We are former members of the Lexington School Committee, and we have been proud to continue our community’s tradition of caring for our students and our schools. Throughout our years of service — which span the last 25 years — the need for a new Lexington High School has only become more urgent. We come together today to voice our support for building a new LHS now, and encourage voters to pass the upcoming debt exclusion.

For many years, Lexington High School has been overcrowded, with undersized learning spaces and failing infrastructure. Our students succeed in spite of these challenges, but they deserve more: a school where everyone can sit at a table for lunch, where teachers aren’t drowned out by noisy ventilation systems, and where classrooms and labs support 21st century learning.

The design selected for the new LHS addresses these critical problems while honoring Lexington’s commitment to sustainability. The new high school will be a net-zero building, with 100% of its power provided by solar panels. Heating and cooling will come from both ground and air-sourced heat pumps. These efficiencies decrease our carbon footprint and save the town millions in operating expenses over the life of the building.

Importantly, the new LHS design also prioritizes safety. Unlike the current campus, which is open to the public, the proposed design ensures that only students and staff have access to the building during the school day. A thoughtfully-placed, protected courtyard will preserve the social and health benefits of outdoor time for students.

This project is the product of a lengthy public process and the result of three years of work by citizens, educators and professionals dedicated to shaping a high school that meets Lexington’s current and future needs. Community input from a broad spectrum of stakeholders and residents has been sought and incorporated at every stage of planning.

Most significantly, this project is being developed in partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), which will provide approximately $120 million in funding.

In short, this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Lexington to build our long-overdue new high school with state support. As a community, we simply cannot afford to make any other choice.

We urge the voters of Lexington to go to the polls on Dec. 8, 2025, and Vote YES for a new LHS.

Scott Bokun

Helen Lutton Cohen

Kate Colburn

Margaret Coppe

Judith Crocker

Tom Diaz

Tom Griffiths

Bill Hurley

Deepika Sawhney

Jessie Steigerwald

Mary Ann Stewart

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