by: Nick Antonakas, 22 News
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – U.S. Rep. Richard Neal toured Holyoke High School to meet with students and observe the district’s progress following its recent exit from state receivership.
The visit included classroom tours and discussions regarding the school system’s turnaround after more than a decade of state oversight.
Holyoke Public Schools officially exited state receivership in July, ending a period of state control that began in 2015. Since the district was placed in receivership to get its programs back on track, graduation rates have increased, suspension numbers have decreased and the district has expanded its dual language and pre-K programs.
Neal was led on the tour by the Holyoke High School principal and representatives from the school district. During the visit, he stopped at multiple classrooms to interact with students from all different grades. Students were given the opportunity to ask the representative questions about his career and personal background.
The congressman said he found the students’ responses to be a source of hope. “They want to be somebody. They want to do something with their lives,” Neal said. He emphasized the importance of personal growth during his conversations with the teenagers.
“I said to them that every day we should try to improve ourselves. That’s an essential component of what takes place here in Holyoke. This is a city that was built on hard work and a lot of sacrifice,” Neal said.
Interim Superintendent Anthony Soto noted that the visit allowed students to hear about Neal’s own history in the region. “He talked to all of our students, he talked about aspiration and he talked about his personal journey and and how Holyoke tied to his personal journey and his experience here and in Springfield,” Soto said.
Neal credited the local community for the work required to regain local control of the school system. “Well, that’s one of the reasons I was here. Three cheers for the city of Holyoke that they took a system that had fallen into receivership and they turned it around and give it a couple of years and see the result. Its going to be really great,” Neal said.
