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Politics & Government

School Committee Makes Progress On Building Expansion Plans

FY 2012 budget updates, school field trips also discussed.

School leaders are continuing to make progress on an expansion plan for . 

Early this week, School Committee member Timothy Doyle, Superintendent Thomas Jefferson, Lynnfield schools’ finance director Tom Geary, and expansion project architects met with representatives from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, concerning the building expansion at the High School.  

Doyle said that the school building sub-committee has been meeting regularly to gather information for the expansion plans at the High School.  According to Doyle, November 16 is the next MSBA board meeting for the expansion project.  At that time, district leaders will present information about how the new classrooms will be used.

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“We have a ton of data collection to complete and get into the MSBA, on or around October 7 to make that deadline of the meeting on November 16,” Doyle said.  “Within the next couple of days there will be some drilling, some digging, behind the High School for geo- technical research,” Doyle added.

Fewer Federal Funds On The Horizon

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In school budget news, Tom Geary reported on the status of the last fiscal year and the current fiscal year.  The school department had a $17.8 million budget for FY 2011, Geary noted.  “Many federal entitlement grants are going away or significantly being reduced,” he said.

Currently, the FY 2012 budget is $18.6 million.  “We have about $191,000 left in the federal education jobs grant.  We’ve taken that as an offset to our budget already so that’s already accounted for,” Geary said.

Upcoming School Trips

The School Committee also heard two presentations from High School music teachers who are planning trips for next spring: Douglas Hodgkins is organizing a trip to San Antonio, Texas for the choral arts program and Tom Westmoreland is planning a band trip to Nashville, Tennessee.

For the San Antonio trip, students will learn about the educational, cultural, and musical aspects of the Lone Star State.  Students will see the influence of Mexican culture on Texas music.  Additionally, the group will visit the Alamo, Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, and Sea World.

The highlight of the Nashville trip will be meeting Robert Ellis Orrall – a graduate of Lynnfield High School and a successful country musician.  The trip itinerary includes visits to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Oprey, and the Hermitage – the home of President Andrew Jackson.

The next School Committee meeting will be held on October 4, 2011 at the High School Media Center at 7p.m.

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