The following are links and documents related to the Natick Public Schools' current construction projects, and capital and space planning initiatives.

Discussions about capital and space planning have been happening since March 2020 with information about these discussions being shared with the community-at-large from the District and School Committee. We have outlined the timeline around these discussions and communication therein for reference below.

• March 2020-July 2020: JES is raised as a closure possibility due to required $6 million of required cuts appraised by the former town administration due to the uncertainty of COVID operating--predating any federal relief grants.

  • JES families raise the worry that over the past decades, closure of the school is raised periodically without a longer discussion about it.

  • District administration and the School Committee build a study and discussion period into the strategic plan for the coming school year.

• December 21, 2020: Dr. Nolin publicly shares a Parent Engagement Center, Vocational Center and School Space Considerations memo

• January 10, 2021: Dr. Nolin shares convenes a representative District Space Study Committee.

  • Committee meeting dates:

    • 1/22/21, 3/3/21, 3/24/21, 4/28/21, 4/28/21, 5/19/21

  • Committee members include:

    • Parent school council representatives from all elementary and middle schools (7 schools)

    • One school committee representative

    • James Freas, Director of Community Development

    • Jamie Errickson, Deputy Town Administrator for Operations (as of convening date, has since hired as Town Administrator)

    • Peter Gray, Assistant Superintendent for Finance

    • One member of the finance committee

    • Kirk Downing, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching, Learning and Innovation (as of convening date, has since resigned)

• January 2021: Space Study Committee meets

• March 2021: Space Study Committee meets

• March 2021: Finance Committee (FinCom) and School Committee education subcommittee meet extensively with the school department.

  • Worry expressed over potential funding cliff that could be created by using COVID relief and recovery grant money to fund recovery positions.

  • The District is urged to find other ways to fund ongoing needs and make clear to the community the temporary nature of the funding for these positions.

• April 2021: Space Study Committee meets at school committee meeting and the charge for the Committee’s focus groups slide deck is shared.

  • Questions and ideas are generated for exploration by the School Committee in the subsequent school year.

• Spring - Summer 2021: Interim Town Administrator convenes Natick resident and stakeholder meeting to discuss the operational and capital decisions facing the town.

  • JES, East, Memorial Elementary School (MES), 5 Auburn Street and Cole Center are evaluated.

  • External architect creates assessment documents.

  • Committee recommends JES closure, sale of 5 Auburn Street and discontinuation of the use of Cole Center long-term.

• May and June 2021: Space Study Committee meets.

  • Overview of temporary COVID positions funded by $2.5 million ($1.5 million in prepayment of special education and $1 million through ESSER III grant funding).

  • Sufficient to sustain one year of intervention and recovery needs is shared with community for school committee approval.

  • Positions needed to be posted to get out in front of the education worker shortage.

• June-August 2021: ThoughtExchange (crowdsourcing feedback forum) soliciting community input is initiated regarding ESSER III funding decisions, which include capital and space planning.

• June, July, August: Relief position and additional temporary grant funding secured.

  • Student needs assessed, academic and emotional recovery for students will need inclusion in budget for more than one year.

  • Funding for positions must be secured for longer-term recovery.

• October 1, 2021: Capital and Space Planning Site updated to include discussions of JES and MES, (has been documenting the work on KMS for 6 years)

  • Continued drop in enrollment evident on October 1, 2021 state enrollment report.

• October 1, 2021: NPS Engage newsletter shares upcoming forum and School Committee discussion dates regarding school space planning and launch of information site

• October 15, 2021: NPS Engage reminds community of new information site and upcoming discussions.

• October 15, 2021: ThoughtExchange (crowdsourcing feedback forum) soliciting community input is initiated regarding capital and space planning.

• October 18, 2021: Natick School Committee meeting, where discussions were held about capital and space planning.

• October 27, 2021: Community Forum held with the Natick School Committee.

• Nov 1, 2021: Johnson School Forum held with the Natick School Committee.

• Nov 3, 2021: Natick School Committee meeting, where discussions were held about capital and space planning.

Nov 15, 2021: Upcoming Natick School Committee meeting where discussions will be held about capital and space planning.