Good Evening, FPS Community,
I am writing to provide an update on this evening’s Comprehensive School Facilities subcommittee meeting. As previously shared on 4/19/24, Locker Master Planning and Kaestle Boos and Associates are finalizing their assessment of the district’s facilities to identify both short-term, midterm, and long-term solutions to continue providing high-quality education opportunities for our students while creating a more fiscally sustainable model for our district.
Two options emerged from this work, which were shared and discussed. Visual maps that depict both options are attached to this email to provide more context.
Both options developed resulted in two strategic changes for the 2025-26 school year.
Unifying our three middle schools into one middle school in one location, the current Horace Mann/Oak Street complex. This will result in the closure of the three middle schools as they currently exist.
Unifying our five elementary schools into four elementary schools in two locations, the current Remington/Jefferson Complex and the current Annie Sullivan/Helen Keller Complex. This will result in the closure of the five elementary schools as they currently exist and the redistricting of all students between these complexes. As a result, the Kennedy and Parmenter Elementary Schools would become unoccupied in their current capacity.
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| school district in fewer schools |
Further, the two recommended options differed in grade-band structure at the K-5 level.
Option A
Identifying two K-5 complexes, the current Keller/Sullivan and Remington/Jefferson complexes, that would function as four elementary schools. Labeled on the map are “North Elementary K-2” and “North Elementary 3-5” schools at the Keller/Sullivan complex, and “South Elementary K-2” and “South Elementary 3-5” schools at the Remington/Jefferson complex.
Option B
Identifying one K-2 elementary site at the current Keller/Sullivan complex and one 3-5 elementary site at the current Remington/Jefferson complex. However, the Comprehensive School Facilities subcommittee determined this was not a viable option to move forward to a School Committee vote. This decision was made when considering the impacts of transportation, additional school transitions for students, and the creation of a large number of class sections within each grade level, which does not align with the stakeholder feedback to preserve smaller learning communities within larger schools.
Lastly, both options maintain ECDC at its current site and allow for future expansion at the current Kennedy Elementary School.
The results from the Master Facilities Plan will be shared at the next school committee meeting on April 30, 2024, along with a recommendation to the School Committee. Franklin stakeholders are invited to share input during public comment at that meeting.
School Committee Members will vote on a final recommendation at the following School Committee meeting on May 14, 2024. A vote to take action on this option will result in strategic master planning during the 2024-25 school year, followed by implementation for the 2025-26 school year.
We recognize these options result in significant change within the district, and we are committed to thoughtfully planning and sharing information as it becomes available. Please be on the lookout for a follow-up email from your building principals as well.
Respectfully,
Lucas Giguere
Superintendent
