SOME FACTS ABOUT THE ASD BUILDING PROJECT

To be clear, all school buildings are assets of the community to be used for the purposes of providing public education.  We elect school boards to govern the school districts.  We want to and should trust school boards to make honest and reasonable decisions as to the best possible educational outcomes.

The Joint Facilities Advisory Committee (i.e., JFAC) or Amherst Building and Grounds Subcommittee (i.e., B&G) has advised the Amherst School Board (i.e., ASB) to make yet a third request for the demolition of the Wilkins School and build a new Wilkins School.  However, JFAC and the ASB have refused to consider examining utilizing any available school space in the community.  In fact, both JFAC and ASB have vigorously shunned any suggestion to reconfigure the school districts by cooperating with Souhegan Cooperative School Board (i.e., SCSB) to expand the cooperative for both 7th and 8th grades.  This year, both JFAC or B&G and ASB are choosing again to dismiss the available space at the Souhegan Annex, claiming, “it has been discussed ad nauseum.”  The truth is that the Souhegan Annex has NEVER been HONESTLY evaluated for 7th & 8th grades.  In May 2020, the leadership of JFAC was determined to “…take the annex off the table…”  Is this fair to the entire community that JFAC and ASB ignore potentially available classroom space for 7th and 8th grades, so they can build a brand new large elementary school building?

SCSB has demonstrated in September 2022 and September 2023, and the SAU39 administration acknowledges there is space.  SCSB acknowledges adding 7th/8th to the cooperative may require reconfiguration and changes to the curriculum and master schedule.  SCSB has a standing offer to ANY SAU39 school district to just ask, and they will work with them to determine how the new SCSD will look.

Unfortunately, ASB will not consider the merits of realigning or reconfiguration the ASD as Kindergarten through 6th grade, which is the same as Mont Vernon.  Is it reasonable to reconfigure with a Lower Elementary School (1st through 3rd) which could be at the Wilkins School, and an Upper Elementary School (4th through 6th) which would be at the AMS site?  Could this be a responsible use of existing buildings?  Neighboring school boards, with very successful schools, have exercised good stewardship for their communities by honestly considering all reasonable options.  Is it time for the ASB and SCSB to consider holistic solutions for K through 12th grades?

For the last 5 or so years, both JFAC and ASB insist on the NEW excessively large elementary school, relocating 5th grade down to a lower elementary.  Not only does this desire create a need for more space, it also creates a burden on the immediate community by creating more congestion within the Amherst Village.  Even more unfortunate, this unnecessary expanse will be levied on 100% of the taxpayers, even though approximately 75% to 80% of all residents DO NOT have children in any of the Amherst Schools. Is this fair to the entire community?