Funds will support Bare Meadow stewardship project, anatomy and physiology education at Reading Memorial High School
BOSTON – House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading), State Representative Richard M. Haggerty (D-Woburn) and State Senator Jason M. Lewis (D-Winchester) have secured $100,000 in state funding earmarks for two Reading initiatives as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 state budget.
Enacted by the House and Senate on July 19, the $58.1 billion state budget includes funding to help move the Bare Meadow stewardship project forward and to purchase software to support student learning at Reading Memorial High School. The budget is now on Governor Maura Healey’s desk for her review and signature.
The final state budget includes $50,000 for Bare Meadow, a 125-acre site of forests, fields and wetlands that maintains diverse habitat and ecosystems, plant and wildlife species, as well as connections to neighborhoods and open space resources. The Reading Conservation Commission recently partnered with the Massachusetts Audubon Society to evaluate and recommend priority actions to restore the Bare Meadow Conservation Area to its historical and natural habitat, and this state funding will help to further those efforts.
An additional $50,000 has been earmarked in the budget for the purchase of the Anatomage Table 10 software for anatomy and physiology education at Reading Memorial High School. The software provides the most advanced 3D anatomy visualization and virtual dissection tool and will allow students to virtually dissect and conduct autopsies on a 3D cadaver and investigate the inner workings of the human body.
“I am pleased to have worked alongside Representative Haggerty and Senator Lewis to help deliver this critical funding for Reading so town officials can carry out some of their top local priorities,” said Representative Jones. “The Bare Meadow stewardship project will have a positive environmental impact, while the planned software purchase will greatly enhance Reading students’ learning experience. I look forward to continuing to maintain this strong state-local partnership with Reading moving forward.”
“This crucial investment helps our town fund some important local initiatives,” said Representative Haggerty. “The Bare Meadow project will help preserve one of our town’s natural treasures and the purchase of the Anatomage Table 10 software for anatomy and physiology education will give our high school students tools they need to excel in STEM education. I’m happy to have worked with Representative Jones and Senator Lewis to secure this funding that will benefit both our environment and our students.”
“Along with many important initiatives to support housing, transportation, education, workforce development, health care, and more in this year’s state budget, I was proud to have worked with Representatives Jones and Haggerty to fund two local initiatives in Reading,” said Senator Lewis. “Working to preserve the Bare Meadow Conservation Area helps to protect our local environment and continues to provide a nature setting for residents to visit and explore. And the purchase of Anatomage Table 10 will provide impressive new opportunities for Reading students to expand their scientific education and experiences during high school.”
Governor Healey has until July 29 to sign the budget into law.
