A Springfield elementary school will receive $5 million in ventilation upgrades as part of a state grant program.
The Glickman School in the Sixteen Acres neighborhood is the latest of about a dozen across the city to receive, or are slated to receive, a modern HVAC system in recent years.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said while several new schools have opened in the city, it still has been a priority to upgrade some of the older ones, to provide a conducive learning environment.
"My administration has been very aggressive with the schools to get them retrofitted with the HVAC, which gives a much improved and healthier environment for the students, teachers and staff," the mayor said.
Sarno said times have changed since he went through the Springfield Public Schools and that keeping classrooms comfortable is important for students’ learning.
“We didn’t have any of that,” he said. “You opened the window, you closed the window, you had the old radiators, but it makes for a much better learning environment.”
The mayor added that with most of the projects, Springfield has received about 80 percent funding from the state for the HVAC upgrades, with the city paying for the rest.
Superintendent of Schools Sonia Dinnall said in a press release original HVAC systems have or are being replaced with modern, code-compliant ones which produce both heat and air conditioning.
“Upgrading our HVAC systems demonstrates our commitment to a more sustainable future, and empowers our students by highlighting the importance of investing in their well-being and the environment,” she said.
As part of the “Green School Works” program, $52 million dollars in grants are being distributed for similar projects. Other school buildings receiving funding include the McMahon Elementary School in Holyoke, which will be seeing $3.9 million, Greylock Elementary in North Adams ($300,000) and Mahar Regional School ($524,000).
