Fate of the Higgins is tied to new "Mega" Voc

It seems that the fate of a new or renovated Higgins Middle School rests entirely on whether or not the City of Peabody joins in on the new mega vocational school (North Shore Technical High School) that is going forward on the site of Essex-Aggie.

Salem News: Treasurer: Schools to be built

Here is a quote from the article by Massachusetts School Building Authority executive director Kathleen Craven... (my emphasis in green)

The MSBA has pledged to pay 60 percent of the project, or $75 million, said the agency's executive director Kathleen Craven, who was also on hand for the breakfast. The state has also passed a $60 million earmark in a state bond bill for the project, but Craven said she has not seen any "relief from the state on that."

At this point, without that state bond money, the communities would be on the hook for the remaining 40 percent of the project, Craven said.

The vocational school project is also key to renovating Higgins Middle School in Peabody, Craven said, because that is where Peabody's high school vocational programs are located.

"If Peabody comes into the district, we will be able to start work on the Higgins Middle School. ... It's a domino effect," Craven said.

Cahill said money for local school projects already in the pipeline will be there.

So there you have it. The real reason that the Higgins Middle School in Peabody is on the back burner for State funded projects. We had been told that the delay was partly due to "indecision" on the fate of the Voc at the Higgins... but now we see that the State is unwilling to fund the Higgins IF we do not join in the consolidated North Shore Technical High School (NSTHS).

While I don't like the State telling local communities what to do and how to do it... this one seems to be a fair request. Join in to become part of the 16-community NSTHS and we can then move onto the problems at the Higgins.

There are many good reasons to consider joining in such a collaborative school - one being that because of the numbers of students involved, more programs with more limited interest can be offered - resulting in more highly trained and skilled workers entering our local workforce. It also will allow the local communities and the State to save money by combining separate programs that only can offer limited services right now.

So... let's stop talking about it and debating it and putting it off for someone else to decide AND VOTE TO JOIN THE REGIONAL VOC.

It will benefit our current vocational students AND it will move us closer to a renewed Higgins Middle School.