Parents and staff push to transform underused Village School courtyard

Parents and school staff on the Marblehead Public Schools facilities committee described plans to convert an underused internal courtyard at Village School into instructional and play space, and agreed on near-term clean-up steps at a facilities meeting.

At the meeting, a presenter introduced the courtyard project as “underutilized” and said it “could become more educationally beneficial to our students,” arguing the space could support occupational and physical therapy, structured play and outdoor lessons. Cara Whan, a parent active in the proposal, said the site has two courtyards: one thriving organic garden and a second neglected area she called, jokingly, “Chernobyl.”

The group said a prior grant application to the Friends of Marblehead Public Schools sought phased funding (landscape plans, demolition and furnishings spread across years) but was declined because the request emphasized construction rather than curriculum. The applicants said initial planning costs alone — for landscape drawings and preliminary designs — were on the order of several thousand dollars; the group discussed asking for smaller, curriculum-focused grants if demolition or heavy construction is handled separately.

Committee members and parents emphasized short-term, low-cost priorities: establish a regular maintenance plan (mowing and leaf removal), remove unsafe or surplus furniture, assess and trim a large oak tree, and remove or surface the cracked asphalt so the area can be used safely. Participants discussed logistics: both courtyards are accessed internally, so bringing equipment and dumpsters through the school requires coordination to avoid disrupting classes and may require permits and dig‑safe checks.

Longer-term ideas include a small outdoor classroom or amphitheater (tree-stump seating, a simple covered area or chalkboard), painted game surfaces for recreation, native plantings requiring low maintenance, and an art installation. The presenters suggested a phased approach: begin with cleanup and a minimal hardscape or surface that staff and volunteers can install, then seek fundraising or grant support for furnishings and programmed learning elements.

Speakers noted district procedures for disposing of surplus furniture: items purchased by the district typically must go through School Committee surplus disposal channels rather than be discarded locally. Parents said they would coordinate volunteer days and confirmed that, with sufficient volunteer labor and a dumpster, the group could remove shallow asphalt and debris in a weekend if the district authorizes access and surplus disposal.

Next steps identified at the meeting included: clarifying maintenance responsibility with district facilities, arranging an inspection and pruning plan for the oak, confirming whether a permit is required for asphalt removal or work that could hit buried water or irrigation lines, and preparing a revised funding request that separates curriculum items from construction costs so it aligns with the Friends’ funding priorities. The committee indicated staff would assist with surplus disposal procedures and that cleanup work could be scheduled after school ends or on a weekend.

The meeting did not adopt a formal vote on the proposal; participants agreed to continue planning and to reapply for targeted funding once the facilities work is staged and responsibilities are clarified.