Derby Planning School Building Expansion

Committees Findings on existing facilities;

Existing Buildings

Minerva Street School expansion or addition

Too small for required needs.

Building in overall very poor condition

Inadequate parking and bus access.

Buildings use rejected by BOE as unsuitable and returned to city.

Suggestion is made to possibly condemn most of the homes on the block if we really want to consider building.

Not usable as elementary school per state guidelines(must be one level)

9^th Street School expansion or addition

Previous study on school was for Kindergarten use only. It was determined that it would not help alleviate the issue at the middle/high school level.

Too small for required needs

No parking

No cafeteria facility

Building in overall poor condition.

BOE rejected usefulness of building and returned to city.

Bradley School

Any additions would severely impact already limited athletic facilities.

School is presently close to capacity and has accepted Irving school students to alleviate Irving Schools situation.

Irving School

No room for additional expansion

No room for portables.(portables also found to be too expensive)

Classes being held in showers and stairwells.

Student being sent to Bradley to help with overcrowding.

 

Derby High School

Building needs upgrading and renovations.

Sites Considered by Committee for Construction or Expansion

General Committee Findings

Regionalization

Letter sent by Superintendent of Schools to Ansonia, Seymour, Oxford, and Shelton. All declined interest in regionalization as all had building projects of there own.

Ansonia agreed to meet to discuses future possibility however Ansonia determined Derby’s existing facilities to be inadequate for regionalization.

BOE had rejected regionalization at that time based on findings above.

Combined 6-12 School

Not a desirable situation from an education standpoint

Parents concerned about separation

High School Students find Middle school students disruptive.

Construction would take longer, be very disruptive and more costly in the long term.

Does not provide any cushion for future population expansion.

Difficult to upgrade to a more modern High school.

Renovations are often more prone to change orders and take longer.

Construction costs insignificantly less ($600,000+/-)

Costs to City insignificantly higher ($200,000+/-)

New High School, Renovate DHS into middle school.

Creates separate middle school as desired by BOE, faculty, and parents.

Construction phasing less complicated.

Allows for expansion of athletic facilities.

Would be an immediate upgrade to a newer facility.

Construction costs insignificantly higher ($600,000+/-)

Costs to City insignificantly lower ($200,000+/-)

"Best Bang for the Buck"

 

The committee decided to vote on the separate school concept, as the cost differences between the combined school vs. separate schools were insignificant.

It was also determined that the construction phasing for the separate schools presented a better option for the student and faculty. There would be less disruption to the students.

Since it was the wish of most of the parents, faculty and community to have a separate middle school and cost was not an issue the committee voted on the separate school concept being the best value.

The separate school concept also provided and opportunity to expand the athletic facilities at the campus.