Schools mull next steps after latest MSBA rejection

On the eve of Governor Charlie Baker’s visit to the Galvin Middle School to announce state funding of summer education programs, Canton School Business Administrator Barry Nectow reported at Thursday night’s School Committee meeting that Canton’s application for state-aided school construction funds, particularly for GMS, was rejected for the third consecutive year by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

Nectow said CPS has applied each year from 2018 to 2020 and plans to reapply again within the next month. “The typical response from the MSBA is they receive more applications than funds and they have to make tough decisions,” he said. “They always encourage us to reapply.”

A proposed renovation of the middle school has been identified as the focal point of a district-wide school facilities master plan, which was initially completed in late 2017 and last revised in early 2019. The plan also calls for improvements to the Rodman building and the possible addition of modular classrooms at the elementary schools.

While the receipt of MSBA funds was thought to be a precursor to any work being done at the middle school, former School Committee member Reuki Schutt, prior to her departure from the committee and following news of Canton’s second MSBA rejection in late 2019, had suggested that school officials approach town leaders to discuss alternative financing options.

On Thursday night, School Committee Chair Kristian Merenda revisited this idea and said it might be a topic for the committee’s next goal-setting workshop planned for this summer. After adjusting its schedule in 2020 to respond to COVID-19, the committee intends to return to its annual tradition of meeting in a workshop setting to develop new goals for the upcoming school year.

In other news at the April 29 School Committee meeting, CPS Director of Student Services Dianna Mullen presented an overview of the new GMS Therapeutic Program, which has the backing of the Finance Committee and could be funded through the town’s Special Education Reserve Fund. Mullen said the program could support the increasing population of students at the middle school level — including those now at GMS and those who are currently being educated out of district — who are presenting with social/emotional concerns. Mullen said the program is geared toward those who demonstrate significant limited social/emotional functioning; an inability to manage emotions, frustrations and/or behaviors; and an inability to build or maintain relationships with peers and adults. The program will employ a variety of therapeutic strategies with the goal of increasing students’ abilities to sustain attention and regulate emotions and behaviors in order to access the curriculum in a general education setting.

Mullens pegged the cost of tuition and transportation for FY22 at $236,205 with an additional $125,000 needed to cover staffing costs. She said the program is projected to save the district $91,000 in FY22 and more than $240,000 (estimated) in FY23. She added that the program could be a possible revenue source to offset other program costs in future years.

In other news from the April 29 meeting:

* School administrators were pleased with the execution and enthusiasm exhibited by students and staff …

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Posted by Mike Berger on May 7 2021. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.