In 2023, our community successfully advocated to restore budget cuts to keep Harborside from closing.
This 2023 budget battle over a modest 4.7% increase led to the long-range facilities planning, while capital improvements to Harborside were postponed.
Now the future of Harborside is once again at risk as the Milford Board of Education is considering closing Harborside as part of its long-range facilities plan, and we need to act now. Write a letter to the Board to show support.
If there is one thing we’ve learned advocating for neighborhood schools it’s this: school consolidation doesn’t save much as bigger schools cost more to build, staff, and bus.
The cost to build three middle schools for 400 students each is nearly the same as building two middle schools for 600 students each. Additional staffing and transportation expenses mean annual savings for taxpayers would be negligible.
Closing Harborside would remove an anchor institution from our historic downtown, impacting local businesses and community connections. The school’s central location makes it attractive to developers and other civic uses, but once it leaves Milford Public Schools’ ownership, it can never be reclaimed for students. Losing this site as a school would mean permanently giving up an ideal educational setting in our community.
400 students at Harborside vs. 600+ elsewhere mattered in 2023 and matters today.
At the last straw poll of the BOE only 3 out of 10 BOE members supported keeping 3 middles schools. Support from at least 5 members is needed.
If you want Harborside Middle School to stay open downtown for future students, please write all Board of Ed members at once: mboemail@milforded.org.
MilfordEd Advocates 