ROCHESTER — As Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School looks to meet increasing nationwide demand for vocational programs it may look to add Freetown as a member school. But first it must update its district agreement.

At the April 22 Rochester Board of Selectmen meeting, David Hughes, who was re-appointed as Rochester’s representative to the Old Colony School Committee, spoke about some changes he had heard as a member of the school committee.  

While Hughes said the agreement between the five member towns has not changed substantially this year, the school received a $40,000 grant to update its district agreement, which has not been updated in 20 years and is currently doing so. 

Current school district members include Acushnet, Carver, Mattapoisett, Rochester and Lakeville. Though it is not a district member  Freetown is able to send about 90 students. The member schools pay into the cost for the regional school based on the number of students that attend. 

School officials are considering applying for Massachusetts School Building Authority funding to expand the facility. However, such a grant would only provide funds to cover building to capacity for in-district members. That's where consideration of adding Freetown as a district member comes in, Old Colony Superintendent Aaron Polansky explained in a Wednesday conversation.

“We will evaluate the possibility of adding Freetown as a District member in collaboration with representatives from our member towns after our District Agreement is updated," he said. "It is important that the process is collaborative and warrants consideration of all involved."

Polansky said expansion of the Old Colony facility would allow the school to add several programs that it has been considering, based upon student interest and a labor market analysis specific to the region.