The Marguerite E. Small Building Committee on Sept. 18 reviewed documents submitted to the Massachusetts School Building Authority and outlined the next steps needed to seek state funding for a feasibility study and schematic design. The committee discussed enrollment projections, potential consolidation options with Station Avenue Elementary School, outreach plans for voters and a recommended $1.5 million request to authorize the feasibility phase.

The committee’s work matters because the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) determines whether the district can receive state reimbursement for design and construction; locally approved funds are required to begin the feasibility phase. Mark Smith, superintendent of schools for the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District, said, “I’m really excited that MSBA invited us in and that we’re able to really give the attention that that facility needs.”

The meeting reviewed items already submitted to MSBA: the Statement(s) of Interest (SOI) for Marguerite E. Small and a technical SOI for Station Avenue to allow the feasibility study to evaluate standalone replacement, renovation, or consolidation options. The district also submitted an initial compliance certification, an educational profile questionnaire and enrollment worksheets. Smith and other district staff emphasized that the materials are preliminary and that more detailed study would follow if the project is accepted into the feasibility phase by MSBA.

Committee members pressed for more demographic detail. Richard Simon, chair of Yarmouth’s finance committee, asked for expanded birth- and housing-data series and for analysis of regional trends, referring to a UMass Donahue Institute report he said shows sharp declines in school-age population in neighboring towns. He advised extending enrollment series further back to show long-term patterns. Will Rubenstein, a parent and former building-committee member, also asked for clarity on how current district choices (charter schools, vocational schools, and out‑of‑district placements) affect projections.

District staff described the enrollment assumptions used in the application. The follow-up questionnaire lists a design enrollment of 375 for a possible standalone Marguerite E. Small facility; the SOI submitted in 2024 recorded a current student enrollment of 301 at the school. Susan Gilson, director of finance and operations, and the superintendent said MSBA will use finalized enrollment projections when it evaluates building size, and a final enrollment meeting with MSBA is scheduled for the 29th (as stated in the district’s packet).

The district outlined one recommended local funding step: the building committee and town staff are proposing a warrant article to authorize approximately $1,500,000 for the feasibility phase (which would include an owner’s project manager and schematic design). The committee was told that the district’s current MSBA base reimbursement rate is 57.11 percent; funds spent on the feasibility phase through the MSBA process would be eligible for reimbursement at that rate. The committee was advised that the fall town meeting vote and related municipal approvals must occur before the district’s MSBA eligibility period ends Dec. 26.

Members spent substantial time on outreach and voter information. Committee volunteers recommended brief, repeatable messaging: a one‑page summary with a QR code linking to full materials, social media posts, targeted mailers, and several open-house opportunities to tour the school. Nathan Landley, a member of the finance committee, suggested keeping the public summary concise: “I would say confine it to 1 page and maybe 300 words.” Committee members also recommended coordinating the timeline and messaging with the select board and finance committee and thinking about where the school article will fall on the town-meeting warrant because turnout varies by item order.

Several members emphasized special education space needs and site limitations at the existing building. Carol Mahady, principal of Marguerite E. Small Elementary School, described constraints in current student spaces and said parents, staff and students deserve an updated facility. District facilities staff noted work done to keep the building safe and operable while acknowledging it lacks a gathering space and other modern features.

Next steps the committee recorded include completing MSBA paperwork due in late September, meeting with MSBA on enrollment, finalizing language for the town warrant article, coordinating presentations to the select board and finance committee (key dates noted in the packet: Oct. 7 and Oct. 15 for select board and finance committee actions), and continuing monthly building‑committee meetings on the third Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The committee will present a warrant article at the fall town meeting scheduled for the 17th and will ask voters to authorize the feasibility phase funds so the project can proceed to the MSBA feasibility stage.

The meeting ended after administrative items and no formal policy or construction decision was made; the committee did not vote on any construction contract or on the proposed warrant article at this meeting.