Above: If you want to have a say in, or ask questions, about which grades a future iteration of Neary School will educate and how many schools the Town will continue to run, the NBC is giving you chances this week and next month. (images of flyers)
As the Neary Building Committee continues its work studying a potential school building project, they are looking for more community feedback.
This time, a survey focuses on “Grade Configuration”. What grades should Neary School include, and how do you feel about potentially moving the youngest students up into Woodward School?
If the community supports a project that expands Neary School to encompass grades 2-5, the Town would be able to close one school.
The survey’s question about using Woodward for Pre-K to 1st grade dovetails with the Community Center Exploration Committee’s work. As I previously covered, the CCEC recommended converting Finn School to a community center if it becomes available. The vision included Recreation facilities, the Senior Center, and other municipal needs.
That depends on the outcome of the Neary Building Committee’s work. At the early stages of looking into a project, Superintendent Gregory Martineau advocated for reducing the number of schools to reduce the number of times students have to transition between schools.
Now they are looking for the community to clarify what they want to see. They are also encouraging participants to explain their thinking if they oppose certain changes. And they want to find out what questions the community has for them.
The survey announcement explains:
GRADE CONFIGURATION SURVEY
The Public Schools of Southborough, in partnership with the Neary Building Committee (NBC), is seeking community input regarding the preferred grade-level configurations of a new elementary school. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) has identified three grade- level configurations for the community to study:
1) Grades 2-5,
2) Grades 3-5, and
3) Grade 4-5.
To complete the survey, click here.
The survey closes this Sunday, March 24th. But it won’t be the only opportunity for asking questions or making your voice heard.
The committee is also holding another forum, rescheduled for Thursday, April 11th, 7:00 – 8:30 pm at Trottier Middle School. The public is encouraged to attend and “Share Your Comments, Questions, and Ideas”.
