Waltham High School Breaks Ground

“We are finally here,” stated Waltham’s Mayor Jeannette McCarthy at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Waltham High School. The new comprehensive high school, a project nearly five years in the making, celebrated officially breaking ground on September 25. Celebrations included speeches from the Mayor, current superintendent Dr. Brian Reagan, and former superintendents Dr. Drew Echelson and Dr. Susan Nicholson. Waltham resident and SMMA Principal and Director of our K-12 Studio Lorraine Finnegan was present for the event. 

Due to a rapidly growing population, the City’s existing school had proven unable to adequately accommodate the needs their student body. The District sought a facility that would address these concerns, including greater space and amenities for academic and vocational programs such as culinary arts, cosmetology, and web development. It will also feature a “Newcomer Academy” geared toward educating the District’s increasing SIFE (Students with Interrupted Formal Education) population. 

Mayor McCarthy exclaimed “Congratulations and thank you to all of you for everything you have done for the children of the city of Waltham. With an education, every child has hope for the future and they are our future.”

The mayor continued on to break down the term "Education," and its relevance to the work of the community and project team and the project's impact, stating: 

Education plan formed by educators 
Design created to match educational plan
Unified effort by the OPM and Construction Manager to build an excellent school
Children's lives will be benefited by this educational plan and comprehensive high school
A-plus assistance from MSBA
The Waltham Team(s) who have been involved. Thank you for your countless hours of work and dedication to this project.
Investment from the MSBA and Waltham taxpayers into our city, children, and Commonwealth
Opportuinty for over 1,000 students who will benefit
Now - we are finally here!

We are thrilled to see this school moving forward, and could not have done it without the tremendous efforts made by our consultant team, including those at Acentech, AM Fogarty and Associates, CDW Consultants, Garcia, Galuska & DeSousa, Good Harbor Techmark, Haley & Aldrich, Jensen Hughes, New Vista Design, Nitsch Engineering, Robert Lorelli Associates, RSE Engineers, Stefura Associates, and Tavares Design Associates. The project is slated for completion in 2024 through the dedicated work of Consigli Construction, and our OPM team at Leftfield and Jacobs PMCM. 

Photos courtesy of Robert Umenhofer