Despite being rejected yet again for an invitation into the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) building program for funding for a new high school, school officials are promising they will continue to push forward aggressively in 2023.
The district is banking on leveraging the results of a Dec. 19 New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) report that the school’s accreditation continues to be under “warning status” due to the school’s age (the school was built in 1970) and poor condition, thereby heightening the district’s chances of being accepted into the funding program.
“We’re going to maximize every possible piece of information that we have to get it before the MSBA so they can see how necessary it really is to select Peabody for a new school,” School Committee member Beverley Griffin Dunne said at the committee’s Jan. 10 meeting. I always say, ‘this is the one, this is the one’ and I am serious. This year is the one that is going to do it.”
School Superintendent Dr. Josh Vadala said that the warning status could jeopardize the school’s accreditation and that it is important in terms of accreditation to continue to submit SOIs.
“If we were not submitting SOIs and the city was not reporting the opportunity for a new high school, then we would definitely be in jeopardy of losing our accreditation,” Vadala said. “Since we are doing this, we can show we are doing everything in our power … it shows we are taking this seriously and moving forward … that will put us in good standing.”
The high school’s deteriorating condition is well documented. Among the many problems plaguing the building, which was built in 1970. are roof leaks, inadequate electrical and HVAC systems that result in rooms without heat and rooms that overheat. Water and air quality have been questioned as have substandard bathrooms, some of which are not handicap accessible and lack running water.
Dunne and Vadala said they are extremely optimistic that this is the year the school will finally be invited into the CORE program. Dunne said the school has been rejected five times since 2015.
The district’s attempts to gain entry into the MSBA’s CORE program for the Center Elementary School and high school were denied by the MSBA on Dec. 21 of last year.
Vadala said the district plans to submit a new statement of interest for 2023 well in advance of the April 14 deadline.
“As disappointed as that is (MSBA rejection), we were encouraged to submit our statement of interest moving forward,” Vadala said. “In the past we have submitted toward the end of the (submission period) window, we’ve taken our time with the submissions … we want to be proactive this time.”
Vadala said he and Dunne met last week to review last year’s statement and identify areas of improvement. Dunne said the two first started talking about a new SOI about 30 minutes after receiving the rejection letter. Vadala said the NEASC report will be submitted in support of the statement and encouraged anyone who “has the ear of a politician or legislator at the state level” to reach out to them.
“This is our year for Peabody. I think our kids deserve it. Our teachers deserve it. Our community deserves it,” said Vadala. “I am optimistic this year and I think, collectively as a community, we pull together for a lot of things and it’s really time we make a little bit of noise for Peabody High School getting into the program. I do think a new school will be the crown jewel of a great school district.”
Committee member Jon Swanson commended Dunne and Vadala for their persistence.
“I can’t imagine the disappointment you get when you open that package up,” he said. “I commend you, as does the community for the amount of effort you continuously put into this year after year.
The MSBA program provides partial reimbursement of extensive repairs, renovations, addition/renovations and new school construction project costs.
In its rejection letter, the MSBA said that it received 54 Statements of Interest (SOI) from 46 school districts for consideration of new construction, additions/renovation and repair projects in 2022. The letter stated that it identified the school facilities that have the “greatest and most urgent need based on an assessment of the entire cohort of SOIs that are received for consideration each year.”
MSBA is currently funding a renovation project at the William A. Welch Elementary School and a roof repair project at the West Memorial Elementary School.
In other committee business, member John C. Olimpio was elected committee vice chair, replacing Jarrod Hochman.
