Carlisle School Building - Frequently Asked Questions

How did the school building project get started?
Actually, it has a pretty long history. Since 2001, the Town has prepared two Feasibility Studies and one Master Plan for its school, but for a variety of reasons including a State moratorium on funding school building projects, the project had not previously moved forward. The Master Plan, developed in 2006, recommended replacing the Spalding building and addressing unmet educational needs with a new addition to the facilities. It also outlined a plan for renovations to all existing facilities in order to maximize reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The Master Plan is available on the School web site at: http://www.carlisle.k12.ma.us/district/business/FacilitiesMasterPlan.pdf
In 2007, the Commonwealth lifted its multi-year funding moratorium on school projects and Carlisle submitted a Statement of Interest (SOI) to indicate our intention of proceeding according to the Master Plan. The SOI was well-received and we have been moved along in the process by the State.
Of the 423 Statements of Interest submitted from school districts throughout the Commonwealth, Carlisle was one of only 49 communities selected to collaborate with the MSBA. Carlisle then progressed to the Schematic Design Phase and at the Town Meeting on May 4, 2009; Carlisle voters approved funding $450,000 to complete the Schematic Design. We are one of only eleven districts to move to this stage with the MSBA.

The MSBA has approved our Schematic Design and awarded Carlisle approximately $7 million to complete the project. The School Building Committee (SBC) is requesting final approval for funding to complete the detailed design and construction at a Special Town Meeting on April 5, 2010.

Why do we want to get involved with the MSBA?
The MSBA will reimburse a significant portion of our qualifying expenses but we must follow their process.

What does the project include and how much will it cost the Town of Carlisle?
The project includes:

Replacing the Spalding Building

Renovating spaces within existing buildings to meet educational and space requirements

Repairs in existing buildings that would be needed in the near future, regardless of this building project

The project is expected to cost a total of $20 million; the MSBA has approved reimbursement of approximately $7 million. Carlisle would be responsible for funding approximately $13 million.

The following is a breakdown of the $20 million cost:

New Building for Primary Grades

$12.3 million for a new approximately 30,000 square foot building to replace the Spalding building and house primary grades (Pre-K to 2). This facility will provide better space for teacher collaboration, improve circulation and security and address educational requirements.

Renovation of Existing Facilities

$3.3 million for renovation and re-purposing within the existing buildings including renovated middle school science labs, a technology lab, more appropriate learning spaces for Special Needs children, a multipurpose music/choral room and the School Business Office.

Maintenance and Repair of Existing Facilities

$4.4 million for repairs to existing buildings including new roofs, new air handling units and the modernization of information technology infrastructure. The Carlisle Long Term Capital Plan included many of these items for funding in the next few years.

Will Carlisle receive State reimbursement for the project?
Yes, we have commitment….The MSBA selected Carlisle to be in the first group of schools with which to collaborate on a school project. The MSBA has indicated Carlisle will be reimbursed for 40% of the eligible project costs. The MSBA determined that approximately $17 million of the $20 million project is eligible for reimbursement. Carlisle will be reimbursed approximately $7 million by the MSBA.

What does this mean for Carlisle taxpayers?
Carlisle will bond approximately $13 million for the project over a 25 year period. However, unlike a home mortgage, bond payments do not stay constant. As the principal debt is retired the bond payments decline.

Based on a median priced home with an assessed valuation of approximately $790,000 the annual tax increase in the peak payment year of the bond is expected to be approximately $597. The peak payment year of the bond is anticipated to be the year 2014.

What costs of the project were determined to be ineligible for reimbursement by the MSBA?
There are some items in the project, although deemed necessary for our school, which are not eligible to be included in MSBA reimbursement. The ineligible costs are noted below.

$786,000 Conservative construction cost estimate: The MSBA estimates construction costs at $275/square foot. Based on their experience our Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) and Architect recommend using a more conservative estimate of $302/square foot.

$623,000 Ineligible space: The MSBA has determined the Central Administration area and a portion of the Multi-purpose room are ineligible for reimbursement.

$572,000 Site costs: The MSBA has capped the ‘site work’ at 8 percent of the total cost. Because we are building on an active school campus with many physical constraints, our site costs are greater than would be experienced building at an undeveloped location. Some of the increased costs related to our site include relocating existing gas and electric lines, installation of a fire protection cistern, and replacing play areas displaced as a result of construction.

$402,000 Soft costs: The MSBA sets allowances for various costs including the Architect, the Project Manager and overall soft project costs. This project is an addition with renovations and repairs to existing buildings which increases both the complexity of the project and the duration. As a result the project exceeds the MSBA allowances for soft costs.

