MRHS has four options

By Natasha Clark

Reminder Assistant Editor

HAMPDEN "My recommendation to the School Committee is to consider building new," said Superintendent Dr. Paul Gagliarducci, at the April 26 Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee meeting.

Gagliarducci is referring to the School Committee's upcoming decision to address the facility needs of Minnechaug Regional High School (MRHS). Dore and Whittier Architects, Inc., at the request of the Facilities Study Committee and School Committee, conducted a Feasibility study, which was put together in a report released in December of 2004.

The report gave the School Committee four potential options for addressing issues affecting the physical structure and site of Minnechaug, while taking into account the current and future educational programs offered by the school. Soon the School Committee will have to decide to either do nothing or ask Hampden and Wilbraham residents to help renovate the existing facility, do a combination of renovating and additions, or build a new school.

The Facilities Study Committee joined the School Committee in MRHS' media center to participate in a question and answer session where the School Committee could get answers to any other inquiries they may have had since their last talks with the board.

Among the many topics discussed were safety, renovation costs, and cost effectiveness.

Feasibility Study Committee member Mike Flynn said the best dollar value had to be taken into consideration and "what it costs us as a taxpayer."

Flynn said the cheapest way for Hampden and Wilbraham residents is a new building, because the state would provide reimbursement.

Many also seemed to think that the "fix it" option would not work.

"You can fix up anything you want, but you still end up with a room designed for a 1950s, 1960s education," added Brian Garbecki, Facilities Study Committee member and Hampden resident.

School Committee Vice-Chair Scott Chapman said that they can't sit and do nothing, "now is the time for action."

"To me the answer is clear, we need to build a new high school. [And] it's a fact based decision, not a feeling [based decision]," Chapman added.