March 6, we have the opportunity to support Andover Elementary Middle School by voting in favor of a bond providing important infrastructure upgrades to the building. The Andover School Board has worked for three years to develop a fiscally responsible plan. The effort included research conducted by an independent task force – The Andover Facilities Task Force – which identified both wants and needs. The bond is a no-frills proposal which will fund necessary upgrades.
We can no longer afford to delay. The safety of our children is at stake. Andover Elementary Middle School has not had a significant update in 25 years.
Voting Yes Means:
Safety Updates:
The electrical wiring is not up to code, posing a huge fire risk. There are no sprinklers in the hallways, and no firewall barrier to protect children, in the case of a fire. Would any of us be okay voting against a safety measure and having a child seriously injured or worse?
Save Money & Update Systems:
At this time, 40% of the school’s heating is lost through the roof. Updating to more efficient insulation, plumbing, lighting, exhaust, and ventilation systems will save money in the long run.
Space Issue:
Many of our students with learning needs are taught in closets or hallways, and academic classes have to work around the crowded lunch space.
What is the financial cost? Based on current estimates, a home valued at $100K may see an increase of $112/year or just over $0.30/day. A home valued at $200K may see an increase of $224/year or just over $0.61/day. The financial cost is significant. However, if we don’t take care of our school and make our school a safe place, there is a far greater cost to our students and town.
Voting YES is a win-win for all Andover residents. AE/MS represents an incredible value proposition for Andover residents. Excellent schools increase property values. Families who care about education move to Andover, in part, because of our school.
In Andover, we benefit from small class sizes and teachers who sincerely care about students. Graduates matriculating to high school are often placed in honors or advanced classes due to the incredible teaching they’ve had at Andover. In addition, our middle schoolers have tremendous athletic, artistic, musical, and academic opportunities that many children their age do not have, simply due to high middle school numbers at larger schools.
Our school is what keeps many of us connected to one another. If we continue to stall on improvements and allow our school to fall apart piece by piece, we will pay for it: families won’t move here, property values will drop – and so will morale among students, staff, and the community. Taking care of one’s school makes a tremendous statement of our investment in education.
At the moment, interest rates to make additions and improvements are low. The Andover Facilities Task Force research has shown that approaching the updates in a piecemeal fashion is not cost effective, rather, it’s far more expensive. In addition, the project to update our school will be bid out, which could potentially lead to job opportunities for local tradespeople.
We live in a wonderful community with families who care about raising and educating children. Together, The Andover School Board and The Andover Facilities Task Force have performed due diligence over the last three years to bring us a fiscally responsible plan to care of our school. Please vote yes on March 6.