District news
City recommended separate projects for Ward and Underwood schools
What happened
A city analysis recommended against consolidating Ward and Underwood, concluding that transportation costs, projected enrollment, and site constraints would offset the savings.
Why it matters to families
Keeping separate neighborhood schools changes the likely capital plan, project scale, and future tax impact for replacing or renovating both buildings.
The evidence
The June 1 minutes state that a combined school could grow to about 600 students and require a roughly 660-student facility, then record broad support for proceeding with separate projects.
The source
June 1, 2026 School Committee minutesSee the full record for Newton Public Schools.
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