Superintendent Succession Search Starts After Stormy Talks

Tuesday's School Committee talks were at times tense as speakers confronted unanswered questions and sought stability for the school system and its students.

  The School Committee’s first motion at Tuesday’s meeting was to offer Swampscott High School Principal Layne Millington the Swampscott superintendent’s position effective January 2014. The motion was later withdrawn by committee member Ted Delano. The committee’s last motion Tuesday was to form a search panel of Swampscott administrators and two School Committee members. Under the proposal, assembled in part by committee member Rick Kraft, the search panel would review candidates for interim superintendent and report their recommendation to the School Committee on March 27. The School Committee approved this motion. In between the withdrawn motion and the approved motion, many of the 40-plus people in the room at Swampscott High weighed …

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School Committee Talks Mental Health Screening Following Newtown Shootings

A former committee member suggested more be done to identify emotional problems in students as a means of preventing further school tragedies.

  A former School Committee member urged district officials on Wednesday to support more mental health screening for students in the wake of the Newtown, Conn school murders. Richard Feinberg suggested that the Swampscott district screen pre-Kindergarten students for social/emotional problems and, if possible, screen new students regardless of their grade. Assistant Superintendent Pamela Angelakis said the district has a social/emotional screening component in place — for its pre-k students. The district also has a state mandated program to monitor problems if emotional red flags emerge in any student. The program calls for school counselors, teachers and others to meet regularly and talk about these red flags and, if necessary, to develop…

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School Committee To Look At Enrollment Numbers and Losses to Private Schools

The committee, when it meets tonight, will also recognize teachers who have achieved professional status and the Educator of the Year.

  The superintendent is expected to report back to the School Committee tonight on the number of students who have left the district for private schools. Superintendent Lynn Celli said when the committee met last, Sept. 19, that, overall, school district enrollment this year is up over last year's figure. As of Sept. 12, when factoring new preschool referrals, the district's enrollment — from preschool to grade 12 (plus two life skills students) — was 2,307. That compares to a total enrollment of 2,304 on Sept. 6, 2011. There were 176 students enrolled in the eighth grade at Swampscott Middle School in September of 2011. In September 2012, the ninth grade class at Swampscott High School had 174 students. A comparison of the two years …

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Hadley Parents Vent Frustration Over Maintenance Issues

The superintendent accepted responsibility for making sure issues get resolved going forward.

  Hadley School parents came to Wednesday's School Committee meeting with a message. It didn't seep out until after Business Manager Ed Cronin and other school officials explained what was done — and being done — to remedy maintenance problems at Hadley including unsanitary bathrooms and unsecured cleaning chemicals as well as fire evacuation issues. Then Hadley PTA President Gargi Cooper and parent Peter Spellios had their say. Gargi said Hadley parents are frustrated that it takes so long to get a response to their concerns.  Some concerns, communicated through email and coversations, have lingered since last year and, in some instances, for as long as two years without resolution, she said. Ultimately the parents had to compile a list …

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Students to Get More Fruits and Vegetables

School Committee approves year extension of Chartwell's food service contract.

  More legumes, lettuce, whole wheat and fruit will be on students' plates next year. After some School Committee members and the student representative two weeks ago criticized the food served at Swampscott schools, the committee voted unanimously Wednesday night to approve a year extension of Chartwell's food service contract. The committee members seemed pleased at the new direction by Chartwell's to serve healthier meals to the students. "I love school lunch," Maureen Kellett, director of dining services, told the committee. She invited the committee members to have lunch with the students or she offered to bring a sample of lunch to the committee before one of its meetings. Chairman Larry Beaupre, a one-time vegetarian, asked for …

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School Committee Postpones Food Contract Approval

The School Committee raised the price of lunch for next year but, unhappy with the quality of lunches, postponed approving a new contract until it meets with the food services director.

