Mayor Domenic J. Sarno was thrilled to join with the students and staff at HCS Head Start’s Mason Square Center for a special read aloud and to celebrate the ‘Week of the Young Child’ with a mayoral proclamation. During the read aloud, Mayor Sarno and Head Start teachers took turns reading to the bilingual group of students in both English and Spanish. They read the book, “Bear at Work” or “Oso en el Trabajo” and the students practiced their Spanish and English vocabulary.
Mayor Sarno states, “I want to thank Nicole Blais, CEO of HCS Head Start, and her dedicated staff for everything they do for our students and the community. I always enjoy spending time with and reading to our little ones – they made my day – the interaction was great and ‘hey I got to practice a little bit of my Italian/Espanol language mix too.’ It was an honor to join with the devoted team at our Mason Square Head Start Center to help celebrate the Week of the Young Child – the importance of strong early childhood education cannot be overstated. I am grateful to our friends at Head Start and all those who educate and support the growth and well-being of our young children. Thank you for having me today to recognize the Week of the Young Child and thank you for what you do each day.”
Following the read a loud, Mayor Sarno stopped in next door at the site of the new DeBerry-Swan Elementary School which is currently under construction and set to open in time for the fall 2023 school year.
Mayor Sarno states, “I am so proud to see another brand-new, state-of-the-art school built by my administration. We will continue to invest in our students and their education and bring them the tools and opportunities they need to succeed. There is no limit to what our young people can accomplish and as the humble Mayor for the City of Springfield who was educated right here at our public schools; my administration will continue to do what we can to make sure that our youth have the skills and opportunities to succeed in life.”
“I want to thank my dedicated city team from Superintendent Dan Warwick, Director of Capital Asset Construction Peter Garvey, and Senior Project Manager My-Ron Hatchet to our friends in the building trades, Dinisco Design, Skanska and Fontaine Bros., Inc., for their continued efforts not only on this project but the many projects my administration has been able to get off the ground even through the challenges of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mayor Sarno added
The new $95 million state-of-the-art DeBerry-Swan School project will replace two old and outdated schools. DeBerry School was built in 1951 and no longer can accommodate the needs of our students and staff. The former Homer Street School was opened in 1898 and lacked the space and amenities needed such as a cafeteria and gymnasium. In 2021, the School Committee unanimously voted to rename Homer Street school in honor of retired State Representative and Civil Rights Icon Benjamin Swan. Under the Sarno Administration, $750 million of new schools have been built and rehabbed – the most in the state.
