BOSTON - State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the Massachusetts School Building Authority ("MSBA"), and MSBA Executive Director/Deputy CEO John K. McCarthy announced today that the MSBA Board of Directors voted to move Winthrop Elementary School, located in the Town of Ipswich, into the Schematic Design phase. In the Schematic Design phase, the MSBA and the District will look at possible options, including potential model schools, to consolidate the student population of the existing Winthrop Elementary School and the Doyon Elementary School into a new building serving grades PK-5 on the site of the existing Doyon Elementary School. The next step is for the MSBA to work in collaboration with the District to produce detailed designs for a potential project.
"Thanks to our collaborative work with local officials, we are working to build a 21st century educational facility that will provide Ipswich students with a top-notch learning environment," said Treasurer Goldberg.
The proposed project would create a new 123,700 square foot facility at the Doyon Elementary School site that consolidates the student population of the existing Winthrop Elementary School and the Doyon Elementary School, and replaces the existing Winthrop Elementary School, which suffers from deficiencies in major building systems including mechanical and electrical systems. The District also reported in their Statement of Interest, that the current structure suffers from physical plant issues, as well as existing overcrowding subsequently resulting in the District being unable to deliver its educational program. The existing Winthrop Elementary School is a 50,600 square foot facility located on an 8 acre site, which currently serves students in grades PK-5.
"The new Winthrop Elementary School will mean a better learning and teaching location for students and teachers," stated Executive Director/Deputy CEO McCarthy.
The MSBA partners with Massachusetts communities to support the design and construction of educationally appropriate, flexible, sustainable and cost-effective public school facilities. Since its 2004 inception, the Authority has made over 1,750 site visits to more than 250 school districts as part of its due diligence process and has made over $12.9 billion in reimbursements for school construction projects.