Click image above for Haverhill School Committee agenda.
Haverhill School Superintendent Margaret Marotta has established an “annex” office at Haverhill High School.
Marotta told WHAV Friday the administration has considered adding such an office for some time, but moved forward Friday after a two-student fight the day before.
“Yesterday’s incident really sparked the need for sustained changes. We want to support the staff, the students and administration in Haverhill High with a few extra hands,” she said.
Marotta said she will be at the office, located in the mall area of the high school, daily for the rest of the school year. She said she will be joined by Bonnie Antkowiak, chief of Teaching, Learning and Leading, and Diane Connolly, director of Title I and Community Outreach.
News of Thursday’s incident, and possibly the fight itself, was stoked by cell phone videos distributed on social media. Haverhill High Principal Jason Meland, in an attempt to clear up misinformation, said, “While there are rumors of a stabbing on social media, police found no evidence of this. However, a knife was found on the scene and immediately confiscated by police.”
A special meeting of the Haverhill School Committee to discuss the student altercation takes place tonight at 7, online and in-person at the Theodore A. Pelosi Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 4 Summer St. As a public service, 97.9 WHAV plans to carry the meeting live.