Natick Approved for New Natick High School

NATICK — .The effort to build a new high school in Natick cleared a significant hurdle yesterday when the Massachusetts School Building Authority board voted to allow Natick to participate in the model school program.

The program uses pre-existing designs in an effort to cut costs by simplifying and shortening the design process.

School Committee Chairman Dirk Coburn said he was pleased and relieved by the vote of approval.

"It was a moment great relief in the room," Coburn said. "It took about 30 seconds when the vote was called for, and all the members of the board said 'Aye.' We were greatly uplifted."

State Rep. David Linksy, D-Natick, said the decision was a big one for Natick.

"This is extremely important to the town of Natick and to its school children, both present and future," Linksy said. "The School Building Authority is giving the opportunity to the people of Natick to build a brand new state-of-the-art high school that would be funded by about half state dollars and about half local dollars."

Replacing the current campus is overdue, said Linsky, a 1975 Natick High graduate.

"While children are getting an excellent education, the building is on its last legs,"he said. "The heating system is inefficient, the computer lab is completely outmoded and the electrical system sometimes gets overloaded."

MSBA spokeswoman Carrie Sullivan said Natick should qualify for 51.6 percent reimbursement by the state for the project, now that it is part of the model school program.

The higher reimbursement is a win for the town and for the state, said State Treasurer Tim Cahill, who is part of the MSBA board.

"Particularly with the very competitive rates for construction, we think (using a model school) will save the town anywhere from $20 million to $30 million," Cahill said.

Despite the ailing economy, Cahill said the money will be there for Natick.

"Guaranteed," Cahill said. "The only thing we are concerned about is longterm effects of the lower tax revenues. And when I talk about long term, I mean after 2012.

"Natick is part of that, as long as they come up with their share of the money and get their votes (at the town election)."

Before the project can go before voters, Superintendent Peter Sanchioni said the School Committee must choose which of the two model schools approved by the MSBA to use. The two models right now are Ashland High School and Whitman-Hanson Regional High School.

"Both architects will give us proposals for how to take their model and fit it on our site, and how we would best fit our educational program," Sanchioni said.

Cahill said the MSBA is looking at adding Hudson High School as another model school alternative.

When a model is chosen, Sanchioni said, the budget for the construction must be worked out and approved by the MSBA. If they approve the state funding, school officials will go to Natick voters to approve borrowing of the town's portion through bonds.

"In the best case time-line, we will meet with the state in early September, go to voters in early November and potentially put the shovel in the dirt next March or in the spring," Sanchioni said. "We would open the doors two to three years later. Things are coming together for us."