  The School Committee raised the school lunch price for next year by 10 cents Wednesday night, but postponed approving the new food service contract for next year after a discussion about the quality of the food served. The price increase is mandated by the federal government, which requires that the schools charge at least the same amount as the federal government reimburses the schools for free lunches, said Business Manager Edward Cronin. The lunch price in the elementary schools will go from $2.30 to $2.40 per meal. Middle and high school students will pay $2.65 instead of $2.55. If the committee refused to raise the lunch prices, the federal government would not reimburse the school district for the free lunches, but would require …

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Terry Date

1:46 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012

Thumbs up, Daniel. We'll have a story tomorrow morning.   more ›

Stanley Principal Pamela Angelakis To Be New Assistant Superintendent

The School Committee on Wednesday approved the superintendent's recommendation to promote from within the district. No word was given on why Assistant Superintendent Maureen Bingham is being replaced.

  The School Committee voted 4-0 on Wednesday to approve the superintendent's recommendation for a new assistant superintendent — Pamela Angelakis, the principal of Stanley Elementary School. Angelakis, a 22-year veteran of the Swampscott School District, starts her new post July 1, said Superintendent Lynne Celli.  The superintendent said she was not at liberty to say why the current assistant superintendent, Maureen Bingham, is being replaced.  Before the superintendent named Pamela Angelakis as the internal candidate for the assistant position, the superintendent and School Committee members spent 30 minutes or more debating the merits of forming a search committee versus hiring from within the district. The superintendent said time was…

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Terry Date

10:09 am on Friday, June 1, 2012

Yes, CS, we will ask and post the answer in a You Asked column. Thanks.   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Kinney for School Committee

Residents Jim and Abbe Smith support Jackie Kinney for School Committee.

  To the editor: We are writing to support Jackie Kinney for re-election to the Swampscott School Committee.  As parents, we have observed the growth and positive change in our schools during the three years that Jackie has served on the Committee.  Her vision and commitment have played a huge part in shaping this growth – and we need her experience to keep our schools moving forward. When Jackie Kinney joined the School Committee, our schools had faced years of layoffs, budget shortfalls and contentious relations between teachers and administrators.  However, for the past three years, we have had balanced school budgets with no layoffs and no overrides.  In the two years that Jackie has chaired the School Committee, we received a $1 …

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State Approves School Building Committee Make-up

The committee has 12 members, who are listed below. The superintendent announced this latest school development at last week's School Committee meeting.

  Superintendent Lynne Celli announced that the state school building authority has approved the makeup of the Swampscott school building committee. Over the next several months the building committee will formulate recommendations about whether to advocate for a new elementary school, renovate the Hadley School or consolidate other schools. Once a recommendation is accepted by the Massachusetts School Building Authority, then the school district would ask the Swampscott Town Meeting to approve a feasibility study that will cost between $500,000 and $1 million, Celli said. Below is a list of the committee members that the superintendent sent to the project field coordinator for the Massachusetts School Building Authority.   Members of …

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Mary DeChillo

9:13 pm on Monday, April 16, 2012

I agree with Bob, though it was not in 2005 but 2001-2002 that the Master plan was developed as part of funding application to the Commonwealth's School Building Administration in 2002. It was approved by the SBA. All the school buildings in Swampscott were evaluated for structural fitness and various configurations were considered. Clark School was said to be capable of having a second story …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Kinney for School Committee

School Committee Chairman Jackie Kinney asks voters for their support in Tuesday's election.

Voters of Swampscott, You have heard much from my opponent, Ted Delano, and me on why we are running for School Committee – we have both presented our qualifications to convince you why we each feel we are the best person to serve the needs of the students and taxpayers of Swampscott. We have run a respectful race focused on the positives and have avoided any negative campaigning. For that I respect and thank Ted very much. As we approach election day in Swampscott, you, the voters, need to elect the candidate that has the best qualifications to continue the work of setting aggressive goals and high standards, so that we will have the kind of school district we all want – a place where our children are challenged and energized – a place …

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