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Medway High School Develops Program to Support Freshmen Academic, Social Emotional Needs

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Medway Public Schools
Armand Pires, Superintendent
45 Holliston St.
Medway, MA 02053

 

For Immediate Release

Monday, March 11, 2019

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

Medway High School Develops Program to Support Freshmen Academic, Social Emotional Needs

MEDWAY — Superintendent Armand Pires is pleased to announce that Medway High School will launch a new program to support freshmen as they transition from middle school this fall.

The program, called the Freshmen Academy, will group educators into two teams, serving approximately 80 ninth grade students each. The teams will include English, science, math and social studies teachers, as well as a counselor and a special education teacher who will work together to monitor the academic, social, emotional and behavioral progress of each student.

“The transition from middle school to high school is significant in both the academic and social emotional aspects of the lives of ninth grade students,” said Medway High School Principal John Murray. “Many students find the transition to the high school challenging, and this program will allow our staff to focus on the unique needs of each student, and work together to provide support.”

The teacher teams will meet during the week to discuss any support students may need, and will keep a regular dialogue going throughout the school year about the development of each student. This time will also incorporate ongoing professional development, and will allow teachers to share strategies to meet student academic needs, share insight into student strengths and weaknesses, allow for common planning time and coordination of team events, and provide the opportunity for teachers to create interdisciplinary lessons, units of study, and/or experiences like field trips.

The Freshmen Academy support system will create a staff team that works to support freshmen students, without interrupting their assimilation to the high school. Freshmen students will continue to move and mingle throughout the school building along with upperclassmen, while receiving targeted supports.

“We believe this program will address the needs of individual ninth grade students, and help them adjust to life at their new school,” Principal Murray said. “It’s our goal to support our students to be successful and comfortable while they learn and explore new areas of interest at the high school.”

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Methuen Police Host Multiple Events in Honor of National Recovery Month

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Methuen Police Department
Joseph Solomon, Chief of Police
Quinn Public Safety Building
90 Hampshire St.
Methuen, MA 01844

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016

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

Methuen Police Host Multiple Events in Honor of National Recovery Month

METHUEN — Mayor Stephen N. Zanni and Chief Joseph Solomon are pleased to report that the Methuen Police Department hosted a series of events as part of National Recovery Month this weekend.

The events, all of which were hosted in conjunction with the Community Addiction Resources Engagement Services (C.A.R.E.S) team, sought to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and celebrate individuals in recovery. C.A.R.E.S is a community outreach initiative within the police department designed to assist individuals, families and friends with the tools they need to fight the disease of addiction.

On Friday, Sept. 23, the C.A.R.E.S. team hosted a candle light vigil at Raymond J. Martin Riverside Park (971 Riverside Drive) to honor those who have died as a result of addiction.  Over 70 community members attended the event, where loved ones shared their stories of how addiction has impacted their lives and held a candlelight vigil to commemorate the memory of loved ones.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, the Merrimack Valley Prevention and Substance Abuse Project (MVPASAP) held their third annual Community Forum at the Timony Grammar School (45 Pleasant View St.). The event featured speakers and presentations focusing on prevention, education and advocacy, where the Methuen C.A.R.E.S team put up a table to provide resources and outreach and the department provided refreshments. Over 150 people attended the event.

On Sunday, Sept. 25, the C.A.R.E.S team hosted their first “Recovery Walk” at The Loop (90 Pleasant Valley St.). Co-hosted by The Loop, the event included live bands, games, and guest speakers. In addition, vendors and community organizations provided resources and education to those with loved ones suffering from the disease of addiction. Over 200 community members participated in the walk.

“The City of Methuen came together this weekend to tackle the disease affecting our community and loved ones in many different ways,” Mayor Zanni said. “Through a collaboration of various community organizations, hundreds of residents received support, education, and resources to help fight both the disease and stigma surrounding addiction.”

“We are not only fighting to keep drugs off our streets, but also fighting to end the stigma surrounding drug addiction,” Chief Solomon said. “This is an epidemic – on local, state, and national levels – and I commend our officers for doing their part to engage with the community on such an important issue.”

