University of Maryland College Park                                           Office of Executive Programs

Newswire Week 13 (12/23-12/29)

 

ACROSS THE NATION

Massachusetts

Milford rejected for aid

Worcester Telegram & Gazette - December 24, 2002 Tuesday

http://www.telegram.com/news/valley/milford.html

 

The School Building Committee wants to meet with a state administrator who has rejected Milford's latest application for aid for school renovation and construction.

The committee last night discussed a letter from Christine M. Lynch, an administrator with the State School Building Assistance Program, who said that the town needed to provide a long-range plan detailing the grade structure, enrollment and educational program for kindergarten through eighth grade. On Dec. 2, town meeting voters rejected a state-approved building plan for the Middle School East. The town was expecting the state to reimburse 70 percent of the cost of that plan.

The town needs to submit an acceptable plan by June 1 to qualify for this round of state aid and the School Building Committee fashioned a new plan that would add 12 classes to Brookside Elementary School as well as spend $5 million to fix up Milford High School and East, $3 million to renovate Woodland and $1.5 million to add five classes to Memorial Elementary School.

Massachusetts

School panel in Milford hopes to persuade state

Worcester Telegram & Gazette - December 27, 2002 Friday

http://www.telegram.com/news/valley/sclbldg.html

 

The School Building Committee hopes to convince the state Department of Education to take another -- and more favorable -- look at the new school addition and renovation plan. Monday, DOE School Building Assistance Program Administrator Christine M. Lynch told the SBC in a letter that the new plan specifically lacked a comprehensive, long-range plan for the Brookside Elementary School portion of the project.

The SBA action could be a major blow to the new construction package, and to the expected 70 percent reimbursement for the project. However, school officials are going to try to persuade the state to change its mind.

Chairman of the School Committee John V. Fernandes said Ms. Lynch must be convinced that the addition of classrooms at Brookside fits into the initial long-range educational plan for the school project. Selectman and SBC member John Seaver said the state has approved four out of the five components of the new plan.

The SBC will meet Jan. 8 and is hoping to get Ms. Lynch to come to Milford before that meeting to approve the new plan.

 

Articles compiled by Sujin Bae

Graduate assistant for the School Construction Funding Project

Van Munching Hall University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-1821

poissone@wam.umd.edu