MSBA site visit: district says it is ready for feasibility study after thorough review

The Blackstone-Millville school committee learned on Sept. 15 that the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) conducted an on-site visit and moved the district's Statement of Interest (SOI) to a senior study.

Interim business manager Deirdre Sheryl Welch and Superintendent Jason DeFalco said MSBA and its owner's project manager (STV) reviewed the district's facilities master plan, facilities DOI report and the feasibility materials in detail. "They were incredibly thorough," Welch said, noting MSBA asked for page numbers and data from the master plan and facilities study during the visit.

District leaders stressed curriculum-driven facility needs and emphasized they had prepared documentation and a broad slate of stakeholders — selectmen, school committee members, administrators and facility staff — for the visit. Deirdre said the team "nailed it," and that MSBA indicated it would be watching for district readiness when it considers which SOIs to invite into the pipeline.

MSBA's board is scheduled to consider SOI invitations around its Dec. 21 meeting. District staff cautioned that, even if invited, projects typically require several years to move through feasibility and construction phases.

The committee will continue capital-planning work with the capital planning subcommittee and said it will await MSBA’s formal decision but is optimistic after the positive site visit.