Canton's School Building Committee will take key votes on the $241 million Galvin Middle School rebuild Wednesday, July 22, as the project moves from blueprints to active construction on Washington Street.

The committee meets at 5 p.m. at Canton High School, 900 Washington Street. The agenda, posted Thursday, July 16, includes a vote on Pre-GMP #3 — a pricing package that locks in costs before a final guaranteed maximum price — and a vote on project alternates, the add-or-cut options that shape what the finished school will include.

According to the official project website, crews have already started preliminary work at the Galvin site. More than 20 geothermal wells are being drilled to heat and cool the new building, a new loop road circles the property for student drop-off and pick-up, and temporary parking lots are going in on both sides of the campus.

The School Building Committee submitted completed construction documents to the Massachusetts School Building Authority in early June 2026, clearing the way for the main construction phase. An official groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for mid-September 2026.

Students will remain in the existing Galvin Middle School while the new 218,350-square-foot building goes up next door. The new school is designed for 1,020 students in grades 5 through 8 and will include an 800-seat auditorium and flexible learning spaces, according to the MSBA grant approval and project design documents.

The target opening is September 2028. After students move in, the old building comes down in fall 2028 to make room for athletic fields and parking. The full project wraps up by July 2029.

The Mutch Rink, a longtime fixture on the property, is being relocated to the Raven Road side of the campus. The project timeline targets reopening during the 2029-30 school year, according to the project website.

The MSBA Board of Directors approved a grant of up to $72,808,198 for the project on August 28, 2024. Canton voters authorized the project at a Special Town Meeting on Monday, November 18, 2024, and passed the debt exclusion on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, with 74.2% voting yes.

Superintendent Derek Folan said on the project website in summer 2026: "We are thrilled to see it start. As we move from the stages of planning to actual construction, I want to thank Canton for supporting this project and our students."

Consigli Construction Co. is the general contractor, joined by Ai3 Architects and LeftField Project Management.

Wednesday's meeting is open to the public and includes a public comment period. Results of the Pre-GMP and alternates votes will shape the final construction budget heading into the mid-September groundbreaking.