VOICES FOR PELHAM EDUCATION

 
                                                                                 Frank P. Marinace, Architect
The mission of Pelham High School is to educate students so that they may pursue life goals, 
participate fully as active citizens, and become socially responsible community members.

Alternatives
 

Why can't the current high school just be renovated?

This option was reviewed, and in June 2005, the School Board, NH Dept. of Environmental Services, EPA, US Army Corp of Engineers & Gore Environment concluded that adding on to the current high school was NOT a viable option. Over the long term, a fourth school would still be needed to accommodate growth.

Currently, the three schools in Pelham are functioning near or above capacity and the town projected growth rate is approximately 20% through all grades within the next ten years. The population growth creates a need to expand the school system.

Doing nothing is not an option at this point. Waiting to address this project only postpones the inevitable. Today the school system is over capacity by about 200 students. Other considerations:

      >An addition would not solve the long-term problem of overcrowding at all three schools

>Risking accreditation of the high school.

             >Facing the ongoing cost of trailers to house more and more students.

             >Building later (beyond a 2008 plan) would mean a 6% increase per year, which translates into a $3.1 million per year increase in
                   cost.  

       >Land in Pelham is at a premium. The land identified for the project will likely be sold for residential development (more houses, more children in the schools) if the land is not voted in on March 11, 2008.

                                                          Info taken from Marinace Presentation at bond hearing 1/15/08

 From William Hayes (www.pelhammessageboard.com):

If the Atwater Property vote fails:  Under the terms of the Purchase and Sale Agreements, signed by the property owners and the School District, the School District's right to purchase the property will expire on March 11, 2008, if the District fails to appropriate the funds necessary to purchase the property for Three Million Dollars.

If the School District does vote to purchase the property, the State of New Hampshire will begin reimbursing the School District for a third of the cost, as soon as construction begins. The reimbursement will be in the sum of One Million Dollars, leaving a net cost to the District of only Two Million Dollars.

If the School District does not vote to purchase the Atwood property on March 11, 2008, it will end up spending many millions of dollars more to access and develop the remote Peabody Town Forest due to the lack of adequate access, no established water supply, poor soils, steep slopes, ledge and wetlands.

Even if the extra millions of dollars were spent on the Peabody Town Forest, the end product would be inferior to the Atwood property from a location, function, and an appearance perspective.

Website hosting donated by Greenwood Computer Services