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Salvatore’s Restaurant Partners with The Psychological Center, Inc. to Provide Dinner for The Daybreak Shelter

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The Psychological Center, Inc.
11 Union St.,
Lawrence, MA 01840

For Immediate Release

Friday, April 15, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 781-666-2012
Email: [email protected]

Salvatore’s Restaurant Partners with The Psychological Center, Inc. to Provide Dinner for The Daybreak Shelter

LAWRENCE — The Psychological Center, Inc. is pleased to announce that it joined Salvatore’s Restaurant to serve dinner to guests of the Daybreak Shelter in Lawrence.

Salvatore’s provided food for 60 guests, which they served at the Daybreak Shelter on Tuesday evening. This is part of an ongoing initiative at Daybreak that seeks to connect residents with local vendors and businesses in the community.

Salvatore’s is the first restaurant in the area to donate food to the Daybreak Shelter.

“We are thankful to Salvatore’s for generously donating this meal to those staying with us at the Daybreak Shelter,” said CEO Carina Pappalardo. “It’s our mission to provide support to those who walk through our doors, and that includes a good meal. The smallest acts of kindness make such a difference.”

The Daybreak Shelter is a program within The Psychological Center that provides temporary shelter, up to 30 days, for homeless men and women over the age of 18. The shelter is open every day from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. on a first come, first served basis. Breakfast and dinner are served each day. Daybreak is one of the last “wet” shelters in the state, meaning it allows individuals under the influence of alcohol or substances to stay, but does not allow alcohol or substances to be brought onto or used on the property.

About The Psychological Center:

Since 1971, The Psychological Center has been providing mental health and recovery services in the community. The individualized treatment components have been designed to focus on physical, psychological, social and familial aspects of clients.

For more information on The Psychological Center, please visit its website.

If interested in donating, checks may be made payable to:
The Psychological Center
11 Union Street
Lawrence, MA 01840

Funds are used to support individuals with food, shelter, hygiene products and more while they focus on mental health, recovery, and a path to self-sufficiency.

If you are interested in volunteering at The Psychological Center, please contact Carina Pappalardo at [email protected].

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Gloucester Initiative Receives Support from Learn to Cope, Cape Ann Clergy

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Gloucester Police Department
Leonard Campanello, Chief of Police
197 Main St.
Gloucester , MA 01930

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

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

Gloucester Initiative Receives Support from Learn to Cope, Cape Ann Clergy

GLOUCESTER — Police Chief Leonard Campanello and Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken would like to acknowledge the support the Gloucester Initiative’s ANGEL program received from Learn to Cope and the Cape Ann Clergy.

Learn to Cope, a partner treatment center, wrote a letter of support on July 15, praising the work of Chief Campanello and the Gloucester Police Department for helping people combat their addiction. View the letter here.

“We are honored to help in any capacity in supporting families in Gloucester and surrounding areas with support, education, resources, and hope,” said Joanne Peterson, Founder and Executive Director of Lean to Cope. “…We at Learn to Cope commend Chief Campanello for his extraordinary work and innovative and courageous efforts in Gloucester that have already brought about change in the lives of people who have reached out for help.”

On Good Morning Gloucester, the Cape Ann Clergy posted a letter to the entire surrounding faith-based community on July 17, pledging their help to the ANGEL program.

“As clergy we understand the deep, hidden pain of people struggling with addiction. We have seen the stigma that drug addiction, in particular, causes,” the letter reads. “We believe that the love of God and inherent dignity of every person compel us to come alongside those who struggle and suffer, whether they are in positions of power and prestige or have been relegated to society’s margins.”

The ANGEL program allows people who suffer from addiction to turn over their remaining drug supply and paraphernalia to the Gloucester Police Department without the threat of arrest. Those in need of help are put into treatment programs as opposed to jail cells. The policy went into effect last month in an effort to address a growing opioid epidemic and to reduce the number of overdoses in Massachusetts. Click here to view the official police policy document.

“The Gloucester Initiative would not be where it is today without our partners and the community,” Chief Campanello said. “We greatly appreciate all the kind words of encouragement we’ve received during the launch of our program. ”

As of Tuesday afternoon, 76 people have been placed into treatment programs by the Gloucester Initiative since June 1, when the program began. 

“The continued support we receive for the ANGEL program is overwhelming,” Mayor Romeo Theken said. “Every partnership we make allows us to continue moving the Initiative forward to save lives.”

Chief Campanello and businessman John Rosenthal have launched The Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative (P.A.A.R.I.) — a new nonprofit organization created in response to Gloucester’s revolutionary drug addiction program and the immediate positive feedback from local, state and national organizations.

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