Lyman Hall, Sheehan Consolidation Gets Board Of Education Approval

WALLINGFORD, CT — The proposed consolidation of Wallingford’s two high schools will head to the Town Council after the Board of Education voted to combine Sheehan and Lyman Hall into one high school at Monday night’s meeting.

The board approved the consolidation by an 8-1 vote, with Ray Ross voting against it, according to the Record-Journal.

The Record-Journal reported that the nearly 300,000-square foot new high school would be built on Lyman Hall’s current site on Pond Hill Road. The project is estimated to cost $216.06 million, with the town’s share at $122.68 million and the state reimbursement rate around 43 percent, according to the Record-Journal.

The New Haven Register reported that the state reimbursement would drop if both schools were to be renovated instead of consolidated because Sheehan’s utilization would be around 59 percent.

One study projected Sheehan’s highest enrollment over the next eight years to be 738, according to the Register.

Superintendent of Schools Danielle Bellizzi said the school board came to the decision after “considerable research and discussion.”

“The Board came to this decision following an initial facilities study conducted by Silver, Petrucelli & Associates, a review of input from stakeholders throughout the community, and an evaluation of a significant educational benefit analysis,” Bellizzi wrote in a message to families on Tuesday. “Last night’s vote will now bring the consolidated high school proposal to the Wallingford Town Council for its consideration. Should the Town Council support the Board’s decision, the district will issue a request for proposals for the development of architectural specifications needed to submit an application for state funding.

“Initial Town Council support for this proposal will also allow the district to seek additional outside services to conduct a more in-depth study of the consolidation of our high schools. The results of this study will again be shared with the Board and the Town Council for their consideration.

“We greatly appreciate the community’s involvement in this project thus far and we look forward to working with all of you as we move forward in creating a high school that reflects our community and the needs of our students.”

Read more at the Record-Journal here and the New Haven Register here.

For more information about the restructuring study, visit here.