Last Updated by Phil Polimeno on 3/7/10 @ 10 AM
We did it!
| YES | No |
| 6186 | 1191 |
Vote YES For The New Tewksbury Memorial High School
We Need Your Support To Continue Building Our CommunitySpecial Town Meeting on Monday, March 1st, 2010
Special Town Ballot Vote on Saturday, March 6th, 2010
It's time to build a new high school for the students and for our entire community. We can't let this unique, unbelievable state reimbursement opportunity pass us by.
The Key Points
* Strength In Education - Tewksbury's children deserve the proper educational foundation in order to compete and succeed in the future. Lets keep our children in our community rather than having them educated (and playing sports, being employed) elsewhere. Building a new high school will enhance our community's long term teaching and learning environment.
* Invest In Tewksbury - As a community we take pride in our new Library, Senior Center, Police Station, Ryan Elementary and Wynn Middle Schools. Let's continue to invest in the town and build a new Tewksbury Memorial High School that reflects that same pride and forward thinking.
* Leverage This Great Opportunity - In 2007 a Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) evaluation concluded that the Town of Tewksbury actually has the "greatest need" in the area for a new facility out of 400 schools that applied. Tewksbury, therefore, was the 1st of 3 to be "fortunate" enough to be accepted into this unique Model School Program (MSP). After a deliberate research process, we picked an existing local school (the Hudson High School Model Plan) to use as a prototype in order to realize lower architectural design fees, an accelerated project timeline, and an extra 5 reimbursement percentage points saving millions of dollars.
* Guaranteed Reimbursement - The MSBA/State of Massachusetts has already pledged and set aside funding for high school re-development projects which cannot be cut nor eliminated. The money is sitting in the bank literally waiting for the Town of Tewksbury to leverage and build a brand new high school. We can't let this great MSP opportunity pass us by and hand the funding over to another competing town who is eagerly waiting for us to pass.
* 60% Percent Off - The cost of the new high school will be around 82 million dollars. The state has guaranteed a reimbursement rate of 60.06% (on the reimbursable items only) on our project. This means the state will fund around 44.2 million dollars and the town will need to come up with the remaining 37.8 million. As part of the agreement, Tewksbury will get reimbursed every 30 days during construction.
* Now Is The Best Time To Build - Looking back over last decade, and ahead another 10 years, now is the perfect time to build. Interest rates and Tewksbury's bond rating are currently very favorable. Construction costs are down, and this project will bring jobs to our community. As our population grows, the tax base for the town will increase as will all our property values - enhancing our return on investment.
* A Revenue Opportunity - The new school contains a variety of multi-purpose facilities that will not only be utilized by our teachers and students during the school day, but also could be leveraged by our entire community in this new town center. A variety of initiatives and events, from dance recitals and concerts to sports leagues and business office/meeting space, will provide a valuable, tangible revenue generating opportunity for the town (along with additional revenues from increased property values, a larger tax base and the like). Let's have our seniors graduate in their own building for a change!
A Rigorous Academic Program + Talented Students + Dedicated Faculty = The New TMHS!
Our New High School Facts, Figures & Features
* The new, "green" high school will be built on the same grounds as the current school. The building will increase in size from 175,000 to 218,000 square feet and it will accommodate 1100 to 1200 students. It will enjoy state-of-the-art, 21st century structural, heating, air conditioning, technology, lighting, accessibility, ventilation, health and safety facilities.
* With new, state-of-the-art facilities, we will be able to offer an overall better curriculum with rigorous Advanced Placement courses and dedicated Special Education spaces for life skills and alternative education. Additionally, the plans include a multitude of accommodations for Student Services such as health, guidance and career counseling. Finally, any valuable assets residing in the current high school will be redeployed and passed down to other schools in town. Our new high school plans include:
A fully-equipped auditorium, library and media studio with capable lighting, audio and video for student broadcasting and community programming
Expanded gymnasium, weight room, suspended walking track and other general athletic training facilities
Conference and meeting rooms, with 2 large multi-purpose instruction spaces
Advanced computer technology labs to facilitate engineering and design
State-of-the art cafeteria and kitchen, expanded hallways and classrooms
Multiple ball fields (most likely with multi-sport Field Turf), ample parking
Advanced band, dance, art, ceramics and photography studios
Science labs for instruction on physics, chemistry, earth sciences, robotics and biology (greenhouse)
Child care center and personal assistance lab
The latest computer technology (SmartBoards, Wi-Fi Internet access) to facilitate learning in the classroom
* Restoring the current high school is not a viable option. Renovation will cost approximately the same total amount, around 70 million dollars, as building a new facility. However, in this scenario, we will NOT receive any MSBA/state reimbursement funding. It is, therefore, much more practical and economical to build a new facility right now.
