Shaker Lane Building Project Update - September 5, 2025
Reimagining Shaker Lane School
More exciting news!
The Shaker Lane Building Committee, with the support and involvement of our community, attended an MSBA meeting on August 27, 2025. We're thrilled to announce that the Board of Directors approved moving the Shaker Lane building project into the Design phase. The Board of Directors also voted to approve the project budget for the Shaker Lane Building Project, a significant milestone that we've achieved together.
Key Budget Numbers
Total Project Budget $99,704,151
Less Feasibility Study -$1,085,000
Net Project Cost $98,079,951
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MSBA Grant $38,145,689 The grant is $8.8 million more than initially projected.
Net Project Cost to Town $59,934,262
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School Building Stabilization Fund -$7,155,117
Less Estimated Premium -$2,054,145
Net Project Bond Amount $50,725,000 20-year bond.
On Tuesday, September 2, 2025, we met with the Select Board, School Committee, and Fincom to provide an update on the approved MSBA project budget. Please find the presentation here. The estimated split tax Impact for year one would be $719.20 ($60/mo). We are pleased that we were able to keep the increase in taxes significantly below the initial estimate for the year-one tax increase.
Cost of Doing Nothing
If the project does not pass at the fall special town meeting, we would have to reapply to be accepted into the MSBA program, which may take 7-10 years to achieve acceptance, and we would have to start the process from the beginning with the submission of a Statement of Interest. In the meantime, the Shaker Lane School is well beyond its expected lifespan and poses a significant risk of requiring substantial repairs, including a potential code upgrade, which would not constitute a renovation and would not alter the current building configuration. The building, as determined by the MSBA project, is undersized by approximately 36,000 square feet. As a result of the inadequate space for the current population of students, we would have to bring in eleven modular classrooms, which would still be under the approved MSBA square footage by approximately 25,000 sq ft.
If we experienced a significant system failure and the cost of repairs exceeded $2.73 million over five years, we would need to perform a code upgrade, which would likely result in the need to find spaces for 414 students. Any other maintenance costs incurred for the building would contribute to the maximum expenditures allowed to trigger a full code upgrade. Our other three schools are already close to capacity, so we would not be able to absorb our pre-kindergarten to 2nd-grade students into different schools within the district. We would be faced with the task of purchasing a significant number of modular classrooms, and the location would need to be determined. The cost of the portables would exceed 12 million dollars, assuming we could access key areas, such as a cafeteria, in one of our buildings. When considering potential system failures, it is a reality that they will occur at some point, resulting in significant costs. Investing 56 million dollars would not create a school that was designed for 21st-century learning and would not meet the space requirements for our current student population.
Key budget numbers for doing nothing (approximate costs)
Code upgrade $44 million
22 modular classrooms $12 million
Total potential cost $56 million
Less Bond Premium and School Stabilization Fund. $51 million (10-year bond)
The estimated tax impact for the first year would be $1494.77 ($125 per month).
A No Vote For a new Shaker Lane School would result in at least 10 years of maintenance costs for a building that is well beyond its life expectancy, a high probability of code upgrades (not a renovation), which would result in purchasing modular classrooms to house 414 students. Building costs for a new Shaker Lane School would escalate at approximately 5% per year and a 99 million dollar school would become a 161.5 million dollar new school construction project if construction was delayed for 10 years.
A Yes vote would bring us a brand new, sustainable Shaker Lane School, designed for 21st-century learning. The school would be built on fields behind the current school, offering students opportunities for enhanced connection with nature. It would also provide separate loops for car and bus pick-up and drop-off, as well as collaborative learning communities for each grade level. The school would be designed around energy-efficient systems, which would decrease the school's carbon footprint. The new school would also be designed to create learning spaces tailored to meet the needs of our youngest learners, instilling a sense of hope and optimism for the future of our growing and vibrant community.
A Yes vote for a new Shaker Lane School would be less expensive for taxpayers than a No vote.
One key step in moving forward with the Shaker Lane Building Project is to have the town vote to approve the project. The following dates are significant, and we encourage our community's active participation in this crucial vote. Your vote is not just a choice, but a responsibility towards the future of our school and community.
October 28, 2025, Special Town Meeting- warrant article to approve the building of a new Shaker Lane School. Your vote is crucial in shaping the future of our school.
November 1, 2025, Debt Exclusion Ballot Vote.
We will be holding an in-person Shaker Lane tour on,
Tuesday, October 21, 2025. 6:30 pm tour, 7:15 pm Informational session.
We encourage you to attend and learn more about the design and cost of a new Shaker Lane School. We would also like you to see the current conditions of the school and understand why it is essential to build a new school for our youngest learners.
Stay tuned for more information.
