Swampscott officials are moving forward with plans to upgrade the aging middle school, securing Select Board approval Wednesday to pursue state funding.

Swampscott Public Schools Facilities Director Max Kasper and Superintendent Jason Calichman presented to the Select Board on Wednesday the timeline and need for a middle school upgrade. Kasper previously outlined the school’s needs to the School Committee in February, citing issues with HVAC, electrical services, security and the lack of a fire protection system.

“The physical building of the middle school is an issue,” Calichman said Wednesday. “It’s a pressing issue.”

On March 26, the School Committee approved for the superintendent to submit a statement of interest to the state for potential funding to renovate the Swampscott Middle School. The Select Board’s unanimous vote Wednesday clears the final step required to move the application forward.

“I think the time for us to act is now,” Select Board Member David Grishman said. “This has to be the correct move for the future. Swampscott, historically, we haven’t made these types of investments.”

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.

Kasper did tell the Select Board on Wednesday that while the school was built in 1958 and had an addition to it in 1977, “we haven’t been ignoring the middle school.”

“Our children are there every single day. It’s important we treat these buildings correctly, even if there’s some unknown,” Kasper said.

Kasper said the building has “good bones,” and the plan is not to completely start from scratch. Calichman said that the MBSA “prefer 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.