LYNNFIELD — The proposed $17 million plan to build 10 additional classrooms at Lynnfield’s two elementary schools to accommodate an influx of new students will cost taxpayers an average of $205 per year for the next 20 years.
That was the latest news delivered this week by former School Superintendent Jane Tremblay and Town Administrator Rob Dolan, who briefed the community in a “Town Talk” video presentation.
Should the plan be approved, the project could begin as early as the summer of 2021 with construction completed by September of 2022.
Dolan said that, on Oct. 26, the Select Board will be closing a warrant for the Nov. 21 Special Town Meeting and that a Special Election will be held on Dec. 8.
“All of your voices will be heard and your votes will also be heard,” Dolan said.
Tremblay, the district’s educational liaison, said that, according to projections from the New England School Development Council (NESDC), Huckleberry Hill School and Summer Street School are on pace to hit an “all-time high” in student enrollment in 2024-2025 with a projected 1,030 combined students in both schools. Presently, there are 885 elementary school students in both schools – 470 at Huckleberry and 415 at Summer Street, which Tremblay said is within 1 percent of NESDEC’s projection of 896.
Tremblay said the town has seen an explosion of young families moving to Lynnfield.
“When we ask what brought these families to Lynnfield, the answer is a resounding, ‘schools,'” said Tremblay.
“Lynnfield is identified as a top community with top schools,” said Dolan. “And these are ready-made families, not new, for the most part. They know that Lynnfield has always offered incredible schools. Adding these classrooms isn’t a case of just spending money, it’s the only option.”
Dolan said the project is not receiving any state funding.
“There is a multi-year waiting list and (we) would be ranked far below hundreds of schools that have been waiting for years,” Dolan said. “(Our) facilities are also in top condition. We have done our part in exploring all funding options.”
Tremblay said the committee has looked at several other options, including taking art and music programs out of the classrooms and replacing them with art and music on a cart. Other options include redistricting, larger class sizes and relocation of the pre-school. In the end, Tremblay said, none of the other options is acceptable.
“We have worked too hard in the last 15-20 years to bring the art and music programs to a phenomenal place,” she said. “We have students who have performed on Broadway.”
Tremblay said one of the reasons Lynnfield schools are so successful is because the School Committee has held firm on reasonable class sizes. Moving the pre-school back to the Central Office will result in significant costs associated with additional staff members, like physical and occupational therapists, a director and full time school nurse.
“Hands down, the only option is to add to the elementary schools,” Tremblay said. “There simply is no plan B. These students are coming to us fast and furiously.”
Project architect Charles Hay said his firm, Tappe Architects, has concluded that in order to meet district goals, five classrooms need to be added at each school to bring the total number of classrooms for each grade level to five.
He proposed adding one-story wings to each school to house the new classrooms. Each school will have improved traffic patterns and additional parking to reduce lines before and after school.
Summer Street will also have a new playground area and new fields. The existing gymnasium at Huckleberry will be expanded to a full-size facility, which, along with new fields, Tappe said will be an “added benefit to the community.”
The plan would allow construction to take place during the school year while school is in session with minimal disruption to students and staff during the school day.
