Frequently Asked Questions

The Mosier School, grades 2-4, constructed in 1969, has far surpassed its expected lifespan and is in need of attention. While the Mosier school has been well maintained for the past 45 years, we have not seen significant repairs or enhancements, leaving us with a facility past the point of regular maintenance.

Students and staff contend with drafty windows, exterior doors that fail to close properly, uneven floors, and outdated heating, ventilation, and electrical systems. These shortcomings greatly diminish our ability to deliver educational programs that align with modern practice.

The town has outgrown this building, relying on 4 modular classrooms to accommodate students for the last 25 years—initially intended as a temporary fix. Additionally, the school fails to meet today’s standards for air quality, fire safety, accessibility, and overall safety.

Working with the MSBA presents an opportunity to not only provide a new or improved facility but reimagine the educational delivery system with a new grade configuration that meets South Hadley’s student and family needs. Choosing not to accept the MSBA’s financial support would significantly reduce the return on our community’s investment, and could lead to higher long-term costs for taxpayers.

During the Feasibility Study, the project team, School Building Committee, Town Officials, and the South Hadley School District work with the MSBA to document the educational program for the proposed Elementary School, generate a space summary, document existing conditions, establish design parameters, develop and evaluate alternatives, and recommend the most cost effective and educationally appropriate preferred solution to the MSBA Board of Directors for their consideration in October 2026.

During this phase, the Building Committee will submit the Preliminary Design Program (PDP) in December 2025, and Preferred Schematic Report (PSR) in April 2026.  Approval of both reports by the MSBA Board of Directors is required for the project to proceed into Schematic Design.

• Submit Preliminary Design Program (PDP) to MSBA in December 2025 (complete) 
• Develop and refine design options and updated cost estimates during the Preferred Schematic Report (PSR) phase in Winter/Spring 2026.
• Select one preferred design solution and proceed into Schematic Design in April 2026.
• Advance the preferred solution and complete a final detailed cost estimate during Schematic Design in Summer–Fall 2026, confirming total project cost, MSBA grant, and local share.
• Special town vote, Winter 2027 
• Community forums will be scheduled during each phase to review progress, share cost updates, and gather community feedback. Please sign up for our email distribution list to be the first to hear about upcoming events.

The MSBA is a quasi-independent state authority that supports communities across the Commonwealth in creating educationally appropriate, cost effective, sustainable, and energy efficient schools. It provides taxpayers significant reimbursements for school construction projects. The MSBA derives its revenue from the state sales tax.

School districts that participate in the MSBA program must follow a strict process in order to receive financial assistance. Several plans are currently under consideration and a single one will be selected soon and voted on by the SBC next summer.

Every year, the MSBA accepts a small handful of school districts into the program that subsidizes the cost of renovating or building a new school. 

Based on the last six years of data, MSBA received about 60-65 Statements Of Interest and accepted 10-12, translating to a 15-20% acceptance rate. In 2023 the MSBA selected Mosier Elementary School as one of only 19 schools out of 63, based on its urgent need. 

MSBA’s core program has become more competitive in recent years as 1960s-era school facilities age out, construction costs sharply rise, and the MSBA’s state sales tax revenue has decreased. In 2022 sales tax revenue was 1.65% lower than the previous year, representing a loss of roughly $400M of MSBA grant funding.

This decrease in MSBA revenue is significantly impacting the number of invited districts. It is creating a ripple effect for future applications, making the program more and more selective each year.

The School Building Committee (SBC) includes town/school district employees and community members who provide input, guidance, and authorization throughout the planning process on behalf of our community. Read our Meet the Committee profile for more information.

Have questions or comments for the SBC? Email us: shbuilds@shschools.com. Community members are also welcome to join our monthly SBC meetings. Please see the town agenda center for our scheduled meetings.

Community members are encouraged to attend monthly Building Committee Meetings and future Community Meetings, where the latest information will be presented, and feedback will be encouraged. Stay tuned for dated to be announced. Have questions? Email us: shbuilds@shschools.com. 

The district is evaluating a Grades 1–5 configuration for the Mosier Elementary School project in addition to the current Grades 2–4 model. Fifth grade is still considered developmentally elementary, and this configuration aligns with current educational practice in many districts.

A Grades 1–5 elementary school can be designed with smaller, grade-level “neighborhoods” that support age-appropriate learning while allowing for shared resources. This approach can improve operational efficiency and support long-term cost effectiveness while maintaining a strong sense of community within the school.

Yes. Many communities now use models that bring multiple elementary grade levels together in a single building while maintaining age-appropriate learning environments. This approach allows schools to share resources efficiently and has become increasingly common over the past decade, including in projects supported by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) across Massachusetts.

If a Grades 1–5 option is selected, Skala Elementary School would transition into an Early Childhood Center serving preschool and kindergarten. This option would allow the district to expand early childhood programming, potentially increase preschool availability to five days per week, and improve access for families.

