Special Issues
The Future of Underwood School
Summary of the Bigelow Long-Term School Facilities Planning meetings
and what it means for Newton Corner.
Long Term Planning Committee Positions:
1). EXPEDIENCY: We want to get kids into new buildings as soon as possible.
2) FACILITATING THE NEW SCHOOL COMMITTEE: The application forms are very complicated, and the new school committee is unlikely to be able to meet the April deadline, so we will do this for them. They can always ignore our recommendation.
3). RECOGNIZING PAST MISTAKES: We acknowledge mistakes have been made in the past - this is why we are being transparent now and holding meetings.
4). THIS WILL HAVE TO BE DONE ANYWAY: Even if we were to support a two-school solution, we would have to provide answers re: the costs and benefits of consolidation if we were to proceed with an Override petition.
Neighborhood Positions:
1 . PREVIOUS MISTAKES made by Newton. Had the original agreed-upon sequence for school renovation been followed, this meeting would not be taking place. (Lincoln-Eliot jumped ahead.) Many mistakes have been made by Newton in terms of anticipating enrollment and closing/selling buildings. Without further analysis and community buy-in, this will be another.
2 UNFAIR treatment of Underwood and Ward school populations. We have funded the renovation/construction of other school buildings in Newton and waited patiently while this was being done. Now, we are being told the initial funding application must include checking the box for Consolidation. This is obviously unfair to both school populations and is an acknowledged non-starter for everyone asked about it.
3 IGNORING CONSTITUENT DEMANDS: If everyone in the village is against this, why do they - as elected officials - believe they have the right to proceed against our collective wishes? It is putting self-interest, proffered as something else, above commitment to their constituents.
4 UNDERWOOD SCHOOL IS OUR VILLAGE CENTER: Newton Corner has sacrificed more than any other village for the good of the city. We have lost our social and commercial center. Having taken away our past, the city is offering - as an “option” - to take away our neighborhood school and erase our future as a community as well. Putting the Mass Pike through Newton Corner was an “option” once, also. We don’t want your “options.”
My Take:
While the members of the Long Term Planning Committee are up-front about recognizing past mistakes regarding important school decisions, they do not seem to be aware that they are about to commit another one by rushing into this. The observation was made last night that they are putting “Tactics,” i.e., “Checking the box re: Consolidation,” ahead of Strategy I.e., “Defining what is a village school?” and “How do we apply that criteria in making this decision?”
I would suggest that there is another level of strategic thinking that precedes the definition of a village school, and that is, “What makes a village?” Is it merely an area on a map? A part of Newton with a common history but no meaningful economic or social connections today? An aggregation of passing strangers? The “Village” of Newton Corner has no commercial center that provides goods and services to the people who live here. Instead, we have a trench that spews traffic onto our streets and customers for the micro-economy that surrounds the rotary. Without the Underwood School remaining in Newton Corner, the village as a social institution would cease to exist.
If you agree that keeping Underwood School in Newton Corner as a walkable village school, instead of putting your children on a bus to send them to wherever the new primary school will be, is important not only to the social and emotional health of the children but also to the well-being of the community, please send an email with your thoughts to:
Outgoing School Committee Chair Chris Brezski brezskic@newton.k12.ma.us
Outgoing Mayor Ruthanne Fuller mayor@newtonma.gov
Superintendant Dr. Anna Nolin nolina@newton.k12.ma.us
Newton Food Pantry
Commonwealth Ave. Newton City Hall, Basement Level 617-796-1233
Wednesdays: By appointment 12:00 pm–3:00 pm,
Walk-In 3:00 pm–7:00 pm
Thursdays: By appointment 10 am–1 pm
Centre Street Food Pantry https://www.centrestfoodpantry.org
11 Homer Street, Newton, 617-340-9554
Tuesday Hours and Third Saturday of the month (call)
$25 donation will buy a turkey for a family
Newton Community Freege,
open 24/7 at 420 Watertown Street
Arabic Baptist Food Pantry arabicbaptist.org/contact
187 Church Street, 617-723-9766
Our Newton Citywide Food Drive.
“Community, Pay It Forward”
Food Banks
“Help Newton Neighbors who are hungry through the Newton Community Food Drive! Drop your non-perishable food items at one of our donation locations to help feed local families in need.
List of locations where food can be dropped off, including: Fire Stations, Newton Free Library, Newton Older Adult Services, Newton Police Department, Newton Resource Recovery Center, American Legion Post 440, Eastern Bank, Village Bank, Family Access of Newton, John M Boys & Girls Club, and the West Suburban YMCA.
Newton Neighbors Helping Neighbors:
Local Issues
Discussions with neighbors and members of the NCNA have produced the following wish list for our village:
• A walkable village where one can cross streets safely
• Preserving our built environment and cherished streetscapes
• Preserving our local schools and churches
• Preserving our green space
• Creating places where neighbors can come together to socialize
• Traffic committee
• Membership:
More members = a stronger voice for the neighborhood
To achieve these goals, the NCNA welcomes participation in a variety of projects, including:
• PorchFest:
The citywide festival of free outdoor music
• History Walk:
Thanks to Historic Newton, research on many of the historic homes in Newton Corner has already been done
We need creative ideas as to how planning a summer solstice festival in Farlow Park
• Advocating for the Chaffin House
• Advocating for Burr Park