Winchester school committee votes unanimously to submit Morocco Elementary statement of interest to MSBA amid parent pleas for immediate repairs

The Winchester School Committee on April 10 voted unanimously to authorize Superintendent to submit a Statement of Interest (SOI) for Morocco Elementary School to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

The vote authorizes submission of the SOI dated April 3, 2025, describing Morocco’s needs in the MSBA priority categories of prevention of severe overcrowding and replacement/renovation of facility systems such as roofs, windows, boilers and ventilation. The SOI does not guarantee MSBA acceptance, the motion noted.

Why it matters: Morocco parents and the school committee have been pressing for both a long‑term rebuild and short‑term repairs. The SOI is the first formal step in seeking state partnership on a replacement school; MSBA invitations to eligibility typically arrive months after submission and any construction timetable can extend years.

Parents and school leaders asked the committee to pair the SOI submission with immediate maintenance and safety fixes. Sandy George, president of the Morocco Elementary School Parents Association (MESPA), listed near‑term priorities the group wants funded from existing life‑extension money: “Please use the remaining Morocco life extension funds to resolve electrical issues at Morocco so staff can run 2 microwaves at lunch or plug in laptops during meetings without blowing circuits,” she told the committee.

Other public commenters echoed the need for quick repairs. Alyssa Loring Torella said the building still shows signs identified in the 2017 master facilities plan: “We have stained old carpeting covering asbestos floor tiles that is in places duct taped down. We have portable classrooms nearing the end of their useful lives… We have original 1960s single pane windows, many of which don't open,” she said, and urged the committee to submit the SOI and plan for replacement whether or not MSBA selects the project.

Town and district officials described constraints on immediate spending and the limits of life‑extension funds. District leadership said asbestos remediation can cost tens of thousands per room and must be scheduled when students are not in the building. “It's about $20,000 to $25,000 potentially per room,” Superintendent David Hackett said, describing the need for asbestos abatement and related testing and containment that raise costs and scheduling constraints.

Chris Nixon, who addressed the committee as a town official and participant in the Morocco planning process, pushed back on statements that the building is imminently unsafe: “I don't think it's helpful to talk about the potential for Morocco falling down. It won't,” he said, while also acknowledging long‑running building issues and prior investments in roofs, electrical and boilers.

Committee response and next steps: Committee members thanked parents and staff for advocacy and for materials in the packet. School leaders said they are coordinating with town staff and the select board on life‑extension fund use, and that some furniture and other short‑term relief are already in motion. The SOI will be submitted electronically the next day; MSBA invitation to eligibility is typically announced in the fall, and an eligibility/feasibility process can take many months.

Votes and official action: The committee’s formal motion authorized submission of the Morocco Elementary SOI to the MSBA, noting that submission does not obligate the town to file a grant application and does not guarantee MSBA acceptance. The motion was read aloud and seconded; the roll‑call vote was recorded as unanimous.

Missing details: The SOI motion and committee discussion reference the Morocco life‑extension account and prior work but committee members asked town management for a clear accounting of what remains in that fund and what items it can legally or practically cover. Officials said they are investigating and will report back.

For the near term, parents asked the district to prioritize electrical fixes, rodent exclusion, carpet/asbestos remediation, painting and other maintenance while the long process with MSBA proceeds.

Ending: The SOI submission opens the state process; parents and committee members said they will continue to press for immediate repairs and for transparent accounting of life‑extension funds while waiting for MSBA eligibility and potential application rounds.