The town is set to vote on a combined elementary school on Tuesday, November 5th from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm at Oliver Ames.
We need this new elementary school. Although it seems like we have to pay more money for it by raising taxes, the overall cost will be lower to build the new school than to repair the old ones. And if we do not build a new school, we need to repair the existing ones. They are entirely unfit to be a space to educate children in. The combined Physical/ Occupational Therapy room in Parkview, for years, was a closet that had to fit two teachers and their students. PT and OT are essential for some students, and forcing them to learn in cramped spaces is wrong. The cafeteria/ auditorium in Parkview causes disruption because all the classes that surround it can’t block out the noise.
Moreau Hall wasn’t even built to be a school as it was a building donated by Stonehill College. It doesn’t have enough rooms, so there are makeshift barriers between these “classrooms” that don’t block out noise. It also has stairs that are not disability friendly.
Center School’s gym becomes extremely slippery when condensation forms on it, and it is hard for students to participate in activities as they could fall and hurt themselves.
Our elementary students deserve to be educated in safe, updated spaces, and because of this, we need a school that can support their needs.
To vote in this election, you must be a registered voter. To vote YES on the ballot means that you allow the town to raise property taxes for the new school to be built, and if you vote NO, the town will not be allowed to raise the property tax, and the school will not be built. If you can, no matter your opinion, I urge you to go and vote on Tuesday.