Horace Mann Elementary

Schedule Update

Foundations-Summer 2025
Steel Superstructure-Fall 2025
Weathertight-Fall/Winter 2025
Envelope-Fall 2025/Spring 2026
Trade Rough-in-Winter 2025/26
Interior Drywall-Winter/Spring 2026
Interior Finishes-Spring/Summer 2026
Substantial Completion-Summer 2026

Horace Mann Groundbreaking

group of people with shovels breaking ground

Horace Mann Elementary School Project

The Horace Mann Elementary project was officially added to the City's Capital Improvement Plan in 2022.

The Horace Mann renovation and addition project will add a new cafeterium, music room and 6 classrooms, and will reconfigure existing space to create a new library/media center as well as other interior modifications. The project is anticipated to be completed by September of 2026.

Project information and School Building Committee meeting presentations and recordings can be found on the Horace Mann Project website. Additional project information can be found below and on Newton Public Buildings’s Horace Mann Project webpage.

Below are links to documents related to both the short term work and the long term project.

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It is anticipated that the feasibility study will be completed this spring, with design complete by the end of 2024. Construction is expected to start in the winter of 2025 and be complete by the fall of 2026. This timeline may need to shift depending on the final design and construction logistics.

Horace Mann Playground Completed - Summer 2022

Short-Term Horace Mann Elementary School Project

In 2013, the former Carr School at 225 Nevada Street was renovated to be used as swing space for a series of school building projects that would renovate and/or replace aging elementary school facilities across the district. Once renovated, the former Carr school was used as swing space to house students from Angier, Zervas and Cabot during each of these capital building projects.

In 2019, the School Committee voted to move the Horace Mann School to 225 Nevada Street as its permanent new home. A number of additional improvements were made to the building and site to accommodate Horace Mann in this new permanent location. These improvements included adding air conditioning, an off street bus loop and sidewalk improvements, and interior improvements to enlarge several instructional spaces and other modifications.

In September of 2019, Horace Mann opened at its new location at 225 Nevada Street. Based on feedback at a community meeting at the school on October 28, 2019, additional improvements were identified to be addressed over the 2019-2020 school year and over the summer of 2020. These improvements include:

Two modular classrooms added in December 2019 to provide space relief
Installation of acoustic panels in all classrooms, completion of an acoustics study, acoustic panels added in the cafeteria and sound isolation improvements around the music room as per the acoustic study recommendations during the summer of 2020
Adding hand wash sinks on the second floor during the summer of 2020
Interior painting
Adding openings at playground fencing
Pedestrian access from Linwood
Playground structure and improvements
Wall moves to enlarge classrooms

In addition to these short term needs, the need for a longer term capital improvement and building addition project was identified. The School Department identified planning funds and worked with the Public Buildings Department to hire a design consultant to begin the initial planning process for this project in February of 2020.

Building Committee Meeting Materials

Zoom Recording - September 22, 2022

Zoom Recording - August 25, 2022

Zoom Recording - July 14, 2022

Slide Presentation - May 26, 2022

Zoom Recording - May 26, 2022

Slide Presentation - May 5, 2022

Zoom Recording - May 5, 2022

Slide Presentation - March 24, 2022

Zoom Recording of March 24, 2022

Slide Presentation - February 28, 2022

Zoom Recording of February 28, 2022

Slide Presentation - January 27, 2022

Zoom Recording of January 27, 2022 Meeting

Zoom Recording of December 7, 2021 Meeting

Slide Presentation - October 25, 2021

Zoom Recording of October 25, 2021 Meeting

Community Communications

Project Documents

May 1, 2025 Project Update

June 2025 Project Update

The Horace Mann Project is gearing up. The earthwork has begun, ground improvements are complete, and foundations are being framed. Concrete will start flowing soon. Steel is slated to start going up in the fall.

I big thank you to Kathy, Bobby, and the rest of the custodial team who are helping to move furniture around in preparation for the move to 191 Pearl Street. This will then make the building available for the renovations being done as part of the construction project.

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