Friday, May 3, 2013
The district was able to keep elementary school class sizes small after receiving additional funding from the town.
1) Newsbit: Where do things stand with school budget cuts? We asked School Committee member Rick Kraft for a summary. Not all cuts proposed earlier in the year remain in play but some do. A notable exception: class sizes. District officials restored elementary school class sizes when the town apportioned an additional $100,000-plus, he said. In addition, a high school task management position was preserved. If more funding becomes available the district will restore additional items. Before the district received the additional town funding — the money to restore class sizes and a task management position — it had to reduce spending by $1,012,399 to operate with a level-funded budget for the next school year. That's the same amount of …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
A Patch reader asked why the Jackson Park project isn't finished and is the town liable if someone gets hurt in it incomplete state?
We posed two Jackson Park questions to the head of Public Works and the town administrator. The questions, sent to us by a Patch reader, asked why the project taken so long to complete and is the town liable if someone gets hurt there — considering the park's incomplete state? The answer to why it isn't finished? Money, said the DPW director and town administrator. The park for all seasons has been under the wing of a team of volunteers spreaheaded by Kevin Donaher. The group has volunteered time and labor, organized work parties, sought private contributions and continues to recycle metal. But the park is still shy of funding needed for completion so the town will bring a $60,000 capital improvement request to Town Meeting next week, …
Saturday, January 12, 2013
A reader wants to know what people think about having their mail delivered by the US Postal Service on Saturdays.
Do you think the US Postal Service should continue to deliver mail on Saturdays? At least one Swampscott Patch reader and Swampscott Patch are curious to know your thoughts on this. In the electronic age much of the communication that was traditionally sent by letter gets communicated via social media and email. Some people would like to see Saturday delivery go the way of the milk man as a means of saving the cash-strapped postal service, and taxpayers, money. Others say people depend on mail six days a week for items such as mailed prescriptions. Business mailers also object to cutting Saturday deliveries. Weigh in on the delivery question by taking our poll.
Friday, October 12, 2012
You Asked Patch Answers. We posed the emailer's question to the superintendent of schools.
You Asked: An emailer on Thursday asked us to seek clarification regarding neighborhood elementary schools in Swampscott. The writer had attended the final community forum on the feasibility and schematic design study that will be proposed Monday at Town Meeting. He said he heard it said during the forum that Swampscott hasn't had neighborhood schools since the closing of the Machon School. "Can we get some clarification on that because I am sure I was not mistaken on that point," he asked. Patch Answers: We posed the question to Superintendent Lynne Celli, asking her if students go to schools in the neighborhoods where they live? In other words, do children who live near Stanley go to Stanley? The same for children who live near Clarke…
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
We asked Swampscott High's principal to explain what happens on the first day of school when the seniors line up at the entrance to the high school.
- BACK TO SCHOOL
- Terry Date
-
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Prompted by questions and comments about the annual ceremony at the entrance to school on the first day, known as the senior tunnel, we asked Swampscott High Principal Layne Millington to describe the event. This is what the principal had to say: The event has been taking place since at least 2004. The principal said that he can not say what the event was like in earlier years but in his two years at the school the event has been a celebration. Seniors are excited to be seniors and they let everyone know this at the entrance. "It's just loud — real loud," he said. The morning starts with at least some of the senior class going to breakfast at a student's parents' house, he said. After breakfast the students get a police escort to the …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
A reader asked how much money the School District will receive for providing a setting for the movie Grown Ups 2, and where is the money going?
A reader asked how much money the School District will receive for providing sets for the movie Grown Ups 2, and where is the money going? We asked Superintendent Lynne Celli this question. The superintendent said the school system is, right now, negotiating a contract with Columbia pictures. "Details of the final contract have not been worked out at this point," the superintendent said. "However, a tentative rental figure of $60,000 was mentioned at the 4/25/12 S meeting." We will report the final figure and where the money is going after the details have been worked out.
Monday, April 9, 2012
A few readers asked this question last week.
Welcome to You Ask, Patch Answers, a column in which you ask us a question about anything going on in town and we do our best to find an answer. Got a question you'd like Patch to answer? E-mail it to: terry.date@patch.com Question: We asked Superintendent of Schools Lynne Celli this question on behalf of readers: Are students from outside the district allowed to attend Swampscott schools? If so, under what circumstances? Answer: Each year SCs vote whether to accept or reject School Choice, which means we would accept students not living in Swampscott on a tuition basis. Historically, as with this year the SC voted NOT to participate in School Choice. We do, as do several communities participate in the METCO program (information can be …
Friday, April 6, 2012
A reader asked what became of the man in the boat at Cap'n Jack's Inn in the wake of its demolition earlier this week?
Welcome to You Ask, Patch Answers, a column in which you ask us a question about anything going on in town and we do our best to find an answer. Got a question you'd like Patch to answer? E-mail it to: terry.date@patch.com Question: What did they do with the wooden man in the boat? Amy Randall Cataldo asked this question about a display piece that once made its home at Cap'n Jack's Inn. The Inn was demolished on Tuesday. Answer: We emailed the question to Nancy Moran at Bruce Paradise's office. "There was no man in a boat since Bruce and Barry bought the property," Nancy responded. She went on to say that she had a call in to the former owner, Dave Rooney, to see if he had any information about the wooden man. If we hear any more we'll …
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Lights are mounted to the front of other buildings in town, too. Why?
Welcome to You Ask, Patch Answers, a column in which you ask us a question about anything going on in town and we do our best to find an answer. Got a question you'd like to see Patch answer? E-mail it to: terry.date@patch.com We posed this question out of our curiosity. Why is there a light mounted to the front of the former Cap'n Jack's Waterfront Inn, and why was it flashing when we drove past recently? We put this question to Swampscott Fire Chief Kevin Breen. The amber beacon is designed to get people's attention, he said. The flashing light indicates a problem with a building's fire alarm system. The thought is people will see the flashing light and report it, bringing it to the attention of the fire department. According to the …
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The latest question we answer in You Ask, Patch Answers.
Welcome to You Ask, Patch Answers, a column in which you ask us a question about anything going on in town and we do our best to find an answer. Got a question you'd like to see Patch answer? E-mail it to: terry.date@patch.com Question: Where Do Things Stand With The Proposed Town Dog Park? Answer: Swampscott Director of Public Works Gino Cresta said the park is in limbo. When park supporters and town officials last talked, in the fall, about the fenced play area for dogs a consensus emerged. The consensus favored a location at Phillips Park behind the Bertram House in a lot near the football practice field, the DPW director said. A neighbor, however, complained that a dog park in that area would violate wetland regulations, the …
David Arsenault
3:23 pm on Wednesday, May 1, 2013
What's worse is why the town has not added any new pipe on 1A!!!!!!!!!! more ›