MHS Science Labs Cost Almost Doubles From Original Estimate

Initially pegged at $1.5 to $1.8 million, building new Melrose High School science labs will probably cost around $3.3 million, Melrose City Planner told the aldermen.

The cost of building new science labs at Melrose High School could be more than double than what the city originally projected, Melrose City Planner Denise Gaffey told the aldermen last Thursday. In early June, when Melrose received word it had been selected for a new science labs grant program by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), Mayor Rob Dolan said a "back of the envelope" estimate put the total cost of the project at $1.5-$1.8 million dollars. When city officials voted to send a statement of interest to the MSBA in January, city officials had a rough cost estimate of $1.2 million. But at the aldermen's meeting last Thursday night, when the board unanimously approved a $153,000 bond for design and project management …

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Science Labs State Funding Awarded to MHS

The Massachusetts School Building Authority will pay for half the cost of building new science labs at Melrose High School, an estimated $1.5-$1.8 million project.

Melrose is one of nine communities selected to receive state funding through a new short-term grant program designed specifically to help Massachusetts high schools address deficiencies in their science labs, Mayor Rob Dolan said yesterday. The new grant program by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) is $60 million of "one-time funding" that the MSBA is earmarking solely for science labs. Dolan said building the new science labs at Melrose High School will cost approximately $1.5-$1.8 million dollars, a "back of the envelope" estimate because design work hasn't started yet. Whatever the final total amount of the project, the MSBA will pay for half. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act—commonly called the federal …

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Quarter-Million Bond For MHS Renovations Gets Initial OK

The bond would pay for design and project management services. The total cost of the renovations at Melrose High School could cost up to $7 million, with the city on the hook for $5-5.5 million of that.

The aldermen's Appropriations Committee on Monday night unanimously recommended the city's request to borrow $250,000 for design and project management services for what city officials say would be a three-year renovation project at Melrose High School. Mayor Rob Dolan has repeatedly said in recent months that renovations of the 36-year-old building is his primary goal, a point he reiterated to the committee Monday night. Last June, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) placed Melrose High School on warning status in part due to the aging building's condition. "This is the first financial commitment I’m asking the Board of Aldermen to pay to implement a program I believe, over the next four years, is going to be the …

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VIDEO: Lincoln Students Get Testy at the School’s First Science Fair

Over 100 students were involved in the Leap Day event, making the school’s science fair experiment a success.

The inaugural Lincoln School Science Fair was one of five fairs to be held throughout the district in the past weeks. The Feb. 29 event featured 58 projects put together by over 100 students in grades K-5. Students tested catapults, airplanes, fire and water (and much, much, more), working independently or in teams to answer some of life’s most compelling questions. Projects were scored on the students’ use of the scientific method, their grasp of the science behind the experiments, their artistic displays and their knowledgeable presentations. The following students were recognized for their outstanding work: 1st Place Mackenzie Moreschi (5th Grade), “What peanut butter has the most oil?” 2nd Place Eamonn Burke (5th Grade), “What are the …

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PHOTOS: Melrose Fairs Demonstrate Kids’ Enthusiasm for Science

Science fairs were held at each elementary school from Feb. 28 through March 5.

Will it float? Will it freeze? Will it tip over? Over 500 students in grades K-5 tested these theories and many more as part of the City of Melrose science fairs.  The fairs were held at each elementary school from Feb. 29 through March 5 and were sponsored by Mayor Rob Dolan, the Melrose Education Coalition and the school PTOs. Students worked individually and in teams on projects covering a wide range of topics—everything from designing sturdy LEGO buildings and making potato batteries to testing hypotheses about animals, the weather, plants, and nutrition.  Students enthusiastically displayed their results and explained their projects to fellow students, judges and members of the community. Dozens of judges and volunteers helped out …

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Playing Fair: Melrose Elementary Schools Holding Science Fairs

More than 570 students in grades K through 5 are slated to present projects from late February into early March.

It will be the first science fair for both of them, but fifth-grader Maggie O’Donnell and her first-grade brother Daniel, initially approached their project like any scientist would. They asked themselves a question. What, they wondered, do we want to know? After tossing around ideas, they finally agreed on one that would make Isaac Newton proud: Why do things move at faster speeds? The two Roosevelt students will answer their question on March 1 at Roosevelt’s first-ever, school-wide science fair. The fair is one in a series of science fairs being held at each of the city’s five elementary schools in late February and early March. More than 570 students in grades K through 5 are slated to present projects. Science fairs in the United …

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Whiz Kids

Whiz Kids: The MVMMS Robot Building and Wielding Team

The team won awards at a state championship for their programming and driving skills.

Melrose Patch Whiz Kids of the Week Submitted by James Horne of Melrose First Robotics:  Meghan and Chloe are joined by Austin Swank, a freshman at Lexington Voc Tech and supported by John Wright, Mike Festa, and Mike Groark as mentors. James Horne was the spark plug for the team. We also had help from last year's mentor Kevin Hegarty. The students met several times during the holiday break at the ReMax/Heritage office in downtown Melrose, and the Melrose Public library so that we could have a warm place to work while the school was shut down. They have done an awesome job. We drove the robot around and tested it last night, we think we should be able to score points in both autonomous (no human control), and teleoperated mode (human …

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City Seeks State Funds For MHS Science Labs

The Massachusetts School Building Authority would pay a little more than half the cost of creating new science labs at Melrose High School.

The Melrose Board of Aldermen and School Committee both unanimously voted this week to send a statement of interest to the state regarding a new short-term grant program designed specifically to help Massachusetts high schools address deficiencies in their science labs. Melrose High School's science labs were one of the building condition items cited by NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) when it placed the school on warning status last spring. The accreditation agency report noted "inoperable hoods in some science labs that do not meet code and are labeled 'Do Not Use.'" At Tuesday night's School Committee meeting, Melrose City Planner Denise Gaffey told the committee that the new grant program by the Massachusetts …

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12 Lincoln School Students Get Free 20-Week Computer Course

Noel Clarke will teach the programming course to 5th grade students.

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PHOTOS: More Than 500 Attend STEM Expo

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Education and Math education in local schools. The expo showcased current STEM programs including the middle and high school robotics programs along with some Lego activities for younger students.

More than 500 people packed the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School for the STEM Expo on Saturday, Nov. 19. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Education and Math education in local schools. The expo—sponsored by Mayor Rob Dolan and the Melrose Education Coalition—showcased current STEM programs including the middle and high school robotics programs along with some Lego activities for younger students. Were you there? Add your own photos and videos to this gallery! It's easy—just sign into your Melrose Patch account (or sign into Melrose Patch using your Facebook account). Click the "Add your photos & videos" link below the photos and follow the directions.

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