Project Background

There are two elementary schools in Hanover — Cedar Elementary and Center/Sylvester Elementary.  These schools are located approximately 2 miles apart.  Hanover currently utilizes a “neighborhood” school configuration.  Cedar School houses Hanover’s entire Pre-K program, as well as approximately 390 students in Kindergarten through 4th grade.  Center/Sylvester is a split campus; there are approximately 580 K-4th grade students in the two buildings.

After generations of exceptional service to our community, the Sylvester building is no longer a suitable educational facility for many reasons.  These include a lack of handicap accessibility, overcrowding, insufficient learning space, and obsolete heating, plumbing, and electrical systems.  For all these reasons and more, Hanover has been invited to work with the MSBA to conduct a feasibility study to modernize the Center/Sylvester school that is fully compliant with ADA requirements, building codes, and the educational needs of our children.  Hanover residents unanimously approved funding for the ongoing feasibility study at the May 2014 Town Meeting and the work to evaluate all possible options is actively underway.