Education

Whittier Tech Beats the Odds, Invited by State to Again Pursue New School, Possibly at College

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Against the usual odds, Whittier Regional Vocational Technical School won state approval to move forward with a replacement school the same year it lost the same eligibility. During a meeting of the Massachusetts School Building Authority Friday afternoon, Whittier Tech was unanimously invited into the eligibility period toward rehabilitating or replacing the school. “This is a momentous milestone and we do not take it lightly,” Whittier Tech Superintendent Maureen Lynch said.  “We recognize that opportunities for a second chance are rare and we are determined to approach it with the utmost care, collaboration and commitment.”

The school withdrew from the same state process this past February when voters in 10 out of 11 sending communities refused to pay for a $445 million replacement that would have been subsidized by the state. Whittier Tech’s latest triumph, however, was seeded this year when Gov. Maura T. Healey endorsed a possible shared campus with Northern Essex Community College. WHAV covered the meeting that saw Whittier Tech and 21 other schools and four technical schools to enter into the eligibility period.

Education

Philanthropy Group, Cogswell Club, Donates $75,000 To Haverhill Promise Reading Program

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Haverhill’s Cogswell Club Thursday night presented $75,000 to the Haverhill School Committee for Haverhill Promise to expand a tutoring program at John C. Tilton School. The donation allows the program, which acts as a one-on-one literacy intervention strategy for first grade students, to support an additional 30 tutoring seats for one year. Lisa Marzilli, representing the Cogswell Club, a group of local philanthropists, said “The pilot program did show over two weeks of reading progress for every one week in the program. So, you’re doubling their progress.” She called on the district to raise awareness and advocate for more funding for intervention programs.

“We recognize that the school district has finite funds and has made significant investments over the past few years. However, in addition to providing more funds for students to receive tutoring now, the Cogswell Club members are asking for more conversations and accountability with the School Committee about how we can work together to provide more resources and proven solutions,” she said.

Haverhill

Haverhill Firefighters Call for Planning to Keep Current Staffing Before Federal Grant Runs Out

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Five years after Haverhill firefighters requested additional staff for the department, union members returned to the City Council Tuesday to provide an update on staffing amid one-time grant funding that is expected to run out in two years. Councilor Melissa J. Lewandowski spoke to the progress. “We have seen phenomenal gains to the operation of our fire department over the last year and this has a direct correlation to lives saved and to that advocacy,” she said. Local 1011 President Tim Carroll thanked councilors for their support along the way. “When we walked in five years ago, we had one, maybe two councilors that were behind us, and now we probably got the whole Council.

Haverhill

Haverhill High Grad and Cancer Survivor Lemieux to Run in Boston Marathon to Raise Research Money

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A Haverhill High School graduate aims to raise $10,000 for cancer research ahead of next year’s Boston Marathon. Jillian Lemieux, a lifelong runner and cancer survivor turned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute employee, has raised more than $2,500 of her $10,000 goal for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for research and development on new treatments for the disease. During high school, Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a rare cancer that affects the lymphatic and immune systems.

“I received six months of treatment at Dana-Farber,” she told WHAV. “That led me back to why I started working there too because I received such amazing care there and the doctors and everyone were genuinely so nice. It’s just a special place so it all came full circle, so this feels like the right time to try to take on the marathon.”

Paired with her experience, Lemieux said her late mother’s experience in the 1980s with the same type of cancer and later breast cancer inspired her involvement in helping cancer patients.

Region

Methuen Elects Beauregard as Next Mayor, Succeeding Late Mayor Perry

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Methuen voters on Tuesday elected Acting Mayor David P. “D.J” Beauregard as the city’s next mayor. Beauregard will serve the remainder of late Neil Perry’s term, the three-term mayor who, as WHAV reported, unexpectedly died in September. He was challenged by James Sarcione, a lifelong resident and small business owner in the city. Beauregard served as an at-large city councilor before becoming acting mayor. He will now serve the remaining term through 2025 with approximately 73% of votes in favor.

Haverhill

Police, Fire, EMS Host Sixth Annual Haverhill Heroes and Helpers

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Dozens of area children in need may go holiday shopping for their families this year thanks to the city’s first responders. Saturday’s sixth annual Heroes and Helpers program raised $22,000, marking the program’s biggest year yet, according to Police Chief Robert P. Pistone. “We did a big posting two days ago on Facebook and as a result of that, we had numerous businesses reach out wondering how they could help out as well,” he told WHAV. He explained students are paired with first responders from the police and fire departments as well as Pridestar Trinity EMS and school adjustment counselors to shop for holiday gifts at Target

The program is coordinated by the department’s school resource officers, including Gillian Privitera and Milady Figueroa, who explained the planning and coordination involved with the event, including a pizza party hosted for students prior to their shopping trips. “We reach out to all of the school support staff, counselors, school administrators and we do a list, and we all collaborate, and they add the families that they know are in need,” Privitera said.

Education

Northern Essex Police Cadets Donate Toys To Boys and Girls Clubs for Third Year

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A partnership between Northern Essex Community College police cadets and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Haverhill and Lawrence will see more than 200 toys distributed to children in need this holiday season. Cadets in the Sixth Recruit Officer Course donated new toys, including basketballs, board games and puzzles for area kids. The event was coordinated by two student officers, Salem Police Department recruit Lexi Howard and Chelmsford Police Department recruit Carly Rose. This year marks the third year of the program, with more than 700 toys collected since its inception. Boys and Girls Club of Greater Haverhill Executive Director Javier Bristol called it “an exciting time of year” for the organization serving over 300 kids in greater Haverhill.

Haverhill

Haverhill Fire Department Receives $10,000 Donation From American Legion Post 4

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The Haverhill Fire Department on Saturday accepted a $10,000 donation from the American Legion to be used for community education. Senior Vice Commander Fred A. Simmons of the Sons of the American Legion was among those who presented the check, which represents proceeds the organization received from a raffle held earlier this year. Lt. Brian Ray, who is in charge of public education at the department, typically provides fire education to early elementary school students with money from the state. He said the money is expended “quickly,” and the additional funding will allow the department to reach more students in the city. “We’re really going to be able to reach out to more middle school and high school age kids, that way we can really teach foundational fire safety,” he said.