District flags two buildings as potential future surplus and plans a renaming recommendation for Whittemore Park site

On Sept. 23 district staff updated trustees on buildings that could become surplus property once internal moves to Old Whittemore Park Middle are complete.

Joe Burch said the support-services building (the former Kingston Elementary on Highway 905 and Reed's Ferry Road) sits on about 8 acres, is roughly 26,000 square feet and was originally built in 1954; the Conway Education Center on Sherwood Drive is about 49,250 square feet on roughly 16.7 acres. Burch said the district currently plans to move support services and select programs into Whittemore Park Middle but recommended keeping Old Whittemore Park as a district program site for now rather than allowing external agency use.

Burch noted state requirements for declaring school buildings surplus: properties purchased with state funds after certain dates may require written approval from the State Board of Education before the district may dispose of them. He also reminded trustees that current or future charter schools must be offered first right of refusal to purchase or lease surplus school buildings at the same or better terms, per state code.

Staff projected the support-services building (old Kingston Elementary) could be brought forward as a surplus recommendation in early 2025, with the Conway Education Center likely a year later depending on the internal move schedule. Burch said the district will share the presentation materials with trustees.

On renaming, staff said the vacated Whittemore Park facility could cause confusion if both new and old locations are referenced; they will return to the October Facilities Committee meeting with a naming recommendation and asked trustees to submit suggestions to district staff.