Listen to this articleReading, MA — This past Monday night, after a brief video explaining the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process, Superintendent of School Thomas Milaschewski explained to a community forum at the Reading Public Library the rationale behind requesting that the community consider options for a new Killam Elementary School which would include housing the entire RISE preschool program in the proposed new school.
Milaschewski explained that RISE currently has 150 students spread across 10 classrooms at three different sites. There are currently close to seventy students on a waiting list for the program. He further noted that enrollment studies anticipate increased district enrollment over the next ten years and that the district would be wise to “proactively prepare for enrollment increases.”
In this context, Milaschewski indicated that the RISE program would benefit from being on one site for several reasons, including streamlined administration, consistent curriculum implementation, improved collaboration between staff, and a more efficient allocation of resources. He explained that the district would benefit from the additional space created at Wood End Elementary School, which could support growing student needs. He also stated that the six classrooms at the high school that RISE currently occupies could be used to expand programs such as the newly created innovation pathways.
When questioned, Milaschewski admitted that the additional two total classrooms created by the consolidation would not provide spaces for the entire waitlist. However, he did indicate that minimal redistricting would occur. He also does not foresee removing the modular classrooms from the schools that currently have them.
With this concept in mind, architects from Lavalle/Brensinger proposed four potential options for a new Killam school building. These have been narrowed down from the original ten options previously presented. The first requirement that the MSBA requires is to refurbish the current building with complete system upgrades. This was referred to as a “non-starter” as the building is already expected to need 50% more total space than it already has available.
The second option, A2, is also required by the MSBA and retains a portion of the current building, the classroom wing, then builds a three-story addition onto the rear of the retained space. The retained space would become the RISE area, with grades K-5 occupying the newer spaces. This option, referred to as “squashed into the seven and eight-tenths acre site,” is already not considered a top option as it severely limits the outdoor space available for play and recreation.
Option A2 also has a parking and traffic flow loop, which the fire department does not consider optimal.
A third option, B1, referred to as the “compact footprint,” is a three-story building, with the preschool on the first floor along with a cafeteria and administration. Grades K-5 would have classrooms on the upper floors. The gymnasium is on the second floor with a central two-story library and media center, which retains some of the character of the current Killam’s “doughnut” layout. It also has a one-way car loop, which would allow most of the vehicles to pick up and drop off and wait on-site with ample parking. It allows for a “nice field with multiple playgrounds” as well. Architects also noted that by using this option, the fire department approved access around the building.
The final option, E2, is referred to as the “three-story flipped.” It has all the parking, traffic flow, and playing field advantages of the B1 layout. The preschool would again be located on the first floor, with grades K-5 on the upper floors. Classrooms are arranged in a more traditional classroom wing layout, though each grade level would share its own “flex space” with classrooms surrounding it. The library and media center in this layout would be less centrally located but would have the advantage of having more natural light than a centralized library would be able to achieve.
In all three of the final options, the gymnasium will be over 7,000 square feet, which will allocate space for spectator bleachers.
The Killam School Building Committee intends to vote on the option it expects to proceed with at its August 5 meeting. The following community input meeting will be on August 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Reading Public Library.
