Swampscott Middle School is not run by a car engine, as was suggested during a recent town debate. Instead, Swampscott Public Schools Facilities Director Max Kasper told the Swampscott Tides that the generator is manufactured by a car company, which is common in many buildings.

“It’s not really unusual,” Kasper said, adding that the newer Swampscott school buildings are also run by a generator manufactured by a car company. 

The condition of the Swampscott Middle School and its need for upgrades has been ongoing topic of discussion for the School Committee and the Select Board. The school was built in 1958, with an addition completed in 1977. Both groups approved allowing the superintendent to submit a statement of interest to the state for potential renovation funding.

To receive state funding for the project, the district must submit a statement of interest to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), which will then decide whether to select the project for funding. Calichman previously said the MSBA would determine whether repairs would be made or if an entirely new school would be built if the district’s submission is selected.

For the statement of interest, Kasper is emphasizing priorities such as roofs, windows, boilers, and heating and ventilation systems to “decrease energy costs,” along with renovations to “obsolete” building systems, including HVAC, plumbing, accessibility, and interior and exterior finishes.

At a debate among Select Board candidates hosted by the Swampscott Tides, it was suggested that “the school is being heated by a car engine” and that “that shouldn’t happen” in 2026. Kasper clarified that the generator simply carries a car manufacturer’s brand.

“The problem is that it’s old. It’s big. It’s inside,” Kasper said. “You’d never do that today.”

Kasper previously said the middle school building has “good bones,” and the plan is not to completely start from scratch. Superintendent Jason Calichman said that the MBSA “prefers renovations,” with the potential for more reimbursements for renovations rather than a new project.

The potential timeline Kasper presented starts with the deadline for the letter of interest on Friday, April 17. Following that, MSBA will complete a period of due diligence.

“Often they’re visiting the building, interviewing stakeholders,” Kasper said.

If MSBA was to accept the interest letter, the project would enter an eligibility period in early 2027. Town Meeting would then vote on a feasibility study that May, followed by a potential funding vote in 2030.

Kasper said that the project would likely require a debt exclusion, similar to past school renovations. With the high school debt set to expire in 2032, officials say the timing could align well for a new funding plan.