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Author: Website Editor

Educational Value(s)…and Some Financial FAQs…

District Strategic Plan

Each year, with input from the community, the Lincoln School Committee and Administrative Team set strategic priorities for the district. These priorities guide professional development and collaboration in the Lincoln School and in the Hanscom Schools. Since the new Hanscom Middle School opened in 2016, the district has had the opportunity to see how a school designed around grade-level neighborhoods and flexible common spaces can support our educational priorities, and how it makes it easier for our teachers to engage in the kinds of collaborations that spark creative and engaging curriculum.

Our teachers are our best educational resource. The building and environment can make their work easier or harder. Below are some resources to learn more about the impact of the learning environment:

  • Want to read about some of the values articulated by our faculty? Visit our October 15, 2017 post, How Spaces Impact Learning.
  • “The Industrial Age gave us the assembly line. It also instilled the philosophy that education — and the school buildings where learning happens — needed to mimic that style of design, with facilities built around long corridors that file students into boxlike classrooms filled with rows of desks…But in the 21st century, education is moving away from the assembly-line mentality, encouraging students to collaborate, work hands-on, explore their environment, and continually engage with fresh ideas.” —Excerpted from How Architecture Boosts 21st Century Learning published by the site “The T74,” a non-partisan, non-profit site covering education in America.
  • For more about hubs, revisit our June 3rd post, FAQs: Hubs & Code Compliance.
  • Visit the “Impact on Education” page of the SBC website to learn more, watch videos, etc.

Some Financial FAQs (with assistance from the Finance Committee & Town Finance Team)

I’ve seen that taxes would go up 17% – 19%. Would they keep going up by that much every year?
No. Paying for the bond is like making payments on a fixed rate, 30-year mortgage. The cost for the bond remains constant once it is fully added to the tax bill. However, unlike taking out a mortgage, the Town is likely to issue the bond in two “tranches” or pieces, that will mean the increase in taxes will likely be phased in over 3 years.

When would the project show up on my tax bill?
Based on the currently anticipated borrowing schedule, the first impact would occur in the tax bill for the second half of calendar year 2019.

Will it happen all at once?
No. Based on the currently anticipated borrowing schedule, about 45% of the total increase would appear on the tax bill for the 2nd half of calendar year 2019. That same amount would be included in both semi-annual tax bills of calendar year 2020, bringing that year’s added payments to 90% of the total increase. The two semi-annual added payments in calendar year 2021 would be slightly higher and add up to 95% of the total increase, and then the tax bills from calendar year 2022 onwards would have the full increase included. In other words, it will take about 3 years until we are paying the full “mortgage payment” on the school.

Remember…

…way back in March of 2017 when we were young, carefree, and just starting this process?

Sometimes, unless you are in the Lincoln School every day, it is easy to forget some of the basic reasons we are deciding, THIS SATURDAY, on a school project.

In March 2017, Town Meeting voted unanimously to release $750K that had been previously set aside for a school study, and to start again on developing a Lincoln School project. That vote indicated agreement that the condition of the school needed to be addressed. What do those basic infrastructure needs look like?

  • Big systems are at or beyond life expectancy. As a result, classrooms are often uncomfortably cold or hot, disrupting learning and impacting teaching:
    • HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) – The school does not have dehumidification or cooling except in selected areas.
    • Electrical
    • Plumbing
    • Building Envelope: roof, windows, insulation
  • There is no fire suppression system.
  • The school does not meet current snow load, structural, or seismic codes.
  • The school and the site do not meet current codes to accommodate people with disabilities.
  • Entryways do not conform to best practices either for security or energy efficiency.

To see some images, click here. Also, click on the image below to see a short video taken a couple of weeks ago in our elementary Wellness (aka Physical Education) teachers’ office.

Does that mean we’re not keeping up with maintenance? 

No. Each year we have voted as a town to fund a maintenance budget for the Lincoln Schools of about $75,000.  The town has a creative and skilled facilities maintenance team that gets the most out of that money by finding parts for obsolete equipment on eBay, making parts, and an endless array of other inventive solutions. About six years ago, for example, they re-sealed the seams on the roof to try to eke out a few more years before a project. It is worth noting that when we were working with the MSBA, which takes a dim view of towns that purposely avoid routine care, they complimented our facilities team on what they were accomplishing through basic maintenance.

Why can’t we just do this in stages?

The cost of replacing major systems means that they must be done as a capital project because they are outside the price range of the operating budget. Each year, the Capital Planning Committee gathers all the capital requests from each town agency, and works collaboratively to prioritize and do long-range planning. When the school department approached CapCom in 2002, the magnitude of the building’s needs led everyone to agree that it would be wise to do a more comprehensive study of the buildings on campus. Since 2003, multiple town committees and six independent consultants have come to the conclusion that a single project is 1) most cost effective; and 2) least disruptive to our children’s education.

  • Because building-wide systems need to be replaced, there is no area of the school that will be untouched. As a one-school town, there is no other place to house students while work is being done, and it is too extensive to complete over summers or vacations.
  • It does not make sense to do the same work twice, i.e. open up the walls to replace the heating system, and then go back and open up the walls to replace the electrical or plumbing systems.
  • Doing extensive work requires us to bring the building up to current safety, accessibility, and structural codes.
  • We want to minimize the time students and teachers are operating in a construction zone.

On June 9th, the Town considered a $49M option that would have addressed the building’s basic needs. In the first round of voting, almost 96% of those at Town Meeting rejected that solution and chose one of the other project concepts that went beyond repair and addressed additional needs.

