Supt. Maureen B. Macera says she's been talking with philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein about such an arrangement.

01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, July 19, 2006

BY CYNTHIA NEEDHAM
Journal Staff Writer

WOONSOCKET -- When the city's new alternative learning academy opens this fall, it may have both a famous financial backer and a familiar name to go along with it.

According to School Supt. Maureen B. Macera, the district has been in talks with philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein about possibly naming the soon-to-open Learning Academy at Second Avenue after him in exchange for an annual donation of about $25,000. The new school will serve students with behavioral problems, many of whom were previously forced to seek education services outside the city.

"We explained what the Learning Academy is all about, and he said he would certainly be honored to have it named after him. He is going to consider a donation to the school on an annual basis if community service is a major part of the school and the district," Macera said.

Reached yesterday by telephone, Feinstein said he had a slightly different impression of the budding relationship.

While he says he did discuss becoming more involved with Woonsocket schools -- his Good Deeds and Feinstein Junior Scholars programs already collaborate with several city schools -- he envisions that involvement will be districtwide and not limited to a single school.

Specifically, Feinstein said he told Woonsocket officials that if they get every student in every school to participate in a community service project, he will donate $25,000 to the district.

Feinstein said he and Macera also discussed the possibility of naming the Learning Academy after him, but said that conversation was wholly separate from the one involving community service.

Macera, meanwhile, says she plans to present the beginnings of the Feinstein proposal to School Committee members at tonight's meeting. If they approve the measure, she said she plans "to move forward in designing and developing these options."

The superintendent added that she sees Feinstein's charitable philosophies as particularly important in Woonsocket.

"My feeling is we have a community where there are really great needs. One of the things we need to teach our students is that where they can help, they should help. [Feinstein's] programs are a good vehicle for that."

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