By Jodi Wolfe
Staff Writer

School district officials are working on what to do about overcrowded schools now that a proposed $3.5 million addition and renovations to the schools did not pass on March 8.

One of the plans for the addition at Allenstown Elementary School was to move the fifthgraders out of Armand R. Dupont School to the elementary school to reduce the overcrowding at the Dupont School and have the fifth-graders in a younger educational setting.

School officials are considering moving the fifth-graders out of the Dupont School without the addition. Currently, two of the three fifth-grade classes are in modular classrooms at Dupont. The other classroom is inside the school. If the fifthgraders are moved, the world language teacher would have a classroom of her own, said Dupont School Principal Betsey Cox Stebbins.

While the Dupont School would gain a classroom, the elementary school would lose a classroom, said Principal Terri Kenney.

“I think they belong here when there is enough space," she said. "Frankly, there's not enough room for the fifth grade."

The whole argument for the $3.5 million improvements was the lack of space in the schools, Kenney said.

"How long do they expect to lease modulars?" she asked. "I think the answer, again, would have been the addition."

Kenney said she is also disappointed that the vote was so close.

"I think the weather affected it," she said.

The staff at the elementary school has been very positive, Kenney said.

Stebbins said her staff was disappointed by the election results, but they were happy for the police department, which got a new police station.

Kenney said she needs two additional classrooms for second and third grades. She then would have to take classrooms away from the art, music and reading programs.

"That concerns me because we have a nice reading room," she said. "It's nice and spacious."

Using one of the two resource rooms would be an option; however, she can't take the resource rooms away. State law requires her to have two separate resource rooms, she said.

Moving the modulars will cost money, as will power and sewer changes. The company which owns the modular classroom is working on a cost estimate to present to the school at its next meeting, said Irzyk.

The modulars would also need a hookup to the fire alarm and the intercom system. In order to hook up the intercom system, the school would have to purchase a new system because there is no more room on the current system.

A new intercom system would have been part of the $3.5 million improvements.

School officials have met with the fire department, Superintendent of Schools Thomas Haley, and the town inspector.

School officials are also considering adding more parking, which was part of the $3.5 million improvements.

"That would help some issues out front," said Kenney.

At this point, there are not a lot of options, said Irzyk.

"If we don't move the modulars over, there won't be much of a (way) to relieve space at the middle school," he said. "The only option would be to split up the fifth grade."

The failed vote affects the students and the Allenstown taxpayers the most, Kenney said.

When the project is placed on the ballot again, it's not going to be as cheap, she said.

Around the end of the school year, Irzyk said he would like to reconvene the school building committee to prepare for next year's ballot.

"I'd like to build a bigger committee this time with teachers who live in town and more parents," said Irzyk.

Having a new school board member will bring in more ideas, he said.

Irzyk said if the current law stays in place, the school district will be able to receive 60 percent reimbursement from the state.