SC to hear building study plan

By GAIL LOWE

WAKEFIELD — At tonight’s school board meeting, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stephen K. Zrike plans to raise the topic of having feasibility studies for Wakefield Memorial High School and the Greenwood and Walton elementary schools.

A motion will then be made to vote on the proposal to place two articles on the November warrant at Town Meeting to examine the possible repair, renovation or replacement of the high school and two elementary schools, as recommended by the Facilities Task Force

Zrike formed the Task Force in January this year and appointed  Charles “Chip” Tarbell to lead the group. At a recent school board meeting, Zrike said that a “comprehensive analysis of our facilities and series of recommendations are incredibly instructive.”

“It provides us with important guidance over the coming years as we ensure that our students are educated in facilities that optimize student learning,” he said.

Specifically, Dr. Zrike’s goal is to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow or transfer from available funds a sum of money to be spent under the direction of the Permanent Building Committee for a feasibility study concerning the possible repair, renovation or replacement of the high school and to authorize the town to apply for and spend without further appropriation available grants from any source for the same purpose or to see what the town will do about it.

In addition, Dr. Zrike wants to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow or transfer from available funds money to be spent, also under the direction of the Permanent Building Committee, for one or more feasibility studies concerning the possible repair, renovation, replacement, relocation and/or combining the Walton School building at 18 Davidson Rd. and/or the Greenwood School building at 1030 Main St. and to authorize the town to apply for and spend without further appropriation available grants from any source for the same purpose or to see what the town will do about it.

In January, Dr. Zrike sent Statements of Interest for the high school and Greenwood School to the Massachusetts School Building Authority concerning needs at both schools.

The Greenwood School has been deemed to be structurally sound but suitable for improvements.

Priorities at the high school include roof work, window replacement and HVAC work, Zrike said.