WESTFIELD – The Westfield School Committee voted unanimously Monday to authorize Westfield Schools Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Scallion to submit a statement of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for projects at Westfield Vocational Technical High School (WVTHS). The application to the state will describe and explain deficiencies at the school that would affect accreditation.
School Committee member Cindy Sullivan said when reading the motion that, while the form may be submitted, it no way guarantees the acceptance or approval of any application.
During discussion of the motion, Westfield Mayor and School Committee Chairman Daniel M. Knapik spoke of some of the key components of the application and areas of the school, which Sullivan referred to in the motion, as being “obsolete.”
“I had a nice meeting today with Mr.(Ronald) Rix and we discussed a few things,” said Knapik. “The issue of the DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) report came up relative to the Voc-Tech, so there’s going to be some bigger ticket items on there, like systems for the carpentry program which we’re looking to roll into, and this application is part of that.”
Knapik alluded to another project on the docket for WVTHS, acoustical insulation upgrades in the auto collision technology department, and stated that this application “will take a while to percolate through.”
“There are certain aspects of that report that need to be addressed,” he said. “I just want members to know that I got a copy of that report. It isn’t like anyone is sitting on it. It’s being actively digested and we should have updates in the near future.”
“We are definitely in line (for upgrades). The labs there are deplorable,” said Scallion yesterday. “The labs predate the very labs I used when I taught science in the ’80s, so this is much-needed work.”
“We are excited about the possibilities,” she said. “As a Voc-Tech school, we also have a program that is preparing some of our young people for allied health positions, and so we, of course, need labs there up to date.”
“It’s much-needed,” she said. “We have high hopes and great enthusiasm about the possibilities.”
Rix, the director of Technology and Business Services for Westfield Public Schools, said this morning that the application is looking to address a variety of projects.
“There are some major renovations and safety upgrades being proposed, which is why we went the MSBA route,” he said. “We also want to renovate the science labs so they’ll be comparable to what is being proposed at the high school. Right now, we’re limited in course offerings at the Voc because of the facilities. We can’t offer chemistry right now.”
Rix highlighted the needs brought up by Knapik at Monday’s meeting, expanding on the needs of the carpentry program.
“We’re looking to replace floors as well as implement new air-handling and dust collection systems,” Rix said, adding that overall school security is an area they are seeking to beef up, as well. “The building is over 80 years old, so we’re looking to bring it up to modern standards.”
Rix said that a variety of small projects may present themselves during the upgrade process, but said he is unaware of costs at this time.
“I have no idea. Right now, we’re just going to put out our statement of interest,” he said. “The MSBA will then work with us, and most likely an architectural firm, to make these upgrades.”
