The North Attleborough High School building project reached a major milestone recently, as the Building Committee submitted a preferred schematic report to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).
This marks the completion of two of the project’s three significant stages, moving closer to the potential construction of a new high school.
Over the last few months, the committee has concentrated on two goals: reimagining how North Attleborough students will be educated and determining how the new school can best support that vision. As Superintendent Jon Antonucci explained, these goals are central to the planning process.
“How do we want to educate North Attleborough students, and how can the new building support that?” he said at the School Committee meeting on Nov. 12.
Antonucci also highlighted the committee’s dedication to capturing a wide range of perspectives through extensive community engagement. The “Vision of a Rocketeer” mission was developed with input from students, parents, teachers and other community members. This collaborative process resulted in a comprehensive outline that reflects what stakeholders value most in a modern educational space.
“We had a comprehensive visioning process,” Antonucci noted. “Students, faculty and parents formed a representative group who outlined what was important to include in the project.”
This feedback informed the educational plan, written internally to articulate and implement the community’s priorities.
The “Vision of a Rocketeer” mission emphasizes authentic learning—hands-on, collaborative, and critical thinking-based approaches that provide students with practical skills for their future careers. Assistant Superintendent Michelle McKeon stressed that this vision will ensure students experience “tangible, collaborative, critical thinking-based learning” that extends beyond high school.
“We need to think about our students, and how the classroom will support them and their goals,” McKeon noted.
The educational and design goals set forth in the vision are detailed. The building is intended to serve as both an adaptable learning environment and a secure community hub.
Key design elements include:
- Flexible and adaptable spaces to keep the school “future-ready”
- Community gathering areas that can be used for various events and functions
- Access to daylight and fresh air, an improvement over the current high school’s limited window space
- LEED Gold certification to meet sustainability goals
- Clear public vs. private zones for improved site circulation and safety
- Enhanced parking and site circulation to accommodate growth and ease traffic flow
Safety and security are also paramount. Antonucci spoke to the challenge of balancing security with an open, collaborative layout, saying, “We will focus on securing from outside threats… that doesn’t mean our interior learning spaces can’t be open,” and that this approach aims to provide a safe learning environment while fostering an open, inclusive atmosphere within the school walls.
With the preferred schematic report now in the MSBA’s hands, the project is on track to proceed to its final phase.
