Those asserting that the school is too big for our student body are not doing so blindly, they are referencing the Massachusetts School Building Authority <https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-school-building-authority> (MSBA) guidelines <https://www.massschoolbuildings.org/sites/default/files/edit-contentfiles/About_Us/Roundtables/Designer/DRT_Mar_2017_Presentationl.pdf>. Is there any evidence to suggest the MSBA's guidelines "do not account for an equitable education for all"? It seems reasonable to assume that the State experts have equitable education as a guiding principle.
How do we determine if we are using this extra space effectively? Since we have so much space per pupil compared to other towns, we would expect high needs students in Lincoln doing particularly well. The data, however, does not show that. Our high needs students exhibited average growth <https://profiles.doe.mass.edu/mcas/subgroups2.aspx?linkid=25&orgcode=01570025&fycode=2023&orgtypecode=6&;> in the 43th percentile and 46th percentile for the State MCAS in ELA and Math respectively last school year, both unfortunately below the average for high needs students in the State. Actually, since we moved into our new school two years ago (one for elementary), high needs students MCAS scores at the Lincoln School have dropped 8pp in ELA and 2pp Math, 6pp worse than the average for high needs students in the State (-3pp in ELA, but +5pp in Math). It does not seem that this extra space is yielding an equitable education for all. I can think of many ways those tens of millions of dollars we spent building an extra-large school could have been put to use in more impactful ways. We have neighbors with much less space per pupil, yet they house their LEAP-equivalent programs at the school. A much more in-depth benchmark and feasibility study should be conducted before asking town residents to shell out another $3.4M. The potential temporary move of LEAP into the school during the construction phase also begs the question of why not making it permanent. If any reader comes through the school any Thursday evening at 5pm, he or she will find 28 4-8th graders practicing Math at the 8th grade-hub. We petitioned the school last year to move out of the pods into the school, and we are very happy with the arrangement. I hope more activities follow our trail. High-performing schools are alive with extracurriculars. David Cuetos 145 Weston Rd On Sun, Oct 1, 2023 at 13:21 Sara Mattes <[email protected]> wrote: > This is helpful-more specificity to better understand why some classrooms > appear used for only potions of the day, or even go empty. > It would be helpful if the schools could provide this type of narrative, > rather than simply saying something cannot be done. > This is Lincoln, we need to know why! > You have helped me, at least, fill in the blanks. > > Sara > > > ------ > Sara Mattes > > > > > On Oct 1, 2023, at 1:13 PM, Heather Ring via Lincoln < > [email protected]> wrote: > > To all saying how large our current school is, let’s talk about facts. > The school houses pre-K to grade 8. There are not 4 dedicated classrooms > in each grade; pre-k, grade 1, and grade 3 each have 3 classrooms. Every > classroom in the school is in use. Some rooms are used in flexible ways > allowing an equitable education for all. Covid has had a large impact on > education. News sources around the country routinely talk about the covid > impact on education. To have an equitable education students have > different needs. The “extra” space in the school allows the school to meet > students where they are providing much needed services. Metrics on > building size do not account for an equitable education for all. The > school does not have the space to meet student educational needs and LEAP > needs. We are very lucky to have high quality programming provided by > LEAP. > > -Heather Ring > > > Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone > <https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS> > > > > On Sunday, October 1, 2023, 11:26, llas902551--- via Lincoln < > [email protected]> wrote: > > Hi Kristine thank you for your offering of why LEAP can't go into the > school. These same reasons is why it is difficult to have COA&HS have > programming in many venues. > Thank you > Lynne L > > Sent from AOL on Android > <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aol.mobile.aolapp> > > On Fri, Sep 29, 2023 at 3:09 PM, Kristine Barker > <[email protected]> wrote: > Good afternoon, > > I am a Lincoln resident, a parent to a student who attended Lincoln School > and an educator in a neighboring district. I believe this is a unique > perspective as I can see things from the perspectives of a parent, a > resident concerned with the town’s finances and an educator. > > My son, now a junior at LSRHS, attended LEAP for seven years. As a full > time working mother, LEAP was a blessing. My child was nurtured, educated, > fed, loved and provided with various opportunities to increase his social > and communication skills. He was exposed to new people, new experiences > and appropriately and supportively challenged to engage in activities he > may never have had the chance to try otherwise. My only child had a chance > to just have fun playing with children his age, something he never got to > do at home or where we live in South Lincoln that doesn’t allow for > neighborhood play opportunities. When I would pick him up, he’d often ask > for “a few more minutes” because he was excited by the opportunities > provided to him by LEAP staff. The staff were incredible. They talked > lovingly about students, they demonstrated enthusiasm for their work and > they understood the responsibility of helping to raise other people’s > children. I never once entered the LEAP building without an exuberant and > cheerful greeting from Katie, the tireless and dedicated director of LEAP. > And somehow, the LEAP team has managed