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1974 – 1983: A Vision Takes Shape

In the early 1970s, Kevin O’Grady, then principal at Hogan Regional Center (HRC), saw firsthand the impact of deinstitutionalization as children with severe disabilities transitioned from hospitals to their communities. Following the passage of Chapter 766 in 1972, local cities and towns turned to Kevin for guidance in educating these students.

Simultaneously, Bob Kurtz—with a history of working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a heart for at risk youth—was preparing to launch his own consulting firm. In 1974, Bob founded R&K Associates, an educational and human services consulting company. It was there that he wrote the proposal that led to the creation of many educational collaboratives in Massachusetts.

Shortly thereafter, he and Kevin O’Grady connected. Kevin left HRC to work directly with local communities, driving from town to town with student records in boxes—helping to establish the Northshore Education Consortium (NEC), one of the first educational collaboratives in the state. The founding districts—Beverly, Salem, Peabody, Lynn, Swampscott, Marblehead, and Masconomet—came together to share resources and expertise.

With the growing need for dedicated learning spaces, Kevin, as NEC’s first Executive Director, and his team repurposed vacant buildings and rented space in district public schools to serve as classrooms. As the needs of NEC districts grew, so did the collaborative. By the late 1970s, the North Shore Alternative School was founded to support behaviorally challenged high school students.

In the early 1980s, state-funded contracts with the Department of Education (DOE) led to the creation of satellite programs for emotionally and psychiatrically challenged students in locked hospital settings. NEC was asked to assume oversight of education programs at Westborough, Danvers, Medfield, and Northampton State Hospitals.

By the early 1980s, NEC was successfully operating its two founding programs:

• Developmental Disabilities Program
• North Shore Alternative School

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1984 – 1994: Expanding Services & Specialized Programs

As the collaborative grew, more programs were integrated into functioning public schools within member districts, ensuring students received education closer to home.

By the late 1980s, as group homes became more prevalent, DOE contracts began to phase out. In
response, the state turned to Kevin O’Grady to develop off-site school programs specifically for students
living in group homes.

This decade also saw the launch of two pivotal programs:

• The Autism/PDD Program, which began as a pilot with six students at McCarthy School in Peabody
• The Behavior Disorders Program, established to support elementary students with severe emotional and behavioral challenges after state-funded programs for these children were discontinued

Through innovation and adaptability, the collaborative continued to evolve, ensuring that every
student—regardless of need—had access to quality education.

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1995 – 2004: Growth & New Facilities

As NEC continued to evolve, programs expanded and relocated to better serve students.

• Crossroads Alternative School (formerly North Shore Alternative School) moved to Holten Richmond in Danvers, supporting high school students with behavioral, emotional, and learning challenges
• The Autism/PDD Program saw significant growth, reflecting increasing needs
• By 1999, NEC operated four established programs across member districts:
  • Early Childhood & Developmental Disorders Program (ECDDP): Expanding services for preschoolers identified with special needs, housed in a newly leased and renovated space in West Peabody.
  • Crossroads Alternative School: Serving high school students with behavioral and emotional challenges at Holten Richmond in Danvers
  • Behavioral Disorders Program: Supporting students aged 6-14 with severe emotional and behavioral needs, relocating from the McCarthy School in Peabody to Holten Richmond in Danvers
  • North Crossing Residential School: Serving students from the North Crossing Adolescent and Family Treatment Program

By the late 1990s, NEC had grown to 13 member districts: Beverly, Danvers, Essex, Gloucester, Hamilton-Wenham, Lynn, Marblehead, Masconomet, Nahant, Reading, Salem, Peabody, and Swampscott. At the same time, many districts began developing their own specialized programs, reducing the need for external referrals.

