Officials Look At Schools As They Mull Consolidation

By Michelle Warren, The Chronicle

June 1, 2021

School officials are visiting different schools in town as they review the possibility of consolidating elementary schools.

Committee members are considering the possibility of closing either Natchaug School at 123 Jackson St. in Willimantic or Windham Center Elementary School at 45 North Road in Windham Center.

The following schools are in the district: Natchaug, Windham Center, North Windham Elementary Sch-ool, Sweeney Elementary School and Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy, as well as Windham High School and Windham Middle School.

Of all the elementary school buildings in the district, Natchaug, which was built in 1914, is the oldest school building while Windham Center Elementary School, which was built in 1953, has the smallest population of students.

Ad-Hoc Committee for Elementary School Con-solidation Chairperson Paula Haney, who is also a board of education member, said the committee has visited two schools thus far, including North Windham Elementary School.

The committee plans to visit all of the elementary schools and the middle school.

Committee members have decided to meet less frequently as they await more information from Friar Associates, which was hired to put together a master plan for the district.

“We want to be informed and make the proper decisions,” Haney said.

The committee does not plan to meet in June.

Haney said the committee will determine if it needs to meet in July, noting many committee members will be on vacation.

Friar Associates Inc. of Farmington was hired to put together a master plan for the district.

The last facilities plan was put together by Friar in 2012 and school officials are seeking an updated plan.

Friar was also hired to come up with the design for the Windham High School renovation project.

“It sounds like a prudent thing to keep doing the visits and wait until we get more information from Friar to really delve into things,” Windham Board of Education Chairperson Lynne Ide said.

Haney said there has been a lot of discussion among committee members about facility needs and the atmosphere the students are learning in.

She said the “acuity” of students is an “overarching issue” that committee members need to be aware of.

Haney said the project presents an opportunity to consider other uses for school spaces.

Those who would like to look at the 2012 study can do so on the district website, www.windhamps.org.

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