New Searles Elementary School is one of seven elementary schools at risk of closing. Courtesy photo

NASHUA – According to the results of a consolidation study by architecture firm Harriman, seven elementary schools are at risk of closing — New Searles is one of them.

The other schools include Mount Pleasant, Amherst Street, Bicentennial, Charlotte Avenue, Fairgrounds and Ledge Street.

Board of Education President Jennifer Bishop said Harriman presented school officials with five consolidation options, one of which would close New Searles.

“We are still in the exploratory process,” she said. “For any possible ‘newer fewer’ options we would need financial support from the city.”

Two of the options include building two new elementary schools while a third option calls for one new school.

“I struggle with making any of these plans when the city has clearly said ‘no new school projects’ for another 10 years,” said Bishop. “That’s in the Capital Improvement Ad Hoc Committee presentation.”

Although another option calls for renovating Mount Pleasant, Bishop said such a project would not be backed by City Hall.

“I have been told there is no city support for any new or improvements on buildings until several other key infrastructure projects are complete,” she said.

Jenna Smith, president of the New Searles Parent Teacher Organization, has started a petition to keep the school open. She also said the district invested millions of dollars to build a new safety vestibule last summer and that the PTO is currently in the process of renovating the school library.

“Beyond the physical aspect of New Searles, it has won more awards than any other elementary school in Nashua,” said Smith, adding that New Searles is currently the number one elementary school in the district and number 42 in the state.

Last year, Krystal Warshafsky was named Special Education Teacher of the Year by the Nashua Educational Foundation. New Searles was also a finalist for Best Elementary School in The Telegraph’s Best of Greater Nashua competition. In 2023, Erin O’Connell and Melissa DiMeo both received Teacher of the Year awards from the Nashua Educational Foundation. Corinne Stoney was also named Art Teacher of the Year in 2019.

In addition to the petition, Smith said the PTO has met with the Board of Education and Ward 9 Alderman John Sullivan to discuss ways to keep the school open.

“There’s research that states the best school is the one that’s closest to the child,” said Sullivan, adding that his three children went to school at New Searles. “It’s a tremendous asset and it’s sending fantastic children out into our world.”

Although the 57-year-old building is in need of some repair work, Sullivan said other schools are in “far worse condition” and were not targeted by Harriman for possible closure.

The cost of repairs at New Searles is currently estimated at $8.3 million.

Sullivan also opposed the idea of building new schools right now.

“The Nashua taxpayer doesn’t have the stomach for new buildings seeing as we just built a brand new middle school that isn’t even at capacity,” he said.

According to the Harriman study, there are currently 653 students enrolled at McCarthy Middle School; however, it can accommodate 917 students.

Looking ahead, Sullivan said the Board of Education should focus on “recalibrating” the district.

“Go street by street if needed, but use what we have and see if leveling off the population inside schools will work,” he said. “Before moving forward with closure, we ask that all alternatives be fully explored, including thoughtful budget adjustments, redistricting considerations, and a thorough evaluation of transportation impacts and costs.”

Although he will continue to advocate to keep New Searles open, Sullivan said it’s ultimately not up to him and his fellow aldermen.

“At the end of the day, the Board of Education makes the decision on what schools stay open,” he said.