Waltham High Voted Into Feasibility Study by MSBA

It’s big news for the improvement of Waltham schools.

Superintendent of Schools Drew Echelson announced on Wednesday that the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) voted Waltham High School into feasibility study for a new or renovated high school at its September meeting.

Waltham High School was one of five communities voted into the feasibility study process, said the announcement.

In the MSBA feasibility process, the School Building Committee will work to hire an Owner’s Project Manager from MSBA vendor list. In addition, the Building Committee will select and hire feasibility architects and a project team will be assigned to Waltham. The School Building Committee will make important recommendations to the School Committee including whether to renovate the current High School or build new. If the latter is recommended, the project team will make recommendations to the School Building Committee about the location for a new school.

Finally, the project team will work to develop designs for the new or renovated high school that best meet the educational plan.

“At the January 2015 meeting where Waltham was invited into the eligibility phase,” said Mayor Jeannette McCarthy in a statement, “an MSBA board member stressed the need for an educational plan. At today’s meeting, after the positive vote on the Feasibility Study, the same board member stressed that the educational plan be formulated with the assistance of the educators. Principal DeMeo has already shared with the School Committee and his High School staff his initial outline of that. It is an exciting opportunity and time for Waltham High School. I would like to thank the School Committee, Superintendent Echelson and his team of educators, business and facilities staff, and the City Council for the support of the Statement of Interest (Application) and the funding transfer for the Feasibility Study.”

Superintendent Drew Echelson added, “I want to thank Mayor McCarthy, members of the School Committee, Principal DeMeo and the high school team for their leadership. I also want to thank the City Council for their leadership and support in this process. This is an important step forward for Waltham and Waltham High School and I look forward to working with the School Building Committee and the team at Waltham High School to deliver on a promise of a world class high school education in a facility that prepares our students for the demands of the 21st century.”

“Today’s vote is great news for Waltham,” said Principal DeMeo in the release. “We are one step closer to a new educational facility that will meet the needs of our students over the next several decades. While there is much work to do, I’m excited to collaborate with our high school teachers, administrators, and School Building Committee to move our exciting educational vision to fruition.” T