The Barrington School Committee voted unanimously to pursue “Option 5” for the proposed school building construction project. 

That option calls for an addition and targeted renovations at Barrington High School and significant changes at the elementary schools. 

There would be renovations and additions at Sowams, Primrose Hill and Nayatt; those three elementary schools would likely have grade groupings of pre-kindergarten through fifth. 

Officials said they are still discussing whether the district would focus the work at Sowams or Hampden Meadows, but officials are intent on keeping the neighborhood elementary school model. (The school not identified for improvements would later be repurposed.)

The vote to pursue Option 5 included a list of directives:

• Provide a list of cost-saving options for all schools and particularly at the high school

• The School Committee has a strong preference for design with a single drop-off/pick-up time

• Full in-depth analysis and review of costs and other operational considerations as it relates to the pre-kindergarten program in the district

• And provide guidance on the long-term programming plans for the high school

Before voting on the preferred construction option, members of the Barrington School Committee discussed the advantages and drawbacks to both options. School Building Committee Chairman TJ Peck said Option 2, which would keep the same grade groupings across the district, would ensure smaller school communities and would not place larger students (fourth- and fifth-graders) in the same building with smaller students. He also said Barrington was used to Option 2, and it would allow for educators to collaborate across grade levels. 

Peck then offered some potential disadvantages to Option 2 — more transitions for students moving from one school to the next. Peck said some students will have changed schools four times by the time they get to the middle school. He said there were also some added construction costs to Option 2. 

Option 5, Peck said, would allow the district to use Hampden Meadows School as a swing-space during construction. He said it would offer shorter construction period and still allow for vertical collaboration between teachers. 

School Committee members also preferred fewer transitions between school buildings. Amanda Basse said it can be very difficult for some students, transition from Grade 3 at one school, and then having to change buildings two years later when they head to the middle school. Megan Douglas said it is difficult for educators to create the sense of community when students are moving through the school so quickly. Patrick McCrann added that transitions between buildings also presents challenges to educators. 

Peck said he was leaning toward Option 5. Peck had also mentioned the possible need for staggered start times within the same building. Douglas said she had a problem with the staggered start times and double drop-offs. 

Others agreed, that having two drop-off and pick-up times within the same school was a bad idea. 

Basse asked about the high school — she asked what the long-term plan for the building was and questioned the level of the investment in the high school building. 

Frazier Bell and Peck said the high school building needs to be a priority — they said the building has a lot of structural needs. Bell said he wanted to see the district invest in the high school and do it the right away. 

Bell said he was leaning toward Option 2, while Douglas said she would have preferred an option that had Grades 3, 4 and 5 grouped together. 

Eventually, Peck made the motion to pursue Option 5 and included a list of stipulations or directives. McCrann seconded the motion. Douglas said she was not 100 percent comfortable about making the decision, and Bell said he would support Option 5. 

The Committee then voted 5-0 for Option 5.