Dracut Coalition to Build our Schools

07/18/2026

Please tune in NOW on AM Radio, available by Internet. Rob Sheppard and Don Plummer will be on discussing the future of the Campbell school project/ renovations/ updates in the wake of the vote. Saturday July 18, 8:10am.

https://980wcap.com/

07/06/2026

07/06/2026

Please attend today's Dracut School Committee Meeting at 5:30 PM (Monday July 6) where the school committee will be receiving input on next steps and whether to continue to pursue the proposed school project. Please stay tuned (via DATV) or go at Harmony Hall and make your opinions known!

06/29/2026

YES! There is a recent precedent for this. Other towns building newer 900-person school buildings have provided tax estimates to voters based on the cost AFTER MSBA reimbursement.

We were informed that the Nashoba Regional High School did it exactly this way when 3 towns voted on the plan. Here is a simple google query that shows the exact cost, breakdown, and share paid by each town after the MSBA grant of $64,811,262. This was presented to votes prior to the 2023 vote.

The new regional school will open in the fall of 2027.

06/29/2026

Campbell/ Greenmont Project Discussion, Part 2

This clip addressed voter questions on whether COVID and an exodus of wealthier citygoers has affected enrollment, and how costs of renovation could cascade. It also addressed the need for tax exemptions for seniors to be communicated as part of the informational materials, as part of an overall better communication strategy. Finally there were callers asking about possible negative impacts on the town budget if more families send their kids to charter schools.

06/29/2026

Campbell/ Greenmont Project Discussion, Part 1

Interesting discussion on WCAP with several callers asking questions. Issues raised included cost estimates, voter turnout, and the process the building committee went through where the list of items needing replacement because too long to consider a renovation project.

We split this into two segments to make it more digestible. Feel free to offer feedback and keep it civil.

06/28/2026

Here are clips of the audio from Saturday Morning Live.

Here is the link to Part 1 of the Saturday Morning Live radio show, from about 5 minutes in to the break.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1283440276984393

Here is the link to Part 2 of the show, starting shortly after the Al Kaprelian weather report.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1559791319009135

Please leave comments on the reel posts rather than on this post. Thank you.

06/27/2026

Special guests on WCAP this morning were school committee member Rebecca Duda, Phil Thibault of the permanent building committee, and School Committee chair Rob Sheppard, Dracut School Committee

Bonding Methods, the reno vs. repair decision, enrollment trends, charter costs, and Campbell roof viablity were addressed.

We will break this up into two segments; it is quite long.

06/23/2026

Failure to match the MSBA grant offer would set the town back over a decade as the following graphic indicates. If the result is negative but close do towns have the opportunity for a revote? Perhaps they do, stay tuned...