Massachusetts / School Boards / Swansea Public Schools
Presented site options included staying on the current junior‑high campus (repair or add/reno) and three new‑construction concepts on the high‑school/Wood Street parcel; wetlands, historic‑trust constraints, ledge and traffic were central concerns.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Swansea Public Schools
At a May 15 meeting the Swansea School Building Committee heard MSBA cost scenarios and approved a scope to price a repair‑only option while continuing study of addition/renovation and new‑construction alternatives.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Swansea Public Schools
Swansea's school committee approved an educational plan and space summary that adds a 510‑seat auditorium, a 9,000‑square‑foot gym and an extra science lab and teacher planning spaces to the district program; the committee voted 7–0 to accept the plan.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Swansea Public Schools
Superintendent Scott Holcomb said the district's educational plan for the Joseph Case junior high will be presented to the School Building Committee and the school committee, and that a final vote on a project would not occur until November 2026; administrators said the plan may require an additional library media specialist FTE.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Swansea Public Schools
Superintendent reported the district's new fob system is 95% complete and on schedule for summer finish; Good Harbor Techmark will conduct physical and procedural safety assessments, and a new district events calendar was launched as a one-month pilot for June.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Swansea Public Schools
District will apply for a Board of Health camp license for the summer program, allowing a mix of academics and outdoor activities but also requiring compliance with camp regulations, including health staffing.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Swansea Public Schools
The Swansea School Committee voted to authorize Chair Sonia Barbosa, with superintendent assistance and counsel if needed, to respond to four filings by Patrick Higgins; committee discussion clarified that some filings were requests for records rather than formal open-meeting complaints.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Swansea Public Schools
The Swansea School Committee approved a teacher-led April 2026 trip to London for Joseph Case students; the trip uses EF Tours, costs $3,929 per student and includes a 1:6 chaperone ratio and required background checks.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Swansea Public Schools
Tracy Novick, field director for Central Massachusetts for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, explained how Chapter 70’s foundation budget, the Student Opportunity Act and the state’s hold‑harmless protections combined to produce an unexpected increase in state aid for Swansea in fiscal 2026 despite a drop in the district’s measured enrollment.
Massachusetts / School Boards / Swansea Public Schools
The Swansea School Committee unanimously approved a new district policy, IJNDBC, on April 20 that bans student use of cell phones and wearable communication devices during the school day at the junior high and high school.