Get a Glimpse of the New Higgins Middle School

Peabody is going to get to get a closer look of the new J. Henry Higgins Middle School during an informational meeting on Wednesday night.

Mayor Ted Bettencourt and the School Building Committee will provide information on the project, such as updated school drawings, early site preparation work plan and schedule and anticipated transportation patterns.

They will also allow the public to ask questions and provide feedback.

The Peabody City Council last year approved a $92.6 million bond to build the new Higgins Middle School. Bettencourt and other local officials said last year that the city will likely only spend about $50 million of that amount, but the Massachusetts School Building Authority requires the full project amount to be authorized. The MSBA is paying up to $43.7 million for the project.

Peabody is building a new Higgins because the existing school is “in serious need of major structural repairs and other capital improvements to protect the long-term operational efficiency of the building, serve the educational requirements of the middle school program and bring life safety standards up to code of the students, faculty, staff and visitors,” according to the building committee. 

You can find more information about the project here.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26 in the Walter A. “Buddy” Roche Auditorium at the middle school.