Over these final few days before Saturday’s vote, we will try to condense and revisit information that has been shared over the past months.  If you have questions, please write a comment or contact the SBC.

Thank you!

-The Outreach Team

Just for Fun:  What is “Budget Falls”?

  • A.  The latest Wall Street exposé by Michael Lewis.
  • B.  A thriller set in an abandoned mill town.
  • C.  What the students named the plastic tarp catching the leaks in the Brooks Hallway.

Click here for the answer!

 

FAQs: Town Meeting & Voting

Town Meeting, June 9th

When do we vote on the project?

  • NEXT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1st – Special Town Meeting
  • MONDAY, DECEMBER 3rd – Ballot Vote

How long does the Town Meeting Last?

There is no definitive answer to that question, but here is what we DO know:

  • 8:00am – Check in begins outside the Auditorium. PLEASE CHECK IN EARLY, even if you need to drop off a child, go pick up a friend, etc.
    • All voters must check in outside the Auditorium, but you can vote from either the Auditorium or the Reed Gym.  If you would like to speak, you must come to the Auditorium.
  • 9:00am – Town Meeting presentations will begin promptly!
  • 10:30am – Discussion begins. It can be expected to last at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours, but this is Town Meeting, so it is unpredictable!
  • Whenever the Meeting votes, there will be a 10-minute break to ensure that people are seated and the volunteers who do the counting are in place. THEN THE DOORS WILL CLOSE – YOU MUST BE IN THE AUDITORIUM OR IN THE REED GYM IF YOU WANT TO BE COUNTED!
  • Although there may be a voice vote, it is most likely to be a standing vote.

Can I bring my children to Town Meeting?

YES! They are welcome anywhere – and if you think your child needs some running room, the back half of the Reed Gym will have open space for play. The front half of the Gym will be set up with chairs for when it’s voting time.

How many votes are needed? 

  • There must be a 2/3 majority for the project to pass at Town Meeting.
  • There must be a simple majority for the project to pass at the ballot.
  • Both votes are required if the project is to move forward.

Do we still have a ballot vote on Monday if the project doesn’t pass at Town Meeting?

  • YES! Both votes are happening, and each vote has a “shelf life.”
  • For any capital project (fire truck or school) it does not matter whether a town meeting vote or a ballot vote comes first.
  • If one vote passes and one fails, there is a limited time during which to call another Town Meeting/Ballot vote (whichever was not successful the first time.)

I can’t be at Town Meeting on Saturday, can I vote absentee?

NO. You must be present to vote at any Town Meeting.

I can’t make it to the polls on Monday, can I vote absentee?

YES! Absentee ballots are now available at the Town Clerk’s office.

Just for fun…What do temporary classrooms look like?

Click here to see the temporary classrooms our Hanscom K-3 students are currently using while the new Hanscom Primary School is being finished. (The Lincoln Public Schools District includes the Lincoln School and the Hanscom Primary and Middle Schools on Hanscom Air Force Base.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Outreach Team wishes everyone a turkey-and-pie-filled, enjoyable few days!

We will be on hiatus for just a bit…and then you’ll be hearing from us quite frequently in the final days before the Special Town Meeting which is a week from Saturday!

A few links in case you’re trying to avoid doing the dishes:

Lincoln School Project Overview (this should have arrived in the mail along with the official Town Meeting warrant notice and a glossary of Finance Committee terms.

FAQs: Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)

Finance Committee FAQs

FAQs: Tax Deferral and Abatement Programs

Click here to visit the Town’s page dedicated to the December 1st Special Town Meeting.  Lot’s of information!

 

FAQ – Tax Relief Programs

~~ TONIGHT! Multi-Board Meeting ~~

7:00pm – 9:00pm Hartwell Pod B

The School Building Committee, Finance Committee, Capital Planning Committee, and Green Energy Committee will present updated information in preparation for December 1st.  

The public is welcome and encouraged to come ask questions!

FAQ: Are there any ways to mitigate the impact of the property tax increase?

The Town of Lincoln offers all of the tax deferral and abatement programs authorized by the state. Below is a chart of the available programs. For more information about property taxes, please visit the Assessor’s web page on the Town website.

See the Latest!

After getting strong guidance from the community that it preferred a “sloped roof” approach to the new center of the building, our design team incorporated the feedback people gave and created updated drawings of the exterior.  Take a look!

Got Questions?

Bring them to us! This week’s outreach sessions…:

  • Tuesday, November 13th, 8:00am, Hartwell Multipurpose Room
  • Wednesday, November 14th, 9:00am, deCordova Café
  • Thursday, November 15th, 11:00am, The Commons

And other meetings…

  • Wednesday, November 14, 7:00pm, SBC Meeting, Hartwell Multipurpose Room
  • Thursday, November 15th, 7:00pm, Multi Board Meeting, Pod B

And on Saturday, December 1st!…

  • 8:00am, check in begins for the Special Town Meeting!
    • Please arrive early to get checked in.
    • Both the Auditorium and the Reed Gym will be open – check in for everyone is outside the Auditorium.
  • 9:00am, meeting begins (promptly!)
  • Babysitting available!
    • LEAP is providing care for children ages 5+. Email leap0615@gmail.com for more information.
    • The Lincoln Family Association is offering a parent/child drop-in space for the under 5 set. Email lincfam2005@yahoo.com for more information.