Debating the East School’s future
Published on April 4th, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - While the East School on Beacon Street stands idle, residents showed up on Thursday night to voice their input on the building's future and to make sure that mistakes of the past are not repeated.
The School Committee held a public hearing on the matter involving the potential rental of the East School to a third party. The motive to do so is about $100,000 worth of rental revenue, which could significantly help the school department’s fiscal year 2002 budget.
According to School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly, the school department's experience with renting out the North School on Collincote Street should benefit the residents of the East School neighborhood.
The $92,800 in rent from the SEEM Collaborative for the North School has been used as a direct offset to the operating budget this year.
"Our anticipation is to do the same thing with the East School," Connelly said.
Connelly highlighted many of the stipulations included in the current lease between the school department and the lessee, the SEEM collaborative, describing it as an agreement that has worked out very well thus far. Many of that contract's conditions are a direct result of neighborhood input such as limitations on evening use and daytime operating hours, as well as no on-street parking and continued use of the playground by the neighborhood.
"That's certainly something we will continue with the East School," Connelly added.
A similar lease would be worked out with any potential party of the East School building.
"It is our intent ... to go with a contract that is very similar... Your interests will come first," he assured.
Beacon Street residents told the School Committee previously that a business would not be welcomed. The previous occupant of the building, the Visiting Nurse Association, proved not to be a good neighbor, in many residents' opinions, due to its eventual growth and impact on traffic and congestion in the neighborhood.
According to Connelly, two parties are interested in renting out the East School, the Greater Boston Academy and the SEEM Collaborative. Both are educational programs, to which the neighbors have been more receptive.
Beacon Street resident Al Janko said that he'd like neighbors to see the actual contract prior to execution, something that they did not do with the VNA contract. A subcommittee of neighbors is expected to address this.
Building Inspector Gene Argiro estimated the cost to bring the existing building up to code at $10,000.
"That's what made this a viable option," Connelly said.
While the SEEM Collaborative has been a good fit at the North School, and its small student body makes it an attractive option for the East School as well, resident Matt Bialock questioned if sufficient staff parking existed on site for the program with such a low student to teacher ratio.
In addition, he stated that he has seen parking on both sides of Collincote Street in the mornings. With Beacon Street a narrower roadway, he warned that congestion could be a problem.
One resident asked if the neighborhood should worry about growth with a program such as SEEM. But School Committee Chairwoman Jeanne Craigie assured neighbors that special education guidelines are very restrictive on the number of students to classrooms. The East School has six classrooms.
"You really have a cap on the amount of students you can service there," she said.
Students in the SEEM program typically are transported by van or minibus, another factor in keeping traffic low.
School Committee member Marc Grimaldi echoed one resident's concern regarding use of the ballfield behind the school and the resultant traffic that occurs during ball games.
"This is a unique issue to East," he said.
The field belongs to the town, not the school, said Craigie, and suggestions should be made to the town regarding public safety, such as hiring police details during games.
While the school department would be responsible for major repairs to the building, the lessee would assume full responsibility for maintenance and utilities.
To move forward, the School Committee must submit a request for a site plan hearing to the Board of Selectmen for a change in use for the building which has not been used as a school for a number of years.
While no action was taken last week, the plan for the East School is to execute a lease with a party by July 1 for tenancy during the 2001-2002 school year.
Colonial Park principal
The search continues for a Colonial Park School principal, but the pool is now narrowed to two candidates.
While the Superintendent is responsible for hiring, the School Committee is given the opportunity to meet and interview finalists. The Committee did this publicly on Thursday and Connelly is expected to announce his decision in about a week.
Carey say goodbye
This was the final public action for outgoing School Committee member Mary Carey, whose three-year term to the board is up. Carey decided not to run for reelection in order to spend more time with her family. Carey called her service to the board a "great personal experience."
"I've learned a lot about myself and the town,” she said.
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