Statement from Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll on Holyoke Community Charter School:

Malden - “First I would like to commend the Board of Trustees and their attorneys for the valiant effort to open the Holyoke Community Charter School this fall. Although much work has been done, it is clear that it will not be possible to have a school building ready in Holyoke until well into the school year. Busing students to a temporary location in Chicopee would be costly and disruptive and not in the best interest of the students or the long term interest of the school. I believe the right thing to do for the children is to recommend to the Board of Education that the school be allowed to defer its opening until September 2005. This will allow adequate time to complete the purchase and renovation of the permanent school site and to provide for a well-planned and orderly opening of the school next fall.”