Two Months To Solve Branford School Quandary

Branford’s newly formed Facilities Committee has a daunting task: to study several school district buildings and make recommendations about their functionality — - all within two months.

Two of the buildings in question are Walsh Intermediate School, an open-concept school with few interior walls; and the aging John B. Sliney Elementary School near the center of town. The Board of Education (BOE) is attempting to decide whether it would be more feasible to renovate the two schools or build new ones. Click here to read a story about those issues.

The 2013 – 2017 five-year capital budget for schools makes no mention of proposed bonding for new schools. Both Sliney and Walsh are scheduled for a number of updates and repairs over the five year period, according to the town budget. The last time Branford actually built a new public school was when it built Walsh 40 years ago. School districts are partially reimbursed by the state for new construction. 

In a related development, school officials announced there could be a delay in soundproofing the walls at Walsh, leading one parent to ask that the school district provide earphones for students taking tests. 

“Sliney and Walsh are the two buildings we’re going to spend the most time discussing,” BOE chair Frank Carrano, told the committee at its first meeting Monday. ​“Walsh is an open-space school and now we have conditions in the building that many people feel are detrimental to the learning process.” Click here to read about this year’s test scores for 5th grade students, the grade they enter Walsh. 

Carrano said he would like the committee’s time frame to be as quick as possible. ​“I’d like to see us complete our work in two months,” he said, explaining that the committee will make recommendations and then the BOE will take time to debate the issues.

“It may take the board a lot longer to get more in-depth information,” Carrano said.

WALSH WALLS DELAYED

Parents in recent months have lobbied several town governing bodies in an attempt to bring the Walsh walls issue to the forefront.

“There have been problems all along but things have been percolating,” Carrano said in regard to Walsh. ​“Parents have identified the lack of walls as a serious problem.”

The BOE has been looking at temporary soundproofing options for the fifth grade classrooms. District officials announced Monday that a code compliance officer recently toured the fifth grade wing and said that a temporary fix may not be feasible because it would reduce the size of the classrooms and affect access. On Monday, the committee and others took a tour of different wings in the school and came upon a makeshift wall for a ​“classroom.”

Superintendent Hamlet Hernandez said the district is seeking a waiver from the state in regard to classroom size before deciding whether to proceed with the soundproofing project. He said it is doubtful the project could be complete before school starts as had been anticipated.

Walsh principal Robin Goeler said that fifth graders have difficulty adjusting to the open spaces and noise levels, but that students become accustomed to the building as they proceed through the grades. Walsh houses students in grades five through eight.

The other school in question is Sliney, which was built as a high school in 1928 and most-recently renovated in 1978. ​“It was never designed to be an elementary school. There are issues that need to be looked at,” Carrano said.

He asked the committee to consider the current and future the needs of the students, the district and the town.

LAST SCHOOLS BUILT IN 1972 

The district built Mary Murphy and Mary Tisko elementary schools in 1951. Both schools were renovated in 1992. Walsh was built in 1972.

The committee is also being asked to look at the Central Office building across from the Town Green, and several of the former school buildings that are no longer being used for traditional classrooms, such as the Branford Hills building. Hernandez and Carrano announced intentions last November to move the central offices to unused space at Walsh, but those plans are on hold while the committee looks at other options. Click here to read about the possible office move

Residents who attended the meeting were permitted to ask questions.

Parent Nichole Cipriano suggested buying earphones for the students to block out sound when they’re taking tests. ​“That is an idea if nothing else can be done by September,” she said.

Kate Ross, who spearheaded the Walsh walls movement with Cipriano, asked if it would be possible to move the fifth or eighth grade to another building to reduce the number of students at Walsh.

Carrano said he is open to options, but that the district needs to look at long-term solutions as well as temporary ones.

ANISKOVICH QUESTIONS CARRANO 

Jennifer Aniskovich, (pictured with Cipriano and Ross) whose appointment to the Board of Finance was not renewed by the Board of Selectmen, attended the meeting and told the committee that costs for renovations or new construction will be the biggest challenge. She also said it’s important to keep the needs of the students in mind.

Aniskovich asked Carrano who appointed the members to the committee and what process was used.

“I selected them,” Carrano responded.

Aniskovich asked why neither Cipriano nor Ross was appointed to the committee, since they are well-versed in Walsh issues.

“I think we have a very well-represented group,” Carrano said.

When another resident attempted to ask a question about committee membership, Carrano ruled him out of order.

In addition to Carrano and Hernandez, district personnel on the committee are: Mark Deming, facilities director; Robin Goeler, principal at Walsh; and Dr. Susan Iwanicki, principal at Sliney. BOE members are Judith Hotz, Mario Sabatini and Mary Grande. Parents include Meredith Gaffney, Nancy Kendrick, Kyle Nelson and Philip Piazza. Serving from the Representative Town Meeting are Ray Ingraham and Anthony J. Milici.

Following the meeting, which was held at Walsh, the group took a tour of the school. Efforts have been made over the years to place various types of partitions around the classrooms, and in some case, interior walls have been constructed.

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