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Essex schools present consolidation plan, cost estimate and energy-efficiency options; public raises safety, traffic and transparency concerns
Summary
School leaders presented a selected consolidation option to move preK'05 into JCIS, renovate the CTE building for grades 6— and keep high school grades at Essex High; preliminary cost estimates top $16 million with additional energy-efficiency options and a notional timeline targeting 2026-27 design and 2027 construction completion. Residents raised concerns about eighth graders at the high school, athletics, traffic, and public input.
The Essex County Public School Board and its consultants presented a detailed facilities assessment and a selected consolidation concept at the joint town hall.
Plan and rationale: Randy Jones of ZMM Architects described an option that would place preK through 5 at James H. Carey Intermediate School (JCIS) (with added restrooms), renovate the CTE building to house grades 6 and 7, and retain grades 9 through 12 at Essex High School (with eighth grade moved back into the high-school campus). ZMM's assessment showed existing excess capacity and argued the plan would right-size facilities for projected enrollment over the next 25-35 years.
Costs and timeline: Preliminary line items showed about $600,000 to add elementary…
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