ParentSquare Messages

2/27/26

Good afternoon SPS families,

At our last regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting, the Board voted to adopt a 2-phase, long-range facilities plan that includes the new construction of Kelley Elementary School and the expansion of South End Elementary School. If approved at the referendum, the district will close Flanders Elementary School upon the completion and opening of these new and expanded facilities. Additionally, upon completion, the Board will undertake a comprehensive redistricting that will take into account enrollment and utilization rates at all remaining 7 elementary schools.

Lastly, within the proposed plan, there will be a phase two of the project that includes building a new Derynoski Elementary School on the existing property behind the current Derynoski site. This will go to a referendum in the next 3-5 years. (The actual date depends on the completion of Phase 1, with consideration given to the town’s 9.5% debt service policy limit)  

Phase 1 of this plan will be proposed to voters in a referendum currently scheduled for June 2, 2026.

Below is a brief summary that addresses some frequently asked questions I have been receiving recently and directs you to the section of the district's website where more information can be found, if desired.

History 

• The district has been studying various options and scenarios dating back to 2017; however, the Districtwide Facilities Committee was only constituted in 2021 to engage elected and appointed officials in planning and review. The committee consists of the superintendent, three members of the Board of Education, including the past and current chair, the town council chair, a member of the Board of Finance, a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, and the town manager. 

• The Districtwide Facilities Committee met 9 times during the period from its constitution to last week's Board vote.  There were no meetings in 2022, as the district focused on the athletic facilities referendum held in November.

• All committee meeting minutes were shared publicly during regularly scheduled Board of Education meetings, and minutes were kept. 

• Two public presentations/forums occurred during this time period. The first was held on March 16, 2023, and the second was held on April 1, 2025.

Current status, including process, timelines, and costs

• If approved, the district plans to submit a priority grant application to DAS (state agency that oversees and administers school construction grants) by the June 30,2026 deadline. 

• The district will be informed in December 2026 whether we will be placed on the priority list, which will confirm our eligibility for reimbursement for the proposed project. 

• Construction would begin after what is typically an 18-month design phase, in July of 2028. 

• There are currently no architectural renderings; however, work is underway to provide imaging comparing current KES spaces with recently completed project spaces. 

• In the past, when Oshana and the 2 middle schools went to referendum, renderings were easier and less costly because both were only renovations using existing buildings. The rendering used to promote the South End project did not resemble the school that was eventually built. 

• There are costs associated with renderings that may mislead the public into thinking the rendering is the designed building, even though the design phase does not occur until after the referendum is passed. Hence our plan to use recently completed modern projects juxtaposed against the current KES space. 

• Completion would be targeted for February of 2030, with redistricting and the closing of Flanders to occur for the 2030-2031 school year. 

• The total projected cost of Phase 1 of the project is 86.4 million.

• The estimated district share (cost to the town) is 39.70 million.  

  • The Total Project Cost for Kelley is $78.7 million.

  • The estimated district share for Kelley is $35.3 million. 

    • The estimated district share can be decreased further if the district requests a space standard waiver.

    • A space standard waiver is a mechanism that allows the project to include more square footage than the current enrollment without penalty to the reimbursement rate, with the understanding that future projected enrollment and school consolidation are included in the grant application. 

    • If a space standard waiver is granted, the full 65% rate will be applied to the project.

  • The space standard waiver provides 50% reimbursment, and the preschool spaces add a 15% bonus to the reimbursement rate, hence the 65% referenced above. 

  • The estimated district share with the full rate (space standard waiver and preschool bonus) for the Kelley Project is $30.1 million.

  • The Total Project Cost for South End Elementary School is $7.7 million.

  • The estimated district share for South School is $4.4 million.

  • If a space standard waiver is granted, the estimated district share is $3.8 million.

Next steps:

• • March 9, 2026 Town Council Introduces the Board Ordinance

  • March 12, 2026 Board of Education Reviews and Adopts Ed Specs

  • March 25, 2026 Board of Finance Public Hearing Regarding Elementary Project

  • April 6, 2026 Town Council Public Hearing Regarding Elementary Project

  • April 27, 2026 Town Council Issues 3 Resolutions (Non advocacy period begins meaning no public funds can be used to promote or support the proposed project

  • June 2, 2026 Referendum (Exact language being brought to referendum is not yet drafted)

Redistricting 

• Redistricting plans will be drafted approximately 18 months from the projected completion of Phase 1. 

• Redistricting plans are not finalized sooner than this because there will be housing turnover over the next four years, possible neighborhood developments, and enrollment trends and shifts that must be considered closer to the time of enactment in order to minimize disruption to the maximum extent possible and ensure any impacted students and families are only affected only once. 

