New $10M Greenfield Center School ready for students next fall
By Mary Byrne
Recorder Staff Writer
Originally Published 7/6/2021
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Center School began moving into its new building on Bernardston Road last week, with classes scheduled to start in early September.
“It’s a new chapter for us,” said Head of School Isabel “Charlie” Spencer. “We’re going from two aging buildings on a 2-acre campus to one larger building that we designed on a 30-acre campus. It’s a big change and an exciting time for the school.”
With just furnishing left to complete, the $10 million project came in on time and under budget, according to Business Manager Veronica Phaneuf. Fortunately, she said, building materials were acquired before the start of the pandemic, when costs increased nationwide.
“I’m itching to be all moved in,” said Amanda Richard, assistant to the head of school, during a tour of the building Friday morning.
The private school, which educates students in preschool through eighth grade, opened in 1981 near Foster’s Supermarket. It moved to Montague City Road in 1989.
Construction on the new 23,678-square-foot building began in July 2020 with the expected completion by summer 2021. The 30-acre property, once home to a veterinary practice at 741 Bernardston Road, will give the students and teachers more space than was offered at its Montague City Road campus, which was recently sold to architect David Zaccheo.
At the entrance to the new, one-story building is an “all school” room, where students and staff will be able to gather for sports, dancing, assemblies or plays. The building has two wings — a wing for preschool through third grade, and a second wing for fourth to eighth grade. In addition to several break-out rooms throughout the school, there is a space for project-based learning and three kitchens for curriculum use.
Surrounding the school are trails and “outdoor classrooms” for outdoor learning.
And to the older students’ excitement — larger lockers than at the former Center School.
With more space, Richard said more than 120 students are enrolled for the upcoming academic year, compared to the 87 students who were enrolled this year. Although there is a waiting list for preschool, there are still spaces available at the middle school level, she said.
To accommodate the higher enrollment numbers, additional staffing will be necessary for the third preschool class and second kindergarten/first-grade class that have been added.
“The one thing I’m missing about the old building is the student touch,” said Richard, referring to the murals and artwork on the walls of the Montague City Road buildings.
With classes starting Sept. 8 for students, Richard said the teachers who have come in to see the new space are excited about the new building.
“The folks that have come over to see it — the reaction has been really positive,” she said.
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne
