schools

Letter to the editor: Glass thanks residents for school votes

March 30, 2015

(Editor’s note: The salutation in this letter originally read “Dear Lincoln.”)

To the editor:

At Saturday’s Town Meeting, the citizens of Lincoln voted overwhelmingly to support both a school renovation project and the School Committee and Board of Selectmen’s joint submission of a Statement of Interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The success of these votes is due to the many, many hours of hard work and tireless public outreach by the members of the School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC).

Led by Doug Adams and Superintendent Becky McFall, and comprised of a diverse group of volunteers, the SBAC was so effective in its work because of the transparent process it fostered. The outreach, capably led by our consultants from Dore & Whittier, involved a wide spectrum of citizens. No matter their views of the project as presented in 2012, citizens believed that we as a town must come together to move forward and find a solution to the facility needs of the Lincoln School.

I would like to make special note of the leadership of Dr. McFall, who, as part of the SBAC’s outreach, articulated an educational vision that drew a clear connection between educational theory and the physical environment of the school.

Finally, Saturday’s outcome would not have happened without the input and support that the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, and Capital Planning Committee offered the School Committee.

On behalf of the School Committee, I want to express our deep gratitude. The votes on Saturday were a victory for volunteerism, good process, and thoughtful collaboration.

There is much work left to do, and there are many decisions yet to be made. We look forward to your continued engagement as we embark on the next phase of the journey.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Glass
Chair, Lincoln School Committee

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, 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 Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Town Meeting reminders, and an addition

March 27, 2015

The eighth-grade warrant article group, left to right: Amalia Munn, Allie Dwyer, Colin Christian, Greer Harnden and Elena Christenfeld.

ADDITION: The Lincoln Squirrel received this photo too late to include with the March 26 story on the Lincoln School eighth-graders’ warrant article. Left to right: Amalia Munn, Allie Dwyer, Colin Christian, Greer Harnden and Elena Christenfeld.

Shuttle service offered

Due to the expected turnout for Town Meeting and the limited parking spaces available at the school complex, the town is asking residents to carpool. Also, the town is offering a shuttle service from the Lincoln commuter lot (non-resident paved lot) to the school complex from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The shuttle will run continuously throughout Town Meeting.

Overflow seating in Reed Gym

In the event that attendance at Town Meeting exceeds the capacity of the Brooks auditorium, overflow seating will be available in the Reed Gym, with audio feeds and other accommodations to allow full participation.

Town Meeting may continue Tuesday night

If necessary, Town Meeting will be paused on Saturday and resume on Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. in Brooks auditorium.

Food and beverages for sale

Lincoln’s third-grade Girl Scouts will be selling hot coffee, tea and a limited supply of homemade baked goods at Town Meeting from 9-11 a.m. Everything is $1. The sixth-grade Girl Scouts also will be selling boxed lunches for $10 apiece.

Polls open at 7:30 on Monday

Don’t forget to vote in the town election on Monday, March 30 from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Smith gym (not starting at 7 a.m. as previously reported). Voters will be asked to approve spending for a school renovation feasibility study and a school campus master plan. Many town offices are also on the ballot, including contested races for Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee and Planning Board. See this Lincoln Squirrel article for a sample ballot and summary of letters to the editor about the contested races.

Babysitting available during Town Meeting

Lincoln’s eighth-grade Girl Scouts are offering babysitting in Hartwell Pod B from 12:45-5 p.m. These hours were chosen to coincide with discussion of the school building and community center issues in which many young families have expressed interest. The Girl Scouts are Red Cross trained in babysitting, and adults will also be on duty to help supervise. The children will be located in two rooms, one for the preschoolers and another for elementary school children. Advance registration is preferred; please email Linda Hammett Ory at LHamme@aol.com. Babysitting is offered at no charge, but donations are encouraged to help support the eighth-grade Cadettes’ service projects.

Summary of “warrant pieces”

Here are links to Lincoln Squirrel news stories about some of the warrant articles.

Article 10: Bemis Hall basement may get makeover if voters approve
Article 11: Students’ Town Meeting article seeks funds for field work
Article 29: Community center on Hartwell campus would cost $13 million, panel says
Articles 30-32:
Article 43: Resident aims to open bookstore with food, coffee and cocktails

Town boards come together on revised school warrant article

March 27, 2015

A diagram of the choices facing Lincoln voters in Town Meeting warrant articles 30, 31 and 32 (click to enlarge).

By Alice Waugh

With a last-minute change to the wording of a Town Meeting motion, town officials are doubling down on their support for seeking state funding for a comprehensive school renovation project in the hope that a large majority of voters feel the same way.

Students’ Town Meeting article seeks funds for field work

March 26, 2015

The eighth-grade warrant article group, left to right: Amalia Munn, Allie Dwyer, Colin Christian, Greer Harnden and Elena Christenfeld.

Six Lincoln School eighth-graders are hoping voters at Saturday’s Town Meeting approve a citizens’ petition for funding to clear the edges of one of the school playing fields.

Elena Christenfeld, Colin Christian, Allie Dwyer, Greer Harden, Amalia Munn and Irene Terpstra have been meeting every Monday since September withTown Moderator Sarah Cannon Holden and Town Clerk Susan Brooks to experience the process for getting an issue before Lincoln’s Annual Town Meeting.