to do all that with a dilapidated > physical environment that does not even remotely meet their needs. > > I completely understand why the notion of moving LEAP into the school > building makes sense to those who may not spend much time in a school > building. Unless the school can provide LEAP with dedicated, *not shared*, > space that can be fully accessed during the school day, it just won’t > work. The LEAP staff deserve opportunities to set up their lessons, access > materials and prepare for that day. In a working and busy school, that’s > just not possible. I have worked in a school where the after school staff > had to work around the rest of us. They would literally be prepping for > their activities in their vehicles or squatting in corners of the building > trying to create materials, get organized or collaborate with one another > over student needs. Consequently, they are constantly working in an > uncomfortable situation where their professionalism is not always visibly > respected. They could never hang student work, because they literally had > no walls. They could not use complex and highly engaging learning > materials, because there was nowhere to store them. They could not meet as > a team, because they did not have space to do so. They couldn’t provide > nutritious snack options, because they had no access to cooking or cooling > instruments. The students who attended the after school program felt > othered, not included. I would hate to put LEAP in a similar situation. > > I realize and respect that we live in a largely affluent town where > quality childcare may not be as much of a critical need as in other areas. > However, for some of us, affordable childcare is an invaluable necessity so > we can work and earn enough income to allow our families to grow and thrive > in a wonderful town like Lincoln. Just like not everyone in our town may > see the need for a community center where our aging population can access > resources, not everyone may see why LEAP is not an entity which we can push > aside or ignore. I hope this can help share some perspective as to how > important LEAP is to our community. > > I am grateful for the many efforts and ideas shared to help solve the > space challenges in our town. I appreciate the opportunity I’ve had to read > everyone’s intelligent and unique ideas about how to solve these problems. > I won’t even pretend to hold a tiny fraction of the knowledge others do on > this subject. In my perfect world, we would ideally find alternatives that > celebrate and support resources that benefit our youngest to our oldest > residents. In fact, one might argue that combining these needs into one > building could, in fact, greatly benefit both. I can’t think of anything > more valuable to our older neighbors than watching our youngest residents > thrive in a space that is happy, clean, safe and reflective of the diverse > and unique needs of our town’s young students. > > Respectfully, > Kristine Barker > > > On Fri, Sep 29, 2023 at 11:55 AM kathryn hawkins < > [email protected]> wrote: > > Dear Lincoln- > > I would love to extend an invitation to anybody who would like to come > visit LEAP during the peak hours of operation. We run during the hours of > 2pm-6pm m, t, th, and f, 12pm-6pm on Wednesdays. On an average day we have > over 100 children and 20 staff in constant motion. We are over seen by the > Department of Early Education and Care, our program is not only child care > for the 100 families we serve… but we offer enrichment, education, and a > safe and caring space for children to feel “at home” while their families > are at work. > We are a non-profit and we rent yearly from the town . When you walk into > our building it is covered in beautiful, creative art work, science > projects, games, and laughter that the LEAP children are so proud of and > that our amazing staff spend hours preparing to offer each day. We house > an abundance of wonderful supplies, games, sporting goods, couches, air > hockey tables, a kitchen that we bake in, etc..throughout the building and > in our supply sheds. > We have been lucky to occupy Pod C since 1985, and have made it the “home > away from home” for so many children. > We utilize the amazing green space that we are able to open our doors and > pour out into, for a great game of soccer, capture the flag, kickball, > imaginative play..and so on. LEAP is important to this community, we are > not disposable and to think that we could just move into the school is an > absurd idea. > Remember “it takes a village to raise a child” and we are very much a part > of this village! > > Please come visit, we would love to show you what LEAP is all about. > > Kathryn Hawkins > Director of LEAP > 781-259-0615 > > > Sent from Gmail Mobile > > > On Fri, Sep 29, 2023 at 10:58 AM Bob Kupperstein <[email protected]> > wrote: > > I believe that a major issue for LEAP using space within the schools is > that they have a variety of activities with furniture/supplies/equipment, > etc. in place for the kids when they arrive. Sharing space with the > schools would most likely require extensive setup/tear-down on a daily > basis (along with storage space), as they wouldn't have their own dedicated > space. > > Based on our kid's experience at LEAP through their school years, it would > seem like that would be a pretty major limitation on their activities and > the operations of the program (especially considering that the > starting/ending times are likely already the most hectic times for the > staff). > > The existing set-up space is *one* of the things that makes LEAP such a > great program for our kids. > > LEAP staff may have other reasons why sharing school space might not be so > seamless - this is just one that occurred to me as a former LEAP-parent. > > -Bob > > On Fri, Sep 29, 2023 at 8:17 AM Magruder Donaldson < > [email protected]> wrote: > > There must be a way to accommodate LEAP in the new, spacious school… > Craig Donaldson > > On Thu, Sep 28, 2023 at 7:03 PM Peter Buchthal <[email protected]> > wrote: > > The school is too big by any standard. We have 550 students with a > declining school population. The architect and school administration at > the time told us the building was designed for 650 students. More > recently, the school architects publicly told fellow architects that the > school was designed for 700 students. 