Happy New Year! I can’t believe it is already the end of January. As you may already know, on January 14 and January 28, we presented the FY 22 NAPS Administration Recommended Budget to the School Committee. It is important to note that the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the context in which this budget was formed, and this budget is based on a full return to school in the fall.

Last year, we took steps in the FY21 budget to address critical areas for improvement and created a comprehensive multi-year plan. The FY22 Superintendent’s recommended budget maintains the pre-Covid level of educational and operational services and is designed to attend to FY22 needs and beyond. It is critical that these identified needs are addressed in conjunction with the capacity and space needs that will be met as part of the Facilities Master Plan Phase II. Toward this end, we have adjusted the multi-year plan to reflect its connection with the Master Plan projects.

Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we work together as a community to ensure our students are provided the best education possible. It has become clear that we cannot do so by relying on our annual budget increases to meet these needs. We continue to fall behind the rest of the state in per-pupil spending as a result of only relying on the annual percentage increases to fund our schools. We need a commitment from the School Committee, Select Board, Finance Committee, Town Manager and Superintendent to work together to fund the long-term needs of our students. Please see the letter from the Town Manager, Melissa Rodrigues, that outlines her support of the district’s long-term plan and the much-needed support for recovery services our students require next year as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic. 

The North Andover School Committee will vote its budget adoption on February 4, 2021. I encourage you to follow the budget process by viewing School Committee meetings on local cable channels (Comcast 99 or Verizon 28). Videos of School Committee meetings are also available to stream from the North Andover Cam 

website. Budget documents will be available on the District website and will be linked to School Committee agendas. You can sign up to receive School Committee agendas via email by subscribing on the Town Website.

We are proud that we have been successful with having students attend in-person as a component of our hybrid model. We are keenly aware of the challenges families face during this pandemic and know that many area schools have not been regularly attending in person. We continue our commitment to prioritizing our youngest and most at-risk students for expanded in-person learning. Please see the section below from Assistant Superintendent Lorene Marx concerning exploring the possibility of bringing in our first and second graders for an additional day this spring. Additionally, please see the letter that I recently sent to Governor Baker along with our union co-presidents urging that NA educators are reclassified as a priority group to receive the Covid-109 vaccine.  

The impact of this pandemic on our students, and the community, will reverberate for years to come. A return to “normal” is simply not enough for the North Andover Public Schools. Before the pandemic, we committed to a long-term plan that provides an equitable and excellent education for all students, and  we cannot allow anything to deviate from that commitment. We cannot rest until we have achieved that goal, no matter the obstacles and challenges. 

While we are proud of the fact that we are a district that is making significant progress in academics and programming, we have challenges that lie ahead, including closing the educational gap for our students during this difficult time, addressing the needs of our students with disabilities, planning for educational space needs and improving the social and emotional well-being of our students.  We must continue to support our staff with the resources and professional development they need to provide the best opportunities for the needs of our diverse student body. 

Please click on the Healthy Happenings Newsletter from our Nursing Department for the latest information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to call your attention to the following links provided in this month's issue:

• Information on signs your child may need more support and a link to the CDC that provides resources on how to help your child cope.

• A timeline in order of priority indicating when you may expect to receive the vaccine.

• A link to the Mass.gov COVID-19 Travel Order will provide you with information on quarantine requirements and testing options as well as information on international travel if you are planning to travel during February vacation.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced that MCAS testing time for students in grades 3 through 8 will be significantly reduced, and students will take only a portion of each MCAS assessment in each subject. Students will take only one session each of English language arts, mathematics and science and technology/engineering instead of the typical two sessions. 

The testing window for all subjects falls between April 5 and May 28, and school principals will be determining their school's testing dates in the near future.

Because schools will be administering only one test session for each subject area, the testing window is one week shorter for ELA than in 2020.

High School Class of 2021: DESE Commissioner, Jeff Riley, will recommend to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) that the competency determination (CD) requirement be modified in English language arts and mathematics for students in the Class of 2021 who have not yet earned their CD.1 The recommended modification would allow students to receive their CD by passing an approved course and demonstrating competency in that subject in lieu of a qualifying MCAS score. Seniors who still want to take the tests may take them later this school year. Members of the class of 2021 will have opportunities to receive additional support this spring and summer. 

Please click here for additional information on High School MCAS Testing.

We are exploring the idea of bringing grade 1 and 2 students to school in person on Wednesdays. 

Concerns have been shared about too much screen time and the need to develop foundational academic skills. In addition, teachers have commented about the challenges of synchronous remote Wednesdays with these young children. 

