Cheshire narrows school capital requests; two new elementary schools set to open in 2026

School administrators and town staff presented the Board of Education’s five‑year capital plan and a pared‑down year‑one request the town manager’s office recommends advancing.

The Board of Education’s five‑year request totals $62,625,000; the board approved that plan, staff said. For year‑one capital, the board initially requested about $5,040,000; school and town staff said they narrowed the first‑year list to a smaller set of mostly life‑safety projects and are recommending a lower first‑year appropriation to reflect current fiscal constraints.

Superintendent Jeff Solon and other school staff walked the council through building conditions, noting the two new elementary schools (New Norton and New Barnum) are expected to open in September 2026. ‘‘Those two new schools will be open in the following school year, so September eighth of 2026,’’ Solon said. Staff reminded the council that Chapman and Darcy buildings will remain standing after the openings and will require carry costs (utilities, maintenance) in future operating budgets.

School staff identified five priority projects for the near term: a fire alarm control system replacement at Cheshire High School (preliminary design estimates provided; engineers’ cost estimate noted in the meeting came in near $1.1–$1.2 million, including contingency), reconfiguration and repair of the high‑school south parking/loading area (design complete; estimated $800,000), elementary playground equipment replacements and accessibility upgrades (multiple sites; initial year request $250,000 with a five‑year outlay of $500,000), a district‑wide fire‑sprinkler request (new), and an electrical service replacement at Highlands (new).

Rich Kovat, director of facility services, described the high‑school fire alarm need: the existing 1993 system has failed circuit boards and lacks some modern NFPA‑required classroom strobes; staff reported custom repairs and parts rebuilding in the last two years and said ‘‘we’re kind of on the end of that’’ for spare parts. Kovat said design work for the fire alarm replacement is nearly complete and that a full bid set should be ready by late summer.

Administrators also described the district’s operating and maintenance picture: the approved FY 2025–26 school operating budget includes about $4.2 million for maintenance and operations, of which $2 million is classified as maintenance and repair and about $1.8 million pays utilities. School staff said the district retains a maintenance ‘‘safety net’’ (roughly $233,000) for unexpected repairs.

Council members asked about sequencing and referendum strategy. Staff noted some projects are safety‑oriented and likely to be more suitable for a referendum presentation than paving. For projects where design is complete (for example, the south parking lot), staff said phasing could be an option to split costs over fiscal years.

What’s next: staff will refine year‑one cost numbers, coordinate outstanding items with the Board of Education, and present follow‑up materials to the council on project sequencing, necessary referenda, and any projects recommended for immediate action.