“Today is the last day of school in Calabria and Catanzaro. I will never stop thanking the school staff – the managers, the teachers, the non-teachers – for everything they do for our children. They are the new “heroes” of our era and we confidently entrust the education of children and young people to them. Thanks to them and with them we can build the Catanzaro of tomorrow. The world of school has been at the center of our thoughts and our commitment in these first two years in government of the City”. The mayor of Catanzaro Nicola Fiorita stated this in a note.
“We think we have done a lot, but not enough and not what would be needed to align our school system with that of the regions that have more opportunities and more resources. We invested everything we could have at the school, knowing full well that these interventions – although very significant – certainly could not solve problems accumulated from decades of lack of attention towards the school. We found a truly worrying, almost dramatic situation in school buildings, with institutions in dilapidation and lacking technological services. We couldn’t stand still. But let’s see, cards in hand, what we have done and which represents – on this no one will be able to deny us – a reversal of trend compared to a past made up of carelessness and omissions.
Structural interventions
Last September, we delivered the works for the anti-seismic structural adaptation of the Santa Maria school (Mattia Preti comprehensive school) for an amount of 950 thousand euros (partly financed by the previous council). Three months ago, we inaugurated the Aranceto primary school (Casalinuovo comprehensive school) after extraordinary maintenance and seismic adaptation works, with an investment of 800 thousand euros (partly financed by the previous council). Intervention of great symbolic significance because it is aimed at a difficult neighborhood with problems of educational poverty and school dropout. In January, work began on the completion of the Santo Janni middle school, costing 2 and a half million. In March 2024 we approved the definitive redevelopment project of the Patari-Rodari school for a cost of 2 and a half million. The intervention is aimed at guaranteeing accessibility to educational services and complementary structures by disabled people; to the redevelopment and strengthening of spaces equipped for socio-cultural and free time activities (gyms, structures for the practice of physical, motor-sports activities, theatres, museums, etc.); the strengthening of spaces for research, study (also for teachers) and group work, laboratories and the multimedia library.
In September 2023 we approved the demolition and reconstruction project of the building in via Gariani, in Piano Casa, for an amount of 1 million 492 thousand euros. A new building will be built to carry out educational activities and services for early childhood. In particular, the new building will be built in the same area of approximately 1,400 m2, including an additional elevated floor, through a design oriented towards sustainability and optimizing aspects related to energy saving, bioecological compatibility and environmental impact.
Energy efficiency in five schools
With an investment of one million 176 thousand euros we have achieved the energy efficiency of five schools: Samà primary school – via Marincola Pistoia; nursery school “A. Giglio IC Mater Domini” – via Gravina; Sala Campgnella primary school – via Leonardo da Vinci; Aranceto nursery school – via Teano; Siano middle school – via Ferdinandea. The works were delivered in November 2023 and are finished. The interventions are aimed at saving energy in school buildings, according to the lines of intervention envisaged by the Urban Agenda which was also the source of financing for the works. These lines include the promotion of eco-efficiency and the reduction of primary energy consumption in buildings through their renovation, the installation of intelligent remote control, regulation, management, monitoring and optimization systems of energy consumption and polluting emissions; as well as the installation of energy production systems from renewable sources for self-consumption associated with energy efficiency interventions giving priority to the use of high efficiency technologies. Last November we contracted the energy efficiency works for two other schools: the “Manzi” school (Vivaldi comprehensive school), for an investment of 226 thousand euros; Aldisio primary and nursery school, for an amount of 1 million 44 thousand euros.
One million 400 thousand euros to recover four school gyms
In recent days we have delivered the works for the recovery of four school gyms for an investment of one million 400 thousand euros. In particular, the gym – closed for twenty years – of the Manzoni est school gym (Pontegrande) will be completely renovated. The gyms of the Vivaldi middle school, Patari-Rodari and Aldisio will also be recovered and redeveloped. The gyms will also broaden the offer of sports facilities for the associations and companies that request to use them.
Maxi Consip financing for the maintenance of schools
In nine years we will spend 11 million 206 thousand euros to operate and maintain the water, heating and electrical systems of all municipal schools. We will have great savings, but also the certainty of fast times for interventions. These are the results obtained with the agreement with Consip. The main CONSIP extraordinary interventions: repair of water supply network, Campagnella primary school; repair of water supply network, Gaber elementary school, Via Telesio; repair of water supply network, Siano Sud elementary school; repair of water supply network, Todaro elementary and middle school; reconstruction of the main water network at Stretto Antico middle school; repair of water network at Vivaldi middle school; replacement of boiler at Porto elementary school; Casciolino elementary school boiler replacement.
School sizing, youth games, boarding schools
We did not back down in the battle to oppose a school sizing plan that we considered illegitimate and clearly harmful to the rights and interests of the student population of the City of Catanzaro, promoting an appeal to the TAR. We have done our part to restart the Youth Games, coordinated by the Regional School Office, by making our sports facilities available (PalaGallo, via Calabria, Verdoliva). And so we did for the two editions of the Convittiadi which also took place in our city.
