The Permanent Municipal Building Committee (PMBC) has been active in laying the critical groundwork for Canton's School Improvement Program. During the past several months, several milestones have been reached.

Selection of Architect

The firm of Tai Soo Kim Partners was selected from a field of 15 applicants as the architects for the program. The firm, which is nationally and internationally recognized, has built a reputation for creativity in the planning and design of educational facilities that are, at the same time, very cost-effective. In making the selection, the PMBC also cited the firm's reputation for working effectively with a wide range of community groups and other important project stakeholders. The firm will provide valuable support to the PMBC in helping communicate our progress to the residents of Canton. In June, architects will meet with the leaders of the Canton Intermediate School (CIS) and Canton Junior/Senior High School (CJSHS) school staff to discuss needs and objectives for the project.

Selection of Construction Manager

To fill out the design/construction team, Newfield Construction, Inc., was selected as the construction manager for the program. Newfield brings to the program extensive experience in building comparable schools in Connecticut and is very knowledgeable about the regional construction industry. The decision was made to engage the construction manager early in the planning process in order to help the PMBC to achieve the most value in the school building program within the funding available. Newfield also brings knowledge of managing construction operations in occupied schools, and will ensure the safety of staff and students, as well as to help minimize disruption of ongoing education programs.

Public Communications

To ensure continuous external communications about the planning for improvements of our school facilities, the PMBC has established a Communications Committee which has, among other initiatives, established this website to share information about our progress in the weeks and months ahead. Please check in on a regular basis for new information.

The launching of this site begins with an overview of the Project Team and Frequently Asked Questions, which will continue to grow in response to public inquiry. Some valuable information on the recent Accreditation Warning status for the CJSHS and Enrollments Projections for the entire district are also available.

Because community input to the School Improvement Program is so important to the success of this effort, the public is always welcome at any of the scheduled PMBC meetings and feedback through the contact us links within this site will be directed to various members of the project team.