Education

Haverhill Promise’s Toulouse Receives $20K Grant to Support Citywide Children’s Vision Care Efforts

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Haverhill Public Schools staffer and Northeast Regional School Nurse consultant Shanyn Toulouse is poised to bring expanded eye care to the city through participation in a new program backed by the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health, she tells WHAV. Called “Better Vision Together,” the program Toulouse is taking part in is a team-based effort where eight groups across the country collaborate to brainstorm ideas and develop action plans to improve children’s vision programs in at-risk and minority populations. Haverhill was selected in addition to teams based in California, Idaho, Texas, Arizona, Florida, and Minnesota. The city was awarded a $20,000 grant, she said. Toulouse is using her platform to bring attention to the collaboration between Haverhill Promise and Haverhill Public Schools, which work together to get all children reading at or above grade level by the end of third grade. As Toulouse explains, vision screenings and school readiness go hand-in-hand.

Education

Free All-Day Kindergarten Included in Next Year’s School Budget, Says Marotta

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Should this spring’s School Committee budget sessions go as Superintendent Margaret Marotta expects, all-day kindergarten will be free for all Haverhill families starting with the 2019-2020 school year. Briefing the School Committee on her intentions Thursday night, Marotta said the proposal is included in the budget up for discussion in the coming months. The policy revision would make early education for the city’s children who are at least five-years-old complimentary instead of tuition-based. Currently, families who opt to send children to all-day sessions pay on a sliding fee scale. Marotta is hopeful the program will broaden opportunities for city children and families.

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Haverhill

Barrett Implores City to Aid ‘Chronically Underfunded’ Haverhill Public Library

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Ahead of this spring’s budget sessions, Haverhill City Councilor Melinda E. Barrett did her due diligence Tuesday night to petition for increased funding for what she calls the “chronically underfunded” Haverhill Public Library. Over the last year, Barrett said 51,000 cardholders found the location a “highly used and valued” resource—a resource that risks losing certification if the city doesn’t fill a much-needed $195,000 gap. The Library’s Board of Trustees and the City of Haverhill partner jointly to oversee the Library and over the last 11 years, Barrett said the Trustees increased their budget 41 percent, while the city boosted their contribution 0.2 percent. “The city has to have a plan for closing the funding gap and maintaining appropriate funding going forward,” Barrett said. “I don’t know if we have that plan, but I hope we can work together with the Mayor to make that plan happen.”

Haverhill has failed to meet requirements for certification 14 times in last 16 years but received waivers, Barrett said.

Education

Haverhill Student Nutrition Focus of New $18K Healthy Breakfast Program

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Eight city schools are set to share in an $18,750 grant from Project Bread and other healthy eating advocacy groups for Haverhill to implement a program called “Breakfast After the Bell,” Mayor James J. Fiorentini and state Rep. Andy Vargas tell WHAV. The grant comes four months after Vargas co-sponsored legislation that advocated for a nutritious breakfast for city children so that attendance and test scores may improve. Vargas continues to prioritize nutrition through Haverhill Promise, the city’s effort to get all students reading at grade level by the end of third grade. “There’s a direct correlation between nutrition and academic success. Students can’t learn if they’re not fed.

Education

Four Tilton First Graders Win Northern Essex Peace-Themed Poetry Contest

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Paws up for peace at Haverhill’s Tilton School! Four first grade students at the city elementary school have been chosen as winners in the 11th annual Northern Essex Community College peace-themed poetry contest, Principal Bonnie Antkowiak tells WHAV. As part of classroom instruction by teacher Beth Perry, students learned about the different elements of a poem over the last several months. In addition to contributing different pieces to a weekly poetry book, students all submitted entries to the poetry contest sponsored by Northern Essex, Perry said. “This contest was a great way for them to show what they know as young poets beyond their own classroom doors,” Perry told WHAV.

Community Spotlight

Haverhill SEPAC Hosts April 23 Presentation on How to Help Struggling Readers

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A Boston-based speech and language expert is headed to Haverhill next week to deliver a presentation to local parents on how to help struggling readers during the city’s April 23 Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) meeting at Haverhill High School. The 6 p.m. session on Tuesday is open to all in the main conference room at 137 Monument St., and includes remarks from Dr. Tiffany P. Hogan, the director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute-backed Speech and Language Literacy Lab.

Haverhill Promise

Open Mic Show: March 18, 2019

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Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce President joins Bill Macek to discuss Chamber happenings and offer an update on the city’s early literacy effort Haverhill Promise. Attorney Paul A. Magliocchetti also stops by to chat about his work on the Haverhill School Committee.

Education

Tilton Teacher Guertin Prepares to Release Second Children’s Book

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Tilton Tigers, get ready for another storytime session with teacher Annemarie Guertin: The first-grade educator tells WHAV her second children’s book, “Why the Evergreens Keep Their Leaves” hits stores on Sept. 1. Centered around the themes of kindness, compassion and helping others, Guertin’s folktale follows her debut release “How the Finch Got His Colors” that hit stores last year. As WHAV previously reported, Guertin snagged a second book deal—and an agent!—two months after her debut hit store shelves. Familius Publishing is again backing Guertin’s work.