Preparing to cut a ribbon marking the official completion of the new Hanscom Primary School on October 2 were (left to right) Col. William Conde, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District commander; Jonathan Braley, J&J Contractors president; Stephen Donley, Department of Defense Education Activity facilities chief; Dr. Rebecca McFall, Lincoln’s superintendent of schools; Tara Mitchell, Lincoln School Committee chair; Julie Vincentsen, Hanscom Primary School principal; and Col. Chad Ellsworth, Hanscom Air Force Base installation commander. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jerry Saslav)
(Editor’s note: This is an edited version of an article by Mark Wyatt, 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs, that was posted on the Hanscom Air Force Base website. It is republished here by permission.)
Officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week to mark the completion of the $37 million, 80,000-square-foot multistory Hanscom Primary School. The school replaces a 1950s-era primary school with contemporary learning space.
Becky McFall, Lincoln’s superintendent of schools, called the facility “the most incredible primary school learning environment I have ever seen in my 35 years in education.”
“The opening of the Hanscom Middle School, and now the Hanscom Primary School, has reinforced the concept that a building is so much more than bricks and mortar; it is a catalyst for change and a launchpad into the future of education,” McFall said.
The ceremony included comments from Jon House, the military and veterans liaison for U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark, who represents Lincoln and other nearby towns. “By opening this primary school on base, it ensures the sacrifices our service members make are rewarded with the best possible education for their children,” he said on behalf of Clark. “It is my belief that Hanscom is one of the best military bases in the country, and the opening of a brand-new school within the bounds of that base only reinforces that belief.”
“The Hanscom Primary School represents our vision for an environment that engages students in their learning, develops students who are problem-solvers and critical thinkers and assists children in developing the ability to collaborate and to create caring relationships,” McFall said.
The building’s design fully integrates the primary school with the new Hanscom Middle School, which opened in 2016. It incorporates “21st century school” concepts such as learning neighborhoods, central hubs surrounded by learning studios, flex labs, an information center annex, commons area for dining and social networking, therapy rooms, teacher work areas, counseling areas, storage, administrative offices and other required areas for a fully functioning facility.
Like the 85,000-square-foot middle school, the new primary school includes indoor and outdoor learning spaces and features that are environmentally friendly, including photovoltaic panels, rainwater harvesting, solar hot water, high-performance HVAC, and energy-efficient lighting systems.
Both of Hanscom’s schools are built and supported entirely by the federal government and are operated via contract by the Lincoln Public School system. The Department of Defense Education Activity required that the Hanscom schools meet educational standards outlined on its 21st Century Learning website.
The new Hanscom schools were designed by EwingCole, which is partnering with Symmes, Maini and McKee Associates (SMMA) in designing the renovated Lincoln School, which recently took delivery of the portable classrooms that had been used at Hanscom Primary.
“A world of possibilities awaits our school family this year in this new school,” said Hanscom Middle School Principal Julie Vincentsen, who served as emcee for the ceremony. Staff members from the offices of U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, as well as local and state representatives, also attended the ribbon-cutting.
