Commonwealth Academy takes over former site of MacDuffie School
Date: 11/21/2013
By Carley Dangona
carley@thereminder.comSPRINGFIELD – Another chapter on Ames Hill has begun as Commonwealth Academy establishes itself among the historic buildings that were once home to The MacDuffie School.
After celebrating its 120th anniversary in 2010, The MacDuffie School was ravaged by the June 1, 2011 tornado on its last day of the academic year.
All of the students and faculty escaped without harm, but the same could not be said for the campus. The magnolia trees were uprooted and many of the buildings received a direct hit by the storm. That fall, the school moved its campus to Granby.
In July 2011, John Foley purchased the Ames Hill property with the intent of creating a college preparatory boarding school for inner city youth from Springfield and beyond. Commonwealth Academy opened in the fall of 2011.
Now in its second academic year, the academy currently serves grades fourth to ninth and has 60 students, most from Springfield, but some from Hartford, Conn., New York City, N.Y. and Washington D.C. The 14-acre campus is home to numerous buildings, including Fin’s Bin, a café where students can purchase food and visit with their peers.
Jay Johnson, vice president of Communications and Development, explained that the long-term goal is to serve students in kindergarten to 12th grade, but to expand at a “slow, gradual pace over the next few years.”
Johnson anticipated another 20 to 30 would join the student population. He said that the school would add third and tenth grades next year as well.
He noted that the main academic building along with the other buildings the students utilize are no longer in need of repair.
“There’s only one tarp left and we anticipate that will be removed this spring,” Johnson said. “We are running a new school on an old campus. The students are our focus.”
He said that it is costly to renovate the damaged buildings on campus because the historical features must be preserved per state guidelines. He cited the slate roofs as one example because there are not many retailers that still carry materials that were used 120 years ago.
“We’d love to explore grant opportunities,” Johnson commented. He explained that the school is not eligible for state funding that public schools can apply for since Commonwealth Academy is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Throughout the year, students participate in fundraisers to support the growth of the school. Students painted “Tornado Tiles” that were slate tiles blown off the roofs during the storm, which they sold.
Johnson said that The MacDuffie School recently settled its insurance claim from the 2011 tornado and that some of that money would go towards the repairs the academy has already completed.
One unique feature of the campus is an optical viewfinder, donated to the school by The Tower Optical Company, Inc.
Johnson said that in addition to viewing the Pioneer Valley sights including the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and downtown Springfield, teachers use the viewer as a teaching tool to help students learn the topography and geography of the area.
To monitor the safety of the campus, security cameras and lights are placed throughout its grounds. The faculty and staff are CPR and first aid trained and automated external defibrillators are stationed within the buildings.
“Our school is driven to provide college preparatory education with the goal of acceptance to college. We don’t have to teach to the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. We offer a Common Core curriculum with a liberal arts base.
“We think there’s an epidemic in education, particularly in cities where a lower percentage of kids are going to college,” Johnson continued.
School days last until 5:30 p.m. and students attend class every other Saturday.
The first part of the day is filled with classes in math, sciences, English and other academic studies. The last two hours of the day are spent in a concentration block where students partake in athletics, arts or clubs.
“If students are not in a program, they are in a supervised study hall where they can complete their homework,” Johnson said.
“The goal of the academy is to expose our young scholars to a variety of arts, languages and cultures for them to discover what they are interested in and to run with it,” he continued.
“Our [school day] model is to go the extra mile to help reinforce and support the students’ interests,” Johnson added.
Commonwealth Academy is interested in expanding its partnerships with the community.
Currently, the school works with The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts to incorporate fresh produce and other foods in the food at low cost or for free.
Johnson said the school would also like to partner with area colleges and universities to create internship and mentor programs.
Enrollment for the 2014-2015 school year is underway. Tuition is based on a sliding scale depending on each student’s need. The school practices the zero reject model where students are not turned away simply because their family cannot afford the cost.
