AMHERST — Where a new elementary school building should be built and what its education program will look like are among decisions looming for Amherst school officials in the coming months.

As the Elementary School Building Committee continues to work with project architects DiNisco Design, the public is being invited to a community forum that will be held virtually Feb. 3, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Margaret Wood, the owner’s project manager from Anser Advisory, told the Amherst School Committee that this forum will be a broad kickoff meeting to explore the options available for the project.

If all goes smoothly, Amherst, which was accepted into the Massachusetts School Building Authority program, could have the aging Wildwood and Fort River schools replaced with a new, expanded or renovated elementary school by the fall of 2026.

The new school is expected to be designed for 575 students, from kindergarten through grade 5, with sixth-graders moving to the Amherst Regional Middle School in the fall of 2023. The state agency will also support a K-6 model, though under that scenario a 320-student building would be constructed at the current Fort River site, while the Wildwood building would be unchanged.

Wood said community input on the options available, including whether to use the South East Street site of Fort River or the Strong Street site of Wildwood, will be needed.

“We know that we have two sites, we know that we have two enrollment sizes, and we know that we have to, as required by the MSBA, look at an addition, renovation and new construction as the basic three options,” Wood said.

According to the schedule, a preliminary design program, also known as a due diligence document that includes an education plan, will be submitted to the state around March 15.

Then, by the end of June, a preferred schematic design has to be finished that Wood said will include the preferred option, including the site, with the design team going as far as it can with details and estimating costs of that option.

During a recent School Building Committee meeting, Donna DiNisco said a list of priorities important to the community, such as equity and achieving net-zero emissions, will allow for thorough examination of all options.

The priorities will give guidance to the site selection and the criteria used, such as whether the new building should be designed so that it can be expanded, the transit impacts from each location, and how the sites meet the town’s target for energy use intensity, or EUI.

“Ideally you set your priorities and ultimately the preferred solution will achieve and meet these priorities,” DiNisco said.

During the community forum, DiNisco will provide an overview of the project schedule and process, the education program development and visioning for the sites.

The virtual format will also include breakout rooms for small group discussions where people can speak about their aspirations for the building project, including priorities for education and approaches to sustainability and meeting the town’s climate change goals.

To join via Zoom, go to https://zoom.us/j/92176799133 People are also welcome to join by phone by calling 646-558 8656 and going to meeting ID 921 7679 9133.

More detailed project information, events, resources, and timeline can be found at the project website, amherst-school-project.com/.