The Vernon Board of Education and its Ad Hoc 10-Year Facility Study and Master Plan Committee are hosting a “community conversation” on Tuesday, March 10 about the 10 Year Facility Study and the ad hoc committee’s recommendations for the future of the district’s schools.
The community conversation will take place in the auditorium at Vernon Center Middle School, 777 Hartford Turnpike. All are welcome. Please register with the superintendent’s office at DRitchotte@vernon-ct.gov for planning purposes. The event begins at 6 p.m.
An overview of the committee’s recommendations will be presented and then those attending will be asked to break into smaller focus groups to discuss the “conceptual design” to move forward.
“All of the feedback we get from community will help us build better schools for Vernon,” Board of Education and Ad Hoc Committee Co-Chairman Paul Grabowski said. “Once the information has been presented, we want to get residents’ feedback and suggestions.”
The Board of Education hired Friar Architecture of Farmington to examine and evaluate the physical condition of Vernon’s seven schools and associated facilities and develop a 10-year facility needs study. The Board of Education created the ad hoc committee to evaluate the 1,700-page Friar report, determine the approach that would best serve Vernon students and the community, and develop recommendations, which include:
Closing Maple Street School and consolidating it with a new Northeast School at the current Northeast School site.
Replacing or substantially altering Lake Street School, and using the existing Northeast School as swing space during the project.
Upgrading mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems at Rockville High School and Vernon Center Middle School, and assessing HVAC systems at Skinner Road and Center Road schools.
In addition to student and district needs, Friar and the ad hoc committee considered the age of each school, projected enrollment, today’s needs compared to when the schools were built, and state reimbursement rates.
“These are recommendations that the committee believes would modernize our schools and get us heading in the right direction for the next 20 years,” Grabowski said.
Maple Street School is more than 100 years old and approaching the end of its useful life, the committee concluded. Because of its age, its lack of Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility, Maple Street School would not qualify for state reimbursement. That is why the committee recommended a new school at the Northeast School site to replace Maple Street and Northeast, which was built in 1963.
Lake Street School, built in 1959, needs to be replaced or undergo a signification renovation, the committee concluded. Lake Street School has an odd design with lots of wasted space, a roof that has continual leak problems, and individual mechanical systems for each of the school’s pods.
“You wouldn’t design a school like that today in New England,” Grabowski said.
Center Road School is Vernon’s newest school, built in 1969. Its mechanical systems are original and would require updating, Grabowski said.
There are other considerations, Grabowski said. Some Vernon schools predate the implementation of special education, and lack space needed to accommodate those important programs. They also lack space for other programs that have been added in the decades since the schools were built, he said.
“Making sure we have modern spaces to meet modern needs, a safe environment and giving students and teachers the best learning environment possible are the goals,” Grabowski said.
For more information about the 10-year facilities study and the ad hoc committee’s work and recommendations, visit: https://www.vernonpublicschools.org/o/vps/page/facilities