For nearly eight decades, Johnson Elementary School on South Main Street welcomed families from around the neighborhood. 

Closed since 2024, the town has conducted several studies to determine the future of the school’s building and grounds.

While it’s too early for any final recommendations, the studies, including one by UMass-Boston done in 2025, identified several opportunities for potential uses, including:

- Youth and family programming, including after-school and vacation care

- Community-based mental health and wellness services

- A one-stop community resource and referral center

- Intergenerational programming and social supports

- Flexible space for nonprofit partners, support groups and inclusive community activities

- Teen activity space

In February, several town committees made recommendations regarding Johnson’s building and grounds. The Recreation and Park Commission’s report ties Johnson to the former Cole Elementary School on Boden Lane, which was converted into a recreation center in the 1980s.

In that report, the commission called the Cole Center “functionally obsolete.’’ The report also asked for a feasibility study to help preserve field space, and determine the best location for a community center and the Recreation and Parks Department.

The Open Space Advisory Committee recommended preserving Johnson’s forest areas and recreation facilities, while the Council on Aging would like to see the addition of walking paths and a community garden at the site.

According to Town Administrator James Errickson, an update on Johnson could be presented to the Select Board sometime this spring.

The Harold H. Johnson Elementary School opened in 1949 on the site of the former Oak Grove School and served as a neighborhood school before closing in June 2024. At the time, school and town officials cited the costs of upgrades, including compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as a main reason for the closing.

In December 2023, the School Department transferred control and care of the property to the Select Board. Since then, the board has conducted several surveys and workshops to best determine the future use of the property.

The Select Board is also overseeing the care of the playground equipment and fields. The most recent project was to replace a swing set bar damaged over the winter. According to a recent bulletin on the town’s website, the town plans to reinstall a swing set once the weather gets warmer.

The Select Board is overseeing the grounds of the former Johnson Elementary School on South Main Street. Recent work included repairs to a swing set. Photo by Maureen Sullivan

Updates on the Johnson School project are available at

https://www.natickma.gov/2113/PROJECT-Johnson-Future-Use