District and city officials updated the school committee on the City Arts and Sciences Academy (Casa), reporting rising enrollment, planned staffing, community partnerships and a tight facilities schedule ahead of the intended fall opening.

“Principal Chris Norkin said enrollment had reached 237 students with more than 40 additional applications to process and that the school is seeing particular interest from seventh, eighth, tenth and eleventh graders,” the principal said, describing outreach to feeder schools and family engagement work.

District staff proposed a staffing model to serve 300 students that includes roughly 23–25 total teaching and nonteaching positions; presenters said 12 of the teaching positions would be transfers from other district openings and that the staffing model includes added special education and English‑learner teachers to support access for historically underserved students.

Mike Donovan, head of the city’s capital projects unit, told the committee Phase 1 construction is scheduled to begin after school ends on June 23 and run through Aug. 22 to prepare second‑ and third‑floor academic spaces for September. He described the timeline as “very tight” and identified long lead times for electrical switchgear and possible delays in casework or equipment deliveries; if major items are delayed, crews may work evenings to keep classrooms ready.

Committee members asked about contingency plans and funding. Officials said some capital work will require waivers from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) if net school spending counts exceed a statutory threshold (staff noted the DESE threshold is $150,000 for an individual project) and that waiver decisions typically take about 60 days after submission. District leaders said furniture, fixtures and equipment for Casa will be paid from the district budget while construction is city‑funded; officials said they will provide a more detailed cost breakdown to the committee.

Presenters highlighted several community partnerships and philanthropic support in development, including collaborations with local universities, arts organizations, the Lynn Museum and STEM partners; Project Lead The Way and other grant opportunities were cited as programmatic supports. Officials did not seek a committee vote at the meeting; they requested continued committee oversight as procurement and construction proceed.

The committee did not take formal action on Casa at the meeting but acknowledged the updates and signaled interest in more detailed budget and timeline documentation in the weeks ahead.