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A W A RE N ES S M O NTH
The Green Wave Gazette
Greenwavegazette.org
Happy 50th Birthday Abington High School!
And hopefully not too many more
By Alanna Halloran
Staff Writer
On October 5, Abington
High School reached a
major milestone. On this
date, the building turned 50
years old, a very old age
for a school building. As
this date passes, the Abington School Building Committee is hard at work, considering plans to not only
replace the current building,
but to explore the options
that make sense for the entire school system.
The idea began at the same
time that Rockland, Hanover, East Bridgewater, West
Bridgewater, Whitman and
Hanson built or began building new schools for their
students. With all these surrounding towns sprucing up
their educational environ-
ments, it only made sense for
Abington to follow in their
footsteps. This would give
Abington schools a chance to
compete against others, and
possibly lead to the enrollment
of students previously lost to
private schools.
According to the Abington
School Building Committee,
many reasons led to the decision to rebuild, including the
need for larger classrooms and
increased access to technology. Updates in these areas
would increase opportunities
for students and
improve their educational experience.
There are several
options for rebuilding the school. A
major possibility is
constructing a colocated school for
grades 5 through
12, with a prekindergarten school
existing on site.
This would mean
that on the land
where the high
school currently
exists, a modern
complex would be
constructed with a spatial
layout plan that includes
grades 5 through 12, and also
encompassing a pre-k suite
wing.
The thought of rebuilding the
high school and incorporating
so many new students, might
seem outrageous or daunting
to some. However there
would be several advantages
that come with a co-located
school.
First, a co-located school
means that the two schools
will be on the same land
while still maintaining separate identities. They would
share facilities such as the
boiler and the kitchen. New
construction would cost less
than rebuilding the Frolio
Junior High and the High
School separately, not to
mention other Abington
schools like the Woodsdale
and Beaver Brook Elementary. Co
-locating also would provide students with more academic opportunities because there would be
new options open to them. The
issue of overcrowding the school
would also be dealt with, and no
longer be a concern.
So, as the 50th anniversary of
Abington High School fades into
the past, the decision to rebuild is
one that will change the future of
Abington forever. For those interested in extra information, there
are links available on the Abington Public Schools website:
abingtonma.gov/pages/
AbingtonMA_sbc/index
Pics from 1964 AHS Yearbook
Earning your trust. Exceeding your expectations.
6 Harrison Ave., Abington, MA
781-878-0045 / www.TheAbingtonBank.com