Skip To Main Content

The Classroom Building Project

The heart of the existing building will remain intact, but the interior will be entirely reconstructed. New glass-clad atria will be added at the north and south ends of the existing building.

Rendering of new Waldo Auditorium seats

The new and expanded Waldo Auditorium will have space for the entire Dana Hall community to gather.

The new entrance and main lobby will be accentuated by a light shaft that runs through all three floors. An elevator, ramps and ADA compliant restrooms make the building accessible.

Larger, light-filled classrooms will be equipped with up-to-date educational technology as well as air conditioning and air filtration systems.

The four new art studios are custom designed to take advantage of natural light and provide flexible space, storage, and access to materials.

The purpose-built chorus room includes built-in tiers, moveable chairs, special acoustical treatment, and music storage.

One of four gathering spaces where students can spill out from the much enlarged Makerspace or meet as a class.

Classrooms incorporate continuous high R-value insulation, high performance glass, thermal breaks, and air vapor barriers, which when combined result in reduced energy usage.

A collaborative work space on the ground floor allows students the flexibility to work in groups or store items in lockers.

College Counseling, Academic Support, the Math Lab, and the Writing Lab—currently housed in separate buildings—will be brought under one roof.

Dana Hall School has launched a major initiative to revitalize the Upper School Classroom Building—first opened in 1956—to meet the needs of today's learners.

With flexible classrooms that enable diverse learning styles, common spaces that foster connection and collaboration, brand-new art studios, a purpose-built chorus room, and fully accessible facilities that support all students, the renovated Classroom Building represents an exciting opportunity to celebrate the best of the School’s past while moving boldly into the future. 

Learning Priorities

We're Breaking Ground!

On Sept. 15, 2022, Dana Hall held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Classroom Building.

see more

News and Updates

Campus Impact

Dana Hall is an active campus with a complex academic schedule and co-curricular courses to consider during this major construction project. 

  • The Upper School experience will be reoriented around the Shipley Science Center, Helen Temple Cooke Library, Erisman Student Center, Shipley Center for Athletics, Health and Wellness and a new temporary classroom building.
  • In addition, spaces in Beveridge Hall, Grey Lodge, Grove House and Wayside will be repurposed to serve community needs. 
  • The only student spaces that will be taken off line are the Classroom Building and Waldo Auditorium.
  • During the summer, Dana Hall will add a temporary classroom building to the space between Maple Manor and the Karen Stives ‘68 Equestrian Center. The building will house six large classrooms and two bathrooms; it will be equipped with a complete HVAC system and the same level of technology as the rest of our learning spaces. It will be removed at the conclusion of the project.
  • All-School meetings and Upper School division meetings will be held in the Shipley Center.
  • Pedestrian patterns will be identified to ensure the health and safety of all community members.
  • Our planning will ensure that students have special places to socialize outside of class. Students will continue to have the same level of access to adults for support, guidance and connection. 
  • Throughout the project, students will have opportunities to learn about the architecture, design and construction of the building.

Funding the Future

The Upper School Classroom Building initiative aligns with the goals of Dana Hall’s Vision 2025 strategic plan, which prioritizes updating key sections of the School’s physical campus. In support of Vision 2025's objectives, Dana Hall School has received a $15 million leadership gift from the Manton Foundation. To learn more about this project and how you can support it, please contact Christie Baskett.

Take a Stand for Dana Hall and Have a Seat!

With a pledge of $2,500, you will be able to personalize a seat in the new and expanded Waldo Auditorium. Use the seat plaque to honor your daughter or daughters, or a favorite Dana classmate, teacher or administrator. 
 
By expressing your support for the future of Dana Hall, you can "have a seat" in one of the School’s signature gathering spots. The $2,500 pledge is payable over several years.

Make Your Gift Now