Superintendent’s Report to the School Committee, 11/13/24

Thanks to Masconomet Community for Supporting the Middleton Fire Department

On Thursday, November 7th, Principals DiNardo and McManus and I delivered over $1600 in gift cards to the Middleton Fire Department to say “thank you” for their efforts in battling the brush fire that has been burning in Middleton. 

The gift cards were donated by Masconomet families and faculty and staff over the prior week and collected by the Middle and High School Main Offices.  We appreciate the outpouring of support from our families and faculty for the Middleton Fire Department.

Congratulations to the Cast and Crew of The Addams Family

On November 1st and November 2nd, the Masconomet High School Theater Company presented the musical The Addams Family.  Congratulations to the entire cast and crew of the production for putting on a great show!  Thanks also to Mr. Brian Pereira and the faculty advisors to the Theater Company.  All the hard work definitely showed through in the performance.

Congratulations to Our Fall Athletic Teams

Our Masconomet High School Fall Athletics Teams enjoyed very successful seasons.  Here’s an update on how our teams fared this year:

Boys’ Soccer finished their regular at 14-2-2 and entered the MIAA D2 Tournament as the 11th seed.  The boys won their first-round playoff game against Marlborough, 2-1 and lost in the second round to West Springfield, 1-0.

Cheerleading participates in the D2 North Championship on Sunday November 17 at Billerica Memorial HS. Tickets can be purchased online here.

Cross Country participates in the D2 state championship on Saturday November 16 at Ft. Devens. The girls’ race starts at 12:30 and boys’ race starts at 1:15.  The Boys finished 5th and the Girls 6th at the D2A Meet on November 9.

Field Hockey finished their regular season with a 13-5-0 record and earned the 15th seed in the MIAA D2 Tournament.  The team won its round of 32 game against Leominster, 2-0 and lost its round of 16 game against Somerset-Berkley Regional, 5-0.

Football finished its regular season at 6-2 and entered the MIAA D3 Tournament as the 8th seed.  The team then lost to Milford, 24-15 in MIAA D3 Round of 16 on November 8. Football hosts Malden Catholic in a non-playoff game on Friday November 15 at 6:00.  

Girls’ Soccer defeated Oliver Ames, 3-0, in the D2 Round of 8 on Wednesday, November 13.  Their next game will be the State Semi-Finals against Mansfield on Monday, November 18th at 5:00 PM at Walpole High School. The team finished the regular season undefeated at 17-0-1 and entered the MIAA D2 tournament as the #1 seed.  They have already won playoff games against Melrose (3-0) and Westfield (6-0).

The Golf Team finished third overall in the MIAA D2 North Tournament held on October 16.  Cole Velardo finished first in the individual D2 North Competition.  The team finished 9th overall in the D2 State Tournament held on October 21.

Volleyball completed the regular season with and a 16-4 record, which was good enough for a 12 seed in the MIAA D2 tournament.  The team won their first playoff match against Silver Lake Regional, 3-1 and lost in the Round of 16 to Westwood, 3-0.

Masconomet Students Learn about Our Electoral Process

Over the last few weeks, Masconomet students have been very involved in learning about and participating in our National Election.

Masconomet Students Volunteer at the Polls

In coordination with the Tri-Town Clerks, over 40 students volunteered for two-hour shifts at the Topsfield, Boxford and Middleton polling sites on election day as well as during early voting.  Students were helping poll workers sign in and sign out voters, tabulate early voting ballots and greet the community as they came through the door. Some of our 18-year-old students even cast their first ballot!

Masconomet Students Volunteering at the Polls
The Swing State Challenge!

Students in Grade 8, 10 and 11 participated in the “Swing State Challenge” prior to the election on November 5th. Each Social Studies class divided up the seven swing states, did demographic and polling research on each of them, and then made a prediction on how each state would “swing”.  No two maps looked the same! 

Winners:  

  • There was a four-way tie with classes guessing 5 of the 7 swing states:  Hughes AP Gov, Maciak CP U.S. History Period 1, Quinn Honors U.S. History Period 2, and Mitchell Honors U.S History Period 5.  
  • Mr. Mitchell’s period 5 class was the overall winner by correctly guessing the popular vote distribution and five of seven swing states.
  • On the staff side, the Guidance/Counseling Department guessed all of the swing states correctly.
Edward M. Kennedy Sophomore Field Trip

On November 5, Election Day, Masco Social Studies teachers Kim Marini, Laura Greeley and Peter Magner accompanied 100 sophomores to the Edward M. Kennedy Center for the Senate.  They participated in the Voting Rights Senate Simulation in which they role-played Senators from around the country.  Masco sophomores engaged with experts in committee hearing, built the bill from scratch and then argued the bill on the Senate floor.  A great day for experiential civics learning!

Massachusetts Ballot Question #2 and MCAS Testing

Ballot Question 2, regarding the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) exam, has been approved by voters. What does this mean?

The question asked voters whether students should be able to graduate high school without achieving a certain competency on the MCAS exam.

Since the question passed, MCAS testing competency is no longer a requirement for students to graduate high school. The standard for high school graduation is now determined by the district rather than by the State. Students must still complete all district graduation requirements. 