The early 2000s brought further transformation:

• 2000: The Embark program was launched in a vacant temple in Salem before moving to the Enterprise Center at Salem State University, serving post-secondary young adults (ages 18–22) with learning delays and intellectual disabilities
• 2002: Kevin O’Grady retired from his role as NEC Executive Director
• 2002: Bob Gass became NEC’s next Executive Director
• 2003: Crossroads Alternative School moved to McKay School in Beverly and was renamed Northshore Academy
• 2003: The Early Childhood & Developmental Disorders Program was renamed the Kevin O’Grady School (KOG) in honor of its founding Executive Director
• 2004: NEC purchased and moved to its first permanent home at 112 Sohier Road in Beverly combining the Consortium’s administrative offices with the Northshore Academy and Kevin O’Grady School

This period marked a time of expansion, adaptation, and investment in permanent spaces, setting the stage for NEC’s future growth.

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2005 – 2014: Strengthening Foundations

The late 2000s and early 2010s marked a period of growth, facility improvements, and leadership transitions for NEC.

• 2005: Friends of NEC, the nonprofit fundraising arm of NEC, was established to support and enhance NEC’s mission bridging the financial gap between high cost education and low cost tuition
• 2006: NEC received a state grant launching the first Recovery High School in Massachusetts
• 2006-2007: Major facility upgrades took place, including the renovation of 112 Sohier Road and the purchase of West Peabody (WP).
• Program Relocations during 112 Sohier Road upgrades:
  • 2006: Northshore Academy Lower School moved to the Memorial Middle School building for one year
  • 2007: Northshore Academy Upper School relocated to McKeown Middle School building in Beverly, Northshore Academy Lower moved to NEC’s new space in WP, and KOGS was established at 112 Sohier Road

Leadership and infrastructure developments shaped the next phase:

• 2010: Bob Gass retired after eight years of dedicated leadership
• 2011: The universal PlaySpace was built at 112 Sohier Road, providing a dedicated play area for all students—funded by philanthropic dollars raised by the Friends of NEC
• 2012: The SOAR program launched at Gordon College serving young adults aged 18 – 22 with Asperger’s Syndrome, anxiety and other related disorders
• 2013: A new athletic track & field was constructed at 112 Sohier Road; funded by the Friends of NEC
• 2013: Francine Rosenberg became the next Executive Director
• 2014: NEC expanded further, signing a long-term lease for the building at 126 Sohier Road and beginning extensive renovations to prepare for the relocation of Northshore Academy Upper School (NSAU)

This decade solidified NEC’s commitment to growth, innovation, and providing students with high-
quality spaces for learning and development.

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2015 – 2025: Expanding Opportunities

The mid-2010s provided new opportunities for NEC, as programs expanded and facilities were upgraded to better serve students.

• 2015: The SOAR program relocated to Salem State University, strengthening NEC’s connection to higher education and providing students with an enriching college-based learning environment.
• Summer 2015: NEC took a major step forward by moving NSAU into 126 Sohier Road, enhancing space and resources for students and staff. The new facility allowed for expanded programming and a more centralized hub for operations.
• Summer 2017: NEC welcomed Topsfield Vocational Academy (TVA) into its family of programs. This addition provided specialized vocational training and academic support for students, reinforcing NEC’s mission to prepare every learner for success beyond the classroom.
• 2019: Connections Wrap Around Program began with philanthropic funding providing case management and clinical consultation services to students in their home schools

Over this ten-year period, NEC was able to further fulfill its primary mission which has always been to meet the needs identified by member districts:

• Expansion of itinerant vision, orientation and mobility services
• Further expansion of Connections Program in response to districts’ needs
• Provision of training and consultation to districts on substance use and Youth Mental Health First Aid
• Development of services for English Learners
• Developing expertise in newly emerging evidence-based practices for students with autism, including vocational programming and use of Assistive Technology and Augmented Communication
• Developing expertise in Trauma Informed Learning and Collaborative Problem Solving.
• Investment in technology for business operations and student learning
• Investing in our buildings by completing several significant capital projects including the installation of overhead lifts, the repair and repaving of our parking lot, the renovation of the front lobby at 112 Sohier and finally, the major HVAC/roofing project

This period marked a continued commitment to innovation, ensuring NEC students had access to high-
quality education, real-world experiences, and the resources needed to thrive.