• Attendance zones will be finalized by Fall 2029. (one-year prior to implementation) 

For more information

For more information, you can visit the district’s website at Home - Southington Public Schools and click on the Districtwide Facilities Committee - Southington Public Schools icon in the middle of the homepage. 

This section includes the following:

2.19.26 Meeting Presentation, link to the 2.19.26 BOE Meeting, 1.27.26 Districtwide Facilities Committee, the 4.1.25 Special Meeting Presentation, 4.1.25 Special Meeting Video, where the scenarios were first introduced, and public comment was taken. 

Additionally, this page includes the comprehensive Facility Condition Assessments and Capital Renewal Reports for Kelley, Derynoski, and Flanders schools, as well as the latest enrollment study. 

The district will continually update this page as information becomes available, including Adopted Educational Specifications, Test Fit Maps for the various construction sites, conceptual renderings, etc. 

Lastly, there is a button on this page for submitting questions. Those questions are answered as time allows (please note that we do not have a project specialist dedicated full-time to this process, so questions are distributed to various departments and consultants for review and response), and they are added to a running list of questions asked and answered to date. 

I understand this can be exciting for some, while emotional, sad, and frustrating for others. I also understand the anxiety that can come for some with an imminent redistricting. I will do my best to keep our community apprised as much as possible and to support any upcoming transitions and ease concerns to the best of my ability.

Sincerely, 

Steve (Madancy)

3/20/26

IMPORTANT BUDGET UPDATE AND PUBLIC HEARINGS

Good evening, Southington staff and families,

I just wanted to send out a few important dates to consider for next week.

Monday, the 23rd, the Town Council will be holding a public hearing for the Elementary Facilities Project @7pm at the Weischel Municipal Center, Public Assembly Room.

• The hearing usually occurs at the start of the regularly scheduled meeting and may be continued until April 6th if needed, at the council's prerogative.

Tuesday, March 24th, Town Hall Chambers, 6:30 Board of Finance workshop. 

•  While much of the recent focus has been on the facilities projects, please try to attend this meeting if possible. These meetings are not streamed or recorded, and even though they are only workshops (which do not provide a chance for public comment), it is still important to understand the conversations about next year's operating budget. If any of the recent budget scenarios discussed in this past week’s workshops become reality, they could have a significant and lasting impact on the district, including staffing levels, programming like extracurricular activities and athletics, course offerings, and class sizes. 

• The most recent figure discussed in Thursday evening’s workshop was upwards of a 2.8-million-dollar reduction to the Board of Education budget. This would result in massive staffing reductions affecting all levels.

Wednesday, March 25th @ 6:30, Board of Finance, Town Hall Chambers 

• Public Hearing re: Elementary Facilities Project

• At the regularly scheduled meeting, the Board of Finance will finalize its budget recommendation to the Town Council.

Monday, April 6th @ 7 pm Special Town Council Meeting 

• Two public hearings, one for the 2027 Operating Budget and another for the Elementary Facilities Project.

3/31/26 "IMPORTANT!!! Budget Update and Public Hearing Dates!"

Good afternoon, SPS staff and families,

I am writing to provide an update on our current budget situation for the 26-27 school year.

On Wednesday evening (March 25th), the Board of Finance voted to reduce our Board of Education proposed budget by $3,275,942 (6.71%) to $126,799,132 (4.02%). The overall impact on our operating budget is $1.6 million, as the other funds from the cut are offset by self-insurance adjustments.

While this is a very difficult cut, it is better than the 2.8 million originally being discussed. Thank you to all of you who attended or spoke in support of the budget. I think the large presence helped. We can’t stop here!

2 very important dates coming up: (Both @ John Weischel Municipal Center)

• April 6th @ 7 PM -The town council will open the public hearing on the Town Budget, which includes the BOE portion of the budget. A large presence and public comment are important!

• April 13th @ 7 PM, Public Hearing Continued, for those unable to attend on the 6th, given that many may be unable to attend since the 6th falls over spring vacation. 

Why are these dates so important?

The town council can do one of three things with this recommendation.

1. Reduce our budget further

2. Accept the Board of Finance’s recommendation.

3. Restore some of the recommended cuts, lessening the impact on our district.

Your voice matters!

Sincerely,

Steve

4/9/26 "Budget Update, Public Hearing moved to 4/27"

Good afternoon SPS staff and families, 

I just wanted to send along a quick update.

As communicated at the April 6th Town Council meeting, the public hearing on the budget will now be continued on April 27th, rather than the originally scheduled date of April 13th. 

The rationale is to allow more time to understand the state funding landscape, as several legislative proposals and scenarios are in play during the current session. 

Again, there is no public hearing on the town/BOE budget on April 13th; it is now April 27th.

Thank you,

Steve