The site of the Shawsheen School was a gift of land from William M. Wood, President of the American Woolen Co. and builder of Shawsheen Village. With the construction of the model village came families with young children. They quickly created overcrowding at the Village "Richardson School" built in 1848 as a three room schoolhouse for 150 students. It was located on Lowell St.on the playground area at Iceland Rd.
Boston architecture firm Ripley & LeBoutillier of Boston designed the building. They also designed the 1916 addition to Punchard High School, now Town Office building. Partner Addison LeBoutiller was a resident of Andover and had designed several of the new homes for Shawsheen Village. He was a gifted artist, designer & architect and in 1901 was the chief designer of Grueby Pottery Co. in Boston. He most likely had a hand in the embellishments on the school building.
The school opened in October 1924 after considerable cost overruns. It contained 12 classrooms, a magnificent auditorium with vaulted ceiling aligned along the front facade of the building. A combined gymnasium and cafeteria in the basement. The plan was presented with room for future classroom additions to the rear. This was later done in 1956 with the WWII baby boom impacting Andover to the point that five new schools and two additions were needed in 10 years from 1952-1962. The School Committee voted in 1924 to name the school after William M. Wood but Mr. Wood declined the honor and the building was named Shawsheen School. In 1980 Shawsheen closed and the school department moved their offices into the building from the old Stowe School. After the conversion of the former East Jr. High building for Town and School offices Shawsheen School was renovated again reopening as an Early Childhood Center. The first renovation to the building in the 1970's included created the loft area above the auditorium for a media and library center. Some design changes in the building were done when the "open concept" system was embraced by the town. The portable classroom was added by SHEDD as a classroom space and afternoon programs.