9 grades (k-8) each have 4 separate > classrooms. Only 2 of the 7 grades have enough students for 4 > simultaneous classrooms. Applying the state education sizing guidelines > for a new school, our 165,000 square feet should support over 1000 > students. > > It would be helpful to our discussion if people can agree on certain > facts. > > What exactly do people like about Plans A, B or C? I like none of them > as I believe the premise of intergenerational mingling as a goal won't be > accomplished with the limited available hours for senior programming at > Hartwell because of the parking, traffic and safety concerns. The new > community center will have senior programming by design only from 9 to 2:30 > on M, Tu, Th, Fr and 9 to 12 on Wed. > > The CCBC presents parking as ample with 50 spots nearby without telling > the community that the current users of Hartwell may already be using many > if not most of the 50 nearby spots. So, we may only have 5 to 10 open > spots at any given time or maybe even fewer if there are events/meetings > going on at the main Hartwell building's multi purpose room, training room > or School business office. > > I am afraid that the CCBC is sticking with a Community Center based in > Hartwell for the wrong reasons. The town has an obligation to its seniors. > I just don't want to build a core town building in a location that comes > with so many restrictions/limitations. > > Peter Buchthal > 71 Weston Rd > > On Wed, Sep 27, 2023 at 10:58 AM John Mendelson <[email protected]> > wrote: > > You write as if everyone agrees the school has too much space. I, for > one, don't. > > In my view, if there are lessons to be learned from the school building > project, it is wise to examine the reasons why the town voted down the > project in 2012, thereby rejecting $20.9 million in state funding. Hubris, > perhaps well-intentioned but overly wrought disagreements about site and > design, concerns about cost? Likely, all of the above. > > To my ear, this dialogue sounds very similar, and I cannot help but > believe that if we kick this down the road, costs are only going to > increase and the impact of the project diminished. > > I trust the work the CCBC has done and will very likely support their > recommendation. > > John > > On Wed, Sep 27, 2023 at 7:22 AM Peter Buchthal <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > People of course are allowed to have their own opinions, but I don't > believe this building project is about accepting our responsibility for > taking care of our elders. As I have mentioned before, my father lived to > 97 and was a big user of his local Council on Aging. You apparently > believe that if one does not support the CCBC's decisions, you don't > support our Council on Aging and its mission. This is far from the truth. > > Many on Lincoln Talk and others in town simply question the Council on > Aging Hartwell generous building space requirements. Residents simply do > not want to build a building that is bigger than our needs like we did with > the school. There is also a healthy debate on whether it makes sense to > build a COA/Community Center on the Hartwell Campus without sufficient > parking and limited hours to protect the pre-school Magic Gardens and > school age (5+) dropoff/Pickup from automobile running child parking lot > mishaps. I am also not aware of any community center anywhere that > intentionally colocates a senior center and daycare using a small shared > parking lot. > > Many on Lincoln Talk and the town would hate to see the town build a huge > building that is underutilized and repeats the lack of parking at Bemis > Hall. > > As a small community with limited resources and the highest per capita > debt in the commonwealth, we need to look at large projects with many eyes > and many voices. It is a shame that up to now, the CCBC really hasn't > listened to the public's concerns. > > In an effort to lower the cost and save between 3 and 4 million, I have > previously asked why Leap can't be relocated into the school where it > belongs. Almost all other school districts have extended day offerings > within the school as the hours of a school and after school program > dovetail perfectly. Maybe we should ask our new Superintendent if he could > house Leap within the school? > > Does anyone know where Leap is going to run while the Hartwell Project is > under construction? > > Peter Buchthal > 71 Weston Rd > > On Tue, Sep 26, 2023 at 6:03 PM john gregg via Lincoln < > [email protected]> wrote: > > I am so surprised that a community that encourages acceptance and > tolerance would further not doing the right thing like providing a place > for kids, adults and elders should be able to congregate. > > It is about space, about money, about having to be held accountable for > past neglect like providing a school for children. A place where the kids > would be provided safe care at LEAP for parents who work. A place where > adults could allow care for the ones who actually took care of them if they > move back home. > > This is the same discussion when deciding about a new school, a bunch of > intellectuals debating why things should not be provided to others like was > provided to them. > > Best Regards, > John Gregg > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > >
-- The LincolnTalk mailing list. To post, send mail to [email protected]. Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. Change your subscription settings at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
