PEABODY — The city may finally be getting closer to gaining admission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s Core Program to rebuild or renovate the aging Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, with the district earning a senior site visit this fall.
The city has sought admission into the program, which offers reimbursements for districts undertaking school building projects, numerous times over the years, but has yet to break through. Mayor Ted Bettencourt, who chairs the School Committee, has spoken repeatedly about Peabody’s need for a new high school, with the city having to continually pump money into the aging building for minor repairs and upgrades.
Bettencourt and Superintendent of Schools Josh Vadala sought to temper expectations on the site visit, slated for October, noting that it does not guarantee admission to the program. But, both seemed optimistic about what the news means for the future of Peabody Veterans Memorial High School and the district writ large.
“I see this as a very positive sign that the MSBA is taking a real hard look at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, and that we’re certainly in the running for approval,” Bettencourt said in an interview. “I do want to say that this doesn’t mean we’re being invited in. That’s another step. But this is an important step for us to be invited into this next stage.”
“It’s a huge honor to be considered and to have a senior site visit,” Vadala added. “This is just one more step forward in the right direction.”
The deteriorating condition of the high school, constructed in 1970, is widely known.
The deficiencies include roof leaks (the roof was partially replaced in 2018), inadequate electrical and HVAC systems that result in some rooms not having heat and some rooms overheating, questionable water and air quality, and substandard bathrooms, some of which are not handicap accessible and lack running water. And, the building’s electrical system is plagued by thrown circuit breakers.
Other substandard conditions include rodent infestations, module classrooms that lack running water or bathrooms, and a lack of storage space.
As a result, the city has repeatedly sought MSBA support to revamp the high school — much as it did with the construction of a new Higgins Middle School and the overhaul of the Welch Elementary School, which is set to wrap up this fall. Bettencourt noted that both the Higgins and the Welch earned site visits before their ultimate admission to the Core Program.
“Peabody Veterans Memorial High School is really the marquee building in our city. It’s a community center, and to get to this stage, it’s very exciting,” he said. “On a personal level, this has been a longtime goal, and I know so many in the city feel that way.”
Despite the frustration of being turned down over the years, Bettencourt said he never expected admittance in the first and second year the district applied for a new school. But, to earn a site visit represents a validation of the belief that Peabody is moving up the list, slowly but surely.
“I knew that the MSBA was going to start taking a serious look at our project and look at it and hear about our vision and learn about the importance of a new building or a major renovation,” he said. “I’m excited to present what we’re looking to do.”
Vadala added that the recognition from the MSBA was well-deserved by the city and a long time in the making.
“This community deserves a new high school,” he said. “This is a huge step forward along that path.”
