DURHAM – The Oyster River Cooperative School District invites the public to attend a formal dedication ceremony for the new state-of-the-art Oyster River Middle School.
WHEN:
Tuesday, Aug. 23, at 11 a.m.
WHERE:
Oyster River Middle School, 1 Coe Drive, under the solar canopy
SPEAKERS:
- Superintendent James Morse
- Michael Williams, School Board Chair
- Brian Cisneros, School Board member
- Representative of U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan
- Representative of U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
- Representative of U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas
- Kitty Marple, Durham Town Council Chair
- Scott Bugbee, Lee Select Board Chair
- Katrin Kasper, Lee Select Board Vice Chair
- Fritz Green, Madbury Select Board Chair
- Andre Kloetz, President, Bauen Corp.
- Anne Ketterer, Lead Architect, Lavallee Brensinger Architects
- Kate Peters, Energy Efficiency Director, Eversource
WHAT:
The Oyster River Cooperative School District will formally dedicate the Oyster River Middle School, which opened for students on Feb. 28.
The new school was built to replace a building constructed in 1935. The project was supported through two bond issues approved by voters in the sending communities of Durham, Lee, and Madbury.
The building is designed to meet several criteria:
- Academic mission: Learning spaces are designed to be flexible, and allow students to work in both small and large groups. Hallways have been minimized. Some art classrooms will have access to outdoor classroom spaces, which will include a “living roof” with vegetation. The centerpiece of the school is a 901-seat concert hall, reflecting the District’s strong commitment to the performing arts.
- Energy sustainability: The school is expected to be the largest energy self-sustaining building in New Hampshire. Solar arrays, low-energy LED lights, natural light, and state-of-the-art climate systems will lead to an estimated $2 million in energy savings across 20 years.
- Wellness and safety: The school includes the latest security technology. The front entrance is set back from the road, increasing pedestrian safety across the campus.
- Historical relevance: The building façade includes words used in indigenous culture. Icons reflect both the region’s ship-building history and the contributions of its Indigenous Peoples. Flooring in the cafeteria/communal area includes a representation of the Oyster River and the District’s three communities.
The architectural firm Lavallee Brensinger of Manchester designed the school. Bauen Corp. of Meredith served as general contractor.
