School Committee Interested in Renovating or Replacing South Middle School

STOUGHTON, MA — With the new Stoughton High School project moving along, school officials have their sights on South Elementary School.

Tuesday, the school committee voted 3-1 to submit a statement of interest for the project to the Massachusetts School Building Authority. Joaquin Soares voted against the motion.

Joyce Husseini told the committee that the building is in need of a renovation or replacement, noting that the cost is high to restore the school to its 1958 condition. According to a 2010 facilities master plan, the cost to repair the school is high and includes $2 million for the roof, $1.5 million for windows and doors, and $250,000 for a new boiler. The school is not ADA compliant and the ramps in the building are too steep and narrow, Husseini said.

Superintendent Marguerite Rizzi said the building is in worse shape than the high school but programmatic concerns caused the MSBA to give the high school project priority.

With the cost of the new high school already on the tax rolls, Soars said he would not support the statement because of the additional tax burden on residents.

Rizzi said approving the statement would allow the town to have a conversation on cost.

“That’s a conversation the town needs to have as a town. The last building that was completing in this town was 1970. We missed a few generations so that’s why we’re having this conversation now,” Rizzi said.

If the selectmen endorse the statement at their meeting Tuesday, it goes to the MSBA for consideration.

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