Overview of Projects: Background
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In the ten-year period between 2009 and 2019, the District’s elementary enrollment declined by approximately 400 students. According to two independent demographic studies, one by Matt Cropper Assoc. and the other done in October 2016 by FutureThink this decline is projected to continue. Four of the District’s seven elementary schools have been remodeled and have capacities of 18 or 19 classrooms. The existing Hardy, Hunnewell & Upham (HHU) elementary schools have capacities of 15, 15, and 12 classrooms, respectively. But for the 2018-19 school year, the schools were using 14, 12, and 11 grade level classrooms, with other rooms used to support specialized programs and services for students. Numerous HHU studies have concluded that the physical conditions of the schools warrant major repair or full replacement.
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Over the span of the previous HHU masterplan study, Wellesley Public Schools has completed multiple professional enrollment studies in addition to their own internal annual update on enrollment projections. Copies of those enrollment studies can be viewed here
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Wellesley Public Schools Enrollment Projections October 2018
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Future Think Enrollment study October 2016
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Cropper Associates Enrollment updated October 2013
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Original Cropper Associates Enrollment February 2013
Please check the Town’s website for the previous work of the HHU committee and other prior feasibility studies for this project.
In 2017 the Town formed a new School Building Committee to advance the replacement or renovation with addition of at least two of these three schools to address these aging facilities. The SBC is currently pursuing two parallel projects to achieve this goal. The Hunnewell elementary school project began its feasibility study in June of 2018. Please visit the Hunnewell project page for more information on that project. The Town of Wellesley was invited into the Massachusetts school building authority (MSBA) capital improvements program for the Upham elementary school project. The Upham school project will consider feasibility options for the replacement or renovation with addition on both the Hardy and Upham campuses. Please visit the Hardy & Upham projects page for more information on that project.