Taylor Rededicated

William H. Taylor School Rededicated at Expanded Sea Lab Campus
Posted on 10/27/2017
Sea LabNew Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, Rep. Antonio Cabral, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts School Building Authority, Jack McCarthy, School Committee members, and Superintendent Dr. Pia Durkin made official today the new home of the William H. Taylor Elementary School in a noon ribbon cutting ceremony with students and staff at the expanded campus of the Sea Lab Marine Science Center, located at 71 Portland Street.

The expansion adds approx. 26,000 square feet to the existing building and provides for two classrooms per grade, plus a preschool classroom. A new gymnasium, media center, expanded kitchen, faculty room and additional offices have also been added to the dual-purpose building, which was originally constructed in 2005 to house Sea Lab.

Mr. McCarthy in his remarks credited Mayor Mitchell with negotiating a 90% state funding commitment for the Taylor expansion, the last such project financed so favorably for the city.

“The new Taylor School at Sea Lab replaced what was the oldest school in the City, built in 1898, and is a learning environment that New Bedford’s students deserve,” said Mayor Mitchell.

Taylor School is named for William Howland Taylor (1800-1880), a community leader who served on the Board of Aldermen, School Committee and Fire Department. Taylor was also one of the authors of the 1847 Charter when New Bedford was incorporated as a city.