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

Superintendent’s Report to the School Committee, May 1, 2024

Author Presentation at Masconomet Middle School

On Friday, May 3rd, Michael Tougias will present to our 7th and 8th grades about his New York Times’ bestselling book, The Finest Hours.  The Finest Hours recounts the story of the 1952 wreck of the SS Pendleton and the rescue of the crew by the U.S. Coast Guard.  Thanks to the Masconomet Education Foundation (MEF) for supporting Mr. Tougias’ presentation.

Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10

The week of May 6-10 is celebrated as teacher appreciation week.  I think that all of us have fond memories of a teacher who challenged us to be better, supported us when we made mistakes, and knew how to unlock our unrealized potential.  I ask everyone to please join our school committee, district administration, and Masconomet Parent Activities Committee (PAC) in thanking our teachers for the amazing work they do every day with our students.  Masconomet PAC is collecting donations to recognize our teachers next week.  Please go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A4BABAF28A2FC1-49056029-masco to get involved.

9th Grade Fundraising Walk

The Freshman Walk is back and taking place on Friday, May 17th.  This year’s chosen non-profit organization is the Service Dog Project.

The 9th grade class is looking for parent volunteers to donate snacks/beverages for students to enjoy the day of the walk, or to staff a snack station along the walk route. Please complete this PARENT VOLUNTEER FORM to express your interest in assisting.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Peer Leader Advisor, Mr. Kelsen (mkelsen@masconomet.org).

Masconomet High School Theater Company Presents Mamma Mia!

The Masconomet Theater Company’s spring musical, Mamma Mia! will be performed on Friday, May 17th at 7pm, and Saturday May 18th at 2pm and 7pm.

Tickets are available at: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/masconomet-regional-high-school-theater-company/mamma-mia

mm-posterDownload

Parent Coffees in May

Parent coffees with our building principals and superintendent will be held on the following dates in May:

  • Middle School Parent Coffee—5/17 at 8:30 AM
  • High School Parent Coffee—5/24 at 8:30 AM

Please sign in at the respective school’s main office in order to attend the Parent Coffees.

Town Meeting Schedule

All three of our member communities will be holding their Annual Town Meeting in May.  Masconomet’s annual operating budget and requests for $5 million to fund an owners-project manager and designer for our anticipated HVAC, building management and roof replacement project will be among the articles presented for approval.  Please come to your annual town meeting to support Masconomet.  The dates and locations are:

  • Topsfield, 5/7 at Masconomet Auditorium at 7:00 PM
  • Boxford, 5/14 at Masconomet Auditorium at 7:00 PM
  • Middleton, 5/14 at Howe Manning School Gymnasium at 7:00 PM

Superintendent’s Report to the School Committee, 3/20/24

Masconomet Receives Scholastic Art Awards

The 2024 Scholastic Art & Writing Regional Awards were recently announced and Masconomet High School once again achieved excellent results—one of the top five highest performing public schools in the state. Our students received a total of 56 awards (13 Gold Keys, 12 Silver Keys, and 31 Honorable Mentions). Additionally, Piper Testa’s Gold Key winning drawing “Blessed” was one of five pieces honored with an American Visions Award from the state of Massachusetts. This award is a prestigious honor that represents each region of the Scholastic Awards. The Awards’ core values of originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision are key factors in the selection process. Congratulations to all of the talented and hard-working award winners, participants, their high school art teachers and Department Head Stacy Mannheim!

Masconomet Middle School also achieved excellent results in the 2024 Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.  Masconomet Middle School students had a total of 10 awards (2 Gold Keys, 2 Silver Keys, 6 Honorable Mentions), which is the highest number of awards at the Grade 7 and 8 level of any public school in the state! Congratulations to the award winners, all the students who participated in this competition, and our Middle School Art Teachers, Ms. Amsler and Mrs. Malinowski.

On Sunday, March 17 an Award Ceremonies for Gold and Silver Key recipients was held at Cohen Hall on the Tufts University campus. All Gold Key works are on display at Breed Hall, March 16-23, open 9-5 to the public. All Gold Key winning work is currently being reviewed on a national level and results will be announced in late March.

