Update on the 9th Elementary School Project from Superintendent Bott

The letter below was sent to all Public School of Brookline families via email on December 21, 2017. For complete information about the project, please visit the 9th Elementary School Building Project section of our website. 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

On November 14, 2017, at the first night of the Special Town Meeting, Warrant Article 1 relating to funding for feasibility and schematic design of the 9^th elementary school was passed by Town Meeting.  The full text of Warrant Article 1 can be found here. The Town Meeting vote also expands the focus of the site evaluation study to include consideration of multi-site/multi-project options in addition to the continuing consideration of a single new 9^th elementary school project.

The initial phase of the current work approved under the warrant article appropriates $300,000 “for the purpose of further site evaluation services, including legal services, at the Baldwin/Pine Manor sites, and site evaluation services, including legal services, at alternate sites which shall include, but not be limited to, the Pierce School and adjacent properties, and the Baker School.”

The Town of Brookline has hired Dr. Joe Connelly as project manager for this phase of the work.  Dr. Connelly is coordinating the work of multiple town departments through this phase of the project.

As a part of this work, a Scope of Services proposal was developed by HMFH Architects, the same architectural firm leading the Devotion School project and the team who led the Brookline High School feasibility study.  HMFH also studied expansion at existing school sites as part of the BSPACE process several years ago. This Scope of Services has been approved by the Brookline Building Commission, the School Committee, and the Select Board.

Work under this Scope of Services will include:

Baldwin North

1. Update the transportation and parking study conducted by Vanasse & Associates, Inc. (VAI) for a 3-section school of 600 students
2. Investigate siting of a 3-section school on available Baldwin North site

Baker School

1. Overview of environmental constraints with Conservation Commission staff
2. Site evaluation for a double school on the site:
            a. Existing Baker as 3-section/600 student and new 3-section/600 student school
            b. Existing Baker as 4-section/800 student and new 3-section/600 student school
            c. Existing Baker as 3-section/600 student and new 4-section/800 student school
3. Site evaluation for a single school on the site:
   1. Renovation/modest expansion, 4-sections @ 800 students, using the 9th Elementary School Program
   2. Renovation/modest expansion, 5-section @ 1000 students, using the Devotion  School Elementary Educational Program
4. Update VAI traffic study for the options above

Pierce School

1. Site evaluation for a double school on the site:
   1. Existing Pierce as 3-section/600 student and new 3-section/600 student school
   2. Existing Pierce as 4-section/800 student and new 3-section/600 student school
   3. Existing Pierce as 3-section/600 student and new 4-section/800 student school
2. Site evaluation for a single school on the site:
   1. Renovation/modest expansion, 4-sections @ 800 students, using the 9th Elementary School Program
   2. Renovation/modest expansion, 5-section @ 1000 students, using the Devotion School Elementary Educational Program
3. Provide VAI traffic study for the options above
    

Pine Manor

1. More formal cost analysis for land
2. Phase 1 environmental site assessment
3. Legal concerns associated with environmental questions and eminent domain
    

Other Sites

This high-level evaluation will also include a review of our existing school sites for possible expansion, excluding Devotion, Lawrence and Runkle Schools.  The inclusion of existing school sites is done in the spirit of open-mindedness and due diligence, to ensure that all options are brought forward for consideration by the boards and the community.

In terms of next steps in this process, Dr. Connelly has scheduled a “listening session” at Baker School on January 4 and at Pierce School on January 10.  He will also schedule listening sessions at Driscoll, Heath and Lincoln Schools.  These listening sessions are designed to allow parents, guardians and community members to join in the planning process by letting us know what is and what isn’t working in their school building, what needs to be fixed, expanded or added, and what interests them (both positively and negatively) about the opportunity to expand their school site and community as we consider where in Brookline to accommodate an additional 600 to 800 elementary school students.  Communication with the details about these listening sessions will be sent directly from Dr. Connelly.

In addition to these listening sessions, we will continue to keep the community informed through monthly progress reports and briefings to the Select Board and the School Committee.  Regular updates about this work will also be posted to the school department’s 9th School Site webpage.  Finally, Dr. Connelly is available to meet with interested Brookline citizens to discuss this work in the months ahead.

Sincerely,

Andrew J. Bott
Superintendent