The Everett School Committee voted Monday to accept the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) Chapter 74 vocational‑technical education viability document and to endorse the districts proposed 2024 Chapter 74 program offerings for consideration in the feasibility process for a new Everett High School.

The vote to accept the MSBA document passed by roll call. The committee heard a presentation from Dennis Lynch, principal of Everett High School, and Lisa Sandler, a CTE consultant who previously served as the state director for CTE, outlining plans to expand existing programs and add three new Chapter 74 pathways in the short term: criminal justice; design and visual communication; and multimedia and broadcast production.

Lynch said the district currently offers eight CTE programs and is proposing immediate expansions of five of those (carpentry, culinary arts, health assisting, marketing and medical assisting) and the addition of the three lower‑infrastructure programs to reach 11 options for incoming freshmen in the near term. Lynch noted that longer‑term proposals for a new building would include higher‑infrastructure shops such as electrical, HVAC, plumbing, engineering and other pilot programs.

“We are going to expand some of our more robust and more popular programs going into next year,” Lynch said, and described a multi‑year timeline tied to MSBA feasibility and construction. Lisa Sandler described the Chapter 74 pathway as the statewide standard and noted the role of workforce demand and statewide articulation agreements for credit and credentials.

The presentation stressed workforce alignment: Metro North Workforce Board representative Penny Hacelli noted regional demand for careers in biotech, HVAC, cosmetology, dental assisting, engineering and robotics and said Everett is centrally located for regional workforce efforts.

Committee members asked how program expansions would be phased without additional permanent space; Lynch said state guidance and adjusted program standards would allow better utilization of existing space in the short term and that major shop expansions would depend on a new building. Lynch also told the committee Everett High School currently sits roughly 700–800 students over capacity and that MSBA timelines mean some expansions are several years out.

The committee approved the motion to accept the Chapter 74 viability document and the proposed program list by unanimous roll call. Several members thanked the presenters and the workforce board for their involvement.