LYNN – New infrastructure improvements to Lynn Public Schools have resulted in eight new classrooms and 170 additional seats.
The enhancements were completed by Lynn Public Schools (LPS) and the Inspectional Services Department (ISD).
125 of the 170 new seats come thanks to changes at Breed Middle School, where the library was relocated to make room for five new classrooms and six office spaces.
The other 45 new seats come from additions to the Early Childhood Center on Bennett Street, which saw three preschool classrooms added and one relocated classroom from the Callahan School to alleviate overcrowding. In January, 40 more seats and three new preschool classrooms are planned.
Additionally, 30 half-day preschool seats will be converted into full-day seats as a classroom was added at Cobbet Elementary School. The school also has plans to add two more classrooms in January, which will allow for at least 30 more seats.
The new Virginia Barton Center, which will open in February at the former Briarcliff Lodge, will host six classrooms for special-needs students and three office spaces currently located at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute. This change will allow Lynn Vocational Technical Institute to expand its construction and cosmetology shops and add 130 seats for the 2025-26 school year.
“We’ve known for years this is a huge priority,” Mayor Jared C. Nicholson said. “We’ve been trying to address overcrowding. We’ve made some real progress over the years and it continues to be a challenge. This is a great example of projects we’ve able to execute that show some ingenuity and grit to get this work done. We thank the LPS team, the ISD team and all the contractors we’ve had in the buildings, and the ISD staff that helped us prepare the spaces.”
“It all comes down to space,” Superintendent Dr. Evonne S. Alvarez added. “We are maximizing the space we have in order to expand programming wherever we can. This is an ongoing effort and we are pleased with the progress thus far.”
