Submitted by Regional School District 17
(April 9, 2025) — The High School Feasibility Study Team (HS-FST) has completed a five-month evaluation to determine the best option for the future of the Haddam-Killingworth High School campus. The HS-FST, composed of RSD17 District officials and Haddam and Killingworth representatives from the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and RSD 17 Board of Education, collaborated with architects, engineers, cost estimators and advisors, and an owner’s representative. They have determined the final recommended option of a new high school concept, which will be presented to the community on April 10, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the HKHS auditorium prior to formal recommendation to the Board of Education (BOE).
Key Features of the Proposal
- A new three-story school building will be constructed for the projected 532 students on the current site of the cafeteria and tech ed space and connect to the auditorium
- A new two-story building will connect the existing auditorium and field house on the site of the current entrance
- The pool, and recently renovated fieldhouse and auditorium, will be preserved
- The tech ed program will remain, with the spaces restructured and updated
- The existing Central Office building (old middle school) and one current academic wing of the high school will be demolished
- Central Office Administration and Student Services offices will be relocated into the new high school construction
- A separate bus entrance will be added to alleviate current traffic challenges
- The District is seeking state reimbursement for the project:
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- 50% reimbursement is available for the new high school construction
- 25% reimbursement will apply to the pool, field house, auditorium, and Central Office spaces
- The latest cost estimates place the total referendum at approximately $166.4 million with anticipated state reimbursement totaling approximately $67.4 million, with the local District’s share at $99 million
Community Input Opportunity
The HS-FST will provide their recommendation to the RSD17 BOE at their April 22, 2025 regular meeting for possible approval to move forward to a June referendum.
Before a decision is finalized, the community forum being held on April 10, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. in the HKHS Auditorium will be the final community conversation before a vote is made. Both the HS-FST and the BOE are seeking feedback from the community on this recommendation.
Babysitting will be provided for HK students in first through fifth grade with advance notice. Please send babysitting requests to https://forms.gle/MwZY2A8qwqyg5npK6.
The meeting also can be viewed via live stream through this link: https://stream.meet.google.com/stream/1e06e36d-3f31-4932-9057-f3e9c1d85383.
Additional information can be found on the RSD17 website at the following link: https://sites.google.com/view/hkhsproject
