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Date: 2/14/2023
SPRINGFIELD – At its Feb. 9 meeting, the Springfield School Committee approved Superintendent Daniel Warwick to submit three statements of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).
Warwick will ask the MSBA to replace and install a new HVAC system and the review and buildout of all pod classrooms at the German Gerena Community School. He will also ask the MSBA for the replacement of two elementary schools, the Washington School and the White Street School, which are both deemed by the district as “obsolete.”
The White Street School in the Forest Park neighborhood was built in 1904. In 2017, it was designated as a National Blue Ribbon School.
The Washington School, also in Forest Park, was built in 1918.
The School Committee voted to make the Gerena projects as the district’s number one priority.
Warwick noted the city so far has received $750 million from the state in funding for renovations to schools as well. Warwick and Sarno gave an update about a three-phase improvement at Duggan Middle School. The city has bonded for $14 million to build a new football field at the school, which both men said would take pressure off of the district’s only football field at Central High School.
The football field is expected to be ready for the fall season and will feature a 1,400-seat bleacher.
Phase two will be the construction of a baseball/softball field and several outside basketball courts.
The third phase would be a renovation to the school’s parking lot, which has drainage issues. Also, there will be trials built in the conversation property bordering the school.
“A city our size deserves this,” Sarno said.
The School Committee also honored the students at the Conservatory of the Arts for their recent participation in a national acapella singing competition. The school’s group, Revolution, placed second overall and first for outstanding choreography.
Warwick noted only two schools in Massachusetts were invited to perform.
Conservatory Music Director Marcos Carreras told the committee most of the schools in the competition were private schools. He said the school’s team was initially considered as a stand-by and were then given three weeks to prepare for the performance. The group’s performance was its first public one.