$220,000 Miscellaneous: Other costs the MSBA has determined to be ineligible include moving costs, legal costs, asbestos abatement, and minor Auditorium repairs.

How does the reimbursement process work?
For funding reimbursement, all costs for services are paid by the Town to the providers. The Town then submits a monthly payment history to the MSBA and will be reimbursed 40% of all eligible costs on an ongoing basis.

Why must the Town appropriate the total project costs when we are assured of getting 40% reimbursement on eligible projects?
The MSBA requires each Massachusetts town to achieve voter approval for the total costs (before reimbursement) for all projects submitted for funding. This means that the town must approve the total cost.

Where are we in the MSBA-mandated process?
Once the MSBA moved us to the feasibility phase in the fall of 2007, we were required to hire an Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) to assist with the initial planning. In May 2008, the Town approved an expenditure of $25,000 for OPM services and hired Boston-based Daedalus Projects (www.daedalusprojects.com). Daedalus assisted the School Building Committee (SBC) in complying with the MSBA process and assisted us with the selection of an Architect. We progressed to the Schematic Design phase in April 2009 and the Town approved $450,000 to complete this preliminary design. The MSBA approved our design on January 27, 2010. The Town of Carlisle has 120 days from that date to vote funding for the project. If the town votes to fund the project, the Architect will prepare detailed design documents, solicit contractor bids, and construction will begin in early 2011.

How was the scope of the new building project developed?
The SBC did a detailed inventory of the existing space and its current use. We then worked with the Superintendent to assess our future educational space needs. This planning was done in the context of both the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and the MSBA requirements for new school construction and school building compliance. As a result of this work the proposed project addresses the educational and space standards needs for the entire school, Pre-K through Grade 8.

During this entire process, the SBC had three priorities in mind:

Comply with current state educational requirements

Maximize the potential amount of state reimbursement the Town receives

Not exceed the expected capacity of the Town to fund such a project

Plan facilities that meet Carlisle's future needs for the next 15 years

What is the MSBA approach to planning and funding projects?
The MSBA encourages school districts to remodel, as needed, and to plan for projects that meet expected educational needs for a minimum 15 year period. The MSBA examines the whole campus when evaluating a project and reimbursement request. The MSBA provides funding for new construction, as well as for needed repairs to existing structures.

Why replace Spalding? Why not just repair it?
First and foremost, the MSBA has indicated they will not reimburse for renovating wood-framed buildings and Spalding is categorized as wood-framed.

There are a number of other reasons to replace Spalding:

It is a 53 year old structure that has exceeded its intended life
It has extensive mold and termite damage
There is groundwater coming up through the foundation and into classrooms
A new roof and heating system are needed
In 2007 MSBA rated the building a 4 on a scale of 1 to 4, indicating a building being in the worst condition of all school buildings in the State and in most need of replacement
As a separate building it creates security issues, forces primary students to leave the building frequently for lunch, music, physical education, etc.
The building is noncompliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements
HMFH recommended replacement in 2006 Master plan

How many students will the proposed project accommodate?
The MSBA and the SBC have reached agreement that the project addresses our school needs for a projected enrollment of 700 students over the next 15 years.

What are the steps to implement the project?
If the Town appropriates the balance of the funds for the project, Carlisle will enter into a funding agreement with the MSBA for the completion of the project. At that time, the Town will continue into the next phase of our contract with HMFH (www.hmfh.com) the architectural firm. We will also continue services with the Owner’s Project Manager, Daedalus Projects (www.daedalusprojects.com) for project oversight, as required by the MSBA.

The final detailed design is then developed and the bidding process for the construction phase begins. Construction is expected to start in early 2011 with final project completion by summer 2012.

What happens to the space currently occupied by Spalding?
Once the new building is constructed on the existing plaza, Spalding would be demolished and the area would be landscaped and converted into play space. All of these costs are included in the total $20 million total project.

Are our Carlisle school buildings really “overcrowded”?
Rather than “overcrowded” a better word might be “inappropriate”. That is, while enrollment has declined, educational requirements have changed making some of the current space inappropriate.

