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Rockland’s Jefferson Elementary School Students Complete March Madness Reading Challenge

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Rockland Public Schools
Superintendent Dr. Alan Cron
34 MacKinlay Way,
Rockland, MA 02370

For Immediate Release

Friday, April 12, 2019

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

Rockland’s Jefferson Elementary School Students Complete March Madness Reading Challenge

ROCKLAND — Principal Michelle Scheufele is pleased to share that students at Jefferson Elementary School successfully completed their March Madness Reading Challenge.

During the challenge, students in grades kindergarten through fourth grade tallied up their points by counting three points for every 20 minutes of reading throughout the month of March with the goal of getting 10,000 points.

Meeting the challenge earned students a special visit on Wednesday, April 10, from Corey Jones of the Basketball Jones program in Ohio. In addition, on Thursday, April 11, Principal Scheufele allowed all the students who had turned in reading logs to duct tape her to the wall so that she could become a living basketball hoop.

On Wednesday, Jones, who played on the same basketball team as LeBron James at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, delivered motivational messages about kindness, teamwork and character to the Jefferson students.

In the Jefferson gym, Jones spoke to grades kindergarten through second grade in the morning and grades three through four in the afternoon. At both assemblies Jones energetically engaged all children, encouraging them to interact with him by having them repeat out loud many of the lessons he conveyed such as “read the directions twice,” “pause to think” and saying “thank you.”

Calling several children to the front, one at a time, he asked them to go outside of their comfort zones in performing tricks with a basketball while the rest of the audience clapped and cheered them on.

To illustrate a point about inclusion, Jones told a story about Lebron James in high school, and how James would not accept a pair of complimentary sneakers from Nike unless everyone on his team received them as well, which they did. The message: “Everyone matters to the success of the school.” Also, he said, “Everybody has to give their best and create an environment where everyone feels comfortable.”

At the end, Principal Schuefele said she was pleased with the assembly and Jones’s messages. In fact, a kindergarten teacher and third grade teacher both told her that they had never seen their students so engaged with a speaker as they were with Jones.

 

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Photos: Greater Lowell Tech Holds Go Red For Women Event

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Greater Lowell Technical High School
Superintendent Joseph Mastrocola
250 Pawtucket Boulevard,
Tyngsborough, MA 01879

For Immediate Release

Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Greater Lowell Tech Holds Go Red For Women Event

TYNGSBOROUGH — To recognize women’s heart health, Greater Lowell Tech, in conjunction with the American Heart Association, held a Go Red For Women event on Friday focused on promoting healthy living and heart health wellness.

On Friday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., students, often dressed in red, set up informational booths to educate their peers and guests — including GLTHS Lowell School Committee member George W. O’Hare, state Rep. Sheila Harrington and Dunstable Selectman Leah D. Basbanes — about the importance of heart health, especially for women. This is the second year GLTHS has held a Go Red For Women event.

Go Red for Women is the American Heart Association’s campaign for females that aims to increase women’s heart health awareness and serve as a catalyst for change to improve the lives of women throughout the world.

The American Heart Association reports that cardiovascular diseases continue to be women’s greatest health threat, with nearly 80 percent of cardiac events able to be prevented.

“So many women aren’t as aware of the signs of a heart attack and heart health,” said American Heart Association representative Jamie Aspenson. “Go Red For Women is a way to promote heart health throughout February. I can’t say enough about how great of an event this is for the entire greater Lowell community.”

At one station, Culinary Arts juniors Olivia Reis and Jordan Cruz, both of Lowell, were giving out zucchini oat walnut chocolate chip cookies, comparing the nutrition level to that of a Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie. The latter contained more calories, sugar and saturated fat, while the zucchini cookie added more than double the amount of fiber.

“Walnuts and oats, they’re really good for your heart health because they help lower your cholesterol,” Culinary Arts instructor Janice Musko said. “Our goal with this project was to not only have students learn about nutrition, but to create something that was just as tasty as the Tollhouse cookie, and I think they did a great job of accomplishing that.”

At another booth, Medical Assisting students were demonstrating how to properly administer CPR in the event that someone with heart disease, a respiratory illness, or who experienced trauma lost consciousness.

“It’s such an important skill to be able to do to increase the chances of survival,” said junior Delaney Griffin, of Tyngsborough. “With healthy choices the hope is that you can prevent being in a situation, like cardiac arrest, where you need CPR.”

Programming and Web Development students demonstrated how to use BMI and blood pressure tracking apps, while Cosmetology students provided tips for stress relief while offering hand massages and Paraffin wax treatment. Attendees could also receive a yoga lesson, gain information about the opioid reversal drug Narcan by Trinity EMS and learn about services available through the CVS MinuteClinic.

“We’re excited to partner with the American Heart Association on this important initiative to ensure that both men and women understand the importance of cardiovascular health,” Superintendent Mastrocola said. “This was another great event and students did a great job presenting to their peers and guests on their topic.”

