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Date: 11/30/2022
EAST LONGMEADOW – East Longmeadow Public Schools Superintendent Gordon Smith went over a capital plan that would cost $25 million over the next five years. Seven items were discussed and prioritized in a list of requests that will be brought to the town. He noted that an additional 30 percent in “contingencies” was added to the estimates to take inflation into account.
The replacement of an area of flat roof at Birchland Park Middle School, and a similar project at Mapleshade Elementary School, were ranked first and second, respectively. School Committee member Elizabeth Marsian-Boucher said these projects were related to safety.
The third item the district plans to ask for is electrical upgrades at Mountain View School, which will cost about $629,000. Smith said the item was originally coupled with $2.5 million worth of rooftop air conditioning units for the school, which had been recommended for efficiency in the 2013 facilities study. The committee asked for the projects to be separate requests, however.
The window air conditioning units are already used in all classrooms, so the rooftop air conditioners were ranked as the least urgent matter by the committee, while the electrical upgrades are more urgent and were placed third on the list.
The redesign of the Meadowbrook Elementary School parking lot, including the removal of traffic islands, “is almost a safety issue,” said Marsian-Boucher. The project’s price tag will be “considerably” lower than previous estimates, Smith said. This was ranked four on the list.
The fifth item, the renovation of the main office at Mountain View Elementary School, is meant to increase security at the school. The project would make the office a chokepoint for individuals entering the school.
Number six on the list was replacement of turf throughout the district because it is approaching the end of its useful life. Thompson floated removing the item from the list, but Smith asked that it be included because he did not want to “lose track that it needs to happen.” Thompson said it can be placed on the capital list for a couple of years and in the meantime, the district should discuss funding the item with the Capital Planning Committee.
Smith said the district will pursue funding through the Massachusetts School Building Authority, when possible, but noted that the agency is currently not accepting applications for its accelerated repair program.
Reminder Publishing reached out to Smith for the cost of each item, but did not hear back by press time.
The list will be brought to the Town Manager and be considered by the Financial Oversight Budget Committee.
Half days
During the public comment period, resident Tara Spence expressed concerns about the school calendar. She said that half days are difficult for working parents who do not have extended family nearby.
“Several of the half days are supposed to be for parent-teacher conferences,” Spence said, but she opined that the second conference date is too soon after the first and said it should be moved to the spring. Spence also stated that there are no conferences for students in grades 6 to 10 unless they are considered high needs.
“Just because my kids aren’t high needs doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have a voice in what’s happening in my kids’ education,” Spence said.
School Committee Chair Gregory Thompson said the use of half days is partly a function of contractual obligations for professional development but that the district was aware that it creates a hardship for some families.