However, MCAS testing will not be eliminated. State testing is federally mandated, so Masconomet students will continue to take the MCAS exams on the current state schedule.  All students in grades 7, 8 and 10 will be tested annually in English/Language Arts and Mathematics.  Additionally, students in grade 8 will be tested in Civics and students in grade 9 will be tested in Science and Technology.

High School Parent Coffee on November 15

Our next High School Parent Coffee will be held on Friday, November 15 in the High School Library.  Parents are asked to check in at the main office to sign into the building.  They will then be escorted to the library for the Parent Coffee.

Click here for the full schedule of Parent Coffees with Masconomet Administration

Stay in Touch with Masconomet

District Communications and Quick Reference Guide

Have a question or concern and don’t know where to start? The District Communications and Quick Reference Guide will get you in touch with the right person at Masconomet.

Stay Connected with Masconomet

Stay Connected with Masconomet outlines our District’s communication methods.

School Principals’ Blogs

Both our Middle and High School Principal’s publish weekly blogs with information from their schools.  For more school-specific info, please see the High School Principal’s Masco Memo and the Middle School Principal’s Weekly Update.

Masconomet’s Strategic Plan, 2023-2028

Masconomet 2024-2025 Strategic Initiative Goals

Masconomet’s Portrait of a Learner

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Superintendent’s Report to the School Committee, 10/23/24

Four Retired Masconomet High School Educators were inducted into the “Masconomet Wall of Honor” on Monday, October 17th 

The Educators recognized were:

Walter “Terry” Meinelt, Art Department

Jennifer Reyes, Mathematics Department

Denise Tenanty, Mathematics Department

Greg West, Health Department

Retired faculty members are inducted onto the Wall of Honor by a committee consisting of current Masconomet High School Faculty.  There are now 32 members of the Masconomet Teacher Wall of Honor, which is located in the main foyer at the high school.

Masconomet High School’s Teacher Wall of Honor

Masconomet Visual Art Department Presenting at Artistry Unleashed Conference

Congratulations to Masconomet Visual Art Teachers Ursina Amsler, Erin Evans and Liz Saitta, who will be presenting at the Artistry Unleashed Conference at Lawrence High School on November 5th. 

From the conference description: “Artistry Unleashed:  Igniting Imagination, Innovation, and Inspiration. Dive into a dynamic realm where creativity knows no bounds and innovation takes center stage at our first visual and performing arts conference.  Join a diverse lineup of visionary artists, cutting-edge performers, and trailblazing thought leaders for an immersive experience that blends groundbreaking presentations with interactive workshops.”

235 Juniors Participated in PSATs at Masconomet High School on October 16th

Masconomet Regional High School administered the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) to 235 Juniors on Wednesday, October 16.  Special thanks to our Guidance and Information Technology Departments for organizing and administering the fully online test in Masconomet’s Field House.

In addition to being great practice for students taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the PSAT/NMQT also qualifies students for the National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic competition for regional and national scholarships.

235 Juniors Participate in PSAT Testing at Masconomet on October 16th

Faculty Participates in Training on New Individual Education Plan (IEP)

All Masconomet faculty in grades 7-12 participated in training on the newly-implemented Individual Education Plan (IEP) during Wednesday early-release professional development time on October 2nd and October 9th.  The training was led by Kelly Mertens, a recognized expert in the field of Special Education.

All students identified to receive Special Education Services in Massachusetts have an Individual Education Plan (IEP).  IEPs identify the accommodations and modifications a student will need in order to be successful.  IEPs are developed through a team-based process that includes the student, parents, regular education faculty, special education faculty and identified specialists.  Massachusetts implemented a new IEP form at the end of last year and Masconomet is in the process of migrating all students receiving special education services to the new form.  In addition to training the faculty, Masconomet has also held training sessions on the new forms for parents.  This training is designed to assist in meeting the District’s Improvement Goal “Strategic Initiative B:  Meeting the Needs of All Learners” included in Masconomet’s 2024-2025 Strategic Initiative Goals.

Faculty Begins Curriculum Review

On October 16th, all Masconomet faculty in grades 7-12 began work during Wednesday early-release professional development time to align their department curriculum documents to Masconomet’s Portrait of a Learner Document and to department-based transfer skills.  Director of Teaching and Learning Kevin Cyr kicked off this work with an overview of the curriculum alignment project for all faculty in the Auditorium.  Faculty members then broke up into department-based groups to work under the direction of their department head.  Faculty will be engaged in this work for the eight weeks between October 16th and the end of December. 

The work begun this fall represents the next step in a long-term process to focus on teaching students the skills they need for future success.  Last year, Masconomet faculty developed our Portrait of a Learner and department-specific transfer skills in response to the question “What knowledge, skills and dispositions does a Masconomet Learner need to master in order to be prepared for future success?”  The next step in this process is to review our curriculum documents and to revise them, if necessary, to ensure we are intentionally teaching these skills to our students.  This work is designed to address “Strategic Initiative A:  Curriculum Development and Review Process,” included in Masconomet’s 2024-2025 Strategic Initiative Goals.

