Consultant recommends Scenario 8 to rebalance Westborough K–3 enrollment; committee weighs walkability, busing and grandfathering

Nick Stellitano of Dillinger Research told the Westborough School Committee that the firm
was recommending Scenario 8 as the best balance of tradeoffs in a months-long K–3 redistricting project.

Stellitano said Fales Elementary currently has the districts lowest enrollment and utilization (about 281 students versus 383 across the three elementary schools, roughly 60% utilization after the 2021 rebuild). Scenario 8 would reassign several downtown and multifamily zones into Fales, raising its projected utilization to about 83%, creating 19 sections (up from 15) and an average class size near 20 while reducing crowding at Hastings and Armstrong.

The recommendation was framed against two other final options. Scenario 1b was presented as a lower‑movement alternative that would put Fales near 74% utilization with minimal added transportation cost. Scenario 5 would move Arrive Homestead (about 101 students) to Fales, which would push Fales toward 87% utilization but, presenters and principals warned, could force specials and district programs out of dedicated spaces and concentrate demographic imbalances.

"The first recommendation that we would highly encourage you to consider is, do not preemptively zone these units," Stellitano said, urging the committee to wait for actual occupancy data from the incoming multifamily developments rather than assign them now.

Members and principals pressed on implementation details. Stellitano and district staff outlined the operational tradeoffs of grandfathering current students (keeping cohorts in place) versus moving them immediately: grandfathering increases bus routing complexity and cost, and may take multiple years to phase out. Stellitano gave transportation examples: a bus rate of about $500 per day, roughly $88,000 annually, and estimated the additional annual cost for two new dedicated routes (Park and Homestead) at $176,000.

Fales principal Mary Anne said she supports Scenario 8 but flagged space and service impacts if Scenario 5 were chosen: "I am in support of scenario 8," she said, while noting Scenario 5 could require extra ELL teachers and displace programming. Peyton McCann, Armstrong principal, also supported Scenario 8 and cautioned that moving large populations could shift diversity and services between buildings.

Several committee members and community commenters raised walkability concerns, noting downtown families often buy homes to be near a walking route to Armstrong. Stellitano acknowledged those concerns and said most downtown respondents cited distances in the 0.5–1.2 mile range, which the district could serve by bus if rezoned.

No final redistricting vote was taken. The committee discussed timing and implementation and set a goal to vote at the next meeting. The presenter and principals offered to return with additional implementation figures (detailed sibling counts, precise bus-route impact and revised cost estimates) to inform the committees decision.