* The current Tewksbury Memorial High School building, as noted in 2005 by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), does not meet accreditation standards. The town is now on warning status such that if the facility is not addressed, we could be put on probationary status and thus risk losing accreditation.
* This effort is a short term reality. Construction is projected to start in this summer 2010 with the new school opening planned for students enrolled during the Fall of 2012. Demolition of the old high school building, and thus the subsequent creation of the ball fields and additional parking on this land, is also part of the effort and will stretch the finished product into 2013.
Your Cost
* The town's estimated project cost will be around 37 million dollars. That means that the tax cost per average resident household will be anywhere from .60 per $1000 to .70 per $1000 based on real estate value. Remember, this is NOT a permanent proposition/tax increase as seen with typical 2 1/2 overrides. It is a one time a debt exclusion that the town will be asking for to finance the project that will come off the books in time once our 40% is paid for.
* An exact, true dollar amount will not be known until the Town of Tewksbury actually gets a bond. (In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity.) The bond term length (ex. 15, 20 or 25 years) and interest rate we get will determine the exact number of payment years and household tax rate for each citizen.
* So, for example, lets assume .65 cents per $1000. Also, the average home value in Tewksbury is $295,000, so let's assume $300,0000. Therefore, the approximate cost per tax household would be around $195 a year or a total tax cost of $3,900 over 20 years.
$100K Home = Approximately $65/year or $5.42/month
$200K Home = Approximately $130/year or $10.83/month
$300K Home = Approximately $195/year or $16.25/month
$400K Home = Approximately $260/year or $21.67/month
$500K Home = Approximately $325/year or $27.08/month* Sample financial charts:
Excel Chart - Resident Cost of a New High School - Based on Home Value
Adobe Acrobat PDF File - Resident Cost of a New High School - Based on Home Value
What Can You Do
* The State of Massachusetts is making a guaranteed financial commitment to Tewksbury. Now we need to make a commitment in kind to our entire community - our friends, neighbors, children and ourselves. Lets properly commemorate Tewksbury's 275th Anniversary, so spread the word and vote in favor of the new high school!
* Sending a letter of support to a local newspaper can certainly help the cause. Letters need to be from the person who writes them, and should include your name, mailing address, phone number and Internet eMail address. Phil Polimeno (ppolimeno@meditech.com) can review letters for accuracy. The usual submission deadline is either Sunday evening or Monday morning if it is to published the coming week. Local papers include:
- Jim Campanini at the Lowell Sun; jcampanini@lowellsun.com
- Steve Bjork at the Town Crier; sbjork@yourtowncrier.com* Help us spread the word. If you want to be on our Internet eMail list, just let us know: newtmhs@gmail.com
* There is a two step process. First, there will be a Special Town Meeting at the Tewksbury Memorial High School on Monday March 1st, 2010 at 7:00PM to discuss this topic. We encourage everyone to attend and participate, regardless of your current voting preference. Second, we hope that the town meeting will result in a Special Town Ballot Vote to approve the debt exemption. The vote will be taken on Saturday, March 6th, 2010.
* Voting will take place from 8 AM to 8 PM on Saturday the 6th. Residents vote at two places, depending on their precinct:
Senior Center
175 Chandler Street
Precinct 1 & 1A
Precinct 3 & 3A
Library
300 Chandler Street
Precinct 2 & 2A
Precinct 4 & 4A* If you are over 18 and have not registered to vote, you need to do so a few weeks before the election. The deadline to register is 20 days before the election, approximately February 12, 2010, if you want to vote for this special ballot. For more information: http://www.tewksbury.net/Pages/TewksburyMA_Clerk/voterreg
* If you think you cannot make it to the polls on voting day, consider submitting an Absentee Ballot. The deadline to submit an Absentee Ballot is on March 5, 2010 for this special ballot . For more information:- You can request a ballot from the Town Clerk: http://www.tewksbury.net/Pages/TewksburyMA_Clerk/index or call 978-640-4355
- They are generally available 3 weeks before a vote: http://www.tewksbury.net/Pages/TewksburyMA_Clerk/absentee* Please visit the Tewksbury Memorial High School Building Committee (HSBC) web site at http://www.tmhsbc.org or contact James Cutelis (HSBC Chairman) or Brenda Theriault-Regan (HSBC Clerk) at email@tmhsbc.org for more information.
