This summer, the Bristol Warren Regional School District (BWRSD) proposed a plan (hinging on whether or not a $200 million bond passes on Nov. 7) to unify the Colt Andrews School into one physical campus.

Colt Andrews has long been two buildings that function as one school, educating students from prekindergarten through grade 5. The fact that Bradford Street, a public east-west thoroughfare, bisected the two schools has long been a safety and security concern for BWRSD leadership.

Plans drafted by the Boston firm of Perkins Eastman initially called for the elimination of public vehicular access down Bradford Street between the schools. That plan was met with resistance; the Colt Andrews School is sited at the center of the Town’s National Register Historic District, and Bradford is one of the streets that was laid out in the Town’s original 1680 charter.

Last Thursday, Oct. 19, a meeting of the Planning Board’s Technical Review Committee (TRC), who are tasked with reviewing community development plans at the conceptual phase, was held. It included school and town officials as well as representatives from Perkins Eastman, to provide feedback on the current preliminary plans.

“Some folks have actually reached out to me from the community to get some clarity,” said Diane Williamson, Director of Community Development, in her opening remarks. “So I'm hoping that we can do that this morning.”

Superintendent Ana Riley presented her case that the complex including the two school buildings should be completely surrounded by a gated, 4-foot tall fence for the safety and security of the students.

“One of my observations when I first came to the district a little over two years ago was that I had a lot of angst about the way that Colt Andrews is designed,” said Riley. “There are too many risks…this isn't just about safety in terms of crossing the street, but in overall safety…This is an opportunity for us to do a little better job of ensuring of the safety and security for students in those two buildings.”

For the TRC, the idea of erecting of a fence in front of the white marble Renaissance Revival landmark was never going to be an option.

“A fence in front of Colt School is a non-starter,” said Committee Chairman Chuck Millard. “Any change to the front of Colt School would be historically incorrect.”

“In essence, you are proposing taking two blocks of the Historic District and turning it over to the School Department,” he said.

“We don’t want to do anything that obstructs the community or the neighborhood,” said Riley, as the conversation quickly shifted to proposing alternate plans.

Riley maintained that the BWRSD is interested in a more permanent plan than the orange plastic barriers that currently block off Bradford Street during school hours. Retractable bollards, a gate that would only impact vehicular traffic during school hours, and a full-time School Resource Officer (currently Officer Keith Medeiros and K9 Brody split their time between all three Bristol elementary schools) were all proposed measures that could increase security within the bounds of what the Town would consider.

With the fence off the table, the ball is in the BWRSD’s court to come up with a conceptual design that will earn the TRC’s approval, at which point it will need to pass through the Historic District Commission (HDC), followed by the full Planning Board, before receiving final approval from the Town Council.

“We had a very good meeting,” said Williamson. “The School Department understood the Town’s concerns regarding the history of this part of town as well as traffic circulation.

“It’s still in the concept phase but it is good to share these concerns so the School Department can pivot before spending more time and money on a concept that won’t be supported by the Town.”