The passage of this vote is not guaranteed—it will take a community effort to get to a successful YES vote. Here’s how you can help:
Encourage friends and neighbors to endorse the project - every name we add to our list of supporters brings more attention to the project.
Share the LHS Building Project informational videoswith your network. These videos offer an excellent overview - the perfect way to start learning about the project!
Plan to host an informational gathering for friends and neighbors. It’s not too early to put a Fall date on your calendar to share why every YES vote matters. You provide the space and time, we’ll do the rest!
Latest Updates on the
High School Project
The design for the new LHS is coming into focus! The LHS Building Project is in the Schematic Design phase. This is a crucial step in finalizing how the new school will look, feel, and function. The design team is actively working with town committees, town staff, and LPS faculty and staff to make decisions around classroom layout, outdoor learning spaces, and even bathroom access and locker availability. They are incorporating student and community feedback every step of the way - share your thoughts with the School Building Committee (SBC)!
Building Materials Selected
At their June 2 meeting, the design team presented recommendations for both interior and exterior building materials to the SBC. With additional feedback from a public survey, the SBC voted to select a primarily brick exterior design, and approved material selections for interior spaces. The meeting presentation and recording include several renderings to help you visualize these choices.
Sustainability Benefits
At the last SBC meeting, Dr. Hackett noted an achievement worth celebrating: Our design team has determined that the new LHS building will operate above net zero standards. Lexington’s Integrated Building Design and Construction Policy requires that all new public buildings meet net zero sustainability standards. The SBC has confirmed plans for both rooftop solar panels and solar canopies over parking areas and bleacher seats - along with the planned ground source heat pumps - to exceed this requirement. This is a win-win that will allow the Town to realize over $100 million in operational cost savings over the life of the building while helping achieve our net zero emissions goal across Lexington.
May SBC Community Forum News
On May 21, the School Building Committee hosted Community Forum #11. Project updates shared by the SBC included:
The total project budget will be discussed with the residents at Community Forum #13 on Wednesday, August 13.
A number of aspects of the project have been confirmed, including security and safety features, future expansion size, site plan circulation, classroom lighting, quantity of EV chargers, community use, and more.