High School Gold Key Winning Artwork

Top row from left to right:  Piper Testa, “Blessed”,  Jenna Lindsay, “Morning Ritual”,

Lydia Kosta, “Blue Yeti”

Second row:  Nora Achille, “The Joy of Family”,  Isabella Maddaleni, “T.L.C.”,

Ryan Lamprey, “Wheelchair Cover Design”

Third row: J.T. Mroczek, “Roasting”,  Adaya MacRae, “Coil Vessel”,  Jenna Lindsay, “Connection”

Bottom row: Emma Boldi, “All Together Now”,  Mariko Prazar, “New Day”

Megan Brady, “Inner Struggle”

Middle School Gold and Silver Key Winners

Middle School Gold Key work top left: Clara Alberta, “Under the Sea”,  top right: Bridget Moran, “Wildflowers” 

Silver Key work bottom left:  Grace Bellardino, “Meredith Farms Views”,  bottom right:  

Georgia Staley, “Dragon Eye”

High School Parent Coffee on Friday, 3/22

The March coffee with administration for high school parents will be held on Friday, March 22 at 8:30 AM.  These coffees are an opportunity for parents to meet with Ms. DiNardo and me to learn about what’s happening in the schools and to ask questions.  We ask that parents first report to the Main Office at the High School to sign in to the building.  Parents will then be escorted to meeting location.

MCAS Testing Begins

Annual MCAS Testing will begin at Masconomet High School next week with the administration of the 10th Grade English Language Arts Tests on Tuesday, March 26 and Wednesday March, 27.  All students in the Middle School will take the English Language Arts and Mathematics Tests.  Additionally, 8th grade students will take the Science, Technology and Engineering Test, and the Civics Test.  At the High School, all 9th grade students will take the Science, Technology and Engineering Exam and all grade 10 students will take the ELA and Mathematics Tests.

The test schedule for the Middle and High Schools is as follows:

Masconomet Middle School Testing Dates

Grade and Subject Area Test Administration Dates
Grade 7, ELA, Session 1Tuesday, April 2
Grade 7, ELA, Session 2Thursday, April 4
Grade 8, ELA, Session 1Tuesday, April 9
Grade 8, ELA, Session 2Thursday, April 11
Grade 7, Mathematics, Session 1Tuesday, April 23
Grade 7, Mathematics, Session 2Thursday, April 25
Grade 8, Mathematics, Session 1Tuesday, April 30
Grade 8, Mathematics, Session 2Thursday, May 2
Grade 8, Science, Technology, Engineering, Session 1Tuesday, May 7
Grade 8, Science, Technology, Engineering, Session 2Thursday, May 9
Grade 8 Civics, Session 1Tuesday, May 21
Grade 8, Civics, Session 2Wednesday, May 29
ELA Make Up DaysApril 5, 8, 12, 22, 26
Math & STE Make Up DaysMay 6, 10, 13, 16

Masconomet High School Grade 10 Tests

Subject AreaTest Administration Dates
ELAELA Session 1: March 26
ELA Session 2: March 27
Mathematics  Mathematics Session 1: May 21
Mathematics Session 2: May 22

Masconomet High School Grade 9 Tests

Science, Technology, EngineeringSTE Session 1:  June 4
STE Session 2: June 5

Congratulations to Ms. Siden’s Documentary Filmmaking class!

One of the documentaries has been selected to screen at the Salem Film Fest! This film, “From a Little Teeny Kitchen,” was produced by students Paige Mason, Nate Mroczek, Gabriella Saitta and Camille Wayland, and tells the story of the Boxford landmark known as Jack’s, Wayne’s, or Boxford Community Kitchen. You can watch the film below.

The screening will be at 10am on March 23 in Salem, MA. More info can be found here:

https://salemfilmfest2024.eventive.org/schedule/65d41578ffc311003a893ef5

Masconomet Parent Activities Committee (PAC) Fundraiser on March 23

The Masconomet Parent Activities Committee will be holding a Comedy and Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, March 23rd at Teresa’s Restaurant in Middleton.  For tickets, please go to www.mascopac.org/comedynight 

Narcan Available Through Local Public Health Departments

The Boxford, Middleton and Topsfield Public Health Departments would like members of the public to be aware of the opioid and fentanyl epidemic and the availability of opioid overdose rescue kits to members of the public.  The Health Departments are in the process of installing Opioid Rescue Kits, which are hard acrylic boxes that contain narcan/naloxone, a breathing barrier, gloves and an instruction card on what to do in event of a suspected overdose.  The Opioid Rescue Kits are being installed in public spaces in our communities, including our school buildings.  The Health Departments also have community distribution kits available for any member of the public who would like one.  Please contact your local public health department for more information on how to obtain a kit:  Boxford (978) 887-2875, Middleton (978) 777-1869, and Topsfield (978) 887-1520.

