A one-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) allowing the Recreation Department to use the Clarke School was presented to the Select Board on Wednesday.

The Recreation Department hopes to expand its programming for children and adults by utilizing the now-vacant Clarke School. Located at 100 Middlesex Ave., the Clarke School ceased operations as an elementary school at the end of the 2023–24 school year, following the consolidation of the town’s three elementary schools into one facility. The Clarke School is currently under the control of the School Department. 

“I think I’m a great tenant for the schools rather than giving it to an outside group,” Charlotte Daher de Garcia, the director of the Recreation Department. “I think keeping it in the town and benefiting the residents of this town is probably our number one goal, and I can do that.”

The town will cover all utility costs through the Recreation Department’s revolving fund. According to Facilities Director Max Kasper and Daher de Garcia, utility costs totaled $36,952 in fiscal year 2025, when the building was vacant, and $48,279 in fiscal year 2024, when the school was partially in use.

This year, the school budget did not include a line item for utility costs at Clarke School, according to Superintendent Jason Calichman. He said the hope was for the Recreation Department to take control of the building or for an outside agency to be interested in the facility.

“The idea was that by at least this time, we would have it rented out, and we didn’t want to budget for something that wouldn’t be utilized,” Calichman said. “We always knew that people were interested.”

The School Department has covered the building’s utility costs for the past five months.

Select Board Member Mary Ellen Fletcher noted that last year, when a “substantially similar” MOU was presented, the town’s finance director estimated $40,000 in utility costs, though she added that was “probably an understatement.”  It was suggested that the “revolving account should be able to sustain $60,000 without feeling any type of pinch.”

“The idea is that the rec revolving fund will essentially pay the utilities for this in turn from proceeds from programs,” Daher de Garcia said. “The idea is to fill programming, much more than we have in the past, that way we will utilize the building.”

Daher de Garcia said this would not “strap my budget down to zero.” There is currently $276,978 in the Recreation Department’s revolving fund. 

The Clarke School’s future was previously discussed by the Select Board in July. At that time, Kasper said the internal consensus between the town and schools was to retain control of the Clarke School in the short term, with possible school reuse in three to five years. He also noted that the Clarke School could serve as a crucial “swing space” during upcoming middle school renovations.

“Upon becoming the Rec Director, I have lofty goals for the program,” said Daher de Garcia. “I have increased programming quite a bit. I know a lot of people have noticed. I have been listening.”

Daher de Garcia said the department has always “done really, really well” with children’s programming.

“And then there’s a sort of untapped audience: folks that are parents of young children that want to get out at night, learn something new whether it’s a craft or workshop; and then there’s other folks that are a little bit older where the Senior Center might not be appropriate for them or perhaps they might not think of themselves as a senior where they might be a senior, so I really want to build upon the programming,” Daher de Garcia said. “I need the space to do it.”

Daher de Garcia called this a “test run,” although the Recreation Department has already used the space. She noted that 52 children participated in recreation activities at the school during the Yom Kippur holiday.

Daher de Garcia’s ideas include clubs, classes, Friday night youth events, open gym time, and game nights. She added that many other towns have dedicated recreation spaces.

“The Clarke is a perfect place for it,” Daher de Garcia said. “I came into this job with really big ideas, as many of you know. I want to continue to do that, but I need the space to expand.”

The MOU is up for a vote in front of the School Committee Thursday night. It will be in front of the Select Board again in two weeks.