School Committee unanimously backs GMS plan
By Mike BergerThe Canton School Committee last week formally supported the School Building Committee’s choices for a new three-story Galvin Middle School building with plans to include an 800-seat auditorium, a new gymnasium with 1.5 or two basketball courts, spaces to accommodate fifth grade students, and flexible learning and support spaces. The estimated cost of the new school is $232 million, with an additional cost born by taxpayers for the new auditorium, which is not eligible for reimbursement funding from the Mass. School Building Authority.
Following the unanimous approval by the School Committee, school leaders late last week submitted an updated education and curriculum plan to the MSBA, and the focus will now shift to developing a detailed floor-by-floor plan under the leadership of the design firm (Ai3 Architects) and the project management team from LeftField. School officials are hoping to see the detailed plans by June, with a final decision by the MSBA on a reimbursement rate expected in August. Past MSBA reimbursement rates have exceeded 40 percent of the total project cost.
If all goes according to plan, School Superintendent Derek Folan said there could be a Special Town Meeting scheduled for late November to vote on a debt-exclusion override. If approved at STM, the override would then be put to a vote in a town-wide special election.
Also at last week’s School Committee meeting, architects shared some additional details on the plans for the new GMS building, which they said will include a state-of-the-art media center/library as well as language labs, paving the way for new foreign language opportunities for fifth grade students. There are also plans for a “black box” theater, which is a smaller rehearsal area, and parking on both sides of the building. Other exterior features include an outdoor learning space, an amphitheater, rain gardens, a playground and athletic facilities.
In other news from the February 8 meeting:
* The School Committee approved a preliminary FY25 school operating budget of $58.24 million, which calls for an 8.89 percent increase in spending ($4.7M) compared to the current year’s budget. Departments and administrators had requested an additional 12.17 percent in spending ($6.5M). However, Folan and Stephen Marshall, assistant superintendent of finance and operations voiced warnings about the loss of state education aid this year, which they said could impact the town budget. Town officials are expected to set firmer budget targets by mid-February, and it is possible that the schools will have to trim …
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Posted by Mike Berger
on Feb 9 2024. Filed under News, Schools.
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