School Committee member and building project supporter Mary Lou Buell sent this letter to her email list. Thank you, Mary Lou, for your ongoing support of the schools and for allowing us to print this letter.
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Hi All!
Just because you’re not seeing yard signs that say “No New Taxes” doesn’t mean Question #3 is in the bag...in fact, several of you might be among those who believe it’s ok to put off the school building project. Well, it’s not. Our schools are in very bad shape and whether it’s a patch job or a job done right, something needs to be done immediately....and that will cost us a significant amount of money.
Some think renovating what we have is a more fiscally responsible route. Let me call your attention to Falmouth High School. As you probably remember, my Dad lives there, so I got to hear first hand of the cons of renovating. Once they started they realized there were more problems than they anticipated. The original $67 million project ran over and they had to stop construction and wait for the town to approve another $19 million. In all it took 5 years to finish and for 5 years the students attended classes in trailers. That means an entire class of students entered the high school as freshmen in trailers and graduated 4 years later still in trailers! Is this what we want for Duxbury?
Some think that new buildings are extravagant, and fulfill “wants” rather than “needs.” The plan, supported not only by School Committee but also the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, Fiscal Advisory Committee and Town Building Committee, calls for the use of a “model school” plan. In the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s Model School Program, schools re-use designs from existing school buildings that have proven to not only provide optimal classroom spaces and efficiency, but also have a track record of longevity and low maintenance. This very sensible approach also shortens the design phase of the project and saves millions of dollars.
A new co-located middle school and high school is the only plan that will get Duxbury the schools they need not just for the present, but for the future…and really, if we are going to spend millions of dollars one way or another, it makes sense to get what our students need educationally when all is said and done. 21st century pedagogy is in flux and we need flexible educational spaces that can adapt not only to current practices, but those that will become commonplace in the decades ahead. Don’t forget new construction is turn-key. That means every desk, chair, filing cabinet, whiteboard, projector, computer, printer and bookshelf is included. This would not be the case with a renovation project and in fact, Falmouth High School was scrambling for the funds to furnish their building once it was near completion.
Not only am I imploring you to vote YES on Question #3 on SATURDAY, I also hope that you feel positively about this investment. Many of you like me, have a child or children, like my Patrick, who will not directly benefit from this project. Remember, it was others who long ago paid for the construction of the current middle and high school buildings. And for those of you with little ones like my Veronica, Nora and Agnes….can you even imagine how much worse it will be for them if we don’t act now?!
Please read all of the letters people have taken the time to write http://www.eduxbury.com/
Thank you and I will see you at the polls—Saturday, March 26th (aka TOMORROW), DMS 8am-8pm.
Yes!
Mary Lou
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