In an area as affluent as Greater Nashua, it is inexcusable to ask students to attend an antiquated school with “undulating” floors, inadequate plumbing and a lack of insulation.

In June, The Telegraph reported these conditions as some of those facing students and teachers at Elm Street Middle School.

The projected costs of upgrading the school to meet current standards is $50 million.

Now, city and school leaders are determining the best approach. Should they spend the $50 million to renovate Elm Street, or should they abandon it in favor of an entirely new structure?

Last week, Nashua Board of Aldermen member Rick Dowd announced the Joint Special School Building Committee (JSSBC) has officially selected a construction manager and an architect for the middle school project.

“We need to end up with a school that meets the educational challenges of a middle school going forward, as well as being mindful of cost,” Dowd said during a recent meeting.

“When we look at the cost of renovating Elm Street versus new, we’re not only looking at initial cost, but also 20 years from now. What is the difference in lifecycle cost between the two? It makes a huge difference because we anticipate that this school will be around for another 50 years, and the current school is 80 years old,” Dowd added.

It is still too early to say for sure which approach is better. However, officials said they already own the parcel of property on which they would build the proposed new school, which may play a factor in the decision.

We are glad Nashua officials realize the situation described at Elm Street is unacceptable for a school in the 21st century, particularly in a community that can afford to provide a better learning environment for its students.