For example:

Second grade classrooms are 15% smaller than current state standards
Corey ensemble room is used for classes of 20 students but it was designed for 5-8 students

Choral space at the back of Corey auditorium is not wheelchair accessible and is too small for the Middle School choir

Classes that take place in the auditorium are often cancelled so the auditorium can be used for other events

The Physical Therapy room in Spalding is only accessible via a set of stair and does meet ADA requirements

We have been cited for not having appropriate Special education spaces by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

The DOE has cited Carlisle for not providing adequate spaces for special education and ELL (English Language learners)

In October 2006 the DOE issued their Curriculum Frameworks for Science and Technology/Engineering. This framework calls for an emphasis on research and problem solving for middle school students with students developing and then constructing 3 dimensional design prototypes using hand and power tools. The proposed engineering lab will allow us to meet this frameworks requirement.

Isn’t enrollment dropping? Why add new space?
Over the next 15 years, Carlisle’s school population is expected to be relatively steady at around 700 and will fluctuate according to NESDEC’s enrollment projections. At its lowest point, the school population is expected to dip into the 600’s and then return to 700. Having said this, there are still several reasons for the new space – see the question above on overcrowding.

What is the increase in overall square footage for this project?
The current gross square footage of all campus buildings is 125,538 sq ft. It is anticipated that the new addition would be approximately 29,000 sq ft. After the demolition of Spalding, the anticipated gross square footage of all campus buildings would be 139,337 sq ft – a net change of 13,799 sq ft.

But these are uncertain economic times; shouldn’t we wait?
The School Building Committee has deliberated this issue for some time and recommends moving forward now for several reasons.

MSBA Commitment - The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) has committed to fund 40% of the project including schematic design.

Top of the MSBA Queue – Of 423 school projects put forth to the MSBA, Carlisle is one of only 11 projects moved to this schematic design phase. Given the number of projects vying for a declining pool of state revenue, it will be very difficult for us to find our way back into the MSBA queue if we don’t move forward now.

Spalding Condition - In recent years the Spalding building has had numerous facility issues including mold, roof leaks, termites, boiler break, and water entering classrooms from under the floor slab. So far, the school has managed most of these issues on a short term basis without large capital outlays. However, as a minimum it will be necessary to replace the roofs and possibly the heating system in the next few years. It does not make sense to make these costly repairs if the building will be replaced.

Competitive Market – Currently, bidding on construction projects is very competitive and borrowing costs are at historic lows. Proceeding expeditiously improves our chances of taking advantage of these conditions.

Is space really an issue as long as we are meeting the State-mandated educational goals and have high MCAS scores?
In fact, our children continue to excel despite the condition of our facilities. However, we have been cited by the State for non-compliance with educational standards for primary grade space and security issues, special education spaces, and inadequate science labs for the upper grades.

What are we NOT getting as part of the project?
This project attempts to take into account the school district needs for the next 15 years. It does not include replacing or renovating all campus buildings. Also, there are items on the initial wish list that were eliminated from the project. A designated Elementary Music room will not be included. The Multi-Purpose room will be designed to accommodate this function. We will not be replacing the windows in the existing Wilkins and Robbins buildings because the financial payback exceeded 25 years. The SBC has worked closely with Town officials to ensure the School's needs are met for the next 15 years while not exceeding the expected capability of the Town to fund the project.

What is the relationship between funding the Carlisle building project and any future Concord-Carlisle High School (CCHS) building plans?
From the MSBA’s perspective, these are two separate districts with two distinct projects on their own timelines. Each project will move forward on its own.

From a Carlisle taxpayer’s perspective, the CCHS project will require a similar process if the two towns decide to pursue MSBA funding for the high school. CCHS is completing the MSBA required step of developing a Master Plan document as Carlisle had done in 2006. CCHS is requesting funding at the May 2010 Carlisle Town Meeting for Schematic Design development. You can visit www.cchsmasterplan.org for information on the CCHS project.

Who is on the School Building Committee?
The SBC has grown to meet MSBA requirements for representation by a variety of town interests. Current members include:

Larry Barton, Finance Director, Treasurer, & Tax Collector
Janne Corneil, Community Member
Marie Doyle, Superintendent
Bill Fink, School Committee Representative
David Flannery, School Facility Manager
Tim Goddard, Town Administrator
Bob Pauplis, Community Member
Bill Risso, Community Member
Don Rober, Community Member
Doug Stevenson, Selectman
Lee Storrs, Chair
Ingo Szegvari, Community Member
Linda Vanaria, Teacher
Robert Wiggins, Community Member

Glossary

ADA	Americans with Disabilities Act
MCAS	Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Test
MSBA	Massachusetts School Building Authority
OPM	Owner’s Project Manager
SBC	Carlisle School Building Committee
SOI	Statement of Interest