March 2026 High-Profile Focus: Schools and Institutions 21
Renovation Underway for David Prouty High School in Spencer
Spencer, MA – Construction is underway on a renovation and addition to David Prouty High School( DPHS) in Spencer.
The 126,823 GSF project is transforming an existing building, constructed in 1967 and located on a 44- acre site off of Route 9( Main Street), into a modern and resilient facility offering a mix of traditional and vocational instruction. One of the smallest public high schools in Massachusetts, DPHS serves 305 high school students in grades 9-12 and 85 Pre-K students tied into the Early Education Voc-Tech program at the high school.
After decades of declining enrollment, the district decided to transform the
David Prouty High School / Renderings courtesy of Jones Whitsett Architects
school’ s educational plan to introduce a balance of vocational programs in early education, marketing, environmental studies and criminal justice with core academic classes and an array of distance education and dual enrollment opportunities. To meet this mix of learning opportunities while remaining conscious of long term operational costs, Jones Whitsett Architects( JWA), architect of record, proposed an additionrenovation that retains the school’ s existing auditorium and cafeteria wing and adds new classrooms, vocational studios, a new gym, and administration spaces in an arrangement centered on a safe, secure and functional learning courtyard.
The district worked with the design team to identify four primary goals: Provide an academic environment that is more open, connected, and focused on community; maintain the existing A-Wing with its robust finishes, community-loved auditorium, and flexible, well-sized spaces within; capitalize on southern exposure and tie the school more successfully to the site and the outdoors; and design the addition for successful phasing during construction so that modular classrooms are not necessary and disruption to the school community is kept to a minimum.
The new school will be the first public school in Massachusetts constructed from insulated concrete form( ICF) walls.
This approach results in highly durable, insulated concrete exterior walls that are structurally, acoustically and thermally superior to standard steel stud walls.
Phase 1 of the project was completed in fall 2025, with students moving into the updated portion for the 2025-26 school year. The final phase of the project is expected to be completed in fall 2026.
The project team also includes Colliers, owner’ s project manager; Fontaine Bros., Inc., construction manager; B + AC, structural engineer; Hesnor Engineering, mechanical engineer; and ART Engineering, electrical engineer. Tremco Construction Products Group( Tremco CPG Inc.) provided ICF from Nudura.
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