By Paul Tuthill
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Springfield, MA – Plans are set for students from tornado damaged schools in Massachusetts to resume classes when the new academic year starts in a little over a month. WAMC"s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports.
Hundreds of Springfield public school students will resume their studies inside modular classrooms placed next to the damaged school buildings, while students from Springfield Roman Catholic schools will travel to temporary locations, one outside the city.
Springfield Bishop Timothy McDonnell announced Monday that Cathedral High School will re-locate to the vacant Memorial School building in Wilbraham and St Michaels Academy Middle school will move in with elementary students at the Holy Cross Parish.
The fate of Cathedral High School, the only catholic high school in Springfield, had been uncertain. Bishop McDonnell's pledge to rebuild was greeted with cheers by city officials and others who described it as a huge psychological boost to the tornado ravaged East Forest Park neighborhood, where the school has been a fixture since 1959. McDonnell said rebuilding the school could take two years.
A spokesman for the diocese said consultants were still making damage assessments and no insurance claim had been filed. The spokesman said discussions were taking place with FEMA as coordinated through Congressman Richard Neal's office about helping with expenses at the schools temporary locations.
Congressman Neal has close ties with Cathedral High School. He once taught history there, and four of his children graduated from the school.
Thirty three modular classroom structures have been leased by the Springfield Public Schools for two years at a cost of almost 8 million dollars. The city's director of facilities, Patrick Sullivan, says the classrooms are being placed on a playground next to the Brookings School and on field next to the Dryden school.
Sullivan said the city will ask FEMA to reimburse the cost of leasing the modular classrooms. The Massachusetts School Building Authority, has promised to pay to repair and renovate the two damaged schools. Sullivan it is unknown how much it will cost
A one point three million dollar roof replacement at a tornado damaged elementary school in Westfield is expected to be finished in time for the next school year.