2015-02-05-AC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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02/05/15 AC Minutes ■ There is still sufficient capacity in apartments and condominiums to support continued enrollment increases well beyond the next five years. ➢ The Town hired Symmes, Maini, &McKee Associates (SMMA) to evaluate the capacity of the current school buildings and to provide concepts for addressing space shortages based on current and projected enrollment. SMMA also explored options for addressing current space shortages on a short-term basis. The findings included the following: • Eight of the nine elementary and middle schools are currently at or over capacity. • The pre-kindergarten program has outgrown its space in Harrington Elementary School. Space in the School Administration Building is being used, but this is not a satisfactory long-term solution. The program is governed by state regulations that are not flexible. The Town is obligated to provide a pre-K program only for children with special needs; however, the state will not approve a Town-operated program unless non-special-needs children are also admitted. Without adequate space for a combined special needs and non-special needs program, the special education students in the pre- kindergarten program would have to be sent to out-of-district programs, an expensive alternative and one that makes no sense for children less than five years old. • Schools need additional space to allow for enrollment fluctuations and fluctuations in the number of students per grade that need to be accommodated. • Schools need core space in addition to classrooms that is enrollment-dependent. The cafeteria, gymnasium, art room, music room, library, nurses' facilities, etc. must be able to support the student population in a school. Enrollments at the Bridge and Bowman schools are proposed to be reduced to "right-size" these schools. • SMMA used the Massachusetts School Building Authority criteria for determining the appropriate size for classrooms and core space. These criteria have changed over the years to accommodate additional space needs resulting from the use of technology in the classroom and the increased use of one-on-one or small group teaching methods. Many rooms are currently inadequate under these standards. Ideas were suggested and questions were asked by this Committee; Dr. Ash and Ms. Coppe responded, sharing information about all the avenues that had been explored and adding details that illustrated the complexity of a multi-dimensional problem. Ms. Coppe noted that redistricting will be part of the solution, and parents are being prepared for this. There was discussion about the funding associated with adding space to school buildings. Dr. Ash shared a handout that identifies a possible funding approach that includes a spring 2015 appropriation of$4,080,000 to fund further studies, schematic-level design, design development, construction documents, and bidding—with the level of work tailored to each of the schools involved and the projected timelines to bring on the additional capacity at each school. The concept is to retain flexibility as more information is gained about the costs and timing of the various capital-improvement components being considered but to have funds available to pursue the most pressing needs in an efficient and timely approach. Mr. Levine expressed his concern about the amount of money being requested for school projects. Attempting to address the need for new municipal buildings, new school buildings, and other school projects in a relatively short time, as set forth in the funding model created by Carl Valente, Town Manager, and Mr. Addelson, could result in an unacceptable tax burden that may not be supported by Lexington's taxpayers. He supports the work that was 3