School renovation an investment in economic development

To the Editor:

The School District was required to obtain two different enrollment projections in the process to come up with the best solution for our needs. One from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) and another from the New England School Development Council.

Both reflected enrollment projections that showed an extremely slow decline if not flat enrollment over at least the next 10 years. As a matter of fact, with the exception of a significant drop in enrollment in the 90’s, the enrollment trend has been largely flat since then. Both of these independent projections are the basis for the assumption that we need to renovate the high school to accommodate 570 students. The renovation is designed to accommodate the State’s square footage requirement for this number of students. It is not over-designed to be under utilized.

Although the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission does not specifically address public school enrollment projections, it did perform a study on “Berkshire County’s Changing Population.” In this study, the BRPC highlights a downward trend in the county’s population in general and will continue to do so over the next 20-30 years. However, if you isolate the population trends for Great Barrington, and surrounding southern Berkshire towns, the decrease is slight, if not flat. Furthermore, the report highlights that births in the county mostly occur from individuals in their late teens through their late 30’s. The report also goes on to say that to stop the trend, the county needs to provide compelling reasons to attract and keep young adults in this age demographic in the county. 

One of the best and most compelling ways to attract young parents to come to or stay in Berkshire County is to have schools that are attractive and desirable for their kids to attend.

Leigh Davis

Great Barrington

The writer is a member of the Great Barrington Finance Committee.