SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL VOTED ELIGIBLE BY STATE FOR POSSIBLE RENOVATION OR NEW BUILDING FUNDING

SOMERVILLE - Somerville is one step closer to a renovated or

new high school after the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) voted

on Wednesday to invite Somerville Public Schools into MSBA's eligibility period,

which is the first step in the application process for State funding for renovation

or replacement of the school.

The City and School District now have 270 days from the vote

in which to take the required steps needed for the MSBA to then approve the

district for the next phase of the application process, which is the

feasibility study phase. If a feasibility study is approved, an evaluation of

Somerville High School's existing conditions would be conducted to determine

whether renovating the current school or building a new school would yield the

most educationally appropriate and cost effective solution to the challenges

posed by the current 142-year-old building.

A 2012 report by Maguire Group Inc. (MGI) cited

approximately $10 million in high priority structural repairs and replacements

at Somerville High School needed over the next four years. In its report, MGI

noted repairs needed to aging windows, roofing, and brick façade, among other

areas. Somerville High

School was originally constructed in 1872 and the central wing of the high

school was opened in 1895, with final remodeling conducted in 1986 when the Career,

Vocational and Technical wing and Field House were added.  No major changes or improvements have been

made to the exterior of the building in approximately 24 years. Needs within

the building include modern heating, ventilation and air cooling (HVAC) system,

updated science labs, updated electrical and communication systems and improved

energy efficiency, among others.

The MSBA will work with the Somerville School District during

the eligibility period to determine its financial and community readiness to

enter the program's capital pipeline (in other words, to move forward in the

application process for funding). Requirements to move into the feasibility

study period include:

• An Initial Compliance Certification that
  
  confirms the District's understanding of the grant program's rules

• Formation of a School Building Committee with
  
  membership approved by the MSBA

• A summary of the District's existing maintenance
  
  practices

• Certification of an agreement between the City
  
  and MSBA that the design of the proposed project will be based on a set student
  
  enrollment number, determined by an analysis of enrollment projections and
  
  space capacity

• Approval by the Board of Aldermen for the
  
  appropriation of funds to cover the full cost of a feasibility study

• Execution of the MSBA's Feasibility Study
  
  Agreement, which establishes the process by which the District would be
  
  reimbursed for eligible expenses

"We're excited about the opportunity to move

forward in this process, and thank the MSBA for their support," said

Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi. "This 142-year old building has served the

Somerville community well. We're proud of the learning environment that our

students and staff have created within the walls of Somerville High School, and

the success our students have attained as a result of that environment. The

reality is, however, that a building this old presents many challenges and

limitations. Our students, staff and community will enjoy even greater

success in a state-of-the-art learning environment and community facility." 

"Our schools' steady pursuit of excellence led to MCAS results

last year that put Somerville's student growth on par with some of the highest

performing districts in Massachusetts. Our students who are achieving

excellence also deserve an excellent facility that meets their needs and

creates the right environment for a 21^st century education," said

Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. "With more families looking to move to Somerville

and more families planning to stay here, we need a modern facility that not

only accommodates our growing enrollment, but has the capacity to allow our

teachers to implement the innovative curriculum that will best enable our

students to achieve both academic success and success in their adult lives. I'm

thankful the MSBA has approved this first step and I look forward to us working

together to develop a plan that benefits all our students, families and the

community as a whole. "

The MSBA's program for school building construction and renovation

grants is a non-entitlement competitive grant program. Grants are distributed

by the MSBA's Board of Directors based on need and urgency, as expressed by the

District and validated by the MSBA. Since its inception in 2004, the MSBA has

reimbursed more than $10 billion for school construction projects.

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Contact:

Susana Hernandez Morgan, 617-629-5221