Date: Fri 04-Dec-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: MICHEL

Quick Words:

school-Malik-Watertown-Hall

Full Text:

School Board Reviews Proposal For A New School

BY MICHELE HOGAN

The Board of Education heard architect Rusty Malik of Kaestle Boos Associates

Inc present a proposal for a fifth-sixth grade school and reviewed site plans

on Fairfield Hills on Monday night. The plan is to build a school by September

2001.

Option 1 would put a school for 1,000 middle grade students on the 19-acre

parcel owned by the town at Fairfield Hills. It would leave several acres of

land around Watertown Hall and Watertown Hall itself, untouched.

It would cost an estimated $24 million, less a state reimbursement for $8.1

million, leaving a net cost to the town of $16 million.

(With a new reimbursement system offered by the state, the town would be

reimbursed for expenses as they are incurred, rather than having to wait until

project completion.)

Option 2 would include the demolition of Watertown Hall, and the preparation

of the whole site for a school and playing fields. (All the playing fields

would be close to parking areas). This plan would cost $25,810,000, less the

reimbursement of $8,750,000, for a net cost of about $17 million.

Neither of Mr Malik's plans utilized Watertown Hall, the existing 150 room

building on this site.

Mr Malik said that he had initially considered including Watertown Hall, but

it had major flaws that made him decide to leave it out completely. He pointed

to disrepair of the building, including interior damage caused by a leaky

roof. Also, lead and asbestos in plaster walls, tiled floors and other areas

would need to be abated. Support columns interfere with plans to partition

standard size classrooms and hallways. The exterior door and doorways would

also have to be replaced, as they are too narrow to meet current code

standards for a school.

To top it off, the ceilings are too low. The ductwork and overhead lighting

that would be necessary in a school, would lower the ceiling height to about

six feet, which would clearly be unacceptable, according to the architect.

To summarize, he said that to be of use as a school, the building would need

to be completely gutted. As an architect he felt that the building did not

have enough architectural significance to warrant such a massive renovation.

On the other hand, Devery Stickles and Walter Motyka, both members of the

town's Space Needs Committee which had unanimously voted in favor of building

a grade 5-6 school last spring, argued that Watertown Hall could be modified

to be used as a school, at least as a temporary measure.

And, they argued, even if it was necessary to demolish the building, it

shouldn't cost a $1 million to do so.

Mr Malik said that abatement costs, for removing and disposing of lead and

asbestos contaminated materials, are difficult to estimate when the extent of

the contamination is not fully known.

Superintendent of Schools John Reed said that it is quite possible that the

state would consider paying the cost of demolition of Watertown Hall. He said

that the state has provided other areas with similar help, and the town should

not discount the possibility.

The School

Mr Malik presented a plan for a two-story school to accommodate 1,000 fifth

and sixth grade students. Working closely with a committee of administrators,

parents and teachers, Mr Malik designed the school around educational

objectives for this age group. Spacious classrooms would allow for hands-on

activities. Small project rooms between pairs of classrooms could be used by

two-teacher teams to help any students lagging behind, as well as those who

need extra challenge.

A large gym and ample playing fields could be used by the community in the

evenings, and air conditioning throughout would allow for year-round use of

the building.

These building ideas come from a visit to Michigan, where a group of Newtown

delegates toured several highly successful fifth-sixth grade schools. The

Newtown school borrows heavily from plans used successfully in these schools.

Valerie Pachniuk, a committee member who went to Michigan to see fifth-sixth

grade schools in action, said once she had seen how well these grade levels

worked together, there was no doubt in her mind that this was the way to go.

Pat Ryan, a parent who also saw the Michigan schools, agreed.

Although driven by overcrowding at elementary schools and the middle school,

Dr Reed pointed out that a fifth/sixth grade school can work very well. He

said that the staff they met in Michigan were excited about their school, and

the students were focused on learning.

Mr Malik pointed out that if future expansion became necessary, hallways could

readily be extended on both floors to accommodate more students. Also, if

demographics or needs changed, the school could easily be converted into an

elementary school.

Meetings will be scheduled throughout the winter months to seek suggestions

and involvement from parents and other community members in the early planning

process.