Page 16 - BusinessWest December 22, 2021

Marybeth Bergeron shows off the new Longmeadow Adult Center gymnasium.
Longmeadow
Continued from page 14
improvements to the two schools, but we’re left with the old footprint and the old design,” he explained. “We still wouldn’t have the types of learning spaces we think would be best for stu- dents for the next 50 years.”
Working with the MSBA can be a six- or seven-year process. That’s why O’Shea believes Longmeadow is at a crossroads right now. He and others in town support building new rather than investing in the old.
“Our sense is that it would be more cost-effective and more education- ally effective to build a new school,”
he said, adding that modern schools are built to be fully accessible, with rich digital-learning spaces, as well as spaces for small-group support and intervention.
O’Shea recognizes many residents value having two neighborhood-based middle schools in town, but both need extensive repairs and modernization to continue to serve today’s students. One new middle school can easily accom- modate the 648 students currently attending Glenbrook and Williams.
“If we combined our two middle schools under one roof, we could potentially create educational econo- mies of scale, and the new building would reflect a more typically sized middle school,” he said. “The aver- age middle school in Massachusetts accommodates right around 600 students.”
Unlike many communities, Long- meadow does not experience signifi- cant school-enrollment swings, but instead stays fairly steady over many years. O’Shea said that’s an important consideration when going through the MSBA process.
“The whole building project begins when MSBA engages the commu-
nity in demographic studies to better understand enrollment and popula- tion trends,” he noted. “That way,
they can make sure the school that is eventually built is positioned for future enrollment.”
The middle-school project repre- sents another chapter in Longmead- ow’s continued commitment to aca- demic excellence. O’Shea said educa- tion is an important part of the town’s economic engine.
“Longmeadow places a premium on education,” he told BusinessWest. “It’s the reason people move here and why it’s a great place to raise a family.”
Great Outdoors
Longmeadow also prides itself on its many recreation areas. Simmons
is looking to bring in a consultant to assess all swimming pools, basketball courts, playgrounds, and other sites to assess their condition. Once the town has a baseline on the needs for each area, Simmons’ goal is to have a com- munity conversation with town depart- ments and committees as well as with residents to identify the most pressing projects.
“We want a roadmap so we can get strategic on how we eventually fund that work and complete those proj- ects,” she said.
With these projects and others on the horizon for Longmeadow, Bergeron acknowledged she and the Building Committee will have plenty of work ahead. “I’m looking forward to the next five to 10 years as we get some of these projects off the ground and up and running.” u
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16 DECEMBER 22, 2021
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
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