Vaccine Clinic at Masconomet on October 25th

On October 25th, the Masconomet Regional School District will be hosting a vaccine clinic for members of the public from 3-5 PM.  The clinic will be located in the Small Café at Door #26 and is open to all ages (3+ through senior citizens).  The vaccines offered are: Flu, COVID, Shingles, Pneumonia, Tetanus/Diphtheria, Pertussis (DTAP), RSV (click link for eligibility details)

Sign up for Masconomet’s October 25th Vaccine Clinic

High School Parent Coffee on October 25

Our next High School Parent Coffee will be held on Friday, October 25 in the High School Library.  Parents are asked to check in at the main office to sign into the building.  They will then be escorted to the library for the Parent Coffee.

Click here for the full schedule of Parent Coffees with Masconomet Administration

Stay in Touch with Masconomet

District Communications and Quick Reference Guide

Have a question or concern and don’t know where to start? The District Communications and Quick Reference Guide will get you in touch with the right person at Masconomet.

Stay Connected with Masconomet

Stay Connected with Masconomet outlines our District’s communication methods.

School Principals’ Blogs

Both our Middle and High School Principal’s publish weekly blogs with information from their schools.  For more school-specific info, please see the High School Principal’s Masco Memo and the Middle School Principal’s Weekly Update.

Masconomet’s Strategic Plan, 2023-2028

Masconomet 2024-2025 Strategic Initiative Goals

Masconomet’s Portrait of a Learner

Designed with WordPress

Superintendent’s Report to the School Committee, 10/9/24

Multi-Lingual Family Welcome Event

Masconomet and the Tri-Town School Union will be hosting an event on Thursday, October 10 at 6:00 PM in the High School Small Cafeteria to welcome our Multi-Lingual Families.  The event is being hosted by Masconomet’s English Language Learner Coordinator Jeanne O’Hearn and he counterpart in the Tri-Town School Union Karyn Pierog.  Between Masconomet and the Tri-Town Union, we invited nearly 70 families whose first language is not English to this event.  Languages that are represented in the Masconomet/Tri-Town School Community include Portuguese, Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian, Albanian, Gujarati, Korean, and Vietnamese.  World Language Department Faculty will be in attendance to provide translation services and Masconomet students in the Global Competency Diploma program are volunteering to help with set, up, greeting families and leading activities for young children in attendance.  Members of the administration from Masconomet and the Tri-Town Union will also be in attendance.  The event is a way to share information about Masconomet and the Tri-Town Schools and to make sure that parents know how to access the information they need.

Congratulations to Masconomet’s National Merit Scholarship Commended Students

Seniors Mariko Prazar, Ashwin Prasad, Chloe Lodewick, Sophie Gustafson and Tennant Bryson received Letters of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their outstanding performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) last October. They are pictured below, with School Counselors Ms. Clark and Mr. Ely, with Principal DiNardo.

Middle School Parent Coffee on October 18

The Middle and High School Principals and I will be continuing our practice of holding a series of Parent Coffees.  These informal sessions are an opportunity for parents and members of the public to meet face-to-face with their principals and me to ask questions and discuss any issues they may have.  Parent Coffees will be held on Friday mornings at 8:30 AM in the Middle or High School Libraries on the dates listed below.  Our next Middle School Coffee will be on October 18 and High School Coffee on October 25.

Middle School Parent CoffeesHigh School Parent Coffees
September 20September 27
October 18October 25
December 6November 15
January 24December 13
February 28January 17
March 28February 14
April 18March 21
May 30May 23

Masconomet Regional High School First Responder Course Makes an Impact Beyond the Classroom

Students in the Emergency Medical Services program at MRHS get to learn from local industry professionals through demonstrations, guest speakers and other opportunities. (Photo Courtesy Masconomet Regional School District).

BOXFORD – Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and paramedics are short-staffed nationwide. According to the American Ambulance Association, the turnover rate for EMTs, which includes both resignations and firings, was 36 percent in 2022. 

Federal studies have indicated 40,000 additional full-time emergency medical personnel will need to enter the field by 2030 to meet a growing demand.

Masconomet Regional High School’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program — now in its 25th year — has built an opportunity for students to explore the medical field at an early age. 

Once Masconomet completes the state Department of Public Health’s requirements, it will be one of two high schools in the state accredited by the DPH to train and certify EMTs. 

In the First Responder course, students receive an experiential education including certifications and hands-on work with medical equipment. Students can take this course beginning their freshman year. 

In the course, students learn medical terminology, techniques for assessing sick and injured people and teamwork techniques on emergency scenes, as well as topics like airway management, EMS operations, childbirth, and more. 

By the end of the one-semester course, students should be able to demonstrate skills of CPR, spine immobilization, splinting, taking vitals and patient assessment.

Students can also take the honors EMT course, which provides additional medical education that prepares students for EMT licensing exams, including internship opportunities with local ambulance services and fire departments. 

Through the First Responder course, students are certified in CPR and STOP THE BLEED. Students in the EMT course are additionally certified as mandated reporters and acquire three certifications from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The EMS program has helped students get their EMT license, helping hundreds to successfully enter the healthcare field as EMTs, paramedics, nurses and physicians.

Many Masconomet graduates have entered public safety careers in the Boxford, Middleton, and Topsfield police and fire departments, using this training on the job.

Even those uninterested in the healthcare field apply their training to careers as babysitters, lifeguards, ski patrollers and more. 

