On October 5, Abington High School reached a major milestone. On this date, the building turned 50 years old, a very old age for a school building. As this date passes, the Abington School Building Committee is hard at work, considering plans to not only replace the current building, but to explore the options that make sense for the entire school system.

The idea began at the same time that Rockland, Hanover, East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Whitman and Hanson built or began building new schools for their students. With all these surrounding towns sprucing up their educational environments, it only made sense for Abington to follow in their footsteps. This would give Abington schools a chance to compete against others, and possibly lead to the enrollment of students previously lost to private schools.

According to the Abington School Building Committee, many reasons led to the decision to rebuild, including the need for larger classrooms and increased access to technology. Updates in these areas would increase opportunities for students and improve their educational experience.

There are several options for rebuilding the school. A major possibility is constructing a co-located school for grades 5 through 12, with a pre-kindergarten school existing on site. This would mean that on the land where the high school currently exists, a modern complex would be constructed with a spatial layout plan that includes grades 5 through 12, and also encompassing a pre-k suite wing.

The thought of rebuilding the high school and incorporating so many new students, might seem outrageous or daunting to some.  However there would be several advantages that come with a co-located school.

First, a co-located school means that the two schools will be on the same land while still maintaining separate identities. They would share facilities such as the boiler and the kitchen. New construction would cost less than rebuilding the Frolio the High School separately, not to mention other Abington schools like the Woodsdale and Beaver Brook Elementary. Co-locating also would provide students with more academic opportunities because there would be new options open to them. The issue of overcrowding the school would also be dealt with, and no longer be a concern.

So, as the 50^th anniversary of Abington High School fades into the past, the decision to rebuild is one that will change the future of Abington forever. For those interested in extra information, there are links available on the Abington Public Schools website.