A presentation from the superintendent’s secondary teacher cabinet outlined severe overcrowding at Lynn’s secondary schools and proposed a short list of actions — from a facilities needs assessment to creative funding strategies — intended to reduce pressure at Lynn Classical and Lynn English high schools.

Teacher leaders Jacqueline Feldman and Carrie Boudreaux told the School Committee the root cause is simple: enrollment has grown faster than new or expanded secondary facilities. Feldman said, “enrollment has grown in LPS, but new facilities have not kept up with enrollment and the pace of enrollment,” and she and cabinet colleagues identified instruction taking place in gyms, libraries and hallways and a lack of confidential spaces for counseling and IEP work.

Proposed seat relief and short‑term moves: The cabinet’s analysis projected several ways to relieve seats in 2025–26 if planned expansions proceed. Presenters listed an estimate that ninth graders attending Frederick Douglass Collegiate Academy (FDCA) and Casa would total about 326 students; they said sixth graders attending Casa could number roughly 150 and cited a projection of about 300 eighth graders attending LVTI in changes that would shift seat demands away from Classical and English. The cabinet also sketched projected enrollment relief at specific buildings.

Action plan: The teacher cabinet set out five priority actions: 1) a districtwide facilities needs assessment to measure classroom and non‑classroom usage; 2) long‑term facilities planning, including modular classrooms or wings as options; 3) creative funding strategies (state/federal grants, partnerships and fundraising); 4) smarter scheduling or flexible shifts at the high‑school level; and 5) transparent, ongoing communication with staff and families. The presenters recommended deeper data gathering, tours and grant writing as immediate follow‑ups.

Questions about Casa and timeline: Committee members pressed administration and project managers about Casa’s renovation timeline and contingency planning. Some committee members and public speakers asked what would happen if grant funding or project timelines slipped; administrators said work is staged, contractors are in place for key items, and the city and school project teams will manage scope and funding adjustments if unforeseen costs arise.

Rename Fectó O'Leary building approved: Separately, the committee voted to rename Fectó O'Leary Junior‑Senior High School as the Harold Durgin Success Academy in honor of longtime educator and coach Hal Durgin. A motion to approve the renaming passed on roll call with all present committee members recorded as voting yes.

Why it matters: Committee members and teacher‑cabinet presenters framed the proposals as an effort to reduce large class sizes and provide more appropriate instructional spaces in schools where teachers currently report having to teach in hallways, cafeterias and other non‑classroom spaces. The recommendations are planning steps; the district will need funding commitments and, in some cases, state support to execute major capital changes.

Ending: The committee asked administration to return with more detailed facilities data and timelines; teacher‑cabinet leaders said they would support grant writing and community engagement to advance the projects.