For Immediate Release

Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Andover Public Schools Announces West Elementary’s Invitation into State Building Assistance Program

ANDOVER — Superintendent Sheldon Berman is pleased to announce that West Elementary School was chosen to participate in the state’s School Building Assistance Program.

The program could result in approximately 40 percent of the renovation or replacement cost of the outdated school building being covered by the state.

Members of the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) voted yesterday to accept the school into the assistance program after Superintendent Berman and the Andover School Committee submitted it for consideration in April.

“The invitation into this program provides a tremendous opportunity for us to improve the learning conditions for our students,” Superintendent Berman said. “Last year, during the launch of our master facility plan, we recognized West Elementary as a high priority for renovation or replacement. We are thrilled that the MSBA agrees with our assessment.”

West Elementary School, 58 Beacon St., was built in 1951 and had an addition built in 1968. The building is in need of several improvements to alleviate heating and ventilation issues in the classrooms, outdated infrastructure and poor space configurations.

The next step for the town will be to appropriate funding for a feasibility study to determine the best course of action for the school. Town Manager Andrew Flanagan has allocated this funding in the town’s capital plan, which will be voted on at Town Meeting on April 30.

“We will need to be patient, because the process is a lengthy one with many steps to complete and decisions to be made,” Superintendent Berman said. “Realistically, it will probably be four or five years before the project is completed.”

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