Gulen private school Putnam Academy of Science to close

WFSB 3 Connecticut PUTNAM, CT (WFSB) - Faculty and students at a private academy are in shock after the trustees of the Putnam Science Academy decide to close the acclaimed school temporarily. The school needs millions of dollars to upgrade the aging infrastructure and to build a new dorm, so they've decided to close for two years. A spring shocker for many of the 115 students who attend the privately run, Putnam Science Academy. After a successful 12-year climb of academic and athletic accomplishments, the school will temporarily close in May for two years. Its board of trustees said they need the time to raise money and make necessary renovations. "We didn't know this was coming. I wanted to continue my 4 years here," Bilal Aksoi, who is a sophomore at Putnam Science Academy, said. On Friday, trustees of the Wellspring Cultural and Educational Foundation notified all the students, parents and faculty with a letter explaining their plans. "Our current facilities are not meeting improved demands and this has been one of the major challenges in our student recruitment and satisfaction," the letter stated. Basketball coach Tom Espinosa led the school's Mustangs team to be in the top 10 nationally. Now he has a new challenge. "We'll see what happens. I got some options out there you know. I gotta think what I want to do," Espinosa said. Principal Giray Gebes gave Eyewitness News a tour of the campus, which was originally the Putnam Catholic Academy. The building, according to Gebes, is showing its age. The science lab needs work as does the infrastructure of the 52-year-old building. Besides that, they need improved dorms for the national and international students living there, many of Turkish decent. "Our students at the moment are living in a dorm five to six learns are living in the same room which is not good," Gebes said. Even seniors who are graduating in May want to start the fundraising campaign now so the school can reopen again. "On paper its temporary. But you know like lots of things, we'll get there, we'll get there two years, oh we're going to need another year to rebuild until everyone forgets," student government president Hacibey Catalbasoglu said. "I think if we put in enough effort going through donations and charity funds foundations, I think we could find the money to keep the school alive," Burak Eraslan, who is a senior at Putnam Science Academy, said. May 29 is the last day of school, the students have started their own fund drive on GoFundMe.com. To donate, click here. Read more: http://www.wfsb.com/story/28672742/putnam-science-academy-to-temporarily-close#ixzz3aeUuXpEF