Abner Gibbs Elementary School invited into MSBA's Model School Program

Nov. 24, 2010

By Katelyn Gendron

Assistant Editor

WESTFIELD -- Westfield Public Schools took one more step toward acquiring a new elementary school last week.

State Treasurer Tim Cahill, chair of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) and Katherine Craven, MSBA executive director, announced that Abner Gibbs Elementary School had been invited into the authority's Model School Program, effective Nov. 17.

"I'm thrilled," School Superintendent Shirley Alvira said of the announcement. "Abner Gibbs is beyond repair. It is also on a corner property. There is no space for parking or handicapped accessibility and many of the rooms are like closets and the boiler is 100 years old. It limits the services the school can offer the kids. They really, really are in big need [of a new building]."

The Model School Program can save up to a year of design work and associated costs, according to the MSBA, by reusing the design of a recently built model school. The MSBA will now work with city officials to determine which model school best meets the district's needs.

"The Model School approach allows communities, like Westfield, to move forward in a fiscally responsible manner that benefits taxpayers, administrators, teachers and students," Craven said.

The MSBA has reimbursed municipalities more than $7.2 billion for construction costs over the past six years.

The city has also been proactive in establishing a 31-member Building Committee and financing a $600,000 feasibility study to determine the benefits of a new elementary school.

Mayor Daniel Knapik, chair of the School Committee, said the Model School Program also allows the city to expedite the engineering and building processes to help prevent overcrowding at the elementary levels.

"I think the key for us is the potential reimbursement from MSBA and also the speed at which it will be [done] in 12 to 18 months, as opposed to 20 to 24 months," he added.

Knapik said the city must now hire an owner project manager, most likely by Jan. 1, 2011, and members of the Building Committee will conduct site visits to several model schools to determine the right facility for the district.

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