Norwood High School’s $5 million renovation project will not be completed by the time classes are scheduled to resume on September 3, the project contractor informed town officials. Thomas Boyle, owner of Anchor Construction Co. of Lowell, stated during a joint meeting that the facility will not be ready for occupancy until October 15 at the earliest, citing persistent subcontractor issues and late material deliveries.
Major construction work remains incomplete on corridor floors and ceilings, heating and electrical systems, and critical safety infrastructure, including fire alarms and sprinkler systems, though most classroom work is finished. School Superintendent James Savage told the building committee that officials face costly decisions regarding temporary student housing, noting that the strongest alternative is utilizing the vacant Junior High School North. When building committee member Edward McDonough asked Boyle if he would bank on a September 3 opening, Boyle candidly replied, “No, in my opinion, if you can put those kids someplace else, put them someplace else.”
While construction supervisor Daniel Egan noted that 108 workers remain on site, missing key shipments—such as fire doors and heating ventilators—prevent building inspectors from granting occupancy. Committee members and project architect Richard Heydecker, along with high school Principal John Piccirilli and school committee Chairman Richard Kief, reviewed options including early dismissals or partial occupancy. However, Superintendent Savage cautioned that construction noise and uncompleted cafeterias would severely disrupt instruction, while Heydecker warned that environmental controls on the new heating system might remain unstable through January. The school committee scheduled a follow-up meeting to determine final student placement.
(Reporting by Bernie McEvoy, The Patriot Ledger).
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
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School Board Recall Urged-July 8, 1978
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Taxpayers Sue to Restore School Budget-July 6, 1978
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Public Schools Announce 1977-78 Opening Schedules and Projected Enrollment of 5,842 Students-August 31, 1977
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Norwood Zeroes In On School Vandals-August 3, 1977
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Facing budget cuts that eliminated student field trips, the Norwood School Committee voted to appeal to the Finance Commission and special town meeting for restoration funds.
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Norwood Board Rejects Blue Hills Collaborative-July 29, 1976
The summer of 1976 was a time of great change and uncertainty for the town of Norwood, Massachusetts. As the nation celebrated its bicentennial, local residents were grappling with issues of education, finance, and community involvement. One such issue that dominated the headlines in July 1976 was the proposed Blue Hills Collaborative, a vocational school…
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Norwood Faces Fiscal Crunch Under Chapter 766 Special Education Mandates-August 28, 1975
School officials report that Norwood’s special education program faces a funding shortfall under state Chapter 766 mandates, prompting legal review and contract awards.
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