KNIGHTLY NEWS
Volume 7 - Issue 4 December, 2021
SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE
I would like to start this edition with a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of our faculty and staff for their hard work and continued support and commitment. We opened the doors to our schools last August and have been able to keep them open and our students healthy and learning because of our dedicated staff. I am honored to work with such responsible colleagues.
This is the time of year when we begin our budget process for the next fiscal year. As has been our practice, we will be presenting the Superintendent’s recommended budget to the School Committee after the winter break, and the School Committee will deliberate and solicit public feedback during its January meetings. In early February, the Committee will approve a recommended budget to send to the Town Manager. We encourage you to follow the budget discussions and to participate, as your input is critical to the process.
We held eight school capacity forums during the fall months and will hold additional sessions over the next several months. The focus of the fall forums was to provide
information regarding the recommended school projects which include renovations and/or additions to the Atkinson, Franklin, Kittedge, Middle and ABECC schools. These projects have been included in the town’s Facilities Master Plan II. The focus of the upcoming public forums will be the funding plan and timeline for these projects, as we expect the MSBA will make funding decisions in March of 2022 that could have an impact on our funding plan and timeline. I encourage the community to follow the district's website for updates.
For those of you with children who will be five years of age on or before August 31, 2022, online kindergarten pre-registration for the 2022-2023 school year will begin in February, and information regarding the kindergarten registration process will be available at that time on the ABECC Early Childhood Center webpage.
Thank you for the continued support of our schools and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.
DID YOU KNOW?
School Safety Presentation
With school safety on the minds of parents, teachers and community leaders, the North Andover School Committee hosted an update on the NAPS Emergency Response plan at its December 2 meeting. Presenters included NAPD Chief Charles Gray, Lt. Detective E.J. Foulds and NAFD Chief John Weir. Also present to participate in the discussion and answer questions was Town Manager, Melissa Murphy
Rodrigues. Lt. Foulds led the discussion and explained the programs used by public safety groups as well as the protocols that are in place when responding to a range of situations. He emphasized the importance of officer training and why the practice drills held at each school are essential to the safety of our students, faculty and staff. Please click here to view the presentation.
North Andover Parent Resource Network
We would like to call your attention to the newest resource to support parents and caregivers in the area of mental health--the North Andover Parent Resource Network (NAPRN). The network was first created by a group of parents in 2009 to support the R.A.I.S.E. initiative and the Building Respectful Communities Committee and now works in collaboration with the Youth Center and the BRC Committee by bringing relevant speakers to North Andover and hosting discussion groups. Events are free of charge and open to all North Andover families.
Topics thus far have included raising awareness around anxiety, eating disorders, mental health and how to support family and friends. The site also includes a resource page with articles by mental health experts addressing these same topics. Since NAPRN relies on donations of time and money to run their program, if you or your business is interested in becoming a sponsor or if you have a lot or a little time and would like to volunteer, please email NAParentResourceNetwork@gmail.com.
DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT
North Andover High School by Chet Jackson, Principal
North Andover High School is off to a great start to the school year with a new full-year schedule where our teachers will build relationships with their students for the entire length of their courses.
Each year, the National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes students based on their PSAT scores. In September, we received word on accolades for three of our seniors from the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. Congratulations to Jack Determan and Hayley Wong for being named Semifinalists in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Competition and to Aisling Callahan for being named a "Commended Student." We were pleased that NAHS was able to provide the option to take SATs for all of our seniors during the school day.
This October, two very timely and important assemblies were held in which Anthony Sideri, an NAHS alumnus, presented to NAHS students an impactful talk about his struggles with addiction and eventual recovery.
NAHS faculty and students have enjoyed returning to traditional co-curricular athletics, clubs, and field trips during the first three months of school. A sampling of some of the events includes a VEX Robotics competition that was hosted by NAHS. Sixty teams attended, and one of our teams earned a design award and advanced to the next level. Our unified basketball team returned to a full fall season of successful competition within the MVC. Our Athletic Department recognized eight senior athletes and families for committing to compete next year in college by signing a National Letter of Intent. We have continued our partnership with NA CAM as they assisted members of our Focus program in producing a cooking show centered around the book, Fry Bread. The Model UN club returned to its first in-person conference at UMASS Lowell with North Andover students winning awards after two days of debate and discussion.
A Knight to Remember at Fenway Park
On Tuesday, November 22, North Andover High School and Andover High School played their annual football game at Fenway Park prior to Thanksgiving day. Hundreds of alumni and members of the North Andover community traveled to Boston to enjoy a wonderful experience at America’s oldest and most beloved ballpark. The football team, band and cheer team were able to perform and have a once-in-a-lifetime experience as NAHS defeated Andover 27-26. It was truly a Knight to remember!
CURRICULUM CORNER
Accelerating Math Resources Program funded by DESE
In May of 2021, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced a unique opportunity to provide districts funding for access to mathematics instructional materials. As they stated on their website:
Since COVID-19 caused the unexpected closure of schools in March 2020, school systems across Massachusetts have experienced an unprecedented level of disruption. While school and district leaders, educators, students, and families have demonstrated ingenuity and perseverance over the last years, students across grades K–12 did not receive typical mathematics instruction. Therefore, students could benefit from the continued opportunity to accelerate their math learning through targeted instruction using high-quality instructional materials.
