Education

Feds Award Essex North Shore Agricultural and Tech Money for Veterans’ Program, Upgrades

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Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School recently won $850,000 in federal aid to expand workforce development and military veteran-focused programs.

Money earmarked by Congressman Seth Moulton for the Danvers-based school will be used to expand infrastructure, including upgrading Gallant Hall’s climate control systems, windows, doors and alumni gymnasium bathroom. Money will also provide space for Company2Heroes, a nonprofit service dog training organization, specializing in dogs working with combat veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury or military sexual trauma. “We are proud of our work to provide workforce development opportunities to our day and evening students, including those with barriers to employment,” said Essex North Shore Superintendent Heidi Riccio.

Education

Activities Fair Highlights Fun Ways to Keep Kids Busy This Summer

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Parents can find out how to keep their young students busy this summer while keeping their reading skills from back-sliding. Haverhill Promise, a campaign for grade-level reading, hosts a Summer Activities Fair on Saturday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Haverhill Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St. “Find great free and low-cost summer options for your kids, all in one place,” said Jessica Kallin, executive director of Haverhill Promise. “Don’t miss this opportunity to kickstart your child’s summer adventure.”

Parents will find information about read-alouds and music, camps and programs, outdoor adventures, community resources, sources for free books, and networking opportunities. There is no charge to attend and no registration is required.

Education

Haverhill Schools Won’t Accept Out-of-District Students; Marotta Explains How Enrollment Shifts

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Citing a lack of space, Haverhill Public Schools will not allow out-of-district students to attend this coming year. According to Superintendent Margaret Marotta, the school board also voted no to inter-district school choice in the past several years for similar reasons. Asked by member Yonnie Collins if there might be capacity this time, Marotta explained how enrollment starts misleadingly low, then quickly grows. “Generally, in the summer, we have some space in our classrooms, but we receive kids all school year long, and we particularly have a big bump of kids, oftentimes in early October, and in January as well,” she said. Due to families arriving from the Dominican Republic in early October—Marotta speculated flights become a little cheaper then—and a “big influx” of people moving in January, Marotta said class sizes swell.

Education

Pentucket Regional School Plans Learning Collaborative With Various Classes for All Ages

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Pentucket Regional School District has opened registration for arts; cooking; conversational Spanish; Digital Literacy for Parents, Guardians and Caregivers; and other classes starting in May. The Pentucket Learning Collaborative, geared toward adults and people of all ages, is taught by Pentucket educators. Classes run Wednesdays from May 1-29, from 5-7 p.m., at Pentucket Regional Middle High School. “Our classes are a collaborative in the truest sense of the idea,” Pentucket Schools Executive Director of Operations Jonathan Seymour said. “We’ve known for a while that creating communities where people of different generations can share experiences can lead to positive learning outcomes.”

During the five weeks, students may master skills or knowledge in everything from food preparation and greetings in Spanish, to social media etiquette, painting and illustration and caring for school-age children.

Education

Groveland’s Bagnall School Sixth Grades Graduate from DARE Program; Three Win Essay Contest

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Dr. Elmer S. Bagnall School students recently graduated from the Groveland Police Department’s Drug Awareness Resistance Education program, known as DARE, for short. Superintendent Justin Bartholomew, Police Chief Jeffrey T. Gillen and Principal James Day said about 66 sixth grade students graduated from the program Friday, April 4. Students in each class also participated in an essay contest about what the program meant to them. Essay winners were Owen Potter, Kara Walsh and Ava Tarquinio. They received a trophy and a certificate.

Education

Haverhill School Committee Member Sullivan May Vie for Early’s Whitter Tech Seat at April 25 Meeting

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In a surprising turn, Haverhill School Committee member Gail M. Sullivan appears to be under consideration for Richard P. Early Jr.’s seat on the Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee. Interviews for Early’s seat will now be held at the committee’s next meeting on April 25. Member Richard J. Rosa said City Solicitor Lisa L. Mead initially advised members to turn Sullivan away. “She felt that we could not elect one of our own, even though we had been doing that for many years,” he said at last night’s meeting. After Mead consulted the state ethics commission, Rosa said it turned out the School Committee could appoint one of its members to the Whittier Tech school board.

Education

Podcast: Haverhill Mayor Barrett Brings Listeners Behind the Scenes on School Decisions

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In a wide-ranging interview with WHAV this week, Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett took listeners behind the scenes on recent moves affecting the futures of both the “big” and “little” Whittier schools. Barrett, in her fourth month working out of the corner office at City Hall, took some time Wednesday to appear on WHAV’s “Win for Breakfast” program. The mayor said she spoke with Gov. Maura T. Healey recently as plans took shape to explore a shared campus for Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School and Northern Essex Community College. “So, the idea would be to build a Whittier Vo-Tech and align it with NECCO so they could capture some different dollars rather than just the 11 communities relying on (Massachusetts School Building Authority) and their own tax levy capacities. This would open up even more grant opportunities, some federal funding, take advantage of job training monies that might be out there from both the state and federal government to try to reduce the cost to the communities and produce a school that will produce workers for the future,” she said.

Education

Consentino School Construction to Begin Next Week; No Change to Traffic Flow

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It’s time. Construction of a new Dr. Albert B. Consentino School begins in earnest next week in back of the existing building, and the school department is alerting students and visitors about what to expect. In letters in English and Spanish distributed to families, school officials say there is no change in the traffic flow that has been in place since last September. “At the start of the school year, the administration at Consentino School implemented a revised traffic pattern in preparation for the anticipated construction. This was completed so there would not be any mid-year changes to our arrival and dismissal procedures.