John W. Decas Elementary School will receive approximately $1,634,125 for a partial roof reparation and boiler replacement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) Accelerated Repair Projects.

State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, Chair of the MSBA, and Maureen G. Valente, MSBA Chief Executive Officer, announced yesterday that the MSBA Board of Directors has approved $27,285,685 for 13 Accelerated Repair Projects in 7 school districts.

The full amount of the grant presented to Decas may not necessarily be needed, said Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Shaver-Hood. According to Financial Manager Michael MacMillan, the MSBA will provide up to $1.6 million of the total estimated budget for the project, $2,442,181. MSBA will reimburse the school 70.1% of total project costs, but the school will have to front the entire cost first.

Last month, Dr. Shaver-Hood and School Committee Chair Geoff Swett presented the results of a feasibility study for repairing the roof and upgrading the boiler system to the Board of Selectmen, who finalized the item to be voted upon during Town Meeting. During this meeting, Shaver-Hood and Swett announced a $2.2 million estimate and a 70% reimbursement rate for the project from MSBA.

They also explained that the roof of the Decas School is 46 years old and the boilers are 45 years old, claiming that the roof is “in the point of failing.”

Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Patrick Tropeano expressed his support for the project, claiming that 20 years is the expectancy for roofs.

The article for roof reparations and boiler replacement is currently on the Town Meeting Warrant.

The main goals of the Accelerated Repair Program are to improve learning environments for children and teachers, reduce energy use, and generate cost savings for districts. The program provides funding for the repair or replacement of roofs, windows, and boilers in schools that are otherwise structurally, functionally, and educationally sound.

“The Accelerated Repair Program allows us to make critical repairs to more schools in less time,” said Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. “By improving the learning environment for our children, the program also makes schools more energy efficient and generates significant cost savings.”