The Rose Tree Media Board of School Directors unanimously approved a lease agreement between the district and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Nativity BVM at its Thursday meeting.

The lease agreement allows Media Elementary School students and staff to be temporarily housed at what will be the former Nativity BVM School next school year while Media Elementary undergoes roof repairs.

The school district announced in March that a 100-year-old roof truss at Media Elementary is in need of repairs. Although the building is currently safe and no one is in danger, the school must be closed for up to one school year in order for the repairs to be made.

RTM Superintendent James Wigo recommended Nativity BVM as the re-location for students and staff at the April school board meeting.

The lease agreement runs from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 at about a total cost of $250,000.

Nativity BVM School will close in June following the Archdiocese and Blue Ribbon Commission's decision to merge the school with St. John's Chrysotom at its Wallingford location to create Mother of Providence Regional Catholic School in September.

The Rose Tree Media School District will pay $20,084 in monthly rent, according to the lease agreement. (See the attached PDF file which includes the full lease agreement beginning on page 114).

Wigo said the school district met with Nativity BVM Pastor Rev. Ed Bell, Frank Berk, deacon and parish business manager as well as members of the Nativity BVM parish council during the search for a temporary school location.

"After an exhaustive search, we decided to pursue the availability of Nativity BVM. It seemed the best choice if we were to meet the goals of keeping our students together and keeping them in downtown Media," Wigo said.

According to the lease agreement, the school district will pay all utilities, the school district will accommodate schedules for Nativity's religious and CYO programs, Nativity's maintenance manager will continue on site and half of his salary will be paid by the school district and the other half paid by Nativity BVM.

If the school district wishes to make any improvements to the Nativity building, they must first be approved by Nativity and paid for by the school district, according to the lease agreement.

"The community spirit at and for the Media Elementary School has been inspiring," Wigo said. "Parents, students, staff, administrators as well as the Media Borough officials, all have been willing to step forward to help make this transition as smooth and as safe as possible."

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