Together for Natick Schools: Lessons from the November 2000 Wilson Middle School campaign

Written by: Christine Weithman and Josh Ostroff

Yard Sign from the 2000 Together for Natick Schools Campaign.

This November marks the 25th anniversary of a pivotal moment for the Town of Natick, when the community approved a debt exclusion on November 7, 2000 to replace the aging Wilson Middle School. 

The original Wilson Junior High opened in 1958 during a wave of school building necessitated by the post-WW2 baby boom and the influx of students from Wethersfield, Barnesdale and other 1950s subdivisions. From 1940 to 1960, the Town’s population doubled, and schools were built to keep up.

By the 1990s, most other schools of the 1950s generation had been replaced or modernized to accommodate contemporary needs, funded by new tax revenue from the expansion of the Natick Mall. Natick also replaced our Town Hall, police station and downtown fire station. Wilson was a significant outlier to the modernization of our post-WW2 school updates. Further, it was undersized, out of date, with failing systems.

At the time, Natick had never approved a tax increase to fund a new building or support the  operating budget. Persuading residents of the necessity and benefits of an investment in a new middle school proved challenging. In October 1999, the voters narrowly rejected a debt exclusion override vote in a special election.

The result left  Natick in a dilemma. Wilson Middle School was aging poorly and providing a substandard educational setting. The opportunity to secure the limited window of 59% state reimbursement for school building assistance was closing. Competition for state school building assistance was as challenging then as it is today. With a groundswell of citizen support, the Board of Selectmen narrowly approved placing the question of a Wilson Middle School debt exclusion override on the November 2000 general election ballot.

A glimpse of the Natick Champions for Education website, c. 2000.

Recognizing the need for an inclusive and forward-looking vision for both education and the community, a citizen’s committee, Natick Champions for Education, rallied behind the tagline Together for Natick Schools. A broad-based campaign, supported by hundreds of volunteers including precinct captains, advisory committees and communication specialists,  reached every corner of Natick with cable TV advertising, a website, email outreach, along with traditional mailings, signs and good old fashion canvassing. The campaign reached out to all in Natick including seniors, families with pre-school children, singles, and the business community. We shared information about the townwide school facilities studies, the consequences of a “no” vote, and the importance of modern schools for students and the community.

As we stated earlier, hundreds of volunteers pitched in. Maybe you were one of them! The campaign had facts, but personal relationships, positivity and credibility were essential to communicating with voters. Natick Champions for Education helped craft the message but it was individuals of all ages, families, businesses large and small, and trusted relationships that delivered the message.

To Natick’s credit, the question passed overwhelmingly by a margin of 61%-39%.

 A broad base of voters sent a clear signal that our schools were a high priority, and that in turn helped to attract young families who sought out an affordable community that valued public education. The momentum of this effort led to eventually replacing the 1954 high school, the 1964 Kennedy Middle School, and investments in other town facilities. In addition, voters have twice increased property taxes to maintain town services and continue investing in education. These campaigns, and all the work of volunteer service represent broad-based civic engagement that reflects a strong community. 

The values of engagement, accountability and responsible stewardship have become hallmarks of Natick. While perspectives on individual issues rightly differ, there is a shared expectation that our citizen-led government will thoughtfully balance the town’s needs with the public’s willingness to invest in local services.

The most significant lesson of “Yes on 9” was the readiness of people to set aside differences and work together towards a common goal. That is what helps make Natick the Home of Champions. 

Josh Ostroff and Chris Weithman, volunteers for Natick Champions for Education