OMS Expansion

I'm a teacher in the Cambridge Public Schools and resident of Arlington. This proposed expansion is a terrible idea. Clearly a second middle school needs to be considered instead of kicking things down the line. Ottoson has a concerning reputation already, this would be the death knell for a lot of parents and kids.

Overcrowding reduces learning capacity . Alternative solutions are always available . They just have to be pursued not just discussed .

I would really like to see Gibbs used as a middle school again. Not only is the middle school over crowded ( I presently have a child there) but it makes more sense to have a school in the East Arlington side so kids do not have to take the MBTA bus in 7th grade just to get to their school. Those buses are overcrowded too and unsafe for a child.

Take back Gibbs and build onto Ottoson. Relocate ACA to the former Parmenter School building and dislodge the Ecole Bilingual.

Ottoson's tiny campus and congested neighborhood make for logistical construction challenges, and hazardous conditions for student and abutters as they navigate the area. This proposal does not support whole child learning. Students are not merely brains in chairs. A proposal without a plan for common spaces to move their bodies and eat a meal ignores basic physical needs of students. No adjustment to the shared spaces for the arts creates barriers for students to express themselves beyond paper and pencil-a travesty given the wonderful enriching curricula currently available to students in these programs. Ottoson is a statewide leader in innovative curricula in technology and engineering-there is no provision for space for students to access them. Learning is supported with small cohorts in which students are known and taught as individuals. Ottoson's adoption of the house and cluster models has helped to foster a sense of community within a vast system, but only within the bubble of the classroom walls. An expanded building will only undermine the valiant efforts of teachers to create a safe and comfortable learning milieu for middle schoolers.

I agree with this petition and believe the best choice for all including the future of Arlington would be to make the currently owned Gibbs School another middle school.

Hi, I've heard recommendations about renovating and using the Gibbs for the 6th grade. That seems to be a very plausible solution if we can find good alternative space for the current renters including ACA. They're a wonderful asset to the town as well but think primary education has to take precedence.

It seems the better option for the children is to use Gibbs as a second middle school. Whichever option yields a better environment for the kids should be the main consideration.

I am concerned that not enough thought has gone into making this decision. This sounds a lot like applying a band-aid on a large and growing wound. What thought has gone to maintaining academic standards in an overcrowded environment? What about ensuring a high standard of student learning and allowing for an environment that fosters social and emotional development of adolescents? How much thought has gone towards considerations around traffic on the roads and overcrowded MBTA buses around school opening and closing times? There is an alternative. By bringing back online a second middle school, one that possibility caters to local residents (E Arlington), several of these issues could be avoided while creating a healthy environment for learning and development.

Regards. Peter

It is irresponsible to go ahead without an outside feasibility study. I'd recall that the effort to redistrict Arglinton elementary schools without a feasibility study nearly went badly wrong. I don't trust the judgement of the superintendent to make this decision.

I am against the expansion of Ottoson because of a few reasons. 1) Its a centralized approach which creates logistical issues for travel and social interaction. 2) The projected growth rates over the next decade show that East Arlington is going to experience the most growth. With that said, surely it makes sense to invest in that area/community where the projected growth is highlighted. 3) I strongly urge the decision makes to view the projected growth rates and their locations when making this decision rather than adopting a band aid approach.

I am in agreement with the task force and school committee findings. There is a need to explore other options to fill the needs of both the students and the surrounding neighbors. This expansion would also place a heavy tax burden on the town's tax payers.

Any plan that does not address the needs of common space (lunchroom, library, gyms, etc) will not create a safe and effective learning environment for students and staff alike. In the School Committee meeting on 12/10/15, the Ottoson principal gave his opinion that a good solution for over crowding at elementary and middle school would be to create a 5-6 school which is what I think should be done.

Please reconsider expanding Ottoson and look to more long term solution for the over crowding issue for the town. Expansion of Ottoson is not a complete solution.

It is developmentally inappropriate to house 1300-1600 middle school children in one place. I am appalled that this plan is even being considered, as it flies in the face of all developmental research on how to create the safest, most supportive learning environments for middle school kids in which they can continue to feel seen and known and individually supported. This plan would render Ottoson the largest middle school in the state, certainly nothing of which to be proud. Children's emotional and learning needs will be woefully under-addressed in creating this proposed high-school-like environment for 6th-8th graders.

I would hope that the town could provide and make easily visible to its residents, a selection of alternatives to the proposed addition that could be up for consideration.

Ottoson is a already a nightmare for traffic and parking, and is really over-crowed . It is a huge safety concern

Simply adding more classrooms to the existing middle school does not feel like a well-thought-out, quality, long-term solution to the problem.

Explore re-opening the GIBBS, never should've shut it down. Do a better job managing the budgets that affect our children.