Do we need the proposed new $160 million school?
- No, but… there are legitimate needs at the existing neighborhood school which must be addressed.
- There are three types of legitimate needs at the three neighborhood schools are:
- Expansion – The enrollment in grades K-3 is expected to grow by 119 students between now and 2027 as a result of population growth in Scarborough.
- Security concerns – All three schools need improvements to bring them up to current security standards.
- Facility updates – All three schools need updates including renovated restrooms, additional storage spaces and expanded non-classroom space.
- These needs can be met by thoughtful renovation of the existing schools and the creation of limited amounts of new space to accommodate the anticipated growth in enrollment. We believe the needs can be met for much less than $160 million if the School Department made a sincere effort to do so.