Haverhill Schools Mark Progress with Modular Classrooms at Whittier and Rising Steel at New Consentino

Merrimack Valley Newsmakers

Major milestones are taking place for Haverhill Public School students with integration of modular classrooms at John Greenleaf Whittier School and steel reaching its peak at the new Dr. Albert B. Consentino School.

During an appearance this week on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program, Superintendent Margaret Marotta paid special attention to the $160 million replacement Consentino project and $3 million temporary Whittier additions.

“If people take a ride by the Consentino, the steel is up. It’s looking like a building. It’s pretty exciting, and the modulars are up over at Whittier, so we have a lot going on,” she explained.

Marotta says a “beam signing” for the last piece of steel going up at Consentino School is tentatively scheduled for Friday, Nov. 22. Besides Whittier, on Concord Street, and Consentino, on Washington Street, the construction list also includes indoor tennis and pickleball courts at Haverhill High School. Marotta estimates both of those projects will be completed early next year.

Championed by the School Committee last year, the modular units then under consideration were to bring six classrooms and two bathrooms to the school. Last December, the Massachusetts School Building Authority voted to invite the school into an eligibility period that involves a feasibility study and later steps to determine whether the school should be renovated or replaced and the amount of state reimbursement. The modular classrooms could then be used at any other school that would benefit from additional space.

The superintendent also expressed pleasure with school sports programs as the season winds down.

“Our girls soccer team was the Merrimack Valley Champion. We had three athletes from the volleyball team go all conference and three golfers, and our Cross-Country Coach Mike Maguire was named coach of the year for Merrimack Valley, and I don’t think that’s the first time for Mike either. He’s a pretty darn good coach,” she said.

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