North Branford's Board of Education (BOE) is launching a $25,000 facilities study to determine what it would cost the town to renovate the current high school building to "like new" condition. 

The town's last major school building project, completed in fiscal 2009-'10, included new construction and building renovations to North Branford Intermediate School at a cost of approximately $35 million.

Based on meeting state education specifications and program recommendations, a like-new renovation of the high school, if approved by the town, is anticipated to have some 40% of its costs reimbursed by the state.

North Branford High School (NBHS) was built in 1965, with an addition in 1970. The town recently completed roof replacement of the building, but the school has many other immediate areas of need, according to a New England School Audit and a review of 21st century learning practices.

The $25,000 NBHS facility study will be paid from the BOE's 2018-'19 capital budget. At the Sept. 18 Town Council meeting, BOE Chair Shawna Papa-Holzer discussed what the study would entail.

"It will allow for a basic facilities study and drawing, and from there we would present it back to you to see where we are and what you would support," she said, adding the BOE will look for a "Plan A and Plan B" showing "upgrades and downgrades" to create cost options.

Papa-Holzer emphasized the BOE's intent to work cooperatively with the Town Council from the outset. The re-invigorated Communications Committee will channel information between the BOE and Town Council regularly, she said.

"We don't want it to be solely driven by the Board of Education as this does impact the taxpayers, and I think the Board of Education and Town Council needs to be on the same page," she said.

Saying "I don't think anyone would argue with you that the school needs addressing," Councilman Al Rose (R) said involvement across the board would be needed.

"We need to have everybody involved in the design," Rose said. "The intermediate school left a bad taste in town; the way it was done...We want to make sure everybody's involved, from fire to public works to police to the Town Council."

On Sept. 18 the Town Council, which is also the town's finance board, discussed North Branford's current debt service and scenarios and impacts involving potential future bonding for projects such as the high school renovation (see related story).

Addressing Needs at NBHS

Paramount needs including building safety/security upgrades, window replacements, upgrading inefficient lighting, replacing heating and cooling systems, installing new bathrooms and locker rooms, abatement of hazardous materials including asbestos, redesigning internal spaces and classrooms for 21st century instruction, and incorporating the main office, guidance and nursing areas into an administrative hub at a newly-located building entrance. The relocation of the main entrance would also help to address the need for better vehicle and pedestrian safety and traffic flow. The suggested new arrival area could bring the main entrance over toward the North Branford Auditorium building on the NBIS/NBHS campus. NBHS students currently access the ground floor auditorium and upper floor classrooms using an enclosed pedestrian walkway bridging NBHS and the auditorium building. The auditorium building is also connected via interior doors to NBIS.

While the NBHS building roof no longer leaks, Papa-Holzer described rain entering windows on stormy days so that it "rains inside" the building, and students "freezing" in winter in some parts of the school, so much so that some bring blankets.

"We're not looking for the deluxe model," she said of the renovation project. "We understand that this is going to impact tax payers; we understand this is going to impact everyone in the town. But we need a safe place where the kids can learn; that they're not cold...going to school in blankets is not necessarily fun."

Looking at Like-New Renovation

Superintendent of Schools Scott Schoonmaker explained a like-new renovation project for NBHS would involve keeping the roof, which has been upgraded to "as new," but otherwise "...taking the building down to the studs; removing everything but keeping the [building] footprint" to create an efficient, aesthetically sound, safe school building.

"We're not knocking anything down, we're improving on what we have and looking at the internal space," Schoonmaker told the council.

Based on town review of the study, which is anticipated to take place in about six months' time, and possible approval of a design meeting state education standards, it could take three to four years to go from concept to completion.

Schoonmaker told Zip06/The Sound work to get the facilities study underway would begin immediately.

"We can start a facilities study with the $25,000. We will contact a contractor that does that type of work and start the initial conversation about redesigning a high school that will fit the needs of the community," said Schoonmaker.