North Andover Superintendent: No Word From State On Middle School

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover Public Schools are still awaiting word from the Massachusetts School Building Authority on their request for state funds to expand the middle school, Superintendent Gregg Gilligan said at Thursday's school committee meeting. Officials are considering other options, however, in case it does not pan out, he said. The district has already been turned down twice by the authority, which funds up to 40 percent of construction costs on school construction and renovation projects when it partners with school districts.

"We're anxiously waiting on word from the MSBA," said Gilligan. "At some point we have to look at all the mechanisms to do something for our middle school."

Gilligan showed numbers demonstrating that the school is much larger than middle schools in similar districts, and also has larger class sizes. This is shown to affect learning, and also has prevented the district from creating Special Education programs. Some spaces, like the gym and the performing arts center, usually have double classes, as well.

"We are just extremely large. You just don't find middle schools the size of North Andover's a lot of places," Gilligan said.

The building's science labs are out of date as well, Gilligan said.

But while the district will apply again if an MSBA acceptance doesn't come in soon, they will look for other opportunities, the superintendent explained. He said he'd been in discussions with Town Manager Melissa Murphy-Rodrigues about including the school in the next facilities master plan.

The committee also heard from the town's state legislative delegation, who discussed the proposed PROMISE Act, which would define more kids as economically disadvantaged, increasing state funding to their schools.

Christopher Huffaker: 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.