Mountain View Elementary School
Mountain View School in Easthampton, Massachusetts is a 177,000-square-foot, three-story PK–8 facility that consolidates the city’s three elementary schools—Maple, Center, and Pepin—with White Brook Middle School into one modern learning environment. Built on the former White Brook Middle School site, the project included demolition of the existing school and construction of a new structural steel building organized in multiple wings off a central core.
Designed to support educational equity and a more connected student experience, the school is organized into grade-level learning communities that create a smaller, more supportive scale within the larger building. Shared spaces—including the gymnatorium, wellness center, and two cafeterias—are centrally located to serve as the heart of the school while helping separate younger and older students throughout the day.
The design emphasizes natural light, flexible learning environments, and strong connections to the surrounding landscape. Set against wooded parkland with Mt. Tom as a backdrop, the building incorporates large windows, glazed entrances, and open classrooms that connect students to nature and daylight. Outdoor learning areas, rain gardens, and age-appropriate play spaces extend the learning environment beyond the building walls, reinforcing biophilic design principles.
Sustainability is integrated throughout the project, with the school achieving LEED Gold certification through strategies that prioritize energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and long-term operational performance. High-performance building systems, a durable envelope, and thoughtful material selections support reduced energy use and a healthier learning environment for students and staff.
The project also included extensive site improvements across the campus and surrounding roadways, including new stormwater systems, utilities, sanitary infrastructure, parking, sidewalks, retaining walls, and landscaping.
Even during a pandemic, where unique challenges arose, Joel Kent and Mike Sarnelli worked collaboratively to solve every issue. I feel like they have been committed to working hard for Easthampton, addressing any issue and concern that arose in a timely manner. If they had another project, I would not hesitate to work with them again.
Dr. Allison LeClair, Superintendent, Easthampton Public Schools
Client:
Town of Easthampton
Architect:
Caolo & Bieniek
Project Type:
New Construction
Market:
K-12 School
Size:
177,000 sq. ft.
