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Haverhill school administrators are exploring the creation of an alternative elementary school to better serve some of the neediest students and help reduce classroom disruptions while freeing up pre-school slots at the same time.
Currently, the system operates Greenleaf Academy, an alternative program for middle and high school students, at 58 Chadwick St., in Bradford. The proposed program for younger students struggling in a traditional classroom setting has been dubbed Greenleaf Academy Lower.
School Committee Vice Chair Richard J. Rosa said the district’s plan is to lease a larger space for the (William H.) Moody Preschool Extension, now at Crowell School, 26 Belmont Ave. Then, the new alternative program for students in first through fourth grades would move into the empty Crowell classrooms.
“The potential plan for a Greenleaf Academy program for younger students will have a positive ripple effect throughout the Haverhill Public Schools starting with creating much-needed space for additional pre-k students. We know that the sooner we can begin educating children in the Haverhill Public Schools the better chance of reaching the critical milestone of reading at grade level at the end of third grade.”
Haverhill school Superintendent Margaret Marotta said last week she has budgeted $200,000 in the 2025-2026 budget to pay for a lease in the new preschool space in the first year. She added any time the district can keep students with special needs in the district, it saves nearly $100,000 per student per year in tuition and transportation costs. There are often long wait lists for out-of-district placements as well. The proposed location was not identified.
“We would start small with three classrooms of about 20 students as see how it goes,” Marotta said.
Rosa said, the Moody Preschool Extension currently accommodates about 174 students during morning and afternoon sessions and has a long wait list. The current space the district is eying would allow the district to add at least another 25 slots. That would allow the district to pay for the lease cost by attracting more state money for the pre-k slots as well as realizing cost savings by keeping students with special needs in Haverhill.
“With additional Chapter 70 money from the state for additional PreK students, savings from students remaining in or returning to the school district and potential having other districts pay tuition to Haverhill for their students to attend the program, expanding the Greenleaf Academy program would greatly benefit students and staff and likely would be cost neutral after the first year.”
Rosa added the proposed Greenleaf Academy for younger students would not impact either the operation of the Moody Early Childhood Center or the current Greenleaf Academy.
“The Greenleaf Academy program for younger students will have several benefits. First and most importantly we will provide students struggling in traditional classrooms with targeted support to help them flourish academically. Second, the initiative benefits other students and teachers by freeing up educator time spent supporting a few students with significant needs. Third the program will allow students to remain in the Haverhill Public Schools avoiding often unpleasant and long commutes for students and reducing expense of out-of-district tuition for the district.”