At Monday’s Board of Education Meeting (May 13, 2024), Shive-Hattery, MA+, and School Perceptions shared their analysis of the Community Facility Survey the District sent out last month. The survey gathered the community’s input regarding the District’s aging buildings and Facility Master Plan. Over 9,000 survey responses and 7,500 written comments were returned and analyzed.

The survey results are just one method district officials are using to gather stakeholder feedback for creating a new Facilities Master Plan. The team is also conducting one-on-one “Coffee Conversations” with community leaders. They have already completed over 50 of these conversations with business owners, nonprofits, union members, parents, and faith leaders, and they plan to continue these discussions over the next year. Representatives from Shive-Hattery and MA+ Architecture have also conducted extensive tours of all 32 district buildings and talked with the building administrators about their issues and needs.

The survey did ask people how they voted for the bond last November and why. The number one reason was that it was too expensive, and the tax impact was too big. The next two highest vote-getters were a lack of trust in the district and the decision to tear down Harrison Elementary School. Also, sixty-eight percent of survey respondents think the district should create a new facility plan and explore another bond referendum. Fifty-three percent also favor the district’s “right-sizing” plan, which could include closing, consolidating, or renovating buildings to reduce operation costs and improve efficiencies.

Another question of interest in the survey addressed Harrison Elementary School. About 21 percent of respondents supported replacing Harrison with a new school on the same site, 35 percent said to renovate and expand Harrison, and 22 percent said they would support either option. Based on these results, the Board of Education asked district officials to look into alternative options and costs for Harrison. These options will be presented at a future Board Meeting. To see all of the survey results, use the button below.