Superintendent recommends relocating John Parker Middle School to 2 Hamilton; committee authorizes MSBA Statement of Interest

Superintendent Mr. Cabral told the Taunton School Committee on Feb. 5 that work with PTOs and faculty on the best use for 2 Hamilton Street is pointing toward relocating John Parker Middle School to the building and converting the vacated Parker facility into an eighth-grade academy.

Cabral said the district has met with PTOs, administrators and faculty and will continue outreach; if feedback is consistent the administration may hold a public forum or issue a broader community survey. Committee members emphasized representative public input: Mr. Pawlowski warned PTOs may not represent the full community and urged forums and broad surveys, while Dr. DeMelo said elected members must also balance long-range planning decisions.

The committee also authorized administration to submit a Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) Statement of Interest (SOI) for 2 Hamilton Street, a step Mr. Cabral described as an application that "does not require any kind of financial commitment" but is necessary to enter the MSBA pipeline. Mr. Cabral said the MSBA cycle allocated $550 million for the current window, with roughly $300 million for roofs/windows/doors and $250 million for heat-pump conversion projects; MSBA reimbursements are typically at an 80/20 split, meaning the state would cover about 80% of eligible costs and the city about 20% of final project costs if accepted.

Mr. Cabral said the district must submit the SOI by March 21, 2025 and that acceptance into the pipeline would trigger a feasibility study and further discussions with the city and School Committee about scope and costs. Mr. Vieira and others clarified that SOI submission alone does not obligate the district to proceed; Mr. Cabral said he would return to the committee with a completed SOI for a formal vote and then work with the mayor and city council on any required municipal approvals.

Subcommittee materials reviewed earlier at the meeting showed 2 Hamilton Street financials for July–Dec and projected Jan–June periods: City expenses July–Dec ~$80,713; Taunton Public Schools estimated expenses Jan–June ~$71,190; Hamilton Street revenue July–Dec ~$91,425; projected revenue Jan–June ~$95,850; monthly total revenue $15,975 and estimated monthly expenses $17,979.80, yielding an estimated monthly shortfall of $2,004.48 according to the subcommittee report.

Committee members asked for timelines and building-department updates; Mr. Cabral said he would provide a schedule of upgrades being done at 2 Hamilton Street and would aim to have a decision well before the end of the school year, with any move planned for September 2026 at the earliest. The administration's SOI authorization passed by motion with all members voting to authorize submission.

The committee did not yet vote on a final relocation; next steps include continued outreach, a public forum or survey as appropriate, a completed SOI returned to the committee for a formal vote, and coordination with city officials if the district seeks feasibility-study funding.