Public Comment to school comm.10.15.09

Public Comment on Hancock Village made by Alisa Jonas to the Brookline School Committee, October 15, 2009 I am here to talk briefly about Hancock Village. This is an issue you apparently have been hearing about a lot already. Because Chestnut Hill Realty has met with Supt. Lupini and has presumably provided its perspective on the proposed expansion at Hancock Village, we felt it was important for those of us who live in the neighborhood to let you know of the opposition by many of us to the expansion. It appears that many of you have been receiving a number of emails. I’m speaking on behalf of a unanimous Executive Board of the SBNA, and I also reflect the sentiments of neighbors as expressed at an SBNA general meeting in May 2009. We are opposed to the proposed expansion because of the major negative impact it will have on our neighborhood. The negative consequence most relevant to you is of course the impact on the Brookline schools. Last year, 270 children attended Baker School from Hancock Village, and comprised 50% of the student population in the younger grades, and approximately another 50 attended BHS, for a total of about 320 students from Hancock Village. By almost doubling the size of Hancock Village in Brookline [which currently has 530 units – the proposal would bring the number to 1,000+ units], it can be expected that the school population will increase by another 300 or so students. Chestnut Hill Realty has stated that it has ...