Courses in the program are currently taught by Nicholas Parianos, who initially applied to work at MRHS as a health teacher. Administration later approached Parianos and asked if he had any interest in getting his EMT license, working part-time on an ambulance, and taking over the EMS program. 

Parianos also works part-time for Beauport Ambulance Service, which provides emergency services for a number of North Shore and Cape Ann communities.

Parianos hopes that he can continue to procure equipment for his students. The program has been fortunate enough to receive several financial and equipment donations from local agencies, and Parianos says the program is always open to receiving donations.  

Most recently, on Sept. 24, the Salem Fire Department made a generous donation to the program. Visitors spoke to students about the overlap between EMS and fire services and the value of EMS training.  

The program has also benefitted from grant funding. Recently, the program received a $2,000 grant from the Masconomet Education Foundation to purchase equipment.

“This is one of the best things for our program because the kids thrive when lessons are hands-on. I think this is what makes our program stand out from many others, the amount of equipment we have,” said Parianos. “This is why our students can really get such a high-quality education, it is not just about reading the book and having a lecture but talking about it and then physically practicing.”

Most notably during Parianos’ career, he saw his commitment as a teacher come to fruition when a former student worked alongside him in an ambulance. 

“He took the course while I was co-teaching. The student was able to get his national and state license, complete his internship, and gain employment with the company,” said Parianos. “He ended up being my partner on the ambulance where we responded to real-life emergencies. I love that memory and think it may be the coolest thing I’ve ever gotten to do as a teacher.”

Parianos recognizes the value community partnerships have on the education he provides to his students, but he also emphasizes how the course can have an impact beyond the classroom. 

“This program helps everyone, it helps the students by providing skills and career opportunities, it helps ambulance and fire services by providing employees, and it helps patients by increasing providers on the road and decreasing response times,” said Parianos.

MRHS students getting hands-on experience learning how to properly secure an individual onto a backboard. (Photo Courtesy Masconoment Regional School District). 

From left: Andrew Francis, Nicholas Parianos, Benjamin Potvin and Ryan Riley. On Sept. 24, Francis, Potvin and Riley, from the Salem Fire Department, presented to students and did a question-and-answer session. The Department also made a donation to the program for the school to purchase new equipment. (Photo Courtesy Masconomet Regional School District).

As part of the First Responder course, students get certifications in CPR, STOP THE BLEED and other first aid certifications. (Photo Courtesy Masconomet Regional School District). 

Superintendent’s Report to the School Committee, September 25, 2024

Anti-Semitic Graffiti at Masconomet Middle School

Earlier this month, several swastikas were discovered in a boy’s bathroom at Masconomet Middle School.  I would like to echo the statements made by Middle School Principal McManus that these acts are unacceptable and these and any other symbols of hate have no place in our district or our communities.  I would also like to commend Dr. McManus for confronting this incident head-on and for engaging the Lappin Foundation to address the student body at the middle school last Thursday to teach them the meaning of the symbol and the impact it has on all students and faculty.  During the assembly students watched the video “Swastika:  Symbol of Hate” and discussed the impact of anti-Semitism.  Dr. McManus reports the middle school students were deeply moved by the video and subsequent presentation and several middle school students spoke out to share their feelings on the incident.  Dr. McManus held a forum for faculty at the end of the school day on Thursday and plans a faculty working group on this topic this year.

Welcome New Director of School Counseling Julie DeMatteis

I am happy to announce the hiring of Julie De Matteis as the Director of School Counseling and Health Services for the Masconomet Regional School District.  Julie is returning to Masconomet after working for the past year as the Director of Counseling, 6-12 for the Bedford Public Schools.  Prior to working at Bedford, she worked for 17 years at Masconomet as a Counselor at the High School and as the Interim Director of Counseling and Health Services.  Her start date at Masconomet is October 1st.  Julie is replacing Dr. Irene Duros, who resigned her position effective August 29th. I would like to thank Dr. Duros for her service to the students at Masconomet.

Leading Now Conference

Last week, I was able to participate in the latest cohort of superintendents in a program entitled “Leading Now.”  “Focused on strategic communications and public engagement, Leading Now enables superintendents to access and apply messages and trust-building strategies in service of ALL students.” (https://leadingnow.org/about/)  Over two days, I worked with a cohort of over 30 superintendents from across the country on sessions on defining our values, building trust and navigating the political complexities of the educational landscape.  My cohort will be meeting regularly over zoom for the next several months.

High School Parent Coffee on September 27

The Middle and High School Principals and I will be continuing our practice of holding a series of Parent Coffees.  These informal sessions are an opportunity for parents and members of the public to meet face-to-face with their principals and me to ask questions and discuss any issues they may have.  Parent Coffees will be held on Friday mornings at 8:30 AM in the Middle or High School Libraries on the following dates:

Middle School Parent CoffeesHigh School Parent Coffees
September 20September 27
October 18October 25
December 6November 15
January 24December 13
February 28January 17
March 28February 14
April 18March 21
May 30May 23

Vaccine Clinic at Masconomet on September 27th

On September 27th, the Masconomet Regional School District will be hosting a vaccine clinic for members of the public from 3-5 PM.  The clinic will be located in the Small Café at Door #26 and is open to all ages (3+ through seniors).  The vaccines offered are: Flu, COVID, Shingles, Pneumonia, Tetanus/Diphtheria, Pertussis (DTAP), RSV (click link for eligibility details). Thanks to Tri-Town Public Health Nurse Julia Lobel for organizing this clinic.

