LACC, Swampscott schools may team

SWAMPSCOTT – At first glance, collaboration between the school district and Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce might seem unlikely.But LACC Executive Director Leslie Gould attended the Swampscott School Committee meeting last week to pitch cooperation between the two schools and LACC.Gould, who is a graduate of Swampscott High School, pointed out the LACC serves the communities of Lynn, Lynnfield, Nahant and Swampscott.School Committee Chairman David Whelan said he met with Gould, Superintendent Matthew Malone, Lynn Superintendent Nick Kostan and other people from the LACC recently.”I told (Gould) if she ever needed a venue that we are trying to create a market for space in the high school,” he said. “I think using the high school as a venue for different events is something the community was expecting when we built it.”Gould, who was on hand to pitch a fund-raiser, pointed out the bulk of the LACC budget comes from fund raising. She said she would like to schedule a home and garden show early in November in the high school field house.In a telephone interview Friday, Malone applauded the idea of collaboration between the LACC and the district.”It’s a great idea and wonderful opportunity,” he said. “We’re all part of metro-Lynn and we’re all the same people if you will.”Whelan said he would like the School Committee to create a task force to look at auxiliary ways to raise funds using the high school as a venue. Until such a committee is formed, he suggested Gould work with Malone and the School Committee Finance subcommittee.