What’s next for Old Colony following “no” vote on new building project?

Now the Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School’s plans to construct a new school building are halted, what’s next for the Rochester-based school?

On Tuesday, Nov. 18, voters from the five member towns who send students to Old Colony voted “no” to the $288 million project that would have modernized the aging 50-year-old school building and expanded enrollment and programs. 

Old Colony Superintendent Aaron Polansky said even though the new building project was rejected, there are still costly improvements to be done at the school. 

"It’s a sad moment for Old Colony, after years of work and planning. We should not be putting a bandaid on a 50-year-old school, especially when demand has exceeded 300 applications for 150 [student] slots for nearly 10 years," Polansky wrote in a statement after the vote. "Our students deserve better. These projects don’t become less expensive with time."

Polanksy said the school will now consider the next steps in addressing long-time infrastructure issues at the building. 

Per state academic standards, the school is currently too small for its current student population. Polansky said the school suffers from aging infrastructure, failing systems, and a lack of both fire protection and backup mechanisms for their water supply.

“I'd say the first two priorities are water redundancy protection and replacing the 50-year-old water tank,” Polansky said.

The cost to repair the current building is significant. 

The school district estimates it would cost about $134 million to make all necessary repairs and renovations. In addition, that cost is estimated without any state-grant funding to soften the price to member towns — whereas the new building proposal would have seen a state reimbursement of $129 million and another $11 million in federal tax credits.

Repairs would not increase the student population, but bring needed improvements to safety, accessibility and energy efficiency standards.

Rochester sends 79 students and Mattapoisett sends 37 students to Old Colony as of September. 

The school district can come back to the voters another time with a new building proposal — but to use state grants, they would have to wait until the competitive grants become available again in the future. 

Polanksy said the School Building Committee will meet over December to discuss next steps for the school building, and another meeting between the committee and town officials is slated for Dec. 18.