School officials finalized recommendations for Special Town Meeting, endorsing Neary School renovations while opposing alternative campus expansion studies.
Ahead of the March 2 Special Town Meeting, the School Committee reviewed four warrant articles addressing facility conditions at Neary School and potential district reconfigurations. School officials endorsed Article 1, seeking $175,000 from free cash for a renovation feasibility study, and Article 4, requesting up to $6,850,000 in borrowing for roof replacement and accessibility upgrades. Administrators cautioned that taking Neary offline would require building large additions at Trottier and Finn schools to avoid severe cuts to educational programming. The School Committee, Select Board, and Advisory Committee all recommend defeating Articles 2 and 3, which propose studying those campus expansion options. Officials also reviewed logistics for the upcoming Town Meeting, including electronic clicker voting and overflow room arrangements.
What mattered this month
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Neary School renovation feasibility study and facility review
The School Committee endorsed Article 1, requesting $175,000 from free cash to evaluate renovating Neary School.
Officials presented Article 1 for the March 2 Special Town Meeting as their preferred approach following feedback on the prior year's defeated building project. Administrators detailed aging building conditions, including mechanical systems from 1968, non-compliant restrooms under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and a roof from 1990 that has exceeded its lifespan., watch at 4:15 Neary School building project
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Neary School roof replacement and ADA upgrades borrowing
Article 4 requests authority to borrow up to $6,850,000 for roof replacement and accessibility upgrades at Neary School.
The 35-year-old roof suffers from water leaks and is one-third detached from underlying insulation. If Article 1 passes, $2,100,000 estimated for ADA work would be folded into the broader renovation study, reducing the roof borrowing request to $4,500,000. The measure requires approval at Special Town Meeting on March 2 and at the ballot on May 12, 2026., watch at 58:40 Neary School roof replacement
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Proposed Trottier and Finn grade reconfiguration study
The School Committee recommends defeating Article 2, which requests up to $500,000 to study expanding Trottier and Finn schools.
Article 2 evaluates shifting grade 5 to Trottier and grade 2 to Finn to take Neary School offline. Administrators reported that accommodating these grade levels would require adding 10,000 to 12,000 square feet at Trottier and 9,000 to 11,000 square feet at Finn to avoid severe reductions to educational programs., watch at 40:47 Trottier and Finn expansion feasibility studies
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Proposed Finn School PreK-3 expansion study
Town boards recommend defeating Article 3, which seeks up to $324,000 to assess expanding Finn School to serve grades PreK through 3.
The article proposes evaluating the decommissioning of Neary School by consolidating all early elementary grades at Finn. School officials cautioned that moving grades without building substantial additions would compromise academic and support spaces., watch at 40:47 Trottier and Finn expansion feasibility studies
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Town board positions and Special Town Meeting logistics
Town boards aligned behind Neary renovation planning while opposing alternative campus expansion articles.
The Select Board and Advisory Committee joined school officials in supporting Article 1 while opposing Articles 2 and 3. The Select Board also voted in favor of Article 4 borrowing. Officials announced that the March 2 session will utilize electronic clicker voting, overflow seating, and child-friendly arrangements in the gymnasium., watch at 1:30:45
Issues that came up
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Neary School building project
The Elementary School Building Committee is evaluating renovation options for Neary Elementary School after voting to eliminate Option 4 and focus consultants on Options 1, 3, and a scoped $15 million baseline. Preliminary cost estimates range between $24.4 million and $38.5 million, significantly exceeding the earlier $15 million figure discussed at previous Town Meetings. Outstanding questions center on balancing code repairs with educational enhancements, preserving athletic fields and gym availability, and accounting for district office relocation costs. Project options are scheduled for presentation at Fall Town Meeting on October 17, 2026.
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Neary School roof replacement
The Neary Elementary School roof replacement moved into construction over the summer of 2026 after competitive bids totaled approximately $2.8 million, well below the $4.5 million borrowing authorization approved by voters. Work was targeted to reach 85% to 90% completion before the start of school in late August. No subsequent updates or outstanding disputes have been brought before the School Committee this fall.
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Trottier and Finn expansion feasibility studies
The School Committee, Select Board, and Advisory Committee all recommend defeating Articles 2 and 3 to study expanding Trottier and Finn schools at the March 2, 2026 Special Town Meeting, warning that additions would be required to prevent severe programming cuts.
Weeks
- February 23 – March 1, 2026 1 meeting · 1½ hours of video
Ahead of Special Town Meeting, the School Committee endorsed renovating Neary School and replacing its roof while opposing proposals to close the facility.