New Newton North High School officially opens

Wicked Local staff photo by Keith E. Jacobson

Newton North High School was officially dedicated on Tuesday, August 31.
Cutting the ceremonial ribbon (L to R) Jennifer Price, principal, Mayor Setti
Warren, Class of '88, David Fleishman, Superintendent of Schools, and Molly
Doris-Pierce, Senior Class president.

By Laura Paine, Staff Writer

Wicked Local Newton
Posted Aug 31, 2010 @ 01:42 PM
Last update Aug 31, 2010 @ 05:37 PM
Newton —

After 10 years of planning, fierce debate and nearly $200 million in costs, city officials cut the
ceremonial ribbon to the new Newton North High School on Tuesday, and then allowed
members of Class of 2011 to be the first to enter the sprawling new facility.

“Today, ladies and gentlemen, we officially open the new Newton North High School,” Mayor
Setti Warren said, while acknowledging the path to completing a project “bitterly divided” the
city and “made us the poster-child for skyrocketing costs and excess.”

Warren then pledged to “get the most out of this incredible, wonderful building that we are so
fortunate to have” and “to make sure we take advantage of everything this building has to offer.”

Past and present aldermen and School Committee members, Massachusetts State Auditor Joseph
DeNucci, former Mayor David Cohen, state Sen. Cynthia Creem, as well as the North faculty
and students, were among those attending the short ceremony. After the ribbon was cut, they
were able to roam the halls of the new building, getting a glimpse of resources such as the film
lecture hall, simulated outdoor area, indoor track, greenhouse, electronic music lab and new
swimming pool, which Principal Jennifer Price said, “contrary to the Boston Globe, the pool is
not Olympic size.”  
Cohen, who oversaw the project for nine years, did not speak during the ceremony but received
the longest round of applause of the day when introduced by Warren.

Cohen said later that he was “absolutely delighted” that the building is a reality, despite what he
considered the “adverse political consequences” he faced as a result of going after what he
believed in.

He was referring to the years of heated public debate over the project, which was originally
conceived, one decade ago, as part of a $39 million renovation project, but eventually morphed
into a frequently ridiculed new construction project with a $197.5 million price tag.

“It’s very gratifying,” Cohen said. “There is a reason why Newton is a leader among the
community, and it is because of its commitment to quality education. This building shows it is
cost effective, it is going to do a great job in educating our kids and it’s going to increase
property values. It is going to be an asset to the city of Newton. I am delighted and proud that the
building has been build, and I am here to join in the celebration.”

Price, along with Rabbi Eric Gurvis, president of the Newton Clergy Association, opened the
ceremony by taking a moment to remember faculty and students lost over the past year. She also
thanked the many members of the community, including residents, the Board of Aldermen and
other city officials who “worked for, hoped for and thought [this day] might never come.”

“To my fellow citizens of Newton, you have collectively made a decision to invest in the future
of our community and our nation’s most valuable resource: our children,” Price said. “We stand
poised to provide Newton children with one of the best educational experiences in our country.
We at Newton North understand that we have been given such an amazing resource. Please know
that we take the responsibility of making what happens inside these classrooms as impressive as
the classrooms themselves.”

Newly appointed Superintendent of Schools David Fleishman expressed his gratitude to those
who gave their “blood, sweat and tears” to make the project possible. He recalled his high school
years in a new building and told of how that facility allowed those who used it to pursue their
passions.

“I hope that’s what this school does as well,” Fleishman said. “Both passions of students and
passions of the wonderful faculty, because this facility, coupled with a dynamic principal, a
dedicated and skilled faculty and a motivated student body has all the ingredients for success.”

Fleishman further said that one of his goals, as superintendent, is to build a “strong relationship
with the community,” as he announced the new high school is open to residents as well as
students. Warren acknowledged that the great fortune of the community to be able to offer their
children a “world class education” during a time of “deep national crisis,” and made sure to
remind onlookers the building is a mere tool to that end.

“It has the capability to prepare our children to be leaders in the world economy, just as many of
our residents are today,” Warren said. “I want to remind everyone that this beautiful structure is
only a building. It’s only a small piece of what makes our education system the envy, the envy,
of our nation. Jennifer Price herself and the schools leaders, curriculum specialists, dedicated
teachers and parent activists who work with her every day are the real secret of our success.” 

A point made by each speaker was that the building came to fruition for the benefit of the
children. Molly Doris Pierce, president of the Class of 2011, said she was honored to represent
the student body at the ceremony as they looked forward to the traditions they would make in the
new facility.

“As the Class of 2011 begins our senior year, we are determined to fill it with even more great
memories. We will always keep in mind that as the first graduating class, we are blazing the trail
for every Tiger to come,” she said.

Laura Paine can be reached at lpaine@cnc.com.

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