Burlington High School and Technical Center Moves Forward Following Bond Vote

Burlington residents overwhelmingly approved funding for a new high school and technical education center on election day with more than 75% of voters approving the $165 million bond.

“On behalf of Burlington School District, our current and future students, and our staff, thank you Burlington voters for this show of support,” said BSD Superintendent Tom Flanagan. “Today’s vote gives us great confidence in the future and a clear direction forward for our students, staff, and community. It is clear that you have heard the need and are ready to answer the call. You have held up your end of the bargain and we will hold up ours as well!”

The new public school – Vermont’s first in many decades – is designed by the team of Freeman French Freeman (FFF), Drummey Rosane Anderson (DRA) and Colin Lindberg and Associates (CLA).

The Burlington School District chose the design team one year prior because of its unique strengths. The selection committee liked Freeman French Freeman because of its deep roots in Burlington and experience with large, complex projects. DRA, of Waltham, MA, was attractive because of its decades of experience designing k-12 schools across New England. Completing the puzzle was Colin Lindberg and Associates, whose long-term relationships with the Burlington School District meant they were already deeply familiar with BSD staff and schools.

Over the past year the design team has been deeply engaged with stakeholders at all levels. In addition to multiple public information sessions, the team worked closely with administrators, teachers, and students at BHS to refine early design concepts. Consensus around “Option C,” one of five concepts presented, was achieved by early spring.

The preferred design incorporates the latest thinking in k-12 school design, organized around the three pillars of flexibility, accessibility, and sustainability. The 250,000 square-foot school includes 79 teaching areas, a 750-seat auditorium, a collaborative learning commons, a full-size gymnasium, and a central student commons and cafeteria.

With funding for the project now secured, the design team is moving ahead quickly to finalize the design and prepare documents for the 2023 construction season, with an occupancy target of Fall 2025.

Burlington School District (BSD) is a pre-k-12 public school system of about 4,000 students in Burlington, Vermont. BSD’s mission is to graduate students who value different cultures, engage with the community, communicate effectively, think creatively, skillfully solve problems, and achieve at their highest academic, intellectual, and personal potential. Updates on the project can be found on the district website.