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| source of picture listed below |
Key action item of the meeting:
The decision about the High School space.
- To create the space, the recommendation of the administration is to move 5 pre-school classes from the High School to the East School location at 90 Oak Street at the start of the 2022-23 school year.
- The recommendation is also to move the preschools from Lilja (2) and Memorial (1) in the next 2-3 years to the East School depending on a need for space at both of those elementary schools.
- What is the East School? Not just a place for Pickle Ball!
- Read the East School Building Report 5/2021
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| screen shot from the report linked above |
- In a walk through of the space, Dr. Nolin noted to School Committee members that the gym was not ADA accessible. Given that PE is not part of the preschool curriculum, however, the cost of adding a lift was not definite.
To prepare for the vote ...
I asked the following questions to Dr. Nolin through our School Committee Chair about how the move would impact the budget, the preschool and the community. Answers from the Superintendent are in blue
On Mon, Nov 1, 2021 at 8:00 AM Brunell, Catherine <cbrunell@natickps.org> wrote:
Hi Julie.
To prepare for any vote on Wednesday I have ten questions about east school. As each answer might lead to more questions,I fully expect t to have a few more later this week. Thank you in advance for the answers you can provide.
1) What is the impact on the budget for the move, needed renovations at NHS and East and the cost to the town to rent spaces for IT and the recreation staff? I am looking for an approx dollar amount on each of these items.
These are in process but would be done whether we move the preschool there or not according to the TA and facilities director. .
2) Which budget town or school and line item within that budget will absorb the impact? Will this cost be replaced by one thing or funded through the grants currently available?
Mr. Errickson has indicated that the current grant funding and capital money he has already set aside for this purposes addresses needed renovations. The town and schools are working on rental facilities and we would determine the ratio of spending on this.
3) Who will manage the building? AND Is the Town putting the building back to the schools? If not, what is the shared agreement about budgetary and programmatic responsibility?
The town manages the building with the schools just like our other schools. The building has been zoned as a school with ACHIEVE there until July 1 of last year and there can be a two year window before a town has to make a change of status. They kept it zoned for school.
4) What arrangements are we making with the YMCA? While they can share the space, it would not be easy given how the classrooms are currently set up. If we cannot, how much revenue does the Town of Natick currently take in from rental fees from the Y - my understanding is those fees will move to loss if they stop using the space.
The YMCA indicates that in most other locations they serve, they share classroom spaces with schools. I am not privvy to the contract amount from YMCA. The revenue went to the town and I will get that info.
5) How long are we planning on having some or all of the preschool at the East school? I am looking for a year when we would move it back or to a different location.
This is unclear at this time. Once the crowding at NHS subsides, we could move then, unless some new challenge arises we cannot yet foresee. Good news is that preschool does not go to the preschool for multiple years and movement is easier on a year to year basis if needed.
We may also desire to create an early childhood center at some point and the ps would be part of that. wonderings include: could this be a new building to be named? many towns have moved in that direction? woudl it also be a child care center?
would we keep east as a facility housing preschool and after care? just ideas.
6) Is the long term goal an integrated preschool at every elementary school in the district, if the rooms allows, or an early childhood center with all it most of the classrooms in one location? How does this move set us for what is desired?
Either vision can be realized. Once the study for human services is conducted via the recently voted ARPA fund use by the BOS, this kind of need and idea would be realized and we would work with the town to determine the best outcomes as we weight our enrollment needs.
7) Before the administration decided on East as the recommendation, what other solutions were looked into? Why is East the recommendation?
FCC, rental, Natick Mall, 5 Auburn. All the others were rejected or too costly. Additional response given on 11/2: Just reviewing my notes as we continue to discuss preschool placement. We also reviewed the Natick Army Labs, and Boston Scientific as possible space sites last fall and spring.
8) What feedback has the administration received from:
A) the preschool staff at each pre-K site
feedback of what nature? I met with and took feedback and suggestions and questions from the preschool staff.
B ) the families who are in the system --in preschool? or the district as a whole?
I need more info to see what you're looking for. In general, we poll the people impacted by our decision. In the case of preschool, the parents there not would not be affected by the changes.
C) the neighborhood adjacent to east about adding the program and therefore traffic.
This is proposed to be conducted (mr. errickson and i would co host it) depending on your decision as a committee. If the move would not occur, the meetings would not be needed.
9) I assume we are not voting on this before the traffic report that Anna suggested was coming, but in case we are, how will we respond if we find that we have over populated that little spot?
report forthcoming.
10) What is the motion that would be made to move the preschool out of the high school?
I'll let Julie handle her desire here.