Wallingford board to pursue one consolidated high school; public questions remain over cost and timing

The Wallingford Board of Education has voted to move forward with planning for one consolidated high school and will continue work with consultants to finish educational specifications and evaluate sites, Superintendent Belizzi said. "We are, currently starting to look for potential sites for one location, for one high school," Belizzi told the board.

Residents attending the meeting urged caution and asked how much had already been spent on consultants. "Has the board of education and the town council decided to move forward with one high school?" asked public commenter Megan Whittinger. A board representative replied, "At this time, it's just the Board of Education has voted for one high school," and outlined the next steps: complete educational specs, share them with the public, work with consultants to estimate final costs, identify potential sites, and then present recommendations to the mayor and town council.

Why it matters: the board's vote to pursue consolidation commits district staff to a multi-step planning process that will affect where students attend and how capital funding is requested from the town. Superintendent Belizzi said the district is working with Colliers and the SLAM Collaborative on the educational specifications and expects a preliminary look for the board in December.

Support and opposition at the meeting were evident. Joe Corsa, principal at Lyman Hall, spoke in favor of consolidation, saying, "We're moving forward, and I truly appreciate that," and stressing the project is about academics and preparing students for future education and careers. Several residents, however, raised concerns about priorities and asked why the district was spending on consultants while some schools still had urgent building maintenance needs.

What is known and what is not: The district cited an enrollment estimate of about 1,600 students for a single high school and said consultant work is under way; exact consultant costs, the projected construction cost, and any chosen site were not specified at the meeting. Belizzi said final cost estimates and a recommended site will be shared with the town mayor and council as the process continues.

Next steps: the district plans to deliver preliminary educational specifications in December to the board, then refine them before presenting site and cost recommendations to town leadership. Any funding or construction decisions will require additional approvals from the town and, if necessary, bonding or other capital funding actions.