Superintendent: district not moving forward with school building project; Jed Foundation grant awarded for mental-health supports

At the May 4 meeting the West Bridgewater superintendent told the school committee the district received a final notice that it is no longer part of the school building project process and that project partners are disappointed. In response, the committee voted to rescind its appointment of a representative to the school building committee because the committee no longer exists.

Superintendent remarks reviewed the outreach and MSBA submission work that preceded the outcome and noted the district and partners — including the school's architect and OPM — will meet to determine next steps. The superintendent described active public engagement, MSBA and other filings and thanked volunteers and consultants who worked on the effort.

Separately, Mrs. Paige described a grant from the Howard trustees to implement the Jed Foundation High School program at West Bridgewater Middle Senior High School. The Jed program is a three-year technical-assistance initiative that supports suicide prevention and broader mental-health systems in schools through assessment, strategic planning, consultant facilitation and ongoing evaluation. Mrs. Paige said grant funding and technical assistance will support district implementation and that the program will provide ongoing data and updates to the trustee group.

Committee members expressed appreciation for the teams that worked on the building project and acknowledged disappointment at the project's status. The committee also approved declassification and amendment of an August 18, 2025 executive-session minute set as part of a response to a public open-meeting request and related complaint (see related story).