NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The McCann School Committee voted to prepare $275,000 for a Massachusetts School Building Authority feasibility study if the school is accepted into repair program.

 

"I don't think it's going to cost what I'm asking for, but I don't want to screw around," Superintendent James Brosnan said Thursday at the School Committee meeting. "When we are at the end of October, we will want to move fast and already have that money authorized. Maybe that will move us up a little as opposed to someone who has not gotten that done."

 

In 2023 the school submitted a statement of interest to be included in the accelerated rehabilitation program, specifically to address the building's aging roof and inefficient single-pane windows.

 

Brosnan said representatives from the MSBA visited the school in August for a tour.

 

"Part of their due diligence, after they read all of these applications and check the facts, is that they come to a site survey," he said. "They came out, and we walked the entire building. They looked at the glass, and we walked all over the roof. It was very positive."

 

He said there are 71 applications in this program cycle, and the school will find out in October if it has been accepted.

 

"I don't know where it goes because they obviously can't tell me. I just happen to know there are 71 applications," he said. "That tells us a lot of other people are competing with us."

 

Brosnan said if the project is not accepted the money will not be touched, but it was important to have the funding approved and ready to go.

 

If the school has a successful application, there will be little to do in the initial phases other than fund the study. The MSBA will have an approved organization conduct the study. 

 

The committee had specific questions about how the funding was allocated and if the school could be given partial funding.

 

Brosan did not want to speculate.

 

"I don't want to even hint at all this stuff because it is just conjecture at this point," he said. "We got to do what we got to do. We have to be ready to go on this project … and we can get that going with this money for the study. Anything else I would say would be guessing."

 

The superintendent was optimistic adding that because they have taken such good care of their building over the years their application should be looked on favorably.

 

"The fact that we got this far, I am very pleased with…And I am the first guy to say I am optimistic, and I think we have a great plan….What we have done is an excellent job over the years to maintain our building. That's really part of the criteria," he said. "All we need for this project to make it better, and they understand especially energy conservation, is new windows and a roof. So I think we are meeting their criteria. We're just crossing our fingers."

 

In other business, the committee accepted the school improvement plan, handbook updates, and an admission plans update.

 

Principal Justin Kratz outlined small tweaks within each category but noted most changes were simply a refinement and continuation of what they have been doing in past years.

 

He took some time to talk about school culture and spirit through the Swarm Club. 

 

Anyone affiliated with McCann is part of the "Swarm," he said. "It is the hive, the collective, we work together, we learn together, we succeed together."

 

However, the Swarm Club is for students who want to get involved in improving school spirit by brainstorming and organizing events and initiatives. Kratz would like Swarm Club members to create more of the videos now streaming in the front entryway.

 

"We want kids to create content. They can edit better than we can. They go to a sports games, they go to an activity, they go to a dance and they're got their phones and they're taking videos and they can splice and edit on their phones like it's nobody's business," he said.  

 

As for the lobby, Kratz said the entire entryway has been revamped with plans to install honeycomb acoustic tile with special lighting on the ceiling. 

 

This will be followed through other common areas in the building.

 

"We're going to continue with the building. We have things going on in the gym that will be rolling out in the fall to enhance the building," Kratz said. "We're hoping to kind of create some ideas and look at maybe next summer some stuff to add to the cafeteria to kind of Just enhance the aesthetics of the building making it a place that kids want to be at that they are proud of."

 

As part of the handbook updates, Kratz said updated language regarded parking permits and that currently there are 10 kids on the waiting list as parking is a little tighter with the new HVAC building. He expected this to be resolved soon.

 

He said school officials are strongly enforcing the "no parking" ban across the street and that it is no longer an issue. He said those who park there will probably be towed.  

 

He also dispelled a rumor that students were parking at Walmart and walking to school. Kratz said students are sometimes spotted by faculty walking to Cumberland Farms before school, which is not allowed. He said he did not think faculty would miss students walking from Walmart.

 

Brosnan reinforced this, noting many of the rumors are coming from social media.

 

"We don't have that, we don't have people going to Walmart, we don't have people going into the cemetery," he said. "We don't have people parking across the street any longer. As far as we're concerned, the parking issue is no longer a problem."