nothin New Strong School Needs $9.5M From City | New Haven Independent

New Strong School Needs $9.5M From City

Aliyya Swaby Photo

Clark: Invest in repairs.

The Board of Education is seeking city money to help construct a new home for Strong School on Southern Connecticut State University’s campus that would bring aspiring teachers closer to the classroom, as part of a six-school capital plan unveiled this week.

The magnet school’s new K‑4 program would work in partnership with the university’s School of Education, offering education students opportunities to observe experienced teachers.

The building’s construction is the largest improvement project in the Board of Ed’s $18 million proposed capital projects budget for this fiscal year and one of six required to get approval through the Citywide School Construction Committee as well as the Board of Alders.

The budget was presented at Monday’s Board of Ed meeting.

The cost of construction totals $45 million, with just under $9.5 million requested from the city. Last spring, the state approved funding the remaining portion of the cost, said Superintendent Garth Harries.

The school’s partnership with the university has already started and will continue to improve once the two are on the same campus, Strong Principal Susan DeNicola said.

We’re excited,” she said. We know that the process takes time, but that’s OK.”

The new building will have four classrooms per grade, surrounding an observation room for Southern students. The school’s other amenities include a cafeteria, half-court gymnasium, media center, art room and music room. The partnership with Southern Connecticut State is funded through a magnet grant, said Deputy Superintendent Imma Canelli.

If the construction committee approves the state grant application, it will then go to the Board of Ed in January for formal approval and then to the Board of Alders for funding.

Strong School’s building at 130 Orchard St. has been used as an overflow school for K‑2 since 2011. The building will likely be used as an overflow space until all pre-K‑4 projects are complete.

The Citywide School Construction Committee will meet Thursday to decide whether or not to formally approve the application.

As the district comes to the last of the projects in its $1.5 billion citywide rebuilding program, it begins to focus on ways to maintain existing buildings, said Will Clark, chief operating officer. Regularly investing in repairs allows us to have less unprepared or unpredictable spikes in cost,” he said.

Other projects up for approval Thursday are the renovation of a clock tower at Fair Haven School, as well as investments for general upkeep at King-Robinson, John C. Daniels, Columbus Academy and Bishop Woods.

The Board of Ed’s capital budget is requesting around $18 million from the city this fiscal year.

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