* Become a Facebook Fan of "The Friends of the New Tewksbury High School": http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-the-NEW-Tewksbury-High-School/238740007429?ref=mf
Tangible Written Materials
Financials:
Excel Chart - Resident Cost of a New High School - Based on Home Value
Adobe Acrobat PDF File - Resident Cost of a New High School - Based on Home Value
Vote Yes for a New Tewksbury High School Signs:
Choice # 1 (Strong High School = Strong Community - With T Logo)
Choice # 2 (Strong High School = Strong Community)
Choice # 3 (Vote Yes, March 6, New High School)
Information Flyers:
1 Pager - Without "Vote Yes" Graphic (Ex. For Students)
1 Pager - With "Vote Yes" Graphic
2 Pager - Invest in the future of Tewksbury - With "Vote Yes" & School Detail
2 Pager - New High School Q & A Document (Original Version) and Senior Center VersionSenior Center Directors Letter
Other Tools:
Letters to the Editor:
Polimeno Master
Michelle Dick - Lowell Sun - http://www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_14447577William Horrigan - Lowell Sun - http://www.lowellsun.com/letters/ci_14408958
Joan Dunlevy - Lowell Sun - http://www.lowellsun.com/editorials/ci_14416349
Recent News Articles:
Lowell Sun Article 3/1/2010 - http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_14487712
Lowell Sun Article 3/2/2010 - Special Town Meeting - http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_14497193
The Messaging/Marketing Subcommittee eMail Contact Information
Mary
Aylward - aylwardfam@verizon.net
Karla Branchaud - tkbranchaud@verizon.net
Jamey Cutelis - jcutelisatty@verizon.net
Brian Dick - briandick@merrimackfinancial.com
Scott Lawton - SLawton@winbrook.com
Kristen Polimeno - philandkristen@comcast.net
Philip Polimeno - ppolimeno@meditech.com
Brenda Regan- hsbc@comcast.net
Jim Wentworth - jim.wentworth@emergegroup.com
Michelle Dick - mmdick@comcast.net
Dean Graffeo - dgraffeo3@verizon.net
Christine McGrath - cmcgrath@tewksbury.k12.ma.us
Diane Dunlevy - dunlevy40@comcast.net
Scott Wilson - Scott.Wilson@tbgintl.com
Arthy Bennet -
bennetts2000@yahoo.com
Jayne Miller - jayneandpeter@verizon.net
Betsy Wilson - b.wilson6@comcast.net
Fundraising/Campaign Donations
We need a small amount of funding to support the creation of printed materials (flyers, post cards, signs, etc.) and their distribution (postage). Donation checks can be made payable to the: Friends of the Tewksbury Public Schools.
Relevant Links & Attachments
* Billerica Elementary School Brochure
* North Andover Override Material
* Tewksbury Memorial High School Web Site
* Tewksbury Memorial High School Building Committee Web Site
* Proposition 2 1/2 & Deb Exclusion/Capital Outlay Expenditures
* Some Recent News Articles:
Wicked Local - August 12, 2009 - http://www.wickedlocal.com/tewksbury/news/education/x1528790942/New-Tewksbury-high-school-could-be-on-the-way
Boston.com - September 10, 2009 - http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/09/10/tewksbury_studying_states_model_plans_for_new_high_school/
All Business.com - November 2, 2009 - http://www.allbusiness.com/trends-events/talks-meetings/13366436-1.html
Lowell Sun - January 7, 2010 - http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_14140409
Potential Usable Images For Any/All Documentation
Town of Tewksbury Sign
Artist Depiction Of The New High School - View From the Air
Artist Depiction Of
The New High School - View From the Front
(This would be a great photo to use on any literature)
Artist Depiction Of
The New High School - Cafeteria
(This would also be a great photo to use on any literature)
Architectural Plans - First Floor
Architectural Plans - Second Floor
Architectural Plans - Third Floor
Coins - Town Seal
Current High School
Front
(We could use this to juxtapose versus new photos/plans, but
that is somewhat negative)
Whitman Hanson High
School
(Recent MSBA recipient, show what things could be)
Hudson High School
(Recent MSBA recipient, show what things could be)
Other Hudson High School Images