Clarksburg School Application on MSBA Agenda
 The School Committee learned the district's application for a school building upgrade will be considered by the MSBA next week. |
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — School officials hope to have good news from the Massachusetts School Building Authority next week.
Superintendent Jonathan Lev told the School Committee on Thursday night that the school's statement of interest will be on the agenda for the MSBA board's Jan. 14 meeting.
"So next week, we may actually have an official word on entering the program," he said. "I am optimistic ... but we can't make any announcement until next week."
Should the MSBA vote to invite the school district into the building process, Clarksburg will have nine months to complete a feasibility study.
"That would need to be approved by the School Committee and go before the voters, possibly at May town meeting," Lev said of funding the study.
The town set up a stabilization account some years in anticipation of funding a study.
A feasibility study would look at options to renovate and/or add on to the current building or to build new. Any final decision would have to be approved by the School Committee, MSBA and the voters.
The MSBA's decision next week will also determine the school district's direction on a preschool. A proposal has been floated to purchase and move the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, a former church, next to Town Hall and turn what would be the new foundation into a preschool.
The School Committee had voted in November to move forward with a study of the project — dependent upon the MSBA's decision.
"If we are accepted next week, my recommendation is not to move on the VFW," Lev said. "We've been told if accepted, the preschool would be part of it."
The school district had submitted SOI's for a number of years without without success. It renewed the pursuit of a new school with an updated SOI in 2013 and applied again last year. An MSBA team toured the school in late 2013.
"It's been a long time," Lev said. "It's been well before my time."
The statement of interest lists a number of structural issues, obsolete mechanical systems and a lack of space. Built in the 1950s and added onto in the 1960s and '70s, the school remains overcrowded. Based on the MSBA recommendations, it should be 7,000 square feet larger than it is.
Lev said the next step, should the school district be invited into the feasibility phase, would be to appoint a school building committee.
He and several others were considering to attending Wednesday's MSBA meeting in Boston.
The school also could be closing in on a new principal.
The screening committee will meet in two weeks to review five candidates and select one or more finalists to be interviewed by the School Committee.
The district has been searching for a principal since Linda Reardon's retirement last year but has had difficulty finding qualified candidates. Former Principal Karen Gallese stepped in as interim.
"If we had someone signed sealed and delivered for the fall, we'd be pretty happy," Lev said.
In other business, Lev anticipated having a draft fiscal 2016 budget ready for the February meeting. The board also approved students attending the Drury High music program contingent on the cost for transportation.
Tags: Clarksburg School, MSBA, school project,