Anyone interested in this free clinic can SIGN UP HERE: https://form.jotform.com/242385316710150

US Attorney’s Office Presents Internet Safety Program on October 8th

The United States Attorney’s Office and Department of Homeland Security will be offering a virtual program “Keeping Kids Safe and Secure Online:  A Project Safe Presentation for Parents” on October 8th at 6:30 PM.  Advanced registration is required for this program.  More information, including the registration link is available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N9kjSXn9YOthOii22CIKkatlZTxNT4bV/view   

If you have a question or concern and don’t know where to start, please consult Masconomet’s Problem–Solver and Communications Guide

To make sure you stay up to date on Masconomet news and information, Stay Connected with Masco outlines Masconomet’s communication methods.

Both our Middle and High School Principal’s publish weekly blogs with information from their schools.  For more school-specific info, please see the High School Principal’s Masco Memo and the Middle School Principal’s Weekly Update.

Superintendent’s Report to the School Committee, 9/11/24

Opening of School

This is my first report to the School Committee since the opening of school for all students on Wednesday, August 28.  We’ve had a great opening week of school.  All faculty returned to work on Monday, August 26th and participated in our annual Opening Meeting, where we welcomed new staff, congratulated our new Professional Status and Master Teachers and shared our adventures from summer break.  Our 7th and 9th grade students attended orientation at their respective schools on Tuesday, August 27th.  Seventh grade students engaged in a series of activities to get them accustomed to the middle school building and to learn about their new teammates and teachers.  Our 9th grade students participated in a program led by our High School Peer Leader Organization.  On Wednesday, August 28, all students in grades 7-12 returned to school and met with their teachers and attended class meetings.  On Thursday, August 29th, both schools ran a “Monday” class schedule to compensate for the Labor Day Monday holiday.  By Tuesday, September 3rd, both schools were operating as though we hadn’t been off for ten weeks.  I want to make sure to thank our Maintenance Team, our Administrative Assistants, our Cleaning Crew and our 12-month administrative team for their work in preparing for the opening of school.  We will have a report on our summer accomplishments at the September 25th School Committee Meeting.

Welcome to Our New Masconomet Faculty!

I am happy to welcome our new faculty to Masconomet.  New teachers came to Masconomet for orientation on Wednesday, August 21st, where they met with members of the administration, and Kathy Natalie, our Mentoring Coordinator.  Our new teacher induction program includes a series of meetings that run throughout the school year.  Each new teacher is also assigned a mentor, who also meets regularly with their assigned new teacher.  Our new administrators, teachers and paraprofessionals are:

District Positions
Kevin CyrDirector of Teaching and Learning
Jared CassedyPerforming Arts Dept Chair
 
Middle School Faculty
Leslie Pedersen-CrowtherSpecial Education Program Coordinator
Emily HoganMath Teacher
Kevin GallantBand Teacher
 
High School Faculty
Kevin CarensSpecial Education Program Coordinator
Thomas O’RiordanMath Teacher
Arianna NatoliMath Teacher
Catherine DuvalChorus Teacher
 
Student Services Faculty
Gillian HosmanDistrict Reading Specialist
Brian TripoliSpecial Education Teacher
Mason ToschSpecial Education Paraprofessional
Mark VerrySpecial Education Paraprofessional
Trevor SchonewaldSpecial Education Paraprofessional

Parent Communications Guide

Masconomet always seeks to promote good communication – with parents, the Towns, and within and among the schools themselves. To this end, our Executive Leadership Team has developed a Problem–Solver and Communications Guide, which is intended to help us foster effective communication through putting members of the community in touch with the best person to answer their specific question.  The guide can be accessed from the front page of the Masconomet Website under the “Helpful Links” heading.

The Problem–Solver and Communications Guide provides parents and community members with the appropriate contacts at Masconomet for a number of common issues, such as academics, attendance, student records and special education/student services.  Because problems and concerns are best addressed at the source, we suggest that parents should always begin at this step.  For example, the chain of communication for a concern about a grade on an assignment would be to begin with the teacher who assigned the grade, then to the appropriate Department Head, and then to the Principal or Assistant Principal. If the concern is not resolved, the last step in this process would be the Superintendent.  If you have a question about a topic that is not listed on the Problem–Solver and Communications Guide, the best place to start is the main office of either the Middle or High Schools where our administrative assistants will then direct you to the appropriate person in the District.

In addition to the Problem-Solver and Communications Guide, our Stay Connected with Masco page lists the different types of information and the methods we use to communicate to parents and community members about what’s happening in our schools.

September 11th Memorial

On Tuesday, Masconomet students and administration joined with members of the Boxford, Middleton and Topsfield Police and Fire Departments to plant the American Flags for Masconomet’s annual September 11th Memorial Display.  Thanks to Masconomet Parent Ed White for organizing the display for the past few years.  The memorial was originally coordinated by Masconomet students Cole O’Malley, Nate Hopper and Olivia O’Malley (no relation to Cole) in 2006.  For the past 18 years, the Flag Memorial has continued as an annual tradition at Masconomet to remember those killed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Masconomet’s September 11 Memorial

Middle School Open House

Masconomet Middle School will be hosting their annual Open House on Thursday, September 12 at 6pm in the auditorium.  The program will begin with a parent presentation followed by a mock schedule walk through at 6:30. During this time, parents will be able to meet their child’s teachers and hear about their classes. Please come in to make an in-person connection with your child’s teachers.

