Somerville parents frustrated as plan to reunite Winter Hill School students remains uncertain
SOMERVILLE - Somerville parents say they're "exhausted" and "frustrated" after a plan to temporarily reunite kids from the Winter Hill Community Innovation School appears to have fallen through.
How it started
The problems started when the Winter Hill School suddenly closed in June after a piece of concrete fell from the ceiling and the building was deemed unsafe, though no one was hurt.
Then, students were set to be moved to the Edgerly Education Center as a temporary location. However, asbestos was discovered in the replacement building, which led summer programming to be cut short.
The asbestos was removed and finally, students moved into Edgerly for the 2023-2024 school year. However, because the building didn't have enough space, only first through eighth graders moved in. Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students were instead separated and temporarily moved to the Capuano School.
With the Winter Hill building out of the question for the time being, the plan was to renovate a portion of the Edgerly Education Center to allow for Pre-K and Kindergarten students to reunite with the rest of the Winter Hill student body for the 2024-2025 school year.
"That has been the promise that these families and educators have been holding onto all year," explained Somerville Educators Union President Dayshawn Simmons.
Reunion not happening
An email sent to parents Friday night signaled that construction and reunion likely won't happen. "City staff are still researching all options, and while we may have additional updates, we want to be transparent with you every step of this process," the email read.
"In short, under state regulations, the total property value of the Edgerly building restricts the total cost of renovations that may be performed in the building over any three-year period. If renovation costs go over that amount, the City is required to perform additional, significant ADA compliance improvements and other building code upgrades throughout the building. A recent updated assessment of the Edgerly changed the City's understanding of its value. It revealed the work that is needed may be too close to the maximum allowed renovations within a three-year period and may not be able to proceed with planned renovations, particularly in one summer."
Essentially, the district may – or may not – complete the planned renovations by next school year. Families, however, are confused by conflicting information.
Transfer option
On Monday, families of children entering Pre-K and kindergarten received calls asking if they wanted to transfer their kids' top school choice.
"Absolutely infuriating," said Eran Phinney, a parent whose two kids are separated within the two replacement schools. "I want my children in the Winter Hill community."
"We want a building that is safe first off," she added. "[We want] all of our children…under one roof, and all of them can feel like part of a community. Right now, they are disheveled, they're being bussed to different locations and it's very difficult for my two kids to not be under the same roof at the same time."
"Mice running around"
Teachers are also frustrated by conditions they say are no better than Winter Hill.
"We are feeling the urgency because we are in it every day. We are trying to teach with mice running around our carpets," said teacher Gwyneth Davies.
"I teach older students and for them this is their fourth school building in as many years because of how many times we've had to forcibly relocate across the city," added teacher Megan Brady.
In an email, the school district said it's unclear whether the renovations will take place.
"SPS and the City of Somerville have been working to plan for additional renovations at the Edgerly Building to be able to accommodate the PK and K classrooms at Edgerly beginning in September 2024," a spokesperson told WBZ-TV. "As of right now, we are not certain whether that work will be able to happen over the summer, meaning that the current grade configuration/locations could remain in place for next school year."
