Allenstown continues to weigh fate of elementary school building

Allenstown principal Shannon Kruger looks out a new classroom window on Thursday morningm April 18, 2024. A group of students came to the school to get a greeting and a tour of the new facility.

Allenstown principal Shannon Kruger looks out a new classroom window on Thursday morningm April 18, 2024. A group of students came to the school to get a greeting and a tour of the new facility. GEOFF FORESTER

The interior and exterior of Allenstown Elementary School were painted this summer.

The interior and exterior of Allenstown Elementary School were painted this summer. Courtesy

By RACHEL WACHMAN

Monitor staff

Published: 12-25-2024 3:31 PM

Allenstown officials weighing whether or not the town can afford to purchase, maintain, and potentially renovate the former elementary school have a new concern that if they don’t, it could be turned into a charter school.

The town is considering purchasing the building from the school district for $1. All five members of the Board of Selectmen agree that acquiring the building could benefit the town by providing a new space for the Town Hall and a communal meeting place for different groups and events. However, given the need for building maintenance and potential renovation, the board wants to ensure the decision is economically viable, especially with anticipated budget constraints in the coming year. Board members remain especially conscious of resident concerns over rising taxes.

“I don’t want to overextend the town,” said Board of Selectmen Chair Scott McDonald, who expressed trepidation at a recent board meeting about acquiring the building out of concern for the budget. “I would still hate to let that building go.”

If the town doesn’t acquire the property, it will be offered to potential charter schools looking to open in New Hampshire. A charter school could siphon student enrollment – and $4,500 per pupil – away from the Allenstown district, which caused some concern for the board.

When the Allenstown Community School opened in the spring, students and staff moved from the elementary school and the Armand R. Dupont School to the new building, leaving the two former schools mostly empty. The district’s preschool program still operates in one wing of the elementary school.

The town has been considering several options: purchase the elementary school building from the school district and move town offices and other community activities into the space, purchase the building then sell it, or take no action on the building.

Budget Committee Chair Melaine Boisvert advocated for the purchase of the building, moving Town Hall there and providing communal spaces.

“I think this is a financially responsible thing, in my opinion, to do it, because I think it benefits the town in the long run, whether it's this year, next year, or even the year after that,” Boisvert said. “It provides room for growth to occupy, to actually maintain and own that building.”

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The Learning Connection preschool pays around $30,000 annually to lease space from the school district. If the town purchased the building, it could then take over the lease. According to Boisvert’s calculations, the $30,000 would be enough to cover upkeep costs for the building. 

Town officials ultimately decided to table further conversations until they could initiate a joint public discussion with the school district.

“I believe the school board and the select board need to come together for better communication,” said select board member Kathleen Pelissier. “There may be another path for moving forward that we haven’t even thought of yet.”

Pelissier hopes a joint discussion would allow the town to gather as much information as possible, including resident opinions on the potential purchase.

“I'm willing to go above and beyond and do everything I can to get this communication going,” Pelissier said. “If we reach out and we try to and we're unsuccessful, then at that point, I would absolutely be comfortable making a vote.”

While the discussion centered around the former elementary school building, members of the board briefly discussed the declining condition of the Armand R. Dupont School, also owned by the school district. St. John the Baptist Catholic Church has the right of first refusal over that building, which is located next door on School Street. The town is not interested in purchasing that building.

Rachel Wachman can be reached at rwachman@cmonitor.com