In Support of the New Elementary School at the Wheelock Campus

Later this year, there will be a Special Town Meeting (STM) to vote on the state-approved plan to build a new elementary school at the Wheelock Campus. The fact that we are at this point is a testament to more than 4 years of hard work on the part of countless dedicated Town employees and volunteers. It may be difficult to remember now, but this project began when the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) approved the School Committee’s Statement of Interest and authorized the project to enter the Eligibility Period – years earlier than anticipated based on the usual timeline. The reason, of course, was that the Dale building had long passed its useful life as a school.

We have come a long way from that initial approval, but we still have a lot of work to do before the Town votes on the Wheelock Campus plan. The bulk of that work will be education. There are a lot of questions concerning this project that need to be addressed. As former Chair of the Warrant Committee, I know how vital it is that each voter understands the substance of every warrant article – and the consequences of a “yes” or “no.”

One of the key questions that seems to arise frequently is “What happens if the Wheelock Campus plan is not approved at Special Town Meeting?” Following is a brief summary of next steps and what would happen in the event the voters choose not to support the project at STM. This summary is derived from facts pulled from official MSBA materials.

Where Do We Go From Here?

• The School Building Committee (SBC) and Select Board both voted unanimously to designate the Wheelock Campus site as the future home of the new elementary school, after receiving extensive feedback from Town residents.
• The next step in the process is for the design to progress through Schematic Design and be submitted to the MSBA for approval in July.
• After approval, the MSBA and the Town will enter into a Project Scope and Budget Agreement (PSBA), the standard contract setting out, among other things, the cost sharing of the project.

Time Is of the Essence

• The timing of the Town’s vote is absolutely crucial, and set out clearly by the MSBA’s Policy Statement.
• Once the PSBA is approved, the Town will have 120 days “to obtain and certify local approval of an appropriation to fully fund the proposed project[.]”
• A fall STM would fit within this timeframe.

A Failed Vote Would Put Us at the Back of the Line

• The MSBA, through its Policy Statement, warns that “a failed local vote likely will result in the school district being required to submit a new Statement of Interest to the MSBA and await an invitation from the MSBA to enter the Eligibility Period phase of the MSBA’s process.”

Changing Course Will Increase the Price Tag

• In the event that a new Statement of Interest for a different location is required, the Town will again have to vote to appropriate funds for a feasibility study.
• The last feasibility study cost the Town $1,000,000.

There Is No Wiggle Room in Drafting the Warrant Article

• Because the Wheelock Campus Plan, as voted unanimously by the SBC and Select Board, has been approved by the MSBA through the Preferred Schematic Report, it is that plan only – in an up or down vote – that will go to STM.
• MSBA made clear in Bulletin 11-02 that the warrant article “must include … a description of the site of the project, including the address of the school building and a description of the parcel.”
• This is not an “either/or” proposition. The MSBA’s Bulletin does not include a provision for changing the location at this stage.

To assist in the process of ensuring that each voter has the ability to ask questions and voice any concerns, we are introducing a new Political Action Committee that is fully committed to supporting the proposed new elementary school at the Wheelock Campus. We are called For Our Kids, For Our Town, because we truly believe that this project is in the best interests of both. Please email with any questions, comments, or concerns at forourkidsforourtownpac@gmail.com.

Mike Pastore, Chair

For Our Kids, For Our Town PAC