Recognizing the need for improvements to their schools due to enrollment changes, programmatic changes and aging facilities, Swansea Public Schools engaged Habeeb & Associates Architects to conduct a study of possible facility options that would meet the educational needs of the current and the projected enrollment of the prekindergarten through grade 12 student population. The purpose of the analysis was to determine the space needs of the student group and to develop recommendations and preliminary budgets for facility plan options.

Habeeb & Associates Architects prepared a preliminary set of ten options for Swansea Public Schools to consider as possible solutions to meet the educational facilities needs of current and projected enrollments. The initial set of options explored retaining the current buildings and grade level configurations, preserving existing schools through renovations and additions, creating district-wide schools at all levels, changing grade configurations of schools, as well as school consolidations and closures.

The complete set of options was presented to Swansea Public Schools. The benefits and concerns of individual options were deliberated to determine the best conditions of each option. Careful evaluation of each option, resulted in the rejection of the initial set of ten options and the formulation of three new options.

Ultimately, it was determined that the best option was to pursue a solution that could solve the district’s space and condition needs with a minimal number of construction projects. Options were limited to two or three construction projects, as each project typically requires four to six years from initiation to occupancy. This approach created the greatest parity for all students in the shortest time frame.