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School department presents capital request priorities: Chromebooks, safety cameras, playground surfacing and preschool smart boards among items
Summary
At the May 15 meeting the district outlined capital priorities led by continued technology needs, building safety improvements and playground and maintenance equipment; staff said some amounts are estimates and final requests will be coordinated with town capital planning.
The School Committee received a capital-request update May 15 outlining priorities the district will put forward to the town and capital committee.
Mike Frishen presented the list, which staff said was developed with principals and central leadership and will be coordinated with town administration and the DPW. The district framed technology—specifically continuing Chromebook replacement—as its top recurring capital priority, noting that the district traditionally seeks about $300,000 for Chromebooks and that this year’s request is higher because of inflation and added tariffs on devices.
Safety and facilities items cited on the list include additional camera coverage for elementary blind spots (a principal requested roughly $15,000 to add cameras at Old Post Road), replacement of rubber fall‑surfacing under playground structures (the presenter noted the surfacing is about 13 years old versus a typical 7–10-year life expectancy) and a piece of powered equipment to speed snow-and-ice clearance on extensive middle-school sidewalks.
The preschool at Feeney requested interactive smart boards to replace whiteboards; the presenter said Feeney asked for seven units and noted the district piloted nine interactive units earlier this year that teachers have been using. Staff characterized several items on the list as coming from DPW maintenance needs and said they will meet with town administration to align funding requests.
Frishen said the draft list is not final and that the district will refine estimates before the June capital-submission deadline; several requests were described as estimates that would be discussed in the capital committee process.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about distribution of piloted devices, how equipment would be stored and whether some items could be funded from other pools of building-project money. Members also asked about multiyear capital lists and the long-term HVAC needs at the high school; staff said HVAC work remains a multiyear, phased priority and that some summer work is planned for specific wings.
Speakers included Mike Frishen and committee members asking for clarifications; the district said it will continue coordination with town capital staff and update costs before final submission.
