The past few weeks have been extremely hectic for Lynn Schools staff working in the administration., as they have not only had to oversee the start of school for all of Lynn’s public school population, but they have also been moving the administrative offices of the school department form their former home at Lynn Vocational Technical School to new offices at 100 Bennett Street.
“We had to relocate our administrative offices to make room for the kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classes,” explained Superintendent Dr. Catherine Latham. “We have a huge number of students in our schools and we know that it will be increasing over the next few years.”
According to Latham, the Tracy, Brickett and Ford elementary schools had become so overcrowded that those schools could no longer house their own kindergarten or pre-kindergarten classrooms. By vacating the administrative space at Lynn Vocational Technical School, the school department has been able to create an early childhood center at the school ,which is helping to reduce the burden on the elementary schools mentioned above.
Though things are going well, the new office spaces are not completely renovated yet and not all of the school department administrative offices have moved into their new building.
For the time being the Parent Information Center (or PIC), school security special education administration and teacher development functions remain in their old office spaces at different locations around the city, including 113 Broad Street. However, Latham said that the plan is to have the building completed and all other offices moved into the building at 100 Bennett Street by the end of November.
“Most of the offices related to the Superintendent’s office, payroll, purchasing, legal department moved in here right before the start of the school, but there is still construction going on in the building,” said Latham. “When we’re done, we’ll have all of the administration of the schools in one building for the first time in our history.”
The new office building, which is in the former I.U.E. Hall on Bennett Street, features ample parking for all offices, space for staff development, a large School Committee meeting, expanded PIC.
The building is also secured in the same way that Lynn Schools are secured. The building has a first floor public area that includes the PIC and School Committee room, which are locked off from the rest of the building by secure doors. Employees have access badges that allow them into other parts of the building as needed.