Second Floor

The proposal for a new Taconic High School was years in the making. Initial discussions ranged from creating a regional vocational district to whether the city should pursue a two-school or "one-school" plan that would close Pittsfield High School.

With no interest in developing a regional school, the city moved forward with what eventually became a focus on renovating or rebuilding Taconic. Last fall, the School Building Needs Commission voted to pursue a new school after cost estimates for additions and renovations came in at about the same price. Projected repairs at the school with no addition were in the $36 million ballpark; state funding was limited.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority reimburses up to 80 percent of eligible costs, such as for instructional spaces. The anticipated cost is $120.8 million of which the city will be responsible for $45 million.

The City Council will vote on whether or not to fund the project on Tuesday, April 14. Following that vote, the MSBA will have to approve its own reimbursement on Wednesday, June 3.

At that point, design development phase in which the consultants Skanska USA will work with city officials to further flesh out details and hire a construction manager at risk. That process is expected to include a daylong session for officials to sort through all of the proposals. Ultimately, the group will determine who they'll hire to head the project and enter negotiations. Pre-construction work will also happen during this phase.

Second Floor

The clustering feature, which the School Building Needs Commission added back into the plan, is designed to create "academies." The classrooms tucked off the main hallway and surrounding a teacher's area can be organized by grades or subjects.

The vocational programs, which are Chapter 74 certified, includes automotive technology; carpentry; electrical; facilities management; horticulture and landscaping; culinary arts; cosmetology; health and medical assisting; graphic communications; early childhood care; office technology; manufacturing/machine technology; engineering; and information support. Those enrolled in the program all need four years of English, three years of math, three years of science, three years of social studies, four years of physical education, and two years of human development.

Not all students will be enrolled in vocational programs and others will take core classes. The school will still offer electives and co-curricular activities.