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 the Jefferson Elementary School, located in the Town of Rockland, into the Schematic Design phase. In the Schematic Design phase, the MSBA and the District will look at possible options to replace the existing Jefferson Elementary School and the existing Memorial Park Elementary School with a new district-wide grades 1-4 facility. 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 Rockland students with a top-notch learning environment," said Treasurer Goldberg.
The proposed project would create a new 119,900 square foot facility at the existing Memorial Park Elementary School site, for 760 students in grades 1-4. The District identified in their Statement of Interest numerous deficiencies in the existing facility associated with outdated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems; building envelope; accessibility issues; and inappropriate existing spaces for the delivery of the District’s educational program.
"The new Jefferson 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 $13.6 billion in reimbursements for school construction projects.