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 SC, 2/28/24

Girls Alpine Ski Team Wins State Championship

Congratulations to our Girls Alpine Ski Team, who won the MIAA State Championship on February 27 at Mt. Wachusett.  Junior Amanda Schneider finished third in the slalom (49.36 seconds) and ninth in the giant slalom (56.8 seconds).  Senior captain Megan Riley finished the giant slalom in 56.93 seconds to place 10th.  Sophomore Hannah Mitchell rounded out the three-person squad. Congratulations to the entire team and coaching staff, including Head Coach Ryan Quinn.

Amanda Schneider, Photo—Boston Globe

Coach Ryan Quinn, Amanda Schneider, Megan Riley, Hannah Mitchell, Asst. Coach Leo Kraunelis, Photo-Boston Globe
Megan Riley, Amanda Schneider, Hannah Mitchell

2024-2025 School Calendar Published to District Website

On February 14, the School Committee approved the School Calendar for the 2024-2025 School Year.  The calendar has been posted to the Masconomet Website at: https://www.masconomet.org/Page/2#calendar1/20240228/month

Introduction to the New IEP Workshop on March 7th

Masconomet will be hosting a webinar introducing parents to the new Individualized Education Plan (IEP) forms on Thursday, March 7 from 6:00 to 7:00 PM.  The webinar will be available at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87272527972?pwd=Zlh6UEUzWnlyV05DSWlMUjZqa2plQT09  The webinar will be conducted by Allan Bloom, who has been working with Masconomet Staff this year in preparation of the roll out of the new IEP forms in September of 2024.  The program will be recorded so those who cannot attend will be able to view it at a later date.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department) recently made updates to the Individualized Education Program (IEP) form. These changes are intended to strengthen the IEP process and improve the educational outcomes and experiences of students with disabilities in the Commonwealth. The IEP Improvement Project is intended to provide schools, districts, and families with more than newly designed and updated forms. It is also intended to provide opportunities for families, schools, and districts to work together to build better systems that more effectively support students with disabilities. 

Middle School Parent Coffee on March 15

Our next Middle School Coffee with Dr. McManus and me will take place on Friday, March 15.  We hope that these sessions are a way for members of the community to learn more about what is happening within the Masco community and a time for questions and dialogue.  All parent coffees will be held from 8:30-9:30 AM.  Please check in at the main office. 

Masconomet Parent Activities Fundraiser

The Masconomet Parent Activities Committee will be holding a Comedy and Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, March 23rd at Teresa’s Restaurant in Middleton.  For tickets, please go to www.mascopac.org/comedynight 

Narcan Available through Public Health Departments

The Boxford, Middleton and Topsfield Public Health Departments would like members of the public to be aware of the opioid and fentanyl epidemic and the availability of opioid overdose rescue kits to members of the public.  The Health Departments are in the process of installing Opioid Rescue Kits, which are hard acrylic boxes that contain narcan/naloxone, a breathing barrier, gloves and an instruction card on what to do in event of a suspected overdose.  The Opioid Rescue Kits are being installed in public spaces in our communities, including our school buildings.  The Health Departments also have community distribution kits available for any member of the public who would like one.  Please contact your local public health department for more information on how to obtain a kit:  Boxford (978) 887-2875, Middleton (978) 777-1869, and Topsfield (978) 887-1520.

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, 2/14/24

Masconomet School Store Receives DECA School-Based Enterprise GOLD Certification

The Masconomet School Store was awarded the DECA SBE Gold Certification this year. Two Masconomet sophomores, Genevieve Clapp and Emma Allen have worked as the managers of the school store since June 2023, and completed a 30-page manual to receive this National recognition. 

For the certification process, School Based Enterprise (SBE) student leaders completed a written project to demonstrate how their SBE met the National Curriculum Standards and showcasing how their retail operations school-based business adheres to select model business standards. SBEs have faced numerous challenges to remain open and run business operations following the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Genevieve Clapp and Emma Allen

Masconomet Competes in Boston Model UN Conference

Twenty-one members of the Masco MUN team traveled to Boston on February 2-4 to debate and collaborate with 2000 delegates from around the world.

Officers Miranda Soriano, Margaret Turpel, and Shrreya Narayanakumar led the team as they tackled topics ranging from international law around sea level rise to human genome editing regulation to securing airspace in conflict zones. All delegates should be proud of their efforts. Next up are conferences at BC High and Clark University in March.

