AMHERST — For more than a decade, Amherst has been pursuing a new elementary school, a project extended for several years when a previous proposal failed and the community couldn’t agree on the best approach to take for the education of students at Wildwood and Fort River schools. 

Steadfast in his support of a new elementary school, including during the last vote in 2017 when he was first elected to the School Committee, Peter Demling says he appreciates the overwhelming support for the $97.5 million project at Tuesday’s election.

“I feel one thing today above all else: gratitude,” Demling said. “For the resilience of the countless volunteers who worked tirelessly to create this second chance, for our taxpayers’ emphatic declaration of support for our public schools, and for our schools’ leader Dr. Michael Morris, who crafted and championed the consensus proposal four years ago that brought a divided community back together in support of the greater good.”

Voters rewarded the persistence at the Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion, giving better than 80% support to the new school in a 3,272 to 771 tally in which project backers easily swept all 10 precincts.

The Vote Yes for Our Schools ballot initiative committee gathered at Mexcalito, a downtown restaurant where they were joined by more than half of the councilors serving on the Town Council, members of the School Committee and others who had been part of this effort, including the Amherst Forward political action committee, and the previous school building plan, watching a board where tallies were being written by Ginny Hamilton, a founder of the Amherst Forward political action committee.

Matt Holloway, who co-chaired the ballot initiative committee, gave thanks to the dozens of volunteers and town officials who educated voters and encouraged a yes vote for a new school, along with those who made donations, hosted lawn signs, wrote letters to the editor and talked with their neighbors.

“This campaign demonstrated that when we come together as a community, anything is possible,” Holloway said. “We look forward to the start of construction so that our students and educators can soon enjoy this long-awaited school building.”

The two failing buildings will be replaced, on the Fort River site on South East Street, with a 21st -century learning environment designed to meet Amherst’s sustainability, education and fiscal goals. It is slated to open in the fall of 2026.

District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen, who chaired the Elementary School Building Committee, said the building, designed by DiNisco Design, will be net-zero emissions. “The school will be an exciting learning lab for the next generation about the environment and renewable, clean energy,” Schioen said.

Schoen said the expectation is for the building to be done by June 2026, ready to accommodate 565 K-5 students. Sixth graders at the town’s current three elementary schools, including Crocker Farm, will move to the middle school that fall or earlier.

Morris also expressed his appreciation. “I am overjoyed at the level of support for this building project because of the enormous impact it will have on the education of the children of Amherst,” Morris said. 

The vote was the final step in the after the Massachusetts School Building Authority in late April unanimously approved over $40 million to fund the school building project, following the Amherst Town Council approving a Proposition 2½ debt-exclusion override by a 12-1 vote. The lone concern expressed on the council was by At-Large Councilor Ellisha Walker, and that related to the cost and the impact on property owners and renters.

More than 50 volunteers participated in the Vote Yes for Our Schools campaign, devoting time to meeting with voters, phone banking, developing materials and fundraising. The campaign earned 475 individual endorsements of the building project, including from elected officials including state Rep. Mindy Domb, who was present on election night, and from multiple organizations including the Amherst-Pelham Education Association, the League of Women Voters Amherst, Mothers Out Front, the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce and the Amherst Business Improvement District.

“Today’s historic vote for a new school building is hard won, representing the perspectives of hundreds of residents, educators, parents and town staff,” said Kursten Holabird, co-chair of the Vote Yes for Our Schools committee. “It’s heartening to see residents take action for our children and our community.”

Town Manager Paul Bockelman said in a statement that the support is critical to a unified plan that encompasses expanding and renovating the Jones Library, and building a new fire station in South Amherst and a Department of Public Works headquarters. “The voters have again stated their unambiguous support for this important project,” Bockelman said.

Katherine Appy, a representative of the Amherst Forward political action committee, issued a statement of gratitude for voters who approved the debt exclusion.

“Today’s historic vote reflects great optimism for our town’s future and showed a clear commitment to our public school students and educators. We have much work to do to address our town’s capital and infrastructure needs, and today’s vote was an important step toward meeting those needs.”

The League of Women Voters of Amherst also got behind the project. Adrienne Terrizzi, who chairs the group that examined the school proposal, said the building committee’s work shaped a building that is designed for the excellent student education expected in town.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.]]>