Parent Coffees

This year, the Middle and High School Principals and I will be continuing our practice of holding a series of Parent Coffees.  These informal sessions are an opportunity for parents and members of the public to meet face-to-face with their principals and me to ask questions and discuss any issues they may have.  Parent Coffees will be held on Friday mornings at 8:30 AM in the Middle or High School Libraries on the dates listed below. Please check in at the Main Office of the school and you will be escorted to the library.

Middle School Parent CoffeesHigh School Parent Coffees
September 20September 27
October 18October 25
December 6November 15
January 24December 13
February 28January 17
March 28February 14
April 18March 21
May 30May 23

If you have a question or concern and don’t know where to start, please consult Masconomet’s Problem–Solver and Communications Guide

To make sure you stay up to date on Masconomet news and information, Stay Connected with Masco outlines Masconomet’s communication methods.

Both our Middle and High School Principals publish weekly blogs with information from their schools.  For more school-specific info, please see the High School Principal’s Masco Memo and the Middle School Principal’s Weekly Update.

Congratulations to Masconomet’s 2024 Retirees!

As the 2023-2024 school year come to a close, I’d like to recognize the members of the Masconomet Faculty and Staff who are retiring this year. Together, these retirees represent 118 years of experience impacting the lives of thousands of Masconomet students. Thank you to all our retirees and best wishes as you enter the next phase of your careers!

I would also like to wish the entire Masconomet community a happy and safe summer!

Sincerely,

Michael M. Harvey, Ed.D.

Chris Fay

After 30 years at Masconomet, Chris Fay retired at the end of September of 2023.  He was initially hired at the beginning of the 1993-1994 school year as a .7 Social Studies Teacher and .2 Business Teacher where he taught a course called “Practical Math.”  Chris earned Associate Master Teacher Status in 1999 and Master Teacher Status in 2011.  Through his Master Teacher work, Chris served on the Professional Improvement, Educator Evaluation, Professional Development, Homework, PowerSchool, Black Board and the NEASC Faculty Committees.  Chris was also very involved in athletics and extracurriculars at Masconomet.  He served as a baseball coach at the freshman and junior varsity levels, and was a freshman, junior varsity and varsity assistant basketball coach.  He also advised the chess club, and Masconomet’s radio station WBMT.

Sylvie Hardy

Sylvie Hardy was hired as a Long-Term Substitute Tutor (Paraprofessional) at the High School in January of 2010.  She was appointed to a full-time position the following September.  In her 13 and ½ years at Masconomet, she has worked with students both as a 1:1 aide and in our learning centers.

Brian Ocock

Brian Ocock is retiring after 26 years in the Masconomet Regional School District.  He began working at Masconomet in 1997, when he was appointed to the position of part-time rehearsal accompanist.  In 1998, he added a .2 teaching position to his accompanist duties.  For the 1999-2000 school year, Brian increased his teaching role to .9 and finally was appointed to a 1.0 position for the 2000-2001 school year.  Brian attained Associate Master Teacher Status in 2010, and Master Teacher Status in 2016.  He served on the Global Education and Mental Health Master Teacher Committees.  During his time at Masconomet, Brian has also served as the Middle School Pit Orchestra Advisor, High School Pit Orchestra Advisor, and Middle School Musical Assistant Director.

Walter (Randy) O’Keefe

Randy O’Keefe has led the Music Department at Masconomet since 1990.  He began his career here in September of that year, when he was hired as a Music Department Coordinator and Teacher, Pep Band Advisor and Senior High Pit Orchestra Advisor.  Over the last 34 years, Randy has conducted literally hundreds of music department performances, including annual concerts, jazz band performances, Middle and High School Drama Presentations, Department Trips, Senior Citizen Concerts, Memorial Day Assemblies and Graduation Ceremonies. 

Geri Van Lenten

Geri Van Lenten retired in December of 2023 after 15 years at Masconomet.  Geri began working at Masconomet in 2007 as a part-time High School Library Tutor.  From 2015-2020, Geri held the position of Writing Tutor.  In 2020, she transferred to the Special Education Department as a Paraprofessional.

Superintendent’s Report to the School Committee, 5/29/24

Performing Arts Department Head Announcement

I’m pleased to announce the hiring of Jared Cassedy as the next Performing Arts Department Head for the Masconomet Regional School District.  For the past six years, Jared has been the K-12 Performing Arts Coordinator/Band Director for the Lexington Public Schools.  He began his career in 2005 as a music teacher at Windham Middle School, in Windham, NH and was appointed as the first Director of Bands for the newly constructed Windham High School directing all instrumental ensembles in 2009.  Until 2016, Jared held the position of Director of K-12 Fine and Performing Arts in Windham and was responsible for the supervision and evaluation of teachers as well as the development of curriculum.  From 2016 to 2018 Jared worked as the first Director of K-12 Performing Arts for the Salem School District in New Hampshire.

