HADLEY — School officials will determine how to proceed with two renovation projects at Hopkins Academy after missing out on state funding for upgrades that could cost more than $1.2 million.
School Superintendent Anne McKenzie said Wednesday that Hadley was not selected by the Massachusetts School Building Authority for the projects that would modernize the school’s heating and ventilation system and make the girls’ locker room fully functional.
McKenzie said she will request feedback from the state agency and then refine and improve the statement of interest before resubmitting an application for the next round.
The School Committee and Select Board both endorsed the application prior to submitting for an April 9 deadline, with an understanding that if the projects were accepted by the state they would depend on subsequent votes from residents for the spending.
The girls’ locker room is on the town’s capital needs plan because of various issues, including an insufficient number of toilets and sinks, and lockers too small to store equipment and uniforms.
Previous plans, with estimates of around $400,000, have shown adding two toilets, installing new lockers, and adding storage areas for equipment, and reducing the number of showers from 24 to 10.
The classroom unit ventilators, or univents, for heating and circulating air date back to the construction of the school in 1954 or to the 1960s. Because replacement parts are difficult to get, some air circulation issues have developed in the building, and there is some risk of losing heat during the winter. Replacing all the univents would cost around $800,000.
Both are listed as strategic priorities in the 2019-2024 Hadley Public Schools Strategy Document.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