The event featured a collaboration with a number of industry representatives, showcasing the strong array of partnerships developed between GLTHS and private industry.

Internally, several students in different concentration areas were involved in the effort, including culinary students working with hospitality students to distribute healthy, portioned snacks in the cafeteria and health assisting students working with medical assisting students on presentations. SkillsUSA students were also working to welcome guests as they arrived.

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Officials Investigating after Anti-Semitic Graffiti Found at Melrose Middle School

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, Nov. 5 , 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Officials Investigating after Swastikas Found at Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School

MELROSE — Chief Michael L. Lyle and Superintendent of Schools Cyndy S. Taymore report that Melrose Police and school officials are investigating after swastikas were found at the Veterans Memorial Middle School.

Officials are investigating two incidents of the hateful symbols in different bathrooms at the school.

Late Friday, Nov. 2, the Assistant Principal Michael L. McLaughlin reported finding swastika graffiti in the fourth floor boy’s bathroom sometime after dismissal. Then, at the start of school Monday, a second swastika was located on the back of the door to the second floor boy’s bathroom.

The Melrose Police Department was notified in both instances, and police are working with school administrators to review surveillance footage of the hallways.

Because of the timing — end of day Friday and start of the day Monday — it is unknown how many students or if any other students saw the graffiti. Superintendent Taymore strongly encourages families to discuss this issue with their children and to discuss the meaning of hateful words and symbols.

The Melrose Police Department photographed both scenes, and a Public Works crew removed the hateful graffiti from the bathrooms before they were re-opened to students.

“Erasing the graffiti does not erase the hate expressed and hurt caused to others,” Superintendent Taymore said. “This will not be tolerated in our community, and we are committed to a full and thorough investigation. Actions have consequences, and no member of our community should live in fear.”

Chief Lyle and Superintendent Taymore are deeply troubled by these acts of hate speech, and they have been moved by the recent tragic events in Pittsburgh. Chief Lyle last week attended a vigil with religious and civic leaders at Temple Beth Shalom.

“I am very troubled by the escalating pattern of Anti-Semitic messages and actions in our country right now, and there is no room for pleading ignorance,” Chief Lyle said. “Hateful symbols and words convey a universal message that certain groups of people should be afraid, and while that is not what Melrose is all about, we need to confront the reality in our community so that we can show our collective strength and solidarity.”

All Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School students will be participating in a learning activity and restorative circle about discrimination and harassment including a discussion of hateful language and symbols and of bias and discrimination. These activities are scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 13.

The incidents remain under investigation.

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‘We Are Pentucket’ kicks off campaign to jam-packed crowd of supporters from 3 towns

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We Are Pentucket

Municipal Ballot Question Committee

PO Box 722
West Newbury, MA 01985
www.WeArePentucket.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, Oct. 26, 2018

Contact:  Nancy Reardon Stewart,
Comunications Director

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 617-957-3311

‘We Are Pentucket’ Kicks off Campaign to Jam-packed Crowd of Supporters from Three Towns

NEWBURYPORT — More than 130 community leaders, parents and town officials from Groveland, Merrimac and West Newbury spoke passionately Thursday night on the urgency of approving funding for a new Pentucket school building for grades 7-12.

A sold-out crowd packed Michael’s Harborside to full capacity to support We Are Pentucket, a Municipal Ballot Question Committee dedicated to educating voters on the importance of approving a funding measure this spring for the construction project.

Dr. Justin Bartholomew, superintendent of the Pentucket Regional School District as well as an alum, talked about recent tours of newly-constructed high schools in Massachusetts.

“When I stepped into buildings, there is no question that those students have an advantage over our children, and that is not OK,” he said, to applause.

“When you are an alumni of Pentucket, you care about the place you live,” he continued. “You want to make sure that the place where you live is taken care of today, tomorrow and for the next 50 years.”

The middle and high school, both designed and constructed in the 1950s, have outlived their functional use, he said, “But what has not outlived its use is our need to make sure that our children are getting the best education possible.”

The proposed building project is expected to receive an estimated 40 percent reimbursement from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The stringent eligibility process for this state funding began nearly four years ago, and is entering the schematic design phase. This February, the district will have a more exact estimate of projects costs, which are currently estimated at $151.1 million. The total cost to taxpayers would be $95.2 million, with the MSBA funding.

Glenn Kemper, a selectman from West Newbury and father of three Pentucket graduates, announced that his board plans to reach out their counterparts to discuss ways they can work together to get this project approved.

“We need to treat this as a community project and not just a town project,” Kemper said.

Jonathan Seymour, principal of Pentucket High School and a member of the School Building Committee, lives in Merrimac. He has four children in district schools and two other who are Pentucket alums.

“It’s really amazing when you think back to 60 years ago that the three towns came together not just to rebuild a school,  but to form a district,” he told the crowd, talking about the history of Pentucket. “We’re at a point now where the school is really tired and old. There are so many system issues that are imminently going to become serious issues for us.

“We need to design a building to support the collaborative learning environment we are offering to students every day,” Seymour said.

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