Consultants outline 'newer and fewer' long‑term scenario that would build new Veterans Park and close Branchville

Consultants told the committee that Scenario D — the so‑called 'newer and fewer' model — would create larger, consolidated schools, add pre‑K at new facilities and potentially take Branchville offline as a neighborhood school. "This moves into our newer and fewer approach, with the new Veterans Park at 4 sections per grade with pre k, reclaiming Cadence Academy at Barlow Mountain and closing Branchville, which was the neediest school," Pat said while presenting Scenario D.

Presenters described potential cost savings through disposition of older facilities and showed an order‑of‑magnitude estimate of roughly $90–$100 million to construct a new Veterans Park school (absent escalation). They cautioned that Scenario D would be organizationally different from current operations, require extensive community conversations, redistricting and study, and involve town partners (board of selectmen and board of finance) on financing decisions. Committee members signaled caution: several supported Phase 1 now but said they were not yet ready to commit to a newer‑and‑fewer path without a completed business case.