The MSBA Helps Break Ground for the New "Model" East Bridgewater Junior/Senior High School
The MSBA is contributing up to $43.3 million towards the project
BOSTON, MA – Katherine Craven, Executive Director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (“MSBA”), was in East Bridgewater today to take part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new East Bridgewater Junior/Senior High School which will be built under the state’s cost-saving “Model School Program.”
The MSBA is reimbursing 64.94% of the $66.7 million of eligible costs for the new school. The design for the 160,542 square-foot school is based on the Whitman-Hanson Regional High School and will include updated science labs and state-of-the-art technology.
“I am pleased to help break ground on this important community project,” said Executive Director Katherine Craven. “As a result of the collaboration between the MSBA and the district, the students and staff of East Bridgewater Junior/Senior High School will benefit from a much improved environment for learning and teaching while saving state and local taxpayers’ money.”
“The $43.3 million investment the State is making in the new school will create a modern learning facility that will address the specific educational needs for both middle and high school students,” said Treasurer Steven Grossman. “And we have already begun to make good on that investment. To date, the MSBA has paid East Bridgewater more than $1.5 million for this project.”
The Model School Program was created in 2008, and 18 districts are now participating in the program. Districts that take advantage of the Model School Program are eligible for five additional reimbursement incentive percentage points. Rather than reinventing the wheel for each new school, the Model School Program reduces project costs and completion time by adapting proven elements from recently completed schools and tailoring them to local needs to ensure cost-efficient, easy-to-maintain designs.
The MSBA strives to find the right-sized, most fiscally responsible and educationally appropriate solutions to create safe and sound learning environments. The MSBA reformed the Commonwealth’s formerly rampant and unsustainable school building program, which was more than $11 billion in debt.
Since its creation, the MSBA has made $7.9 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.