State Treasurer Tim Cahill, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), and MSBA Executive Director Katherine Craven were in Plymouth today for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new 155,000 square foot Plymouth North High School. The new high school will be built as a “Model School” and the MSBA will be funding 58% of the project.
Model Schools effectively adapt and re-use the design of successful, recently constructed high schools; simplifying the design process, reducing the amount of time projects are in the design phase and lowering design fees. Using elements of a previously designed Model School allows projects to begin construction faster and reduces construction costs for the project. At least a year of design work can be saved by using a Model School.
“I am pleased to be here to participate in the groundbreaking for the new Plymouth North High School. This project will not only create a top-notch learning facility for the students of Plymouth, but it will also create well-paying, highly skilled jobs, which are a tough thing to find in the current economy.” said State Treasurer Tim Cahill, Chairman of the MSBA.
“This project will mean a better learning and teaching environment for the students and teachers of Plymouth and is another example of the commitment, collaboration and the partnership the MSBA has with districts,” said Katherine Craven, MSBA Executive Director.
The MSBA is collaborating with municipalities to equitably invest up to $2.5 billion in schools across the Commonwealth by finding the right-sized, most fiscally responsible and educationally appropriate solutions to create safe and sound learning environments. The MSBA is committed to protecting the taxpayer’s dollar by improving the school building grant process and avoiding the mistakes of the past in the funding and construction of school facilities.
In 2007, as a result of programmatic reforms and sound fiscal management, the MSBA was able to reopen a sustainable, reformed grant program. In its five year history, the MSBA has made approximately $7 billion in reimbursements to cities, towns and regional school districts for school construction projects. These timely payments have saved municipalities over $2.9 billion in avoided local interest costs and have provided much needed cash flow to communities in these difficult economic times.