k–12

Melvin H. King South End Academy Study

Saam worked closely with the City of Boston and Boston Public Schools on a feasibility study for the Melvin H. King South End Academy (MHKSEA). The therapeutic day school for students with complex trauma currently encompasses three buildings, housing students in kindergarten through grade twelve.

The school integrates academics with therapeutic services to support students’ social and emotional behaviors through responsive trauma- and culturally-informed education.

The project’s scope included:

Evaluating and assessing the existing conditions and systems of the three school buildings using a universal rating system between disciplines.

Working with Boston Public Schools and the community to develop an inclusive custom educational program and specifications.

Studying programming on various sites for grade configurations that align with district standards.

Conceptual designs based on two new school options on one single site or two sites to align with BPS grade configurations.

Student and community engagement to aid in determining the best options for right-sizing, renovating, and reimagining the school to ensure all program needs are met for each student and in partnership with the community.