I hope every member of our community is aware that a Special Town Meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Clune Center to discuss and vote on the proposed renovation to Miller-Driscoll School. Voting will take place immediately after the business meeting concludes, and will continue on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., also in the Clune Center.
In the months since the Boards of Education, Finance and Selectmen gave this project their unanimous approval; we’ve launched an exhaustive campaign to educate the community about the need for the project, and the scope of the proposed renovation. Specifically, we want to ensure the community understands that the project is a good investment for Wilton, has the full support of our financial advisers, and will provide our youngest learners with a beautiful 21st century school building.
I encourage anyone with questions about the project to visit the Miller-Driscoll Building Committee website, millerdriscollrenovations.weebly.com for detailed information.
We heard concerns from a couple of residents at last week’s community meeting that the size of the cafeteria in the renovated building would be inadequate. These concerns are without merit. According to M-D Principal Cheryl Jensen-Gerner, our current cafeteria seating capacity exceeds our needs. Currently students are serviced by one of two cafeterias, based on their classroom location. The renovated building will include a single cafeteria which, while it will occupy less total square footage than our current facilities, will be more than sufficient to meet student needs.
The Project will take Several Years to Complete. Here is an overview of the project timeline:
- September 2014: Wilton voters approve M-D renovation
- July 2015: Architects submit final design documents
- September 2015: State approval for bidding
- December 2015: Construction begins
- December 2017: Project Completion
Under this scenario, construction will take place during the school year. Please be assured that student disruption will be kept to a minimum. Affected students will be assigned to temporary classrooms for the duration of the disruption, and parents will be notified about any changes to their children’s daily routines or classroom assignments. In addition, be assured that all hazardous waste removal will be conducted under strict accordance with state mandate, by highly experienced technicians, and that as much waste as possible will be eliminated during the summer months, when school is not in session.
Anyone who has spent time in Miller-Driscoll understands the desperate need for this renovation project. The building is old, and is showing signs of its age. I urge your support for this project, and invite you to email me at BOE@Wilton.K12.CT.US with any questions about the project.