As we explore this possibility, it is important to know students would still remain in their cohorts and placed in two classrooms (A & B) and we would still abide by the 6-foot distancing rule, mask-wearing, handwashing, etc. 

This would also be subject to collective bargaining with the union.

“The more things change, the more they remain the same.”

For many, the first sentence in a paper or article is the hardest, so we look for a quote to help.

My online search attributes this to Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, an 1800s French journalist and educator. (In the original language: “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.”)

While daily routines have changed, many fundamentals remain. It’s February, so it’s winter in North Andover. It’s February, so many libraries, schools, and other organizations celebrate Black History Month.  Using virtual programming, Stevens is working with other Merrimack Valley libraries to offer a wide variety of programs this month, from art to history to relationships. Just some of the programs are: Norman Rockwell: Inclusion, Exclusion and Evolving Views on Race, African Americans as Subjects & Creators in American Art,  The Power of Protest Images in the Black Freedom Struggle, The Remarkable Rise of Vice President Kamala Harris, History of Race & Politics in the Northeast, Interracial Friendships in Youth: Obstacles & Possibilities, visit author E. Dolores Johnson in Conversation with Grace Talusan.

Go to the Library’s website calendar for details and to register for any or all of them.  

The Library website is your gateway to more programs and all of its services. Teens, did you miss getting a chocolate spoon treat? Don’t miss getting a COVID-free date; Miss Amy has your Book Bag Blind Date (a mystery bag of four or more books to enjoy)! 

Online Services

All online services are available through the website www.StevensMemLib.org and support is available via email SmlRefServices@NorthAndoverMA.gov or phone 978-688-9505. Staff will respond as they are available. For remote support hours, visit https://www.stevensmemlib.org/circulation-department/hours-and-directions/

• No Library card, or it needs an update? Email SmlRefServices@NorthAndoverMA.gov or call the Library 978-688-9505 to get 

• Not sure what to read? Fill out a Reader Request for personalized recommendations or browse our Digital Book Display.  Look for more reading recommendations on the StevensMemLib Youtube channel.

• Have you looked at Children’s Virtual Room for virtual field trips or the Teens Virtual Room for webcomics recommendations? Find virtual storytime on our Youtube channel.

School papers and projects? Click on E-Library for 30+ online resources in Education; Health/Medical; History; Languages and Literature; Encyclopedias & Reference; Science & Technology; Test Preparation & E-Learning.  Teen Librarian Amy would love to help, email her at APopoloski@NorthAndoverMA.gov

Your Stevens Library Card gets you thousands of e-books, online magazines and online newspapers, music, etc. All these services and the latest updates are on the Library’s website www.StevensMemLib.org.Follow the Library on Facebook and Twitter using “StevensMemLib.”

School Committee Corner 

by Helen Pickard, Chair

Dear North Andover Community,

It is budget season!  On January 14, the Superintendent submitted his recommended budget to the School Committee for deliberations, and Dr. Gilligan and Dr. Mealy presented this first-draft budget to the Finance Committee on January 26.

The School Committee scheduled a public hearing on January 28 using Google Meet to accommodate public participation as we are still prohibited from welcoming the public to the physical space.  We anticipate the second reading and vote on the budget on February 4. 

In February, the School Committee will vote on the next academic calendar.  The first day for students on the draft calendar is Wednesday, September 1.  Also upcoming, we expect to hear from our Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, Lorene Marx, along with elementary educators on progress toward meeting grade-level standards and prescriptions for incomplete learning due to COVID.  The Superintendent’s mid-year review will be in February as well.

The public can view all School Committee meetings and deliberations live or recorded via North Andover Community Access Media.  

Our next School Committee Community Chat is on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 2:30 pm. (joining info below).  February 10 is an early release, professional development day, so the timing of the Community Chat provides an opportunity for us to hear from students, as well as family and community members. These chats are designed for community members to share their thoughts with School Committee members in an informal setting.  Please note that the open-meeting law prohibits more than two (2) school committee members on the chat at a time. Members of the public are always welcome to communicate with elected officials via email as listed on the School Committee website.  If you would like to speak with the School Committee Chair directly, please send an email to request an individual phone call or Google Meet session.

SC Community Chat

Wednesday, February 10 from 2:30 to 3:30 pm

Join with Google Meet           Join by phone

‪meet.google.com/phh-cxbu-sph (US) +1 321-244-4758‬ PIN: ‪472 078 472‬#

Yours, 

Helen Pickard, Chair