The City of Cambridge and Cambridge Public Schools (CPS) are proud to announce the official opening of the new Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools and Community Complex on Tuesday, September 2, 2025. The state-of-the-art building replaces the former school facility located between Vassal Lane, Concord Avenue, and Alpine Street in West Cambridge.
The new 359,100-square-foot complex will house:
- Tobin Montessori School (316 students, grades pre-K through 5)
- Darby Vassall Upper School (DVUS) (300 students, grades 6 through 8)
- CPS Special Start and DHSP Preschool Programs (80+ preschoolers)
- DHSP Community School Afterschool Program (100 students)
With the start of the 2025-26 school year and grand opening of the new complex, Cambridge Public Schools is also celebrating the new name for the Darby Vassall Upper School. The name honors Darby Vassall, a former enslaved person who became a civil rights and educational justice leader.
The Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools complex delivers new, state-of-the-art facilities both internally and externally, with carefully designed classrooms and learning spaces for all ages, specialized spaces for Montessori-style learning, energy efficiency, and plentiful outdoor space for school and community use.
“In September, we are not just opening the doors to new schools and a community complex —we are opening doors to opportunity, connection, and pride for our entire City,” said Cambridge City Manager Yi-An Huang. “This complex project reflects years of dedication, collaboration, and investment in our future. From state-of-the-art classrooms and sustainable design, to welcoming spaces for recreation and arts, this campus will serve generations of residents. We are deeply grateful to all in the community, City of Cambridge, Cambridge Public Schools, and our many partners who helped make this vision a reality. Together, we have created a space that belongs to everyone and strengthens the fabric of our community.”
Features of the new facility include:
State-of-the-Art Learning Spaces
While occupying the same building, the Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools will have separate wings with new furniture and state-of-the-art interactive displays, accessible only to each respective school community, with several common areas such as an auditorium, cafeteria, and outdoor play spaces. Other school features include:
- Two full STEAM Labs, one for each school
- Two libraries, one for each school
- Two gymnasiums, one for each school
- A large auditorium, named in honor of former CPS Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Carolyn Turk
- A state-of-the-art kitchen and salad bar
- A kitchen area designed for educational experience at the Tobin Montessori School
Energy-Efficiency Standards
The complex sets a new standard for sustainable and energy-efficient school buildings in Cambridge. Designed to achieve Net Zero Emissions under the City’s Net Zero Action Plan, the facility features:
- A smaller building footprint to maximize green space and reduce heat from paved surfaces
- Geothermal wells for efficient heating and cooling
- Optimized building orientation to make the most of natural light and reduce glare
- Photovoltaic (PV) canopies generating nearly 1,000 KW of renewable energy
- All-LED lighting with smart controls
- An indoor air quality system
- Critical infrastructure improvements, including a 1.25-million-gallon underground stormwater tank and rain gardens designed to address climate-related flooding and support the City’s climate resilience goals
Outdoor Space Renovations
The project delivers major community benefits, including the renovation of Father Callanan Park, expanded open space, four age-appropriate play areas, waterplay feature, multipurpose fields, and improved public access to bike lanes and community paths. All playgrounds and community paths will be open, but the basketball court and multipurpose fields will still be under construction through the fall.
“The opening of the Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper School Complex caps a transformative chapter of investment in public education by the City of Cambridge. This facility will house two extraordinarily proud school communities and provide a learning environment for students for which all Cambridge residents should take great pride. As the third and final major school construction project attributable to the Innovation Agenda that was implemented over a decade ago, the Tobin/DVUS project is a testament to the capacity of the Cambridge Public Schools to reimagine itself to better serve students,” said Interim Superintendent of Schools, David Murphy.
“As a school district, we are deeply indebted to the people of Cambridge and the past and present City leaders who made this project possible. Our steadfast commitment to continuously improve the educational opportunities available to all students will be worthy of the historic investment in education the opening of this building represents.”
The opening of the Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools and Community Complex marks a significant milestone in the City’s commitment to supporting families and children of all ages. In addition to Cambridge Public Schools’ preschool, elementary, and middle school students, the complex will be home to the
Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) Preschools, which is operated by the city and provides full-day, full-year care to families.
DHSP will operate four afterschool classrooms for kindergarten – 5
th graders in the new facility, with an additional 20 seats to the existing DHSP Tobin Community School afterschool program. The new facility will also allow DHSP to expand its afterschool offerings.
“This expansion demonstrates the City’s ongoing commitment to strengthening Cambridge’s Out-of-School Time system and ensuring that more families have access to high-quality afterschool care,” said City Manager Huang.
The new schools also include
four extraordinary public artworks funded through Cambridge’s Percent-for-Art Ordinance. Works by artists Andromeda Lisle (a proud graduate of the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School), Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya, and Ekua Holmes bring vibrant indoor mosaic murals celebrating themes of community, memory, and belonging. Outside, the innovative
Community Grafting Project by TSKP x IKD reimagines public art through a living laboratory, honoring a beloved apple tree that once stood on the site. Together, these works enrich the educational experience while connecting students and residents to Cambridge’s cultural heritage.
Grand Opening Celebration
Join us on Saturday, October 18, 2025, for a grand opening ceremony and community celebration. The event is free and open to the public and will include tours for all interested community members. View more information about the opening celebration here.
More information about the Tobin Montessori and Darby Vassall Upper Schools and Community Complex, including public documents and the latest details, is available at .
