Newton Aldermen OK Elementary School Modulars

With student enrollment a continued focus in the Newton Public Schools, the Board of Aldermen last night voted 22-1 to approve $2.4 million for ten modular classrooms at four elementary schools.

The ten modulars will be installed at Bowen (four modulars), Burr (one modular), Horace Mann (one modular) and Mason-Rice (four modulars).

The Board's vote comes just a few days after the Newton School Committee agreed to install four modulars at Mason-Rice.

In December, the School Committee approved a total of eight modular classrooms for the four elementary schools. That decision included only two modulars at Mason-Rice with the possibility of two additional "alternate" modulars, if the space was needed and funding was available.

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Ward 6 Alderman Richard Blazar, who was the single dissenting vote last night, said he was "displeased with the process" around the way the additional two modulars at Mason-Rice were proposed.

Blazar argued the aldermen were not "adequately informed" about the School Department's decision to move forward with four modulars at Mason-Rice, rather than two.

The Ward 6 alderman also expressed concern about the added classrooms and students at Newton Centre schools (Mason-Rice and Bowen).

"I feel strongly that the School Department ought to be looking at trying to balance the population of the schools and not stuffing so many students into Mason-Rice," Blazar said.

Ward 6 Alderman-at-Large Greg Schwartz, on the other hand, said he "was not surprised" by the decision to add the two modulars to Mason-Rice and understood the Committee had been considering either two or four modular classrooms at the school. 

"From what I understand, the principal is happy to have the additional capacity," Schwartz said. 

Schwartz also said there is "difficulty" in moving students to different schools to help even out space, as schools are set on certain "feeder patterns" that lead students to either Newton North High School or Newton South High School.

According to minutes from the April 29, 2013 Finance Committee meeting, the bid for all the modular classrooms has been awarded to Triumph Modular, Inc., the same company that installed modular classrooms at Oak Hill Middle School.

The School Department is aiming to have the modular classrooms installed by fall 2013.

In addition to the modular classrooms, the Board also voted to approve $480,000 for the installation of a sprinkler system at Mason-Rice Elementary School. Under current law, schools undergoing renovations to have sprinkler systems installed throughout the building.