Sandwich School Committee Approves All Three School Improvement Plans, Hears Boiler Update

SANDWICH -- September 24, 2025, Sandwich School Committee approves district improvement plans and hears of $273,899 boiler emergency at middle high school. The committee voted 6-0 Wednesday to approve 2025-26 school improvement plans for Forestdale Elementary, Oak Ridge Elementary, and Sandwich Middle High School, covering goals in teaching, student support, climate, and facilities at each building. Director of Facilities Michael Ryan informed the committee that two of three boilers at Sandwich Middle High School have failed after exceeding their 30-year useful life due to corrosion, with replacement costs estimated at $273,899 to be drawn from the approximately $2.27 million remaining in a spring 2022 debt exclusion account. Superintendent Dave Quinn said the district is proceeding under emergency procurement using state bid lists, with heating season four to six weeks away. The district's chronic absenteeism rate dropped from roughly 17.9 percent in 2023-24 to 14.4 percent in 2024-25, outperforming the state rate of 18.8 percent, though Forestdale Elementary continued to show the highest rate in the district.