Jared is also the conductor of the New England Conservatory Preparatory School’s Jr. Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble, a position he has held since 2016 where he works with students within the Greater Boston area who rehearse and perform actively throughout the school year.  Additionally, Jared is on the faculty of The Longy School of Music of Bard College where he teaches conducting classes for the Masters of Music in Music Education program and is the Artistic Director for Longy’s Side-by-Side Orchestra Program.

Jared is the recipient of the 2015 GRAMMY Music Educator Award furnished by the GRAMMY Foundation and The Recording Academy having been selected out of a pool of more than 7,200 nominees nationwide and was most recently recognized as a 2022 National Music Teacher of Excellence by the Country Music Association (CMA) Foundation. Jared is President-Elect for the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) and is the Past Chairperson for the MMEA Northeastern District.  Jared graduated Summa cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire – Durham where he received his Bachelors of Music degree in Music Education and has a Masters of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Educational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University.

Jared will be available to meet with students, parents and interested members of the community at 5:30 PM on Monday, June 17th in the small cafeteria.  Please join us in welcoming Jared to Masconomet.

Director of Teaching and Learning Finalists

I am happy to announce the two finalists for the position of Director of Teaching and Learning for the Masconomet Regional School District.  The finalists are:

  • Kevin Cyr, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, Lynnfield Public Schools
  • Dennis Mahoney, Principal of Winchester High School

Both finalists will next spend an afternoon at Masconomet meeting with groups of district administration, department heads, and faculty.  Kevin Cyr will be at Masconomet on Thursday, May 30th and Dennis Mahoney will visit us on Thursday, June 6th.  Both candidates will be available to meet with faculty from 2:30 to 3:30 PM in the High School Library on their respective dates. 

The position of Director of Teaching and Learning was posted on May 1, 2024 and received 27 applications.  Based on a review of qualifications and experience, six applicants were selected for interviews, five of whom accepted this invitation.  Interviews were conducted on the afternoons of May 21st and 22nd by an interview committee that included Faculty Members Michael Kelsen, Lauren McAuliffe, Michael Surette and Nicko Tzortzis, Department Heads Irene Duros and Sarah Smith, Principals Katie DiNardo and Phil McManus, and Acting Asst. Superintendent for Student Services Brad Denton.  I want to thank the members of the interview committee for offering their time and sharing their viewpoints on each of the candidates invited to interview. 

Credit for Life Fair on May 23rd

Over 100 Masco Juniors attend the Credit for Life fair sponsored by Institution for Savings at Salem State University on Thursday, May 23rd!  It was a great opportunity for our students to get hands-on experience learning about the realities of being a 25-year-old working professional in this day and age. Students were tasked with choosing a career, receiving a credit card and a credit score to learn and visit 12-15 booths learning about budgeting their monthly expenses on things they needed and things that they wanted.  Thank you to all who supported this event and made it happen!

Memorial Day Assemblies on May 23 and May 24

Masconomet Middle School held its Memorial Day Assembly on Thursday, May 23rd.  8th Grade students and their teachers led the assembly, which consisted of solemn and moving readings and musical performances to honor our fallen soldiers.  Masconomet High School’s Memorial Day Assembly included remarks from Health Teacher Nick Parianos, who is a United States Marine Corp Veteran.  Contingents of local veterans were on hand to observe both of these ceremonies with our students. 

Congratulations to the Class of 2024

We are in the middle of “Senior Week” at Masconomet High School.  Last Tuesday, May 21st, members of the Senior Class participated in our Internship Fair, where students who have been engaged in an internship since the beginning of April shared their experiences with other students, members of the faculty and parents.  On Tuesday, May 28th, the Senior Class held its Baccalaureate Celebration.  On Thursday morning, we will hold our Senior Awards Ceremony at 10:30 AM.  Commencement Exercises for the Class of 2024 will be held this Friday, May 31st at 6:00 PM at Bunker Stadium.  I would like to extend my congratulations to the members of the Class of 2024 and wish them the best as they enter their post-secondary studies or begin their careers!

Letter Regarding the FY25 Masconomet District Budget and Capital Improvement Plan

Dear Masconomet Community,

This week, Topsfield will hold its Town Meeting on Tuesday, May 7th in the Masconomet Auditorium at 7:00 PM followed by Boxford (at Masconomet at 7:00 PM) and Middleton (at Howe-Manning School at 7:00 PM) Town Meetings on Tuesday May 14th.  The warrants for all three town meetings will include articles to fund Masconomet’s Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Operating Budget and Masconomet’s Capital Improvement Plan.  Both the Operating Budget and Masconomet’s Capital Plan are critical to the future health of our schools.

The FY25 Operating Budget

The Masconomet Regional School Committee began deliberations on the FY25 Operating Budget in January of 2024 and voted on March 20, 2024 to adopt the budget that will be presented at town meetings.  Masconomet’s FY25 Operating Expense Budget (after offsets) is $40,676,236, reflecting a 2.3% increase over FY24 in Operating Expenses, and a 4.1% increase over FY24 in Operating Assessments. The total assessment for the FY25 Budget to the towns is $33,643,846, which is apportioned as follows:  $12,527,928 to Boxford (3.7% increase over FY24), $11,239,392 to Middleton (1.7% increase over FY24), and $9,877,326 to Topsfield (6.7% increase over FY24). 

