EAST BRIDGEWATER - January 20, 2026 - The East Bridgewater School Committee moved forward on two massive projects Tuesday night: the physical foundation of the new Central School building and the educational foundation of a new district-wide strategic plan. Superintendent Dr. Gina Williams announced that nearly 30,000 yards of soil will soon be trucked onto the building site to “consolidate” the ground for 10 months before foundation work can begin. Simultaneously, the district is preparing to launch a 3-to-5-year strategic plan aimed at addressing barriers to student access and opportunity.
The Full Story
The meeting, presided over by Vice-Chair Ellen Pennington in the absence of Chair Dan Picha, opened with a significant update on the Central School building project. Superintendent Dr. Gina Williams detailed a “pre-consolidation” phase required by the site’s soil conditions. This will involve approximately 1,500 truckloads of soil—roughly 50 to 60 per day—being delivered to the site [50:17]. The soil will sit for 10 months to compact the earth before ground is broken in the early fall [50:46]. While the district has planned “blackout times” to prevent truck deliveries during school arrival and dismissal [53:06], the project will unfortunately displace the upcoming softball season, requiring coordination with town youth fields [51:44].
On the administrative front, Dr. Williams shared the results of over 50 “stakeholder meetings” conducted as part of her entry plan [53:48]. These meetings identified a strong sense of community as the district’s greatest asset, but also highlighted concerns regarding equal access to extracurricular activities [01:00:20]. A strategic planning committee of 20 to 25 members will be formed this February to translate these themes into a formal roadmap for the next three to five years [54:32].
The committee also heard from district principals on specific school initiatives:
High School: Principal Silva introduced freshmen who participated in the school’s first-ever 9th-grade Career Fair [12:34]. The event is part of the “MyCAP” (My Career and Academic Performance) program, which helps students align their coursework with future career interests starting in the 6th grade [13:26].
Middle School: Principal Paquette discussed the “Culture of Dignity,” a social-emotional initiative that balances academic rigor with lessons on inherent self-worth [27:39]. He noted that 90% of teachers are now using “i-Ready” diagnostic data to set personalized learning goals for students [24:51].
Central School: Principal Byrne and Reading Specialist Mrs. Fleming presented “Term 2 Literacy” plans, including “World Readaloud Day” on February 4th and a “One Central Book” program featuring Snowman at Night [38:54].
A poignant moment occurred earlier in the meeting when David Hallinan, a former student and school custodian, presented the district with a Congressional Record citation [07:03]. Hallinan was instrumental in getting October 2nd recognized as National Custodians Day at the state level.
“I know how much it is appreciated when people mention and say thank you for all the hard work that we do and the pride that we take in our profession... I couldn’t think of a better place than East Bridgewater where I went to school and graduated [to share this].” [07:42] — David Hallinan
Why It Matters
For residents, the Central School project represents a significant capital investment in the East Bridgewater schools. The massive soil delivery phase will be a highly visible and audible reminder of the project, though the district’s “blackout” periods aim to protect student safety and traffic flow. Educationally, the upcoming strategic plan will dictate how district resources are allocated for the next half-decade, specifically focusing on making sports and clubs accessible to all students regardless of financial or logistical barriers.
Official Minutes & Data
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: To approve the homeschool education plan as recommended by Assistant Superintendent Jennifer McPartland.
Vote: Unanimous ([01:21:49])
Motion: To accept a $1,000 donation from the Mitchell School PTA for an outside dining area.
Vote: Unanimous ([01:22:17])
Motion: To accept a $2,000 donation from the Mitchell School PTA for a school assembly on bullying.
Vote: Unanimous ([01:22:48])
Financial Update
Director of Business Administration John Shea reported that the district is currently projecting a positive budget balance of $22,267 [01:12:08]. However, Committee Member Peter Furia warned of a “challenging year” ahead as the town navigates funding requests for the next fiscal cycle [01:03:18].
Public Comment
No residents came forward for public comment [02:08].
What’s Next
Soil Delivery: Scheduled to begin within the next few weeks following the final selection of a construction management firm on Wednesday [49:19].
Strategic Planning: A message will be sent to the community in February to solicit members for the strategic planning committee [54:32].
Budget Subcommittee: The next budget meeting is scheduled for Friday, January 23, 2026 [01:02:45].
Source Video: EBCAM