Somerville Mayor Weighs In On New School Plans

SOMERVILLE, MA — Mayor Jake Wilson voiced his support for the city’s Construction Advisory Group’s recommended plan to build a new school building.

Somerville’s CAG unanimously agreed earlier this month that the new building should be built at 115 Sycamore St., which is the site of the former Winter Hill Community Innovation School until it closed its doors in 2023. The other location being considered was Trum Field at 541 Broadway, but the group said that state law requirements to compensate for the lost space as well as strong community opposition in surveys and focus groups led them to choose the other option.

Wilson expressed his support for the CAG’s intent to give the School Committee and School Building Committee flexibility with their recommendation. As a part of the School Committee, Wilson said discussions will be heavily centered around this topic in the near future.

“The majority recommendation from the CAG is to maximize state investment in our students and a new school building at Sycamore Street to serve the most students possible,” Wilson said. “That would translate to building a school for 900 plus students. This means approximately 250 seats would ultimately be relocated from the Brown School to a new school building at 115 Sycamore Street.”

In the original recommendation, seven CAG members elected to have the school’s future decided by the School Committee, three recommended closing the Brown School eventually, and the remaining three supported keeping the Brown School open.

Wilson clarified that even if the decision is made to ultimately close the Brown School permanently, it will remain open for at least another six years.

“What you can count on is this: the City will actively maintain the Brown School building during this time,” Wilson said. “Students now enrolled at the Brown School will be able to complete their K-5 education at Willow Avenue.”

Wilson said his administration is working to publish a timeline that is easily comprehensible for residents.

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