The groundbreaking for the $101 million Bartlett High School renovation took place on April 8 at 77 Poland Street. According to the Mass School Building Authority (MSBA) website, the project will  preserve a beloved school building, while addressing climate change through sustainable building practices and maintaining the town’s high educational goals.

The ceremony featured the Bartlett High School Choir opening with the National Anthem. The group also closed with the Bartlett High School song.  Speakers included the Honorable Joseph McKenna , state Representative, Kylie Gibbons from state Senator Ryan Fattman’s office, Mary Pichetti, MSBA  Executive Director, former Superintendent Ruthann Petruno-Goguen, Ed. D. , Richard LaFond, Town Administrator, David Hurton, School Building Committee chair,  Kelly Seddiki, School Committee chair, Monique Pierangeli, Superintendent of Schools and Ryan Collins Bartlett High School principal.

After the groundbreaking, refreshments were served in the Michael Makara Conference Room. 

The high school shares a campus with the middle school and features basketball courts, soccer fields and baseball fields. An extensive woodland of oak, maple and white pine will remain untouched during construction.

Renovation of this school building allows the town to meet its ambitious educational goals, including innovation pathways for advanced manufacturing, and for healthcare and human assistance, that distance themselves from less innovative high-school models, and allow for internships, industry credentialing, and dual enrollment in local colleges. Because students have changed and the job market has changed, Webster is choosing to renovate its building to meet its enhanced educational vision.