Under this scenario, Mosier Elementary School would serve as the district’s elementary school for Grades 1–5, organized in a grade-level neighborhood cluster setting. All options remain under consideration by the School Building Committee, and no final decision has been made.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority conducted an enrollment study using historical enrollment trends, birth rate data, and demographic projections. MSBA-approved enrollment figures include approximately 360 students for Grades 2–4 and approximately 590 students for Grades 1–5. These figures determine the maximum school size eligible for reimbursement. See our documents page for access to the enrollment studies.

As part of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) Feasibility Study, the School Building Committee and project team are evaluating multiple building options to determine the best long-term solution for the district. These options represent the full range of alternatives required to be studied by the MSBA and no option has been selected at this time.

The building options currently under consideration include:

• Code Upgrades and Basic Repairs: Addressing only required code, safety, and system upgrades to the existing Mosier Elementary School, without expanding the building or fully modernizing learning spaces.

• Addition and Renovation (Mosier Elementary School Site): Renovating portions of the existing school and constructing an addition to support updated educational spaces, building systems, and accessibility improvements.

• New Construction (Mosier Elementary School Site): Constructing a new elementary school on the current Mosier site that fully meets modern educational, accessibility, and building code standards. The existing school would remain fully operational during construction.

• New Construction (Smith Middle School Site): Constructing a new elementary school on the Smith Middle School site, allowing for a purpose-built facility while considering campus planning, site logistics, and construction phasing. The existing schools would remain fully operational during construction.

These options are being evaluated based on educational suitability, cost, construction impacts, site conditions, and MSBA eligibility. The list of options will be narrowed later this spring as part of the Preferred Schematic Report process, following additional analysis and community input.

The district consulted with the Town and confirmed that only the current Moser site and the Middle School site were available for consideration. No other viable sites were identified.

Not necessarily. Once modern building codes, accessibility requirements, and educational standards are considered, new construction can fall within a similar cost range as renovation or addition options. All project alternatives are evaluated using consistent assumptions related to grade configuration, site conditions, and Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) eligibility criteria.

Minimizing disruption to students, staff, and school operations is a key consideration in evaluating all project options. As part of the planning process, the district and project team carefully review how construction could be phased and managed to reduce impacts on daily learning.

Planning considerations include maintaining safe access to school buildings, preserving outdoor and instructional spaces where possible, coordinating construction activities and schedules, and adjusting operations during specific events or periods of the school year. Safety, student experience, and continuity of learning are central to this evaluation.

Any option advanced would include detailed planning measures to support safe use of the campus and minimize disruptions throughout construction.

The project team is currently completing the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) Feasibility Study, which requires multiple building and site options to be evaluated. In April or May, the School Building Committee is expected to select a preferred solution to advance as part of the Preferred Schematic Report.

The preferred option will be identified based on educational goals, cost, site considerations, construction impacts, and MSBA eligibility. Community feedback gathered through meetings, forums, and the project website will also help inform this decision.

Selection of a preferred option does not authorize construction. Additional design development, cost refinement, and MSBA review will occur before the project is brought forward for a town vote.

Based on December 2025 Preliminary Design Program cost estimates, the current total project cost order-of-magnitude ranges are:

• Code Upgrades and Basic Repairs: $50–$55 million
• Addition/Renovation (Mosier Elementary School Site): $80–$115 million
• New Construction (Mosier Elementary School Site): $90–$124 million
• New Construction (Middle School Site):  $92–$120 million

These estimates are preliminary and will be refined as the project advances through the MSBA process.

Project cost estimates are refined at several key points as the design progresses through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process.

• This spring, an updated cost estimate will be prepared for each remaining design option. This estimate will help inform the selection of one preferred solution to advance into the Schematic Design phase.

• Once a preferred option is selected, the project will move into Schematic Design, where the design is developed in greater detail. During this phase, costs will continue to be refined in coordination with the MSBA.

• In early winter 2027, a final project cost estimate will be completed for the preferred option. This estimate will establish the total project budget, the MSBA contribution, and the Town’s local share, and will be used to inform the Special Town Vote.

The project would require approval through a Special Town Vote, anticipated in winter 2027. This would be a debt exclusion vote, allowing the Town to borrow funds for the project and temporarily exclude the associated debt from Proposition 2½ limits for the duration of the bond.

A debt exclusion vote allows a community to approve borrowing for a specific capital project, such as a school building project, and to temporarily exclude the associated debt payments from the limits of Proposition 2½.

If approved by voters, the Town would issue bonds to fund the project and the annual debt service would be added to the tax rate for the duration of the bond, which is typically 30 years. Once the bonds are paid off, the debt exclusion expires and the additional tax is removed.

A debt exclusion does not permanently increase the Town’s tax levy. It applies only to the approved project and only for as long as the debt is outstanding.