The Massachusetts School Building Authority’s (“MSBA”) Executive Director Katherine Craven was in Norwood today for a “Topping Off” ceremony at the site of the new Norwood High School celebrating the last steel beam being put in place. Norwood High School was selected as the MSBA’s first Model School. The MSBA will fund up to $38 million of project.
“This is a great day, not just for Norwood, but for the MSBA as well. The Model School approach allows communities to move forward in a fiscally responsible manner that benefits taxpayers, administrators, teachers and students,” said State Treasurer Tim Cahill, Chairman of the MSBA.
“By participating in the Model School Program state and local taxpayers will save $33 million and the school children of Norwood will get a first rate educational facility,” Craven said.
“As a result of the collaboration between the MSBA and the town, Norwood High students and staff will have an improved, efficient environment for learning and teaching,” said State Rep. John Rogers.
“I applaud the efforts of the residents and town officials of Norwood and thank the MSBA for making this day possible. It is essential that we provide safe, adequate learning environments for our children and for the children of future generations,” said State Senator Marian Walsh.
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.
The MSBA is collaborating with municipalities to equitably invest $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 has reformed the Commonwealth’s formerly rampant and unsustainable program, which had accumulated $11 billion in debt. 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 $6.5 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 municipalities in these difficult economic times.