March 18, 2019
Dear Sanford Educational Community for Grades K-8,
It’s almost spring! As you are aware, Sanford schools are in the midst of several construction projects across the district. The former Sanford High School is now being renovated to become a grades 5-8 middle school and Margaret Chase Smith School is expanding to become a Pre K-4 elementary school. Starting this summer, the current Sanford Junior High School building will be renovated to become a Pre K-4 elementary school. In 2020-2021, Willard School and Lafayette School will close. This is an exciting opportunity for Sanford resulting in temporary changes in student placement for the 2019-2020 school year. The following chart shows the plans for the move:
Grade Configuration by School Year
School | 2018/2019 | 2019/2020 | 2020/2021 |
MCS | K-3 | Closed for expansion | Pre K-4 |
CJL | K-5 | K-3 | Pre K-4 |
Lafayette | K-3 | K-3 | Closed |
Willard | 1-5 | 1-4 | Closed |
SJHS | 6-8 | Closed for renovation | Pre K-4 |
Former SHS | Closed for renovation | 4-8 | 5-8 |
New SHS | 9-12 | 9-12 | 9-12 |
Impact on MCS students for the 2019-2020 School Year
- Current MCS 3rd graders will attend school at the former SHS (new middle school). *
- Incoming MCS Kindergarten students will go to CJL. *
- MCS Grades 1-3 will go to Willard School. *
Impact on Willard for the 2019-2020 School Year
- Half of Willard’s 3rd graders will stay at Willard for 4th grade. The other half will attend the former SHS (new middle school).
Impact on CJL for the 2019-2020 School Year
- CJL’s current 3rd graders will go to the former SHS (new middle school) for 4th grade.
Impact on Lafayette for the 2019-2020 School Year
- Lafayette’s 3rd graders will go to Willard for 4th Grade.
* Individual student’s school placement may change to balance enrollments across the district.
Reconfiguring to three Pre K-4 elementary schools and one 5-8 middle school will:
- Provide equitable opportunities for facilities and program offerings Pre K – 4 in all schools.
- Reconfigure grades and close selected schools to better balance student population.
- Eliminate all modular classrooms district wide.
- Keep all 5th and 6th grade students together in one school.
- Reduce operations and maintenance costs
- Maximize the use of building space.
- Provide space for future growth and building expansion.
We will continue to provide updates throughout the school year.
Sincerely,
Matt Nelson, Superintendent of Schools
Steve Bussiere, Assistant Superintendent of Schools