Swampscott Stories

Former Students To Memorialize Beloved Music Man Bob Foucht

The memorial service for Byron "Bob" Foucht, long-time and beloved music teacher in the Swampscott schools will be held Saturday, May 18, 10 a.m. at the First Church in Swampscott.

The memorial service for Byron "Bob" Foucht, long-time and beloved music teacher in the Swampscott schools who passed away on Feb. 7, will be held Saturday May 18, 10 a.m. at the First Church in Swampscott. As part of the service, five former students will perform the world premiere of a jazz arrangement created by a sixth student in Mr. Foucht's honor — the Swampscott Marching Band's signature "On Wisconsin." David Bondelevitch (SHS '81) says the idea for the arrangement came during discussions about the memorial. "Perhaps my happiest times in high school were playing in the stage [jazz] band. Mr. Foucht was a huge jazz fan." Bondelevitch went on to study jazz composition at the Berklee College of Music with the legendary Herb Pomeroy. "…

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

Swampscott High Senior Segues

In these short video clips we ask high school seniors for their post graduation plans and their pre-graduation thoughts.

  Congratulations to senior Zachary Blonder. Zach is headed to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa., in the fall.   Welcome to Senior Segues. Here we visit briefly with Swampscott High 12th graders. They still have a couple big months left in their public schools days but are on the cusp of graduating and preparing to transition to what's next in their lives. Many will be packing for colleges, some of them out of state. Some will head into the military. Others may go right into the work force. Some may even spend time traveling. These are short clips in which seniors say what they plan to do next year: what they will miss about Swampscott High: and what they are looking forward to? Let us know if you would like us to video your …

• Videos (1)

A Coach in the Making: Local Youth Involved in Multiple Sports

Swampscott High sophomore Spencer Mulvey has volunteered in baseball, lacrosse and basketball as part of his St. John's religious education program.

  Spencer Mulvey, a sophomore at  Swampscott High School and a St John’s Religious Education student, is fulfilling his community service requirements by volunteering his knowledge in three sports as a coach and mentor. In order to satisfy his confirmation requirements at St. John's, he must give at least 20 hours of service to the community. As a past All-Star player for Swampscott-Nahant Babe Ruth, Mulvey volunteered his time this past fall with Jack Beermann, who had several orientation practices for Little League players moving up to the big diamond. Saying, "It’s real baseball now," Spencer showed the younger players how to take leads and pick-off moves to first, second and third bases. The players also get to run around the bases a …

• Photos (2)

School Committee Reaches Out to Principal Millington

Several Committee members asked him to consider staying in Swampscott, knowing he has applied for openings in other school districts.

  Swampscott School Committee members have urged the high school principal to stay put, knowing he has applied for positions at other schools. Principal Layne Millington is one of three finalists for the principal position at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School.  He has also applied for at least one other position, though the identity of that school has not been announced. At Wednesday's Swampscott School Committee meeting, Chairman Larry Beaupre said students' test scores are improving at the high school, the students are being accepted to colleges they want to attend, and staff members and parents have expressed their satisfaction with the principal's work. The chairman asked the principal to give serious consideration to a fulfilling …

•  11 Comments
• Photos (2)

The voice of reason

3:15 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013

Like Restless, could someone tell us the story behind the story.   more ›

MOMents

MOMents – Getting Uncomfortable

Sometimes it is the only way to get comfortable again.

  When something happens so horrifically tragic like the Sandy Hook killings, no one knows what to do, but everyone wants to do something, blame someone and solve it quickly. That’s a normal reaction, but it’s too complicated. There is nothing simple that leads to a human being feeling the need to shoot out an elementary school. There is nothing simple about preventing it from happening again or even understanding it. There is no easy way to heal. There is no way to speed up the process and no amount of grief counseling that will make it like it was before. It will be a long and winding road. But, the conversations are important. We need to really picture the whole scene, to try to understand, to the best of our ability, how such things …

• Photos (1)

5 Things Including a High School Blood Drive

Swampscott High School is hosting a blood drive from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 21. To schedule an appointment to give blood at the event contact Swampscott High School English teacher Joanna Ganci at ganci@swampscott.k12.ma.us

