BOE Regular Meeting - October 13, 2026 (unedited)

The Darien Board of Education’s regular meeting on October 13, 2026, included a substantial discussion of proposed renovations to Middlesex Middle School. The district and KG&D Architects described enrollment-driven needs, including additional classrooms and science labs, undersized student-support spaces, building-system work, and a failing roof. Preliminary complete-project estimates were about $75 million for priority-one work and an additional $20 million for priority-two work, or approximately $95 million total. A separate option for an 800-seat auditorium was estimated at about $20 million, with a possible third-floor addition estimated at roughly $10 million; these were planning figures, not approved expenditures. Board members discussed whether the educational specifications should preserve flexibility on capacity and design, and raised questions about traffic and site studies, state reimbursement, and fiscal responsibility.

No vote was taken to approve the renovation scope or funding. The board discussed forming a small group to refine the educational specifications before further board review, with the goal of bringing them back for review and approval in November or December. The anticipated process includes a town bond-resolution or other funding authorization in April, followed by a state-grant application targeted for May and due by the end of June; a building committee would be formed by the Board of Selectmen, with RFPs and design/vendor selection expected as the project advances. The board also unanimously approved a consent agenda that included a proposed contract agreement with the Darien Administrators Association, but the transcript provides no contract value or terms. The superintendent’s budget timeline was presented for a first read, with no vote reported.