Swampscott New School Proponents Cheer Decisive Victory

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Swampscott voters overwhelmingly passed plans to build the town's first new elementary school in nearly 70 years on Tuesday.

Proponents of the new $98 million K-4 twin elementary school began celebrating the victory shortly after polls closed Tuesday night with 65 percent of the approximately 4,200 residents voting choosing in favor of the debt exclusion and 35 percent of residents voting against the measure, according to unofficial results.

"Yes!!" the advocacy group. "Swampscott Says Yes" posted on its Facebook page. "We did it Swampscott.

"Now let's build the best elementary school for all of our children."

Voters were asked to approve a debt exclusion to fund the twin schools that will consist of one K-2 building, one Grades 3-4 building and a common area for facilities, staff and activities. Swampscott has been approved for $34 million in state reimbursement funds for the project – leaving the taxpayer cost at about $64 million.

"We are elated, and so proud of Swampscott tonight for its resounding support for this new school," Sierra Munoz, "Swampscott Says Yes" co-chair, told Patch Tuesday night. "This vote is so many years in the making — years of hard work by the School Building Committee to deliver a great school for our youngest learners and our amazing teachers."

The vote came almost exactly seven years following the rejection of the last elementary school project that would have replaced the fourth-oldest group of elementary school buildings in the state. Hadley Elementary was built in 1911, Stanley was built in 1929 and Clarke was built in 1952.

The proposed new school is designed to hold up to 900 students.

The Swampscott Select Board last week expressed optimism that one remaining obstacle to the new school — an easement agreement with the Universal Unitarian Church on a portion of land necessary for a required access road to the school — would be cleared with the help of a mediated settlement.

"The town of Swampscott and the UUCGL continue to discuss the easement required as part of the new elementary school," the Select Board said in a statement. "The town and church met most recently last week and agreed to resolve details of the easement with the benefit of a third-party mediator. This is important progress, and a key step towards a fair and equitable resolution for all.

"We appreciate the church's strong sense of community and their commitment to collaborating with the town on this critically important project for our town."

The $57 million 2014 proposal failed overwhelmingly at both the town meeting and town-wide vote.

A special town meeting vote of members last month was 244 to 39 in favor of allowing the project to move forward to Tuesday's town-wide vote.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

More Patch Coverage: Proposed Swampscott Elementary School Passes Town Meeting Vote

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