Knightly News
Dear North Andover Families,
I hope this message finds you well as you and your children settle into the new school year. Each new year brings a sense of optimism and a fresh start. It's a time to welcome back our returning students and extend a warm greeting to those who are new to our school community.
It has been exciting to see students return to school or begin their journey with NAPS. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is the ability to engage with students across all grade levels. Whether it’s talking with high school students about their course selections or visiting a class at NAHS, and then later in the day witnessing the joy of a five-year-old bounding into their kindergarten class, each moment reminds me of the magic that happens in our schools. Having spent much of my career in elementary education, it’s incredibly rewarding to now have a PreK - 22 perspective.
I am truly honored to serve as your Interim Superintendent this academic year. I look forward to being an active presence in our schools and gathering your input, as well as that of our students, to learn about your hopes and dreams for NAPS.
This year, we have several key positions to fill, and I will be seeking the community's input as we identify the qualities and key attributes we desire for these roles. Your voice is critical in shaping the future of our district.
During the FY24 school year, the district completed three significant reviews: a Special Education review, a Safety review, and an Equity review. The Special Education and Safety reviews were shared with the public last spring, and we anticipate the results of the Equity Audit to be available this fall. We are committed to using the findings from these reviews to guide and improve our work.
As a fellow North Andover resident, you might see me around town—at the grocery store, dining at a local restaurant, or walking my dog. Please feel free to stop and say hello. We are partners in this work, and I value every opportunity to connect and hear from you.
Warm regards,
Pamela Lathrop
Interim Superintendent
North Andover Public Schools
Running from August 30 - October 24
The North Andover High School track is being redone in the coming weeks. Thanks to the Town of North Andover, we were able to secure the funds that will allow for the full renovation of the track, which, if you've used it recently, shows incredible wear and tear and is in a state that is unsafe for our students and community.
From August 30 through October 24, the track area will be completely closed so that the contractors can do their work without disruption. Please do not use it at all until we have clearance from the contractors. Thank you all for your consideration and support with this important project!
Alissa Koenig, School Committee Chair
Dear NAPS Community,
The school year has been off to a fantastic start thanks to all our administrators, faculty, staff, families and students. The middle school addition was able to open on-time to accommodate teachers and students. It is a beautiful expansion to our middle school and we are looking forward to the continued renovations to the remainder of the middle school.
The School Committee welcomed back our Student Representatives, Harper Barrios, Christina Choi, Laween Ismaail and Allie