Financial Literacy Speaker Series at Masconomet High School

As society continues to put pressure on our youth from many different directions, many students miss out on the opportunities to learn the skills or approaches to be financially responsible and independent. Many of our students will leave Masconomet after graduation, being the #1 target market for credit card companies, blindsiding them with offers that can be detrimental to their financial future. Many of our students lack the skills or awareness of how to handle real-life financial challenges. Credit card offers paired with pressures like student loan debts, gambling, rent, food, vehicle, and healthcare expenses will all present challenges for our students.

Through this speaker series, our goal is to give our students some control, skills, and awareness on how to navigate through the financial challenges real life provides. The Speaker Series will host financial professionals once per month during M-Block (Feb.-June) to speak with our 10th and 11th-grade students in an attempt to expose them to as much information as possible.

The Series Topics will include:

  • February 15 – Benefits and Drawbacks of Credit and Credit Cards, presented by the Institution for Savings
  • March—Safeguarding your money.  Why Banks?  What they Offer.
  • April—Investing at an early age.  Setting your goals for the future.
  • May—Budgeting and Saving
  • June—Credit Unions.  Alternative Options for your money.

Thanks to Bryan Duplisse and Jeff Waldron for organizing this series.

Masconomet Parent Activities Fundraiser

The Masconomet Parent Activities Committee will be holding a Comedy and Dinner Fundraiser on Saturday, March 23rd at Teresa’s Restaurant in Middleton.  For tickets, please go to www.mascopac.org/comedynight 

High School Parent Coffee on 2/16

Our next High School Coffee with Ms. DiNardo will take place on Friday, February 16.  We hope that these sessions are a way for you to learn more about what is happening within the Masco community while also allowing you to ask questions.  All parent coffees will be held from 8:30-9:30 AM.  Please check in at the main office. 

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth Parent Library

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce its new, free MPY Parenting Solutions Library. MPY is offering the MPY Parenting Solutions Library in partnership with Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit located in Mansfield, Connecticut. Through this new partnership, MPY is pleased to offer proven resources to help students’ families thrive.

Peace At Home Parenting Solutions specializes in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children’s mental well-being. The Parenting Solutions Library may easily be accessed using the link on MPY’s home page (www.mpyinc.org). No log in or passcode is needed.

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, 1/17/24

High School Parent Coffee on 1/19/24

Our next High School Coffee with Principal DiNardo and me will take place on Friday, January 19.  We hope that these sessions are a way for you to learn more about what is happening within the Masco community while also allowing you to ask questions.  All parent coffees will be held from 8:30-9:30 AM.  Please check in at the main office.  We look forward to seeing you. 

James and the Giant Peach at Masconomet Middle School

The Middle School Musical this year is James and the Giant Peach.Performance dates are February 2 at 7:00 p.m. and February 3 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets will be $10 each. Click here for information on how to purchase tickets.

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, 1/3/24

Seniors’ National Letter of Intent Signing

Congratulations to the six Masconomet student athletes who signed their letters of intent to compete in college athletics next year.  These student-athletes were recognized at a ceremony held in the gymnasium on December 19th.  The student athletes are:

  • Ryan Corcoran (Anna Maria – Baseball)
  • Paul Donnelly (Gordon College – Baseball)
  • Gabe Fales (Gordon College – Baseball)
  • Ellie Green (Wesleyan University – Track)
  • Lilly Podgurski (Endicott College – Soccer)
  • Sam Serio (Emmanuel College – Softball)
From Left: Ellie Green, Lilly Podgurski, Sam Serio, Ryan Corcoran, Gabe Fales, Paul Donnelly, John Daileanes, Masconomet Athletic Director

Presentation from Masconomet Alums in the US Coast Guard

On Tuesday, January 9th all Masconomet Students will hear a presentation from Commander Brooke (Bagge) Millard and Engineering Officer Emily Dow of the US Coast Guard Cutter Bear.  Both Millard and Dow are Masconomet Graduates (Classes of ’99 and ’14).  They will describe life at sea and share photos of operations across diverse counter-drug, maritime migration, and fishery deployments, ranging from Greenland to Haiti, as they lead a 270-foot expeditionary ship with a crew of 100. Bear’s operational successes were recently highlighted by both CNN and Fox News.

USCGC Bear

Middle School Parent Coffee on January 12th

Our next Middle School Coffee with Dr. McManus and me will take place on Friday, January 12.  We hope that these sessions are a way for you to learn more about what is happening within the Masco community while also allowing you to ask questions.  All parent coffees will be held from 8:30-9:30 AM.  Please check in at the main office.  We look forward to seeing you. 

