What Suffield’s School Plan Could Bring

SUFFIELD, CT — A proposed $128.8 million middle school will be the focus of an upcoming joint meeting as Suffield officials weigh how to move the project toward voters.

The Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and Permanent Building Commission will meet Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. in the Suffield Middle School auditorium.

Suffield Soccer Club is urging residents to attend, saying the revised plan would offer three new athletic fields and a community center.

“PLEASE SHOW UP & SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!” the club wrote in its Facebook post. The post lists Wednesday, Oct. 15, but the town calendar confirms the meeting is Thursday.

New School Recommended

The building commission unanimously recommended new construction Sept. 17, according to joint meeting minutes. The estimated town share is about $65 million, based on current assumptions about state reimbursement.

The preferred layout, called Option E, would place a new school on the existing campus and retain the auxiliary gym and adjoining former locker rooms for possible community, district office or other uses. Recreation facilities would be relocated.

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Students could remain in the existing school during construction, although some disruption is expected. The revised layout would improve parking, pedestrian access and bus and parent drop-off areas, according to the minutes.

As Patch previously reported, soil problems, wetlands and vernal pools complicated earlier site plans.

Costs And A Spring Vote

The September estimates put major renovations at about $127 million, with a $73 million town share. Targeted capital improvements were estimated at $75 million, with a $63 million town share, but would leave broader building and educational needs unresolved, according to the minutes.

The district’s project webpage still displays earlier, lower estimates for renovation and new construction. State reimbursement remains preliminary.

In an Oct. 1 statement published by The Suffield Observer, the Board of Education said “the building has reached a point where a major, long-term investment is necessary.”

The board cited aging plumbing and mechanical systems, accessibility gaps and a lack of centralized cooling. Much of the school dates to 1964. It also called for flexible classrooms, modern science and technology spaces, and rooms for student support.

The board’s goal is a spring 2027 referendum. The Oct. 15 meeting is a joint board meeting, not that referendum.

For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.