Southington officials recommend closing Flanders, building new Kelly and expanding South End in two‑phase plan

The Southington School District on Tuesday presented a two‑phase facilities plan that recommends building a new Kelly Elementary School, expanding South End and closing Flanders once new space is available, with a June 30, 2025 state school construction grant application and a likely November 2025 referendum for phase 1.

Pat Gallagher, principal with MP Planning Group, the district’s enrollment and facilities consultant, said the recommendation — labeled “Scenario D” — aims to “build just the right amount of space” for projected enrollment while keeping operations efficient and maximizing potential state reimbursement.

The plan grows out of a multi‑year study of enrollment, capacity and building condition. Consultants told the board the district’s pre‑K–12 enrollment is projected to increase slowly, reaching just under 6,500 students in 10 years, with elementary enrollment rising modestly to about 2,750 in five years and to about 2,850 at peak. District‑wide utilization now is roughly 76% and, under Scenario D, would rise to about 88% at peak — within the district’s stated operational target of 85%–90%.

Pamela Babuka of Studio Jade, who led the facility condition assessment, said the three remaining elementary buildings under study have concentrated near‑term capital needs: “74% of your needs are all bundled in the first 3 years,” she said, and the consultants estimated roughly $116,400,000 of deferred capital work across the three schools over 10…