North Attleborough committee presses outreach as June 3 vote on new high school nears

The North Attleborough School Committee reviewed a draft architects' flyover and stepped up outreach this week ahead of a June 3 referendum on a proposed new high school. Committee members and students urged residents to attend two final community forums — May 8 and May 29 — and optional building tours on May 10 so voters can see the current building condition and the final plans before casting a single yes-or-no vote on June 3.

Why it matters: The committee described the referendum as one of the town's largest capital decisions in recent memory and said community understanding is central to the outcome. The superintendent noted the project is the focus of an ongoing Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process and that the district has worked to present clear numbers and visuals to voters.

The meeting included a roughly 6:50-minute flyover video from the architects that showed the proposed site layout and internal program. Committee members described key features highlighted in the rendering: a main glass entrance with centralized administration and controlled access, a distributed-dining concept that creates café-style collaboration spaces, two internal courtyards, a fabrication hub with access to outdoor learning and a drama/TV studio with green-screen capability. The plan also showed classroom clusters with glass sight lines to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and natural light in every classroom; the presenters said furniture and certain instructional fixtures are included in the building budget.

Students and committee members spoke directly about the condition of the existing high school and the project's impact on recruitment and retention. A student representative said the current school is overcrowded and described parts of the building as "quite old," and added, "I'm 18. I'm going to be voting," underscoring youth engagement in the campaign. Committee members reported turnout at recent drop-in tours (an estimated 40'050 attendees) and said the district also conducted grassroots outreach at community events.

What's next: The district will hold the May 8 community forum at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium and an additional forum on May 29 at 7 p.m., each followed by optional building tours. The superintendent reiterated that the June 3 referendum will be a single, simple yes-or-no question and reminded voters that polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The committee encouraged residents to review the QR-coded information on the district website before voting.

The committee did not take a vote on the project at this meeting; the next procedural step for the public is the scheduled referendum on June 3.