School Bd. Sees Options for Schools

With many residents supporting the Winthrop Public School Department’s (WPS) plan to construct a new school facility in the town, Winthrop School Superintendent John Macero presented three options to the Winthrop School Committee (WSC) during the committee’s last meeting.

Last month, Macero presented the three options to town residents during a community-wide meeting and during a meeting at the Winthrop Senior Center.

The first option is an expansion renovation on the existing Winthrop High School. The plan would consist of renovating the current high school and adding a second facility that would serve as the town’s middle school. The cost of that project would be $68.9 million with the town’s share of the cost set at $36 million.

The second option, which is the option gaining support from a majority of Winthrop residents, is to tear down the existing high school and build a brand new facility that would house both a high school and middle school that would operate independently of one another. The cost of that project would be $83 million with the town’s share of the cost set at $43 million.

The third and least popular option is to renovate only the current high school building. The cost of that project would be $53 million with the town’s share of the cost set at $28 million.

Macero has said it is easy to see why a majority of townspeople support the second option.

“When you look at the cost you can see why taxpayers in the Town of Winthrop would support the second option,” said Macero. “Going from renovation just the high school for $28 million to getting a brand new facility for $15 million more I think appeals to tax payers. Looking at tax payer cost, it would be $2 more per week for the brand new facility.”

Macero said all the project costs include renovations to Miller Field and a swing space for students during construction and renovation.

The WPS has also launch a survey on their website’s homepage at www.winthrop.k12.ma.us where residents can log on and vote for the proposal they like the best.