You might be thinking, what does it mean to “accelerate math learning?” It does not mean going faster through concepts, but rather is an approach to move forward with grade-level content and support students on prerequisite skills and concepts from prior grades as needed. The alternative approach is called remediation, and where you go back over concepts and skills from prior grade levels that students haven’t mastered yet. Remediation typically occurs in isolation and at the expense of grade-level content. This article describes the approach in more detail. By providing districts with high-quality instructional materials, it gives students and teachers access to resources that support this “just in time” method for accelerating math learning.
The program allowed us to apply for core instructional programs for grades K-12 and digital supplements for grades K-8 along with professional development to
support implementation. While the turn-around time for the application was short, we were able to complete it quickly as all of our K-5 math instructional materials (Eureka, Zearn and ST Math) were included in the program, and Illustrative Math was a familiar curriculum resource for grades 6-12. We received approval to purchase core resources, digital supplements and professional development.
Since then, elementary staff has received professional development on how to accelerate math instruction using Eureka and Zearn instructional programs. Our new math coaches, Claire O’Connor and Laura Glass, have been supporting them as well. The middle school math department spent a few days this summer in training on the Learn Zillion Illustrative Math platform so that they were ready to roll out this new resource at the start of the school year. They have received ongoing professional development from the vendor to support this initiative and from Carnegie Learning as they implement the MATHia digital supplement. They have been supported by Math Coach and Academic Coordinator Bill Smith and Math Director Ben Cabrera.
We are excited that DESE has announced a continuation of the program for the 2022-2023 school year and will be submitting an application in February. This will allow us to continue with all of these resources and free up district funds to support other curriculum areas.
A Step Back In Time
Different Century - Same Problem!
School children masking up during 1918 Pandemic
“Epidemic Puts Ban on All Public Assemblies”
“Wear a Mask and Save Your Life”
“Churches, Schools, Shows Closed”
The headlines above referring to the "Spanish" flu were pulled from the many newspapers and public health directives of 1918 but are eerily similar to what we witnessed beginning in March of 2020 and continue to combat. Fred S. Smith, NAPS School Physician in 1918 reported in the Town Report that he was unaware of any fatalities among the school children, but for those children who had the flu, he stated, “It will probably take several months for those children to recover their former good health.” Unlike COVID 19, this pandemic had a particularly high mortality rate among young adults ages 20 to 40.
The Spanish flu did not originate in Spain. Hypotheses have suggested that the flu existed in France, Britain, and Asia before a strain of the flu was identified in Camp Funston, Fort Riley, Kansas. Some believe infected soldiers spread the disease across the country and then overseas during World War I. Because of a news blackout during the war, those countries involved in the war were under a news blackout and did not report their numbers to the press in order to keep morale high. However, Spain was a neutral country; and because they were the only country reporting on the flu, many thought the flu originated there, and it became known as the Spanish flu.
The number of deaths in the U.S. attributed to the Pandemic of 1918 was 675,000. However, the Spanish Flu was far deadlier worldwide. Official records were not kept, but it is estimated that between 50 to 100 million were victims of the 1918 Pandemic.
What's Happening at Stevens Memorial Library
Whether you have recently celebrated a birthday or anniversary, perhaps Hanukkah, or are looking forward to the Winter Solstice, Christmas or Kwanzaa, let’s all celebrate the end of 2021. May 2022 be a year of good health, good news, and lots of laughter.
We’re not sure who first said “Laughter is the best medicine.” What we do find are sites pointing to research and studies that show it is more than a quote. One site says, “It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. … Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, …“
So, consider putting “Laugh More” on a New Year’s resolution list along with Exercise more, Read more, Watch more, Listen more. Join us at Stevens in person or online all year long. Let us help you find a great book of jokes, a comedy DVD, or a silly song to start your laughter.
The Library has special 2021 holiday hours:
· December 24 – 27: closed
December 28 – 30: 10 am – 5 pm
· December 31, 2021 – January 1, 2022: closed
In this season, when the weather or travel conditions are questionable, check the Library is open before venturing out. The Library updates its website, Facebook,
Twitter and telephone message as soon as any unexpected changes are known. The Library’s resources are available online even when the building is closed.
Online Services
No Library card, or it needs an update? Email Stevens-Circulation@ NorthAndoverMA.gov
General questions or help? Email SmlRefServices@NorthAndoverMA.gov or call the Library 978-688-9505.
Not sure what to read? You may fill out a Reader Request or browse our Digital Book Display. Look for more reading recommendations on the StevensMemLib Youtube channel. Have you looked at Children’s Virtual Room or the Teens Virtual Room for recommendations?
Click on E-Library for 30+ online resources in Art; Hobbies & Crafts; Health/Medical; History; Languages and Literature; Music; Science & Technology.
Find a virtual story time on our Youtube channel.
Your Stevens Library Card gets you thousands of e-books, online magazines and online newspapers, music, etc.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE CORNER
by Andrew McDevitt, Chair
Greetings,
On behalf of the School Committee, please accept our best wishes for the holidays season as you relax, rejoice, and rejuvenate with family and friends. We are days away from the start of 2022, and we could not be more excited for the work ahead of us. On December 12, the Town Manager presented to the Select Board, Financial Committee, and School Committee a detailed plan regarding the Master Facility Plan II. Stay tuned as she will join us for a January meeting to dive into more specific building and financial planning. In the meantime, please review her presentation and email the committee with your feedback.
All the best to you and yours in 2022!
Andrew McDevitt
School Committee Chair
North Andover Public Schools
Superintendent's Office
566 Main Street
7:00 pm
December 2, 2021
December 16, 2021
