Project FAQ’s

Elizabeth G. Lyons-Project FAQ’s`

Why is building a new elementary school a good idea?

In the absence of significant capital improvements, the existing Lyons school has reached the end of its useful life. Moreover, the building has insufficient space and is configured such that the building is an impediment to delivery of the curriculum.

Renovating and expanding the Lyons school was examined and it was determined that it was no less expensive than building a new school yet was significantly more disruptive to Lyons students. With no financial incentive to renovate, it was decided that building a new school was the best option.

 

Why didn’t we use the Lyons school site?

Multiple sites were examined for a new school, including the existing Lyons site. Possible locations were narrowed down to the Devine site and the current Lyons site. Upon further examination, the Lyons site was found to be largely within a 100-year flood plain, had extensive wetland areas, and had very poor soils for foundations. These constraints compromised design options for a new school.

The Devine site was found to have fewer constraints. There is a small wetland to the south, but otherwise the property is unencumbered for development. Soils are good for foundations.

Ultimately both sites were presented to the Building Committee, the School Committee and the Town Council for consideration; all three voted for the Devine site.

 

Why not combine the HS and MS and use the MS for elementary students?

This option was studied in 2012 and put before the town. Combining the middle school students in the same building as high school students was rejected by the community at that time. Moreover, this option is estimated to cost the town approximately $12 million.

 

How will it affect my taxes?

Because the MSBA will contribute approximately $27.7 million to the cost of a new school, Randolph’s contribution will be approximately $22.6 million. Assuming a conservative 4% bond rate on a debt exclusion, it is anticipated that the cost will be $28.93 per $100,000 of assessed value. The average assessed home value in Randolph is $368,000 which results in an average cost to a homeowner of $107 per year, or $0.29 per day.

 

What is the actual reimbursement from the MSBA for building the new school?

With incentives, Randolph’s base reimbursement rate with the MSBA is 80% of eligible costs. However, many costs are capped (e.g. building construction, site, furniture, technology) or disallowed (e.g. printing, moving, utility costs, etc.) by the MSBA. It is estimated that the effective reimbursement rate for the Lyons project will be 55%.

 

If the ballot initiative fails, will the Lyons site then be reconsidered?

If the project fails referendum, Randolph will lose its MSBA funding and must re-apply for admission to the MSBA process. Acceptance to the MSBA program is selective and it frequently takes several years before a district is admitted. Once accepted into the program it typically takes approximately 7 years before a school is built and ready for students. It is projected that it would be 10 years before a new school at the Lyons site could be accomplished through the MSBA process.

 

Has the Town Council/School Committee put thought into our walking student’s safety? 

Walking student safety has been a concern of the project from the beginning and was one of the factors that influenced the shape of the new proposed school districts. As part of the process, the building committee also engaged Walk Boston to review pedestrian routes to the new school and make recommendations that can be implemented by the town.

 

The proposed Lyons school has roughly 2 classrooms per grade level. This is similar to the existing Lyons school which has suffered from overcrowding. How is overcrowding addressed in the new design.

While it is true that the proposed Lyons school has 2 classrooms per grades 1 through 5, it also has two additional classrooms that can be used to accommodate enrollment bubbles in any year. Also, the classrooms that are proposed will be larger than the typical classrooms in the district further enhancing capacity. Lastly, the redistricting associated with the new Lyons project addresses systemic overcrowding throughout the district, not just at the Lyons school.

 

Would current Lyons families be eligible to attend Devine, or would they be redistricted?

The current plan is to “grandfather” existing Lyons students so that they can remain at Lyons until they graduate to the Middle school. New students will be assigned to the new districts, though exceptions may be considered for younger siblings of Lyons students.

 

How much larger is the proposed new school compared to the current Lyons?

The existing Lyons school is 36,000 square feet. The new Lyons school will be 65,000 square feet plus an additional 10,000 square foot PK center for a total of 75,000 square feet.

 

Much has been said about the 21st century features of the proposed Lyons school building. Will there be any updates done to the other elementary school buildings to create more parity?

As part of the redistricting associated with the new Lyons school project, school capacities in the existing elementary schools will ultimately be adjusted to free up space for program needs that are not currently fully accommodated, e.g. music, art, science, special education spaces, etc. The interior renovations needed to accommodate these new programs will be addressed over time as space becomes available through redistricting.

Furthermore, as a result of the Lyons project, the district is implementing district wide adjustments to the curriculum to better align with current teaching strategies, e.g. moving towards project base learning.

 

Will there be photovoltaic panels (PV’s) or other LEED environmentally friendly elements?

MSBA does not fund the installation of PV’s, however the building structure and roof are designed to be PV ready should PV’s be desired in the future.

The building has many environmentally friendly elements and is planned to achieve a LEED Silver certification.