To the editor:
Lincoln is fortunate to have so many people committed to our town value of providing excellence in education for our students.
As a member of the Lincoln School Committee, I take our mission seriously, which generally states: “The Lincoln School Committee seeks to unite our communities in challenging and equipping our students to acquire essential skills and knowledge … and believes that if we commit to a shared vision for the district and its educational goals, actively listen to and engage with the district and its constituents, and act as stewards of the town’s values and interests, the district’s educational obligations and aspirations, and town resources … then we will strengthen the engagement, achievement, and development of all students as we help fulfill the district’s educational vision and expectations.”
I write this not speaking on behalf of the School Committee or in any formal capacity, but simply as a fellow citizen. With the vote for the school building project in front of us, we are all responsible for actively listening, working together, acting as stewards for the town’s wider interests, and leading with our commitment to providing excellence in education.
The process that has brought us to this moment has been long, comprehensive, often arduous, and sometimes frustrating, as there are many interests to balance. As such, I am proud and grateful for the process that the School Building Committee (SBC) has followed to get us here. I recognize it as abundantly collaborative and transparent while balancing as best as possible the needs of all stakeholders. They have brought us a plan that meets an essential program for enhanced educational outcomes while ensuring the responsible use the town’s monies as thoughtfully as possible—considering inputs from FinCom, CapCom, the Board of Selects, the Lincoln school district administration, and many other town boards and committees.
I wholeheartedly support the plan in front of us.
The SBC started by understanding the needs of the educational program as well as the wider town, taking into consideration the many analyses and plans that preceded this particular leg of the journey. It collaborated with the committee looking at the community center to better understand the campus master plan. It received active and ongoing guidance from local experts in architecture, education, site design, construction, historical context, and sustainability. It presented the town initially with more than two dozen options that were narrowed to six, then five, then three and then finally the plan in front of us.
At all points, the Lincoln community was engaged and involved. While the project has a considerable cost, I do not consider this plan to be extravagant. It is not the most comprehensive or expensive option and has repeatedly pared down the program scope without sacrificing the core educational program.
I further believe that there is no other viable option that meets these goals. As was widely agreed in prior town meetings, I do not believe we can support a repair alternative that has repeatedly been assessed and determined to be a poor use of town funds. Nor should we support a wait-and-see approach that ignores our clearly defined facility needs in the hopes that the fundamentals of our economy will somehow change in our favor, or that the MSBA will radically change their priorities and somehow put us at the top of their compressed list.
I believe that any delay to this decision will force us into a costly and yet low-value repair path—one that would see taxes rise without the corresponding educational benefits. I instead choose to look forward to providing our children with a modern educational environment while honoring the essence of our past.
In conclusion, I’d like to thank all of the people in our town who have educated us, challenged us, focused us, pushed us, and ultimately contributed to this outcome. We have a sound and exciting plan in front of us that is a reflection of our values and shared goals. I thank them for their participation. I thank them for their support for this critical program. On December 1, December 3 and beyond, I ask that you do the same.
Sincerely,
Peter Borden
36 Longmeadow Road
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.