BY Neal Zagarella
On May 8 the citizens of Ipswich will be asked to decide the future of elementary education in town. It is important to note that the citizens have already spoken several times on this issue.
In a special town meeting in June of 2017 citizens voted against funding a feasibility study for a large, combined elementary school at the Doyon site. That vote was meant to be binding.
In October of 2016, the school committee voted 6-1 against placing a large, combined elementary school at the Doyon site.
The basis cited for this vote by many committee members was location. A downtown site within walking distance of the largest amount of residents, local businesses and the library was found to be important and desirable.
This thinking can be traced to the Ipswich Community Development Plan (CDP). This document, adopted in 2003 as a guide for future growth, praises the town for locating facilities in and near the downtown “adding vitality to our town center.”
The CDP also recommends that future growth be “pedestrian-friendly”.
At the June 2017 special town meeting citizens also passed an advisory for the school committee to reconsider maintaining our current two small school model.
This vote echoed the testimony of the vast majority of parents at open school committee meetings during the decision process.
Doyon parents and past students cherished their small community school. Winthrop parents and graduates were equally fond of theirs.
Now on May 8, the school committee asks us to reverse the two votes taken at the June 2017 town meeting, override the vote the committee made in October 2017, set aside the recommendations of the Ipswich Community Development Plan, and ignore the voices of hundreds of parents that value our two small school communities.
Time and again the citizens of Ipswich have decided against this $70 million dollar project.
We have decided that Ipswich is not a place for what would be the largest elementary school in Essex County.
Moreover, we have decided that we cherish our two small schools and the learning experience provided by both of them.
On May 8, say “No” to building one of the largest elementary schools in Massachusetts. It’s what we’ve been saying all along.
Neal Zagarella
Linebrook Rd.