Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 3/17/2022
HOLYOKE – The expansion of the Holyoke Community Charter School (HCCS) was celebrated with a groundbreaking on March 9.
The school officials noted the start of construction for a 20,000 square foot gym and classroom addition.
School Principal Dr. Sonia Correa Pope explained to students, parents and those involved in the project the new addition will have a full gym to accommodate basketball and volleyball as well as four new classrooms.
Mayor Joshua Garcia said he was “sincerely grateful” for the work that led to this moment and congratulated Pope and the Board of Trustees of the school. He added the school “has my full support.”
Students and parents spoke of the progress for the school as represented by the new construction.
Founded in 2005, HCCS has an enrollment of about 700 students in grades K-8 from Holyoke, Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Northampton, South Hadley, Springfield, West Springfield and Westfield.
MassDevelopment announced in early January it was issuing the school an $8.5 million tax-exempt bond to pay for the construction of the new addition.
At that time Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy, who serves as chair of MassDevelopment’s Board of Directors, said, “The Baker-Polito Administration is committed to improving the learning environments and experiences of students in communities across the commonwealth.
MassDevelopment assists independent schools with the financial support they need to build new facilities and upgrade infrastructure.”
This is the third time MassDevelopment has been involved with the school. In 2005, MassDevelopment issued a $5.6 million tax-exempt bond for the original purchase, renovation, and equipping of the school’s building, and provided a $250,000 loan for technology equipment. In 2008, the agency issued an $8.4 million tax-exempt bond, enhanced with a charter school loan guarantee, to help HCCS refinance previously issued debt.
“MassDevelopment has been instrumental in the financial success of the Holyoke Community Charter School since its inception,” said Holyoke Community Charter School Board Treasurer Cynthia Dennis in January. “In addition to the initial tax-exempt bond, the MassDevelopment Charter School guarantee program allowed the school to refinance its debt in 2008 with an $8.4 million tax-exempt bond. Over these past 16 years the school has paid off all its debts leaving it now able to build additional classrooms and an amazing gymnasium. Thanks again to MassDevelopment.”