By NEIL ZOLOT
NORTH READING — The School Committee will give a presentation at the Monday, October 6 Town Meeting to replace modulars at the Hood and Little Elementary Schools.
“We want to be transparent this is coming up,” Superintendent Dr. Patrick Daly said at the board’s meeting Monday, in reference to a timeline that would include an article at June Town Meeting to fund a feasibility study.
The School Com. will request passing over Article 13 at the Oct. 6 Town Meeting and instead provide voters with an update on the aging modulars.
A 2024 study outlined three options: renovate the modular units at both schools, demolish them and get new ones, either one at each school or two at Hood, or demolish them and add a new wing at Hood for an Early Childhood Center, using local funds and reimbursement for the state School Building Authority (MSBA).
Daly said renovating the modular units is not a viable option, given they date to 2002 and renovation will be a stopgap measure at a cost of at least $1,3M but probably more due to cost escalation.
“The MSBA sees this as a way to re-outfit Hood,” Daly said, a reference to their ratings of the Hood and Little in 2016 as “generally good with a few building systems that may need some attention, minor repair or renovation.” A more recent study was conducted, but findings have not yet been published.
Daly also noted some of the areas of the modular units are leaking and unusable, with some kindergarten classes now being held in rooms not designed for Early Childhood programs. An Early Childhood Center would allow kindergarten classes to be in one place and possibly expanded to serve more children.
“Renovating the modular units is not an option,” member Scott Buckley agreed. “The real question is which of the others to choose.”
Installing new modular units wouldn’t include provisions for an Early Childhood Center leading School Committee Chairman Jeff Friedman to ask: “What is the difference between the options?”
That number is not available, yet, but Daly reported that demolishing the modular units and getting new ones would cost between $4.0 and $4.6 million, not including escalations, while a feasibility study to demolish them and add on to the Hood will cost $700,000–$2 million. New construction will trigger other building code updates, some of which would be eligible for reimbursement from the MSBA.
Friedman said taking advantage of options for aid from the MSBA “is an opportunity for us to get reimbursement” for expenditures not typically reimbursed.
“We’ve done a good job maintaining our schools, but the town has other proceeds,” added member Tim Sutherland. “If we can present an option on funding, that’s positive” but renovating the modular units would be “throwing good money after bad.”
The School Committee presentation at Town Meeting will also include a timeline in which MSBA Eligibility Period Commencement (EPC) procedures will start in December 2025 with requirements that a School Building Committee be established within 60 days after eligibility is granted, and Local Vote Authorization and a Feasibility Study Agreement within 270 days after EPC.
Although Daly mentioned the possible need for a Special Town Meeting, he believes the 270 day timeline would dovetail with the Annual Town Meeting in June 2026.