Town Manager Letter

To: 'SCHOOL COMMITTEE- NEW'
Cc: SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE; [email protected]; 'FINANCE COMMITTEE'

Subject: Vote on School Configuration
Dear School Committee Members

After much soul searching, I feel compelled to ask the School Committee, formally, to
reconsider its vote on the elementary school size. This request arises out of many concerns I have
and comments I have received from the public, but most importantly the concern that we will be
failing the children and the community if we go forward with a proposal that is likely to fail: a
combined elementary school.
First, I want to express my respect for the School Building Committee and School Committee
members. Without a doubt, all those involved have put a lot of time and effort into this project.
The issues involved have been challenging.
The real facts in this matter are that Winthrop and Doyon schools are outdated, overcrowded and
both need to be replaced at some point- , and that available sites are extremely limited. In spite
of best efforts to present additional facts in support of various configurations, the discussions
around configuration issues have been, in my opinion, largely driven by individual perceptions,
beliefs and feelings.
While it can be argued that a single combined school will be more cost effective in terms of
operational costs, the capital (debt) costs will outweigh any operational savings, and taking on
this level of debt will have an adverse effect on other necessary capital needs, such as a new
public safety building. As if this werent a problem in itself, I believe the community will be
unwilling to support this much debt for the school, when other options exist. I think the
community believed that while we might look at all options, the most important objective was to
address Winthrop school.
I have heard that if the Winthrop School alone is replaced, property values in the Doyon district
will suffer. I have spoken to 4 prominent realtors in town who adamantly refute this. What is
important is that the school district itself be robust. Certainly the $2.9 million override has
demonstrated that Ipswich is a community committed to public education, and that improves the
towns desirability to families and improves property values accordingly. These realtors also told
me that people choose the district they want to live in based on preferences and that many
families choose Winthrop because they want a neighborhood school. Daily, I see families
walking to and from Winthrop and using the playground. No matter what the facts say,
Winthrop is perceived as the center of a community. Doyon parents who have attended school
building committee meetings have also pleaded to maintain two small schools. Even the
educational consultant involved in this process believes in the importance and power of small
schools. Clearly, this is a visceral issue, not one that can be simply addressed by stating and restating facts. When has fact ever prevailed in the face of a compelling emotional argument?
I have heard that a single school will achieve equity for all children. What is equity? I have
been told it means every elementary school child gets a new school, or gets to attend a new
school for part of that childs education. I believe that misses the point. The entire objective
when this grant was undertaken was to provide a new school for Winthrop while reducing
overcrowding at Doyon, creating better spaces for learning for both schools. Two wins. But now,
the most disadvantaged school in the district, which houses the most at-risk population in town,
who are largely struggling with life circumstances too much to have time and energy to attend
meetings and have their voices heard, has become, in my mind, a hostage to personal interests
and educational vision. Busing this population to a distant location at Doyon is to me the most
inequitable of situations, and one I cannot support.
It seems to me that this project has moved beyond rectifying simultaneously an egregious
situation at one school and improving a overcrowding situation at another to school. It has
become a situation where facts are used to defend interests, and the real interests for the
community and the children are lost in the fracas. I am saddened that collectively we cannot
seem to look beyond personal perspectives and do what is right.
Now we have a choice: move forward with a project that is likely to fail because it reaches too
far and costs too much or revisit the problem we set out to solve: overcrowding and
undertaking elementary school replacement - one building at a time. I ask that you support the
option of constructing a new K-5 Winthrop School on the existing Winthrop site. I ask this
knowing that it isnt ideal, that it isnt perfect, that not all children will get a new school, but
that all children will get an improved learning environment, and that it is the option most likely
to win support of the community at large and that under these circumstances, it is the right
thing to do.
Respectfully,
Robin Crosbie
Ipswich Town Manager
25 Green Street, Ipswich, MA 01938
978.356.6609
[email protected]
www.ipswichma.gov

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To: 'SCHOOL COMMITTEE- NEW'

Cc: SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE; [email protected]; 'FINANCE COMMITTEE'

Dear School Committee Members

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