In December of 2023, the Masconomet School Committee adopted the Masconomet Strategic Plan, 2023-2028, which prioritizes four areas of focus: Curriculum, Instruction, Culture and Wellbeing, and Community.  The FY25 Budget supports the implementation of the Strategic Plan through funding a Director of Teaching and Learning position to coordinate curriculum development, strengthen professional teaching practices, and collect, analyze and communicate District data.  The FY25 Budget also furthers the Strategic Plan’s commitment to student wellbeing through funding two school adjustment counselor positions and an Academic Support Center Teacher position.  All three of these positions had been previously funded through the ESSER III Federal COVID Relief Grant.  Additionally, the FY25 Budget request includes a Capital Assessment of $400,000 for immediate priority facility projects to ensure that Masconomet’s facilities continue to meet the needs of our students and serve as a resource for our member communities.  Each town has decided to fund their apportionment of this $400,000 through the use of free cash, so this item will appear as a separate warrant article at each town meeting.  The $400,000 will be apportioned as follows: $147,711 to Boxford, $135,586 to Middleton and $116,704 to Topsfield. The projects under this facility request include:

  • Campus-wide Surge Protection System
  • Campus-wide Wireless Internal Clock System
  • HS Art Studio Mac Lab Upgrade
  • Kitchen Equipment, including convection ovens and a walk-in cooler
  • Maintenance Equipment, including a scissor lift and skid steer angle broom

The School Committee’s FY25 Budget will support our vision to prepare active and engaged learners for a rapidly changing future, continue providing our students with equitable and comprehensive educational programs, and support a capital plan that invests in the sustainable future of the capital asset that Masconomet provides the Tri-Town community. 

Debt Authorization

The Town Meeting Warrant in each of our member communities also includes a request to authorize the School Committee to borrow up to $5,000,000 to secure the services of an owner’s project manager and a design firm to begin the process of replacing/upgrading the building’s roof, HVAC system and building management system (BMS).  Masconomet’s “new” building opened in 2001, which means that the facility is now 23 years old. 

Beginning in 2022, District Administration, under the leadership of Asst. Superintendent Jeff Sands, developed a comprehensive capital plan to identify the needs of our facilities.  As a result of this 11-month planning study, which was presented to the School Committee in February of 2023, the HVAC, roof and building management system (BMS) were identified as being in critical need of replacement.  The building’s roof was installed 2001 with a 20-year expected life.  In 2019, the roof was repaired in order to extend its useful life for 5 years.  Our current HVAC systems/equipment range in age from 23 to ~60 years old and are beyond their useful life.  Failure of the majority of existing HVAC equipment is not a question of “if” but “when.”  Our current BMS, which consists of the controls for our heating and ventilation systems, is a mixture of aged systems, which are obsolete, cannot be upgraded or integrated with new equipment, and only allow monitoring with no equipment control.  These systems are critical to the operation of our school.  Failure of the approximately 60-year-old boilers in the Middle School, for example, would result in forced school cancelations until repairs/replacements could be implemented, thereby disrupting the education of our students.  Estimates for the entire roof, HVAC and BMS project are approximately $30M for a “like-kind” replacement. 

In order to begin the lengthy process of design and installation of more modern systems to replace this aging infrastructure, the School Committee will need to engage the services of an owner’s project manager (OPM).  This consultant will work on behalf of the School Committee to oversee the project through planning, design and construction.  The hiring of an OPM is required under Massachusetts Law for all public construction projects with a budget in excess of $1.5M.  After an OPM is hired through a state-mandated selection process, the District will hire an architectural firm to develop plans for the project, including detailed cost estimates.  The $5M request represents 20% of the total estimate for the entire project (5% OPM and 15% designer).  Masconomet’s budget will not reflect repayment of this debt until FY26.  The School Committee is also engaged in seeking volunteers from the community to serve on a Building Committee to act as an advisory board that will provide technical expertise regarding these projects to the full School Committee. 

The Masconomet FY25 Operating Budget and Capital Debt Authorization Request are critical to achieving the goals of our Strategic Plan and ensuring we meet our responsibility to maintain our facilities.  Please attend your local town meeting and support these warrant articles.

Sincerely,

Michael M. Harvey, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Masconomet Building Committee Volunteer Opportunity

The Masconomet School Committee is seeking community members to join our newly established Masconomet Building Committee.  Many of the systems on our Masconomet campus are approaching or have reached end of life.  As a result, we are embarking on a series of capital improvements which are expected to take place over the next several years.  Those improvements include the replacement of the roof, HVAC systems, IT infrastructure and classroom upgrades.  The Masco Building Committee (MBC) will act as an advisory board that provides technical expertise to the full School Committee. The ideal candidates for the committee will offer technical skill sets relevant to the construction, renovation and operation of municipal buildings.  We are seeking two volunteers per town and the commitment is for a one or two year term at this time.  Subsequent terms will be two years in length.  For more details, see the MBC charter: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14KoklAsQ0RkMsZJz8uryrm5vao7aOmBL/edit

If you are interested in volunteering for the MBC, please send an email with a summary of your qualifications to one of the following people:

Interested candidates should submit their letters of interest by May 23rd