At the School Committee’s Jan. 23 meeting, board member Alison Taylor said residents are right to ask questions about the delay of the project to fix the Marblehead High School roof, which has been leaking in several areas for years.
“I don’t think it helps our cause at all for any of the asks we may or may not have this year — or next year, or in the future — unless we are transparent about it and understand that yes, there were some things we could have done better and some things that were out of our control because we had to choose priorities,” she said, acknowledging that there had been a delay in getting the request for proposal out.
The School Committee is planning to ask Town Meeting voters to raise residents’ taxes to fund the project, now estimated to cost $14 million. In 2022, Town Meeting approved $5.6 million to redo the roof, but the project never happened. The new estimate now includes replacing several HVAC units.
Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations Mike Pfiffering said his predecessor, Michelle Cresta, had “more responsibilities on her plate that were far more pressing.” The roof project coincided with the departures of two superintendents and several top administrators.
School Committee member Sarah Fox emphasized that the cost of the roof replacement has not gone up, but that the initial estimate approved at Town Meeting did not include the HVAC units because the project manager, Left Field, had not gone on the roof before giving the estimate. A full feasibility study was not done at the time, Fox said.
Taylor expressed appreciation to Robidoux and Pfifferling for moving the project forward.
“It’s a whole ’nother year of children sitting with a leaky roof, of potentially mold infiltrating in new places,” Taylor pointed out. “I don’t disagree with the need for the money at all. We need the community’s support for this. It’s what they have begged us for. They need us to be transparent in order to get us there.”
Town Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin told the Current that the debt exclusion would add 6 cents per thousand dollars of assessed value, or $57.36, to the median tax bill based on a median value of a single-family home of $965,000 for 2025. The 6 cents per $1,000 would stay on tax bills for 30 years.
That amount does not include the tax increase from the previous $5.3 million debt exclusion.
Questions were raised at the School Committee meeting about why the town would pursue a 30-year bond for a roof that likely would not last that long. It was explained that the actual terms of the bond would be worked out later by Benjamin.
Meanwhile, the Select Board will sponsor a second debt exclusion request for an HVAC system at the Mary Alley Municipal Building. There’s no dollar figure attached to that yet. Benjamin said that amount should be known sometime in March.
Flag policy
School Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner provided an update on the proposed flag policy that would allow only the U.S., Massachusetts, Marblehead and POW flags to be displayed on school grounds.
Many students and community members have protested the draft policy for more than a year. It would require the removal of the Black Lives Matter and Pride flags.
Taylor repeated a School Committee claim that they were required to create a policy because MHS Principal Michele Carlson had asked about one after a local mother removed the BLM flag without permission.
“I’m not even sure if that’s the case,” Schaeffner said about being required to draft a policy. “We need to get clarification on that, but I think it’s good practice that you have an administration that comes and asks for help and guidance in the form of a policy.”
School Committee member Al Willliams said he had heard from many people on the issue.
“I think there’s a large portion of our community questioning whether we need a flag policy,” he said.
The policy subcommittee is planning two forums on the draft policy — one for students and one for the community — to hear more input. Those meetings have not yet been scheduled.
Policy for ICE raids?
School Committee member Brian Ota asked interim Superintendent John Robidoux about a policy regarding federal raids in local schools.
“Have you given any kind of direction to teachers or principals on, if an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent walks into your building, how to proceed?” he asked. “I think it’s possible they would come here. I think it would be a good idea to have talking points.”
Schaeffner pointed out that someone watching the meeting had posted an anonymous question about possible ICE raids.
Robidoux said he would take up the question with his administrators. In the meantime, he said they would treat the agents like any other people asking to enter the school.
“We’ll ask why they’re there and have discussions,” he said.
Fox asked Robidoux to confer with the district’s attorney and ask specific questions, including whether agents need a judicial warrant to enter the building and if students are protected if they are in a nurse’s office, since that is a clinical setting.
Calendar debate
Robidoux presented a new proposal for the 2025-2026 school year calendar, which would have students returning on Aug. 27. His previous proposal had a start date after Labor Day.
The School Committee appeared to be split on whether to start the school year before or after Labor Day. Schaeffner asked parents and guardians to let Robidoux know their preference before the next committee meeting on Feb. 6. Robuidoux can be reached at 781-631-3141 or robidoux.john@marbleheadschools.org.
Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist.