For more school-specific info, please see the High School Principal’s Masco Memo and the Middle School Principal’s Weekly Update.

Masconomet Strategic Plan, 2023-2028

Dear Friends,

I am happy to present to you the Masconomet Strategic Plan, 2023-2028, which was unanimously accepted by the Masconomet School Committee at its December 13th meeting. 

This plan is the result of a twelve month journey of exploration of the question, “What type of schools do we need to ensure our students will be best prepared for future success?”  During this process, a Working Team representing administration, faculty, parents and community members surveyed the larger Masconomet Community around their perceptions of our schools and learning environments. Through this effort, the Working Team was able to gather feedback regarding the strengths and areas for growth of our schools.  After reviewing and analyzing this information, the Working Team crafted a new Mission, Vision and Values Statement for the District and developed a five-year Strategic Plan to guide efforts towards achieving the aspirations stated in the Mission, Vision and Values.   I would like to thank the members of the Strategic Plan Working Team for their efforts in developing this plan.

The resulting Strategic Plan is organized into four Strategic Objectives, or main themes: Curriculum, Instruction, Culture and Wellbeing, and Community that were identified by the Working Team in the survey results.  Strategic Objectives are statements of the outcomes, or changes in knowledge and behavior that are desired.  Each Strategic Objective contains one or more Strategic Initiatives, which describe the outputs or activities that will be completed in order to achieve the Strategic Objective.  These Objectives and Initiatives will form the basis of our annual district and school improvement plans for the next five years.

I’m excited about the possibilities that putting the Masconomet Strategic Plan, 2023-2028 into action will open for us and our students and look forward to working with you as we make this plan a reality.

Sincerely,

Mike Harvey

Superintendent

Superintendent’s Report to the School Committee, 12/13/23

Masconomet Strategic Plan, 2023-2028

I am happy to present to you the Masconomet Strategic Plan, 2023-2028, which was unanimously accepted by the Masconomet School Committee at its December 13th meeting. 

This plan is the result of a twelve month journey of exploration of the question, “What type of schools do we need to ensure our students will be best prepared for future success?”  During this process, a Working Team representing administration, faculty, parents and community members surveyed the larger Masconomet Community around their perceptions of our schools and learning environments. Through this effort, the Working Team was able to gather feedback regarding the strengths and areas for growth of our schools.  After reviewing and analyzing this information, the Working Team crafted a new Mission, Vision and Values Statement for the District and developed a five-year Strategic Plan to guide efforts towards achieving the aspirations stated in the Mission, Vision and Values.   I would like to thank the members of the Strategic Plan Working Team for their efforts in developing this plan.

The resulting Strategic Plan is organized into four Strategic Objectives, or main themes: Curriculum, Instruction, Culture and Wellbeing, and Community that were identified by the Working Team in the survey results.  Strategic Objectives are statements of the outcomes, or changes in knowledge and behavior that are desired.  Each Strategic Objective contains one or more Strategic Initiatives, which describe the outputs or activities that will be completed in order to achieve the Strategic Objective.  These Objectives and Initiatives will form the basis of our annual district and school improvement plans for the next five years.

I’m excited about the possibilities that putting the Masconomet Strategic Plan, 2023-2028 into action will open for us and our students and look forward to working with you as we make this plan a reality.

Senior Citizen Holiday Concert

On December 14th we will be hosting our annual Holiday Concert and Luncheon.  Senior citizens from the Towns of Boxford, Middleton and Topsfield are invited to hear performances by our Masconomet High School Band and Choral Groups.  The event is hosted by our High School Student Council and The Masconomet School Committee.  Lunch for attendees is sponsored by the Institution for Savings and North Shore Home Medical Supply & Home Care Pharmacy.

High School Parent Coffee on 12/15

We welcome you to join us for our once a month Friday coffee chat with the superintendent and the high school principal.  Our next High School Coffee will take place on Friday, December 15.  We hope that these sessions are a way for you to learn more about what is happening within the Masco community while also allowing you to ask questions.  All parent coffees will be held from 8:30-9:30 AM. Please check in at the Main Office. We look forward to seeing you. 

Schools Closed for Holiday Vacation

School will be closed the week of December 25.  Schools will re-open on Tuesday, January 2nd.  School and District Offices will also be closed December 25-26 and December 29 in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s Holidays. 

For more school-specific info, please see the High School Principal’s Masco Memo and the Middle School Principal’s Weekly Update.