By Grace Allen

School officials are continuing to plan a potential expansion of Freeman Kennedy School, following the February 2025 vote in which the project was not supported by residents. The possibility of state funding is now under consideration.

The school system learned that it has been invited by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to enter the Core Program Eligibility Period for the Freeman Kennedy School Expansion Project, marking the first formal step in the state’s school construction grant process. The invitation was approved by the MSBA Board of Directors on Dec. 12 following the district’s submission of a Statement of Interest citing space constraints related to enrollment growth.

Entry into the Eligibility Period allows the district and town to work with the MSBA to confirm educational needs, enrollment projections, community readiness, and project governance requirements.

“We are grateful to the Massachusetts School Building Authority for inviting Norfolk into this essential program,” said Superintendent Dr. Ingrid Allardi. “The Eligibility Period allows us to continue careful planning alongside the town and the MSBA to determine the best long-term solution for our students.”

At the conclusion of the Eligibility Period, the MSBA may invite Norfolk into the Feasibility Study phase, during which potential options for the expansion would be formally evaluated.

The Freeman Kennedy School opened in 2012 and was named in memory of U.S. Army Sgt. Adam Kennedy and Alvin J. Freeman, a long-time School Committee member. The school replaced the Freeman-Centennial School on the site, which was built in stages starting in 1950.

Norfolk Public Schools has added more than 100 students over the past decade, with projections showing an additional 200 students by 2035. Freeman Kennedy School is currently at full capacity, while H. Olive Day School has repurposed instructional and specialty spaces, including the music room, technology lab, and library offices, to accommodate classrooms.

District and town officials have identified a permanent expansion of Freeman Kennedy School as the most efficient long-term solution. 

“The town has taken a deliberate, step-by-step approach to this project, with a focus on long-term planning and fiscal responsibility,” said Interim Town Manager Michael Gallagher. “This invitation allows us to continue that work in partnership with the MSBA and ensure that any future decisions are based on clear information and community input.”