PAWTUCKET – The former St. Leo the Great Elementary School, now the city-owned Pawtucket Annex, should eventually be converted into a state-of-the-art special needs campus, School Committee members agree.
The committee, despite some reservations, unanimously agreed at its Dec. 15 meeting to set the planned end use of the building, narrowing down the many options that have been discussed for the main building and recently acquired accompanying buildings on Central Avenue.
Chairman Jay Charbonneau said schools would be able to bring all students who are currently sent out of the district for services to a campus-like environment that meets all of their needs within city limits. Beyond the business rationale of saving on the $7 million or so spent in out-of-district tuitions, he said, it would benefit the schools’ most vulnerable population as the district widens the buildout of the properties.