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Haverhill leaders, Whittier Tech and Northern Essex outline plan for shared vocational campus
Summary
Superintendent Maureen Lynch and Northern Essex officials presented a plan to combine Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School and Northern Essex Community College on a shared campus, saying the model could increase seats, lower per-community costs and expand early-college access if all 11 sending communities sign on by MSBA’s deadline.
Superintendent Maureen Lynch and Northern Essex presenters described a developing plan to locate Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School on shared campus space at Northern Essex Community College, saying the model could expand seats and early-college options while lowering per-community capital costs.
The presentation to the Haverhill City Council on the proposal stressed that Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) rules require sign-off from all 11 sending communities for the district to advance into eligibility. "If we don't get those things and all 11 cities and towns don't sign on to that, then we will not be able to move forward into eligibility," Lynch said.
Why it matters: Councilors and city officials said the plan could preserve Whittier Tech's future, add seats for Haverhill students and respond to local workforce shortages for plumbers, electricians and other skilled trades. Presenters said the shared-campus model also opens new funding avenues — higher-education capital, foundation support, federal earmarks and a proposed state BRIGHT Act bond bill — that would be harder for the vocational school to access on its own.
Lynch said Haverhill enrollment at Whittier currently represents a significant share of the school: "There are 856 students from Haverhill among the 1,285 who attend Whittier Tech," and the district offers 24 CTE areas, three of which were recently cut for low enrollment. Northern Essex President Lane Glenn described the college as "an eager partner" and said a shared campus could let both institutions use existing facilities, expand early-college seats and reduce duplicate infrastructure costs.
Presenters showed three development scenarios: separate adjacent campuses (limited savings), two schools sharing services and space (moderate savings), and a highly integrated ‘‘polytechnic’’ identity with shared branding, programs and operations (largest potential savings and programmatic integration). They cited an outside scan that found limited U.S. examples and referenced the Sturm Collaborative Campus in Colorado as a partial analog.
Key details and next steps: MSBA requires all 11 communities to formally sign on for the district to enter the eligibility period; presenters said the deadline to get required municipal sign-offs is July 1 and that eligibility would begin August 1 if sign-offs are complete. The feasibility study cost will be borne by the district; presenters said the feasibility and schematic design steps would follow MSBA processes if the district secures eligibility.
Council reaction and questions: Councilors broadly praised the proposal and urged student-focused planning. Councilor Mitchelson said he supported moving forward and asked about timeline; presenters said the MSBA window gives the district a roughly 270‑day eligibility period to proceed. Councilor Baszler asked about land ownership on the Northern Essex campus; Glenn and Lynch said approximately 14 of the nearly 30 acres in the area shown are state-owned and that the original project had been contemplated on roughly 8 acres. Councilor Tui asked whether a larger regional agreement would change admissions or create a lottery; Lynch called that a "loaded question" and said the regional agreement and seat apportionment rules remain to be worked out.
Unresolved items and risks: Presenters and councilors repeatedly noted the complexity of securing unanimous municipal support and the budget pressure facing some sending communities. Glenn and Lynch said securing multi-source funding would be crucial to reduce per-community cost and to make the plan attractive to municipal leaders. The presenters also noted possible need to coordinate with the Department of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAM) because Northern Essex property is state-owned.
Background: Whittier Tech’s most recent standalone building project failed last year; the MSBA gave the district permission in December to advance certain next steps. The presenters said their research, supported by the Donahue Institute and other consulting partners, suggests a shared campus could be innovative in Massachusetts.
Council President Sullivan closed by encouraging the project team and the participating communities to continue their work and return with more detailed plans.