1) Newsbit of the Day: Swampscott High School is hosting a blood drive from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 21 as part of its third annual Community Service Day. Students want to recruit as many blood donors as possible.  The Red Cross hopes to attract at least 40 donors from the high school and community. To schedule an appointment to give blood at the event contact Swampscott High School English teacher Joanna Ganci at ganci@swampscott.k12.ma.us  All students at the school will either make presentations or attend them at Community Service Day, with art teacher Anita Balliro's Interact Group taking the lead. 2) Swampscott Scholars: 2012 Swampscott High graduate Stephanie Strager received the Jennie M. McVey Memorial Scholarship. 3) Bit of Abe (…

• Photos (2)

You Asked Patch Answers: Questions About SHS's Top 50 Ranking

Readers asked us questions about Boston Magazine's recent ranking of Swampscott High. We forwarded the questions about transportation and special education to the magazine's executive editor, Patrick Doyle.

  A Sept. 3, story we did about Boston Magazine ranking Swampscott High 49th among 222 high schools in Boston and Boston's suburbs generated two questions from readers. One reader wanted to know if student transportation was included in the per pupil spending for school districts? Another reader asked if the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Program and SAT scores include scores for all kids on Individualized Education Programs or only those who took the standard MCAS — without factoring the MCAS portfolio scores?  We forwarded the questions to Boston Magazine's Executive Editor Patrick Doyle, who wrote the Top 50 story. Patrick responded immediately with the answers. 1. He said that student transportation costs were not included in …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Terry Date

11:51 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012

You are welcome, CS.   more ›

Swampscott High Year Opens With All-School Assembly

Swampscott High students will learn about a new program designed to combat bullying and stereotypes.

  The first 95 minutes of the school day at Swampscott High on Friday will prepare and set the tone for the 2012-13 school year. Starting at 8:10 the students will receive schedule and assignment notebooks and review school rules in their homerooms. The homeroom session will be followed by an all-school assembly welcoming returning students and newcomers. Several days ago the enrollment was at 750 and growing, said school Principal Layne Millington. That number includes 50 new students, new to the district, according to the Guidance Department. All four grades will review basic expectations in the assembly including the expectation that they treat everyone in the building with respect and conduct themselves with dignity. The students will …

• Photos (1)

Swampscott High Homeroom Assignments

The students' names are listed alphabetically and assigned to teachers' rooms. Freshmen start school on Thursday. All classes go to school on Friday, the first day for sophomores, juniors and seniors.

  Homeroom Assignments at Swampscott High School Freshmen start school on Thursday. All classes go to school on Friday, the first day for sophomores, juniors and seniors. SENIORS – CLASS OF 2013 Adams – Carman -  Gosselin – C304 Carmody – Curren  Piperidis – B208 Dandreo – Dzino -  Georgieva – C302 Fagundo – Golisano - Hooley – B209 Golden – Hingston -  Camire – C312 Hirshberg – Llorente -  Skelton – C305 Ludke – McTague -  Kravitz – C307 Michaud – Peterson -  Green – C205 Pena – Rusk -  Ratley – C303 Samiljan – Small -  Sewell – C301 Smith-Matthews – Turner -  Albert – C107 Upham – Zuchero -  Thompson – C201   JUNIORS – CLASS OF 2014 Babayev – Brooks - Blum - C202 Buks –Condon -   Flanagan - C203 Conti – English -  Kohut - C204 – Faulkner…

• Photos (1)

Big Blue Sports

Big Blue Cross Country Off And Running

About 40 girls and 30 boys were at the opening for Swampscott Cross County Thursday at Upper Jackson.

  On the fence bordering the red track hung a bulletin board tacked with the Thought of the Day. Cross Country Coach Jeff Bartlett read it aloud for the 70 boys and girls at the first practice.  "If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it." Thursday's thought came from former Olympic marathon runner Priscilla Welch, who started running at the age of 35. It was warm at Upper Jackson. Some of the teens faced the setting sun, shielding their eyes with their hands. The coach told them his expectations for the season. It's his second and the same coaches from last year will assist — Joe Tenney, Derek Stevens and Lauren Skelton. The boys' captains are Peter Hale and …

• Photos (21)