After conversations with the Parks and Recreation Department, the students first came up with the idea to clear the edges of the playing fields next to Codman Pool, the Smith school building and the Town Office Building where brush is growing into the playing area. They eventually settled for just the Smith field as well as an adjacent student emergency evacuation area.

Community center on Hartwell campus would cost $13 million, panel says

March 26, 2015

The Community Center Study Committee's "preferred option." Click on the image for more options and interior design ideas.

The Community Center Study Committee’s “preferred option.” Click on the image for more exterior and interior design ideas.

By Alice Waugh

Residents on Saturday will have the chance to hear the final report of the Community Center Study Committee (CCSC), which proposes a community center to be built on the Hartwell campus at a total cost of about $13 million, including roads and other site work.

School warrant article to be amended

March 25, 2015

Editor’s note: shorty after this was published, town officials released

By Alice Waugh

Just days before the annual Town Meeting, officials are scrambling to tweak the wording of one of the warrant articles relating to the school building project.

Letter to the editor: vote on Monday for Marshall and Quirk

March 23, 2015

To the editor:

As someone who served seven years as a member of the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School School Committee, I am writing in support of Nancy Marshall’s candidacy for reelection.

Nancy was elected to the committee at a very difficult time when economic circumstances led to reductions in funding and the political climate in Sudbury had substantially deteriorated. Nancy led the effort to successfully stabilize the financial situation and to preserve both the high educational standards that the school has achieved over the years and, perhaps more importantly, the culture of close student-teacher relationships that so nurtured my two children during their tenure at the school (if I can remember that accurately).

I would also like to strongly support the candidacy of incumbent member Gerald Quirk, whose work on the committee has been exemplary. There have been times that Lincoln voters have been encouraged to bullet-vote for the Lincoln resident candidate to preserve Lincoln’s seat by overcoming the disparity in numbers which favors Sudbury candidates. This is not such an election. In my opinion, based on my experience in serving on the committee, the other Sudbury candidate, Robert Stein, is one of the main instigators of the incivility that has characterized Sudbury politics for some time and has led to an effort by the Sudbury selectmen to formally address the deteriorated climate. A vote for Marshall and Quirk will send a strong message that Lincoln values the high school and values the efforts of its teachers, staff and volunteer political representatives.

Remember, the election is on Monday, March 30—not on Tuesday, as we are all used to Tuesday elections.

Sincerely,

Eric Harris
138 Bedford Rd.

Letter to the editor: vote for state-assisted school building project

March 23, 2015

Editor’s note: Town Meeting Warrant Articles 30 and 31 are explained in this letter to the editor by School Committee chair Jennifer Glass.

To the editor:

I am concerned that many residents of Lincoln are unaware that the vote to determine how Lincoln will address the needs of its school building will take place on March 28. If those of us who believe it important to do more for our school building than just fix the most urgently needed repairs don’t show up at Town Meeting and vote “yes” on Articles 30 and 31, those improvements won’t happen.

Letter to the editor: vote “yes” on Articles 30 and 31

March 23, 2015

Editor’s note: This letter has been amended after publication to reflect a correction in the writer’s name. Town Meeting Warrant Articles 30 and 31 are explained in this earlier letter to the editor by School Committee chair Jennifer Glass.

To the editor:

At this Town Meeting, Lincoln’s citizens are challenged to join in constructing a renovated school building so it may engage new educational initiatives. Broad support will strengthen us in many ways, so for us all, an Alpine winter may be displaced by spring action.

I write to engage your collective support so that this spring we will be well served to support the school committee motions to (1) Spend more than $30 million on a school renovation (not repair), and to also (2) to seek to be accepted again by the MSBA [Massachusetts School Building Authority] to seek state funding support for Lincoln’s school renovation.

Minuteman High School seeks input on building project

March 20, 2015

Officials at Minuteman High School are seeking feedback from area residents about several options they’re considering to improve or replace the existing school facilities.

“The purpose of these meetings is to inform people about the available options and ask them what they think,” said Ford Spalding, chair of the School Building Committee.

Cost estimates for five repair/renovation options being considered by Minuteman High School (click to enlarge).

Over the next two months, Spalding said the School Building Committee is planning to make presentations in all 16 member towns to outline the options and to gather feedback. The first presentations were held in Acton on March 11 and in Dover on March 17. The presentation in Lincoln is tentatively scheduled for Monday, April 27. The location and time have not been determined.

Spalding said the School Building Committee is also looking for written comments from the public. It will gather comments at the community presentations and accept comments by email at SchoolBuildingCommittee@minuteman.org.

The committee also designed a brief online survey to gather input. Results of the survey will be used by the School Building Committee and the District School Committee to help decide on a preferred option. That option, in turn, will be reviewed by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The School Building Committee has been working on a feasibility study with the MSBA since 2009. It has also examined other options in the event MSBA state-supported options are rejected.

Total costs for the five project options under consideration range from $100.4 million to $176.5 million. The cost for any of the three higher-end options would be partially offset by funding from the state, so those projects would then cost the district towns a net total of $87 million to $106 million.