Space, technology issues plague Templeton elementary schools

Space, technology issues plague Templeton elementary schools

Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer

TEMPLETON — The town’s elementary schools have been described by some as being in a dire state, with the condition of the buildings and services available taking their toll on the students’ learning environment.

Kristine Boudreau, a fourth grade teacher at Baldwinville Elementary School, detailed pressing issues she and other staff members face every day and how they have adapted.

“We work around it,” she said. “You always have to have another plan.”

Two of the more disruptive problems teachers deal with daily, in Baldwinville, are cramped quarters and unreliable technology. Ms. Boudreau explained that classes hold several reading, writing, and math workshops that are supposed to take place in an area separate from the student’s
desks – something not possible in an already overcrowded building.


“All the kids should be able to come sit in a circle on the rug,” said Ms. Boudreau. “A lot of the classrooms are not large enough to do that.”

Ms. Boudreau said many teachers have gotten creative, having students sit on benches or milk crates, but with an unprecedented increase in kindergarten and elementary enrollment for next year, space will continue to be a valuable commodity.

Another issue students and teachers grapple with day-to-day is access to technology. Students cannot have their own computer when classes visit the school’s lab, as there are not enough machines and several are broken. Internet access is also limited. Ms. Boudreau explained the building does not have the electrical capability to allow all classrooms to be online at the same time. As a result, some rooms are “blacked out” and teachers have to find a workaround solution. According to Ms. Boudreau, the district recently purchased 30 iPads for students, which are shared among the classes. However, if lessons are  held in a room that is blacked out, the kids cannot use them.

“It makes it impossible to do these fun things if they can’t get online,” Ms. Boudreau said. “Every day you want to use this technology to bring the kids in and you can’t.”

Ms. Boudreau also cited leaky ceilings, bad air quality, and flooding classrooms as chronic problems experienced in both schools. She stated that the walls are cracked and disintegrate when work is done, as the building is over 90 years old.

Teachers cannot open windows, as they will either fall back down or get stuck, leaving them no way to keep their classrooms cool on hot days.

“What happens when that falls on a child?” she asked.

As an alumnus of Baldwinville Elementary, Ms. Boudreau said she did not remember noticing the condition of the buildings when she attended for sixth grade and understands that others may believe the schools are in fine condition for students, but with mold in the walls and asbestos under the gym floor, she does not think it is the best environment for learning.

“It’s quaint,” she said. “But as a teacher and as a mom, it’s not as healthy as it should be.”

“If it was a house, you’d have to take care of it,” she added. “And these buildings have not been taken care of.”

The Narragansett Regional School District has been fighting for a new elementary school for several years, with Senator Stephen Brewer, D-Barre, even stepping in to secure a parcel of land known as Crow’s Hill for the project.

In 2009, the Elementary School Building Committee was given $550,000 after a Town Meeting vote to compete both the feasibility and schematic design process.

The Board of Selectmen recently signed a contract given to them by Superintendent Ruth Miller for the completion of the feasibility study, to be paid for out of those funds, however the school district submitted an article to the special town meeting warrant asking for a $500,000 debt exclusion to support the schematic design.

Ms. Miller explained that, because of changing standards from the Massachusetts School Building Authority and several site changes due to an abundance of wetlands within the town, the amount allotted to them in 2009 would not cover everything.

While $500,000 seems like a lot to ask when the town is currently grappling with it’s own considerable budget shortfall, Ms. Miller explained that, since they’re working with MSBA, the authority would reimburse 60 percent of the project’s expenses and Templeton would only need to go out to bond for their share – around $200,000.

Should their article pass at the March 29 Special Town Meeting, the school’s feasibility study will be completed by June and submitted to the MSBA, who will then review the information and determine if the proposed site at Crow’s Hill fits into their Model School program. Model Schools are schools that have already been built with the MSBA’s help and if the site fits, Narragansett will be able to copy their design schematics for the new school, saving the town both considerable time and money.

If the vote at special town meeting fails, however, Ms. Miller has made it clear that the project will be out of MSBA’s pipeline.

“If we don’t get a positive vote on the floor or a ballot vote, we will lose MSBA support,” Ms. Miller has said. “If it doesn’t pass at Special Town Meeting, we’re done.”

The school district will be hosting a Town Hall forum Saturday in the Middle School cafeteria at 10:00 a.m. to present information and answer questions about the elementary school building project and proposed biomass boiler project. Babysitting will be available and provided by the district.