Lynch 1960 to Present
62 years of service, though never intended as an elementary school
a Junior High School to start
At approximately 83,650 square feet, Lynch was originally designed as Winchester’s junior high school, completed in 1961; its spaces poorly accommodate the needs of today’s elementary education. Many of the architectural elements and engineering systems of the period, such as steel-framed single pane windows and sectional cast iron boiler, are original to the building, inefficient and failing.
Similar to Winchester’s other four elementary schools, Lynch serves-- and will continue to serve-- as a neighborhood school. The current facility is a sprawling, largely single-story steel frame and masonry-clad building on a large site with numerous playfields at a lower elevation supporting youth sports. Much of the site falls within the 100-year floodplain and faces numerous development restrictions.
Although most of Winchester’s elementary schools serve grades K-5, the Lynch School has for generations been home to the district’s integrated preschool program, with up to six classrooms supporting nine distinct sections of morning and all-day programs. Due to rising enrollment, the district moved two of these Pre-K classrooms to the Vinson-Owen School for the 2017-18 school year and for Fall 2021, the district relocated the remaining Pre-K program at Lynch to the Parkhurst School (underutilized for administration only) to accommodate continued growth.
Building & Systems Condition
The Lynch School needs significant repairs and improvements, both in terms of educational programming space needs and physical plant. The 61-year-old building's existing deficiencies include handicap accessibility barriers, dated HVAC systems and electrical service, deteriorating exterior masonry joints and sealants, and inefficient single pane windows.
A 2018 analysis estimated over $43M (escalated to 2022 costs) in renewal and replacement costs to address the failing elements of the current building. This cost excludes needed program space and improvements to accommodate the district's elementary and integrated preschool programs.
There has never been a major building renovation or addition to the school, although interior spaces have been reconfigured to meet some elementary and preschool program needs. The roof was replaced in 2010 and in 2012 some bathrooms were renovated to the same specification as the new Vinson-Owen. The fire alarm system was updated in 2009.
Current Program & Space Issues
The Lynch Elementary School includes approximately 21 K-5 core classroom spaces of varying size, ranging from 800 sf – 1,200 sf, many of which are undersized compared to MSBA standards. Increased enrollment has resulted in the integrated Pre-K program being split between two sites (Vinson-Owen and Parkhurst) and all available instructional spaces converted into classroom spaces, which has led to a space constraints for special education, small-group and individualized meeting/support, reduced space for library/media and technology, and no available space to add additional classrooms.