A majority of the four candidates running for two open seats on the Andover School Committee in the March 25 local election agree the Town will eventually need to replace its high school, but they offered differing on the current proposal to make upgrades and extend the life of the existing building.
“We must not lose sight of the fact that Andover will eventually need a new high school,” Emily DiCesaro, one of the two incumbents in the race, said in response to an Andover News survey of candidates. “Even as we pursue short-term solutions, we need to think strategically about the future.”
A special town meeting killed a proposal to build a new, $450 million high school without state financial aid in November 2023, then approved a plan to study the feasibility of making improvements to the existing building. Andover cannot apply to state aid for a new school until the funding for the new West Elementary School is closed out.
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The Permanent Town Building Committee, which has been overseeing the upgrade proposal, has been holding a series of forums to solicit public input and explain the project to residents.
DiCesaro, Christopher Shepley, and incumbent Sandis Wright all said Andover should pursue state aid when the Town is in a better financial position, with DiCesaro saying the Town should apply for Massachusetts School Building Authority consideration as early as next year. She pointed to rapidly escalating construction costs, which will make the project more expensive the longer Andover waits.
“We need to think strategically about the future,” she said. “I believe we should apply for MSBA funding next year once the West El project is complete, but we must do so with careful planning.”
Jacob Tamarkian, who is making his first run for elected office, said officials have yet to clearly articulate the problems at AHS, leading to a lack of support for the new school. He also believes Andover Public Schools leadership should have made more progress on the interim plan 15 months after the special town meeting vote.
“I watched a recording of the first public forum on the project and was surprised at the lack of progress, given that the town approved the design budget 15 months ago,” Tamarkian said in his survey response. “If nothing else, it makes me feel like APS leadership doesn’t view AHS’s facilities as a particularly urgent issue.”
Wright said in his survey response any AHS project needs to be “community driven” and “broadly supported.” Like DiCesaro, Wright belives Andover needs to simultaneously look ahead to the future replacement of the building.
“The question is what do we do between now and then?” he said. “We need input from the community, educators and administrators in making improvements that address, as best we can, some of the needs outlined in the AHS education plan. Once we have a more defined path forward for AHS, I support pursuing MSBA funding after West El / Shawsheen school is closed out with the state.”
Shepley was a vocal opponent of the $450 million new school proposal, saying it “would have decimated our bond rating, skyrocketed property taxes, and forced many seniors and fixed-income residents out of town.”
“I supported 7B as a responsible interim solution to extend the life of AHS while positioning Andover for state aid on a full rebuild when our community is in a better financial position,” said in response to the Andover News survey. “Now, we need steady leadership on the School Committee to ensure this project delivers the best for students while keeping taxpayers protected.”