CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
SCHOOL BUILDING ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1997
A MEETING OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING ADVISORY BOARD TO THE MAYOR WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
THE COMMITTEE WILL ASSEMBLE AND LEAVE FROM THE ELLA RISK SCHOOL AT 3:00 P.M.
DINNER BREAK
MEETING TO FOLLOW AT CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
MAUREEN CHEVRETTE
KATHY MATUSEK MARTIN
PETER DEMEULE
HOMER LAFOND
ROBERT J. CANAVAN
ROBERT WEBER, JR.
LEN RYZKIEWICZ
MAUREEN SLOWIK
WILLIAM AUNCHMAN
ROBERT FERRI
LEE M. MATTHEWS
CHAIRMAN WEBER PRESIDED AND CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER. HE SPOKE OF THE VISIT TO SEEKONK MIDDLE SCHOOL.
ROBERT CANAVAN COMMENTED ON THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AT SEEKONK. HE STATED THAT IT WAS NICE TO BE ABLE TO SPEND 9.5 MILLION DOLLARS. EDUCATIONALLY CENTRAL FALLS SHOULD BE THE SAME. IMPRESSED WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CENTRAL FALLS WHEN COMPARED TO A MORE AFFLUENT COMMUNITY LIKE SEEKONK.
ROBERT FERRI COMMENTED ON THE GYM AT THE SEEKONK SCHOOL.
DISCUSSION CONTINUED ON SEEKONK SCHOOL.
CATHY MARTIN STATED THAT THE TEAM APPROACH AT CENTRAL FALLS HAS BEEN EMPLOYED FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITHOUT THE NEEDED SPACE.
MR. DEMEULE COMMENTED ON THE PRINTS FOR THE SEEKONK SCHOOL. HE SAID THAT HE SEES NOTHING BUT WASTE AT THAT SCHOOL. 2200 SEEKONK SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH 600 IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE FIGURES. HE STATED THAT HE SEES ABOUT 1/3 OF THE SCHOOL GOING TO WASTE.
DISCUSSION CONTINUED ON THE SEEKONK PLAN.
MAYOR MATTHEWS COMMENTED ON THE SEEKONK PLAN, FULL SIZE GYM, WITH SHOWERS, SPECTATOR SEATING, 16 CLASSROOMS. HE STATED THAT IT WAS WORTHWHILE TO TAKE THIS TRIP ALLOWS THIS COMMITTEE TO SEE THAT THIS PROJECT IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK. SEEKONK IS OFFERING A LITTLE MORE ON THE MIDDLE SCHOOL THAN THIS CITY CAN DO BUT EDUCATIONALLY THIS CITY WILL PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF EDUCATION.
HE COMMENTED ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND THE PARENTS SURVEY.
MS. CHEVRETTE COMMENTED ON THE 9 MILLION DOLLARS SPENT AT SEEKONK, THE EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS, HEATING SYSTEM ETC. BIGGEST EXPENSE TO THAT COST WAS RENOVATIONS. COMMENTED ON CALCUTT.
ROBERT CANAVAN COMMENTED ON THE COST AND NEEDED REPAIRS TO CALCUTT.
CHAIRMAN WEBER ASKED THE BOARD TO FOCUS ON WHERE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SHOULD BE PLACED, WHICH BUILDINGS SHOULD NEED REPAIR ETC.
MR. DEMEULE STATED THAT THE COMMITTEE SHOULD STICK TO ORIGINAL PLAN.
MR. CANAVAN COMMENTED ON THE ELLA RISK EXPLAINING THAT THIS IS THE ONLY SCHOOL THAT HAS A FRONT YARD. HE SAID THAT HE'S AFRAID THAT THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL WOULD BE ON THE SIDEWALK. HE ALSO STATED THAT FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL IT WOULD BE A LONG WALK FOR MANY STUDENTS. HIS OPINION IS THAT CALCUTT SCHOOL SHOULD BE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. HE WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF THE RISK SCHOOL BEING RENOVATED AND THAT THE ROBERTSON SCHOOL REMAIN THE SAME.
ROBERT FERRI ASKED WOULD THERE BE ENOUGH ROOM FOR THE GYM.
PETER DEMEULE STATED THERE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH ROOM IN THE REAR OF THE BUILDING WITHOUT ACQUIRING SOME LAND.
ROBERT FERRI STATED AS POINTED OUT BY MILDRED VEGA, THAT THE SIXTH GRADERS SHOULD BE SEPARATED FROM FIFTH GRADERS. HE STRESSED THAT THE GYM IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR OTHER RECREATIONAL PURPOSES.
CHAIRMAN WEBER STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THAT MILDRED MEANT THAT HAVING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AT CALCUTT MAY BE TOO NEAR THE HIGH SCHOOL. HE SAID HE DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WOULD BE GOING TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
MAUREEN CHEVETTE STATED THAT THOSE TWO SCHOOLS WOULD NOT BE ON THE SAME TIME SCHOOL, SO THAT, THERE WOULD BE TRAFFIC CONTROL.
SHE EXPLAINED THAT THE SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS DO GO TO THE CALCUTT SCHOOL BUT SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WOULD GO THERE.
SHE COMMENTED ON THE PARENTS SURVEY, WHICH WAS NOT READY AT THIS TIME BUT THAT SHE DID HAVE THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY GIVEN TO THE STAFF WHICH WAS IN FAVOR OF MAKING THE CALCUTT SCHOOL THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR SEVERAL REASONS,
1) IN THE MIDDLE OF CITY 2) COST LESS 3) ELLA RISK SHOULD BE KEPT A
NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL OTHERWISE COULD CREATE MORE BUSING. THOSE IN FAVOR GAVE SEVERAL REASONS 1) AWAY FROM HIGH SCHOOL 2) BETTER PARKING ETC.
SHE STATED THAT SHE HOPE THAT THE PARENTS ALSO MAKE COMMENTS.
SHE THEN GAVE A BRIEF EXPLANATION ON THE RISK SCHOOL AND ROBERTSON SCHOOL.
SHE ALSO COMMENTED ON THE NUMBER OF CLASSROOMS NEEDED IN THE CITY.
ROBERT FERRI ASKED FOR MS. CHEVRETTE'S FEELING WITH REGARD TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
MS. CHEVRETTE MOST COST EFFECTIVE TO MAKE CALCUTT A MIDDLE SCHOOL WHICH IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT FOR AND THERE WOULD ONLY NEED TO BE ADDITIONS MADE TO THE SCHOOL. ELLA RISK WOULD COST MORE. IT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE. BOTH LOCATIONS HAVE PROS AND CONS. SITE AT ELLA RISK NOT BIG ENOUGH.
HOMER LAFOND THE ONLY WAY THIS COMMITTEE WOULD KNOW IS WHEN AN ARCHITECT IS HIRED.
MAYOR MATTHEWS STATED THAT ALTHOUGH COST IS A IMPORTANT THE COMMITTEE KNOWS. HE SAID THAT HE FEELS THE COMMITTEE SHOULD DECIDE.
HOMER LAFOND STATED THAT COST IS VERY IMPORTANT.
DISCUSSION CONTINUED BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND MR. LAFOND.
CHAIRMAN WEBER STATED THAT WHEN THE RESULTS OF PARENTS SURVEY COMES THE COMMITTEE WILL HAVE A BETTER VIEW AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME TO A DECISION 2 WEEKS FROM NOW.
MAYOR MATTHEWS STATED THAT THE COMMITTEE STILL NEEDS TO DECIDE ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN ALL THE BUILDINGS. HE THEN QUESTIONED DR. CHEVRETTE ON CLASSROOMS AT ROBERTSON SCHOOL.
DR. CHEVRETTE STATED THAT THE GOAL OF THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT IS TO MAKE ALL THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS GRADES 1-5, MUST MEET THE NEED OF ESL, REGULAR AND SPECIAL EDUCATION. SHE EXPLAINED FURTHER.
MAYOR MATTHEWS QUESTIONED THE LIBRARY AT ROBERTSON.
DR. CHEVRETTE RESPONDED.
CHAIRMAN WEBER COMMENTED.
ROBERT CANAVAN ASKED WHERE THE PROPOSED ADDITIONS TO ROBERTSON GOING TO BE.
DR. CHEVRETTE STATED THE REAR. SHE STATED THAT YOU COULD ADD ON TO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING CLOSEST TO HUNT ST.
DISCUSSION CONTINUED ON ROBERTSON SCHOOL.
ROBERT CANAVAN COMMENTED ON THE HIGH SCHOOL DISMISSAL AND THAT THE STUDENTS DON'T HANG AROUND AFTER SCHOOL.
CHAIRMAN WEBER STATED THAT RICARDO PATINO WHO HAD TO LEAVE WISHED THE COMMITTEE TO KNOW THAT HE FAVORS RISK SCHOOL AS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE HE DOESN'T LIKE SEEING THE YOUNGER STUDENTS ON DEXTER STREET. HE FEELS IT WOULD BE SAFER FOR THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY.
NO COMMENTS
NONE
LEN RYSZKIEWICZ COMMENTED ON MODULAR HOMES AND HOW WELL THEY WERE BUILT. HE THEN STATED THAT WHY NOT USE MODULAR CLASSROOMS. HE SOUGHT INFORMATION ON MODULAR CONSTRUCTION. HE PASSED OUT BROCHURES THAT ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE.
SPOKE OF A MR. LOGAN FROM FRANKLIN MASS. WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO COME AND EXPLAIN MODULAR CONCEPT.
MAYOR MATTHEWS STATED THAT HE WILL CONTACT MR. LOGAN AND OTHERS.
NO MEETING ON APRIL 16, 1997 MEETINGS WILL RESUME APRIL 23, 1997.
MOTION TO ADJOURN MR. CANAVAN SECOND MR. FERRI. ALL AGREED SO VOTED.
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ELIZABETH A. CROWLEY
ACTING CITY CLERK