The progression of the submission process for the Statement of Interest regarding the reconfiguration of Conte and Crosby Elementary Schools has advanced in recent days. On Tuesday, March 12th, the Pittsfield School Building Needs Commission approved the vote to endorse the superintendent’s submission of the Statement of Interest with the deadline set for Friday, April 12th.
Superintendent Joseph Curtis: “Can I have a motion for the School Building Needs Commission to support the superintendent in submitting a statement of interest for John C. Crosby Elementary School and Sylvio O. Conte Community School to the Massachusetts School Building Authority….That is unanimous. Congratulations.”
The Pittsfield School Committee also provided their support on Wednesday March 13th. Although some members of the School Committee raised concerns including William Cameron, Chair of the Committee, about safety issues with today’s schools.
Chairman William Cameron: “…Columbine in 1999. And how common this has become these horrific incidents? Those buildings are particularly vulnerable, it seems to me, with the students in the classroom or the instructional areas they’re vulnerable in a way that would not be the case say at Crosby, or any of the other elementary schools, where you have corridors and classrooms and doors that shut…But I’m amazed that MSBA does not look at this as a matter of at least significance to the heating system or the roofs in the buildings.”
DRA Representative Greg Smolley: “It’s a very well made point. They have included it in their regulations and actual legislation. I was one of four architects that worked with the State Legislature to put those rules together.”
Mayor Marchetti raised a question about how the schools are going to be reconfigured: “From the School Building Needs Commission/School Committee/City Council tour, I just want to make sure that this is saying the language that we’re building one campus at Crosby with two pods and that Conte goes away as a school facility, or is this saying we’re gonna build a pod and do something with Conte later?” To the inquiry, Superintendent Curtis responded “We have to submit a Statement of Interest on Crosby as the primary site, but complementing with Silvio Conti. So the goal would be, whatever they may be named or not, is both schools go on to the Crosby campus.”
The School Committee voted unanimously to support the superintendent to submit the Statement of Interest. The next step in the Statement of Interest process involves the City Council’s vote to back Superintendent Curtis in submitting the statement during their March 26th meeting.
