Branford BOE Pushes For Renovations At Middle School, Elementary School

The Branford Board of Education is pushing for two town schools to be renovated, with a projected cost of more than $140 million.

Last week, the Branford school board unanimously approved recommending major renovations at both Walsh Intermediate School and the former Branford Hills Elementary School, according to the Branford Eagle. The Board of Education is asking the town to form a building committee to oversee the two projects, which would serve as one of the first steps in the process, according to the Eagle.

The board did not specifically lay out the scope of either project, saying it would be up to the building committee to decide, according to the Branford Eagle. The school board recommended renovating and expanding the former Branford Hills School to serve as the new Silney School, although it is still possible the building committee could agree on renovating the existing Sileny School instead, according to the Eagle.

“We’re just recommending them," Branford Board of Education member Frank Carrano said, according to the Eagle. "It doesn’t mean it’s final."

A feasibility study done by an architectural firm hired by the Board of Education said it could cost $109 million to renovate and expand Walsh Intermediate School and another $32.7 million to renovate the former Branford Hills Elementary School, according to the Branford Eagle. Branford Superintendent Hamlet Hernandez said there was some “shock” after hearing those estimates, but stressed they were just preliminary estimates, according to the Branford Eagle. 

Do you think Branford needs to renovate its schools?