SALEM — As the school year winds down, Salem is scrambling to find homes for a new charter school, an elementary/middle school that must be relocated and a large high school program for special needs students.
The most challenging search may be securing a temporary home for Saltonstall School, a 380-student, K-8 facility that is scheduled to undergo major renovations next school year. The city would like students out of the building while work is under way.
The School Department advertised for space anywhere in the city and set a deadline of last week for responses.
"We received no bids," Superintendent William Cameron said.
Officials aren't sure why they got no responses but speculate that the owners of several available buildings, including unused parochial schools, may not have submitted bids because of handicapped-access issues.
Finding somewhere for Saltonstall students to go for the 2011-12 school year is a top priority for a lot of reasons — including money.
Officials estimate they can save between $500,000 and $1 million by moving students out of the school during construction.
Not moving could be costly.
"If we can't relocate, then we will have to spend a very great sum of money renting portables for the school, and that is not something we want to do," the superintendent said.
When the city renovated Salem High School a few years ago, it leased portable classrooms. Part of the costs, however, were reimbursed by the state. School officials do not believe those reimbursements are available for Saltonstall.
The superintendent is scheduled to sit down today to discuss options with Paul l'heureux, the director of building services for the School Department, and Tom Watkins, the city's purchasing agent.
Meanwhile, the city is still looking for a home for the new Salem Community Charter School, which is scheduled to open in September for about 50 high school dropouts and students at risk of leaving school. The charter school will grow in size in future years, so it needs a space that can expand.
This search has been narrowed to one leading contender, Museum Place Mall in the downtown. However, as of yesterday, negotiations with the landlord had not begun.
There was interest in a proposal to use the vacant St. Joseph rectory on Lafayette Street, but the building would need substantial renovations, would have to be made handicapped-accessible and would likely not be ready for a year.
If Salem decided to pursue the rectory, it would have to look for a temporary charter school home for next school year and go out to bid again for a permanent school site.
The rectory "doesn't seem to be a practical choice given the time issues," Cameron said.
On top of all that, Salem is looking for a home for Salem Prep, a program for 40 high school students with emotional and behavioral issues. The self-contained program occupies part of Collins Middle School, which is also scheduled to undergo renovations beginning in the fall.
Collins students and staff will stay in the large middle school during construction, using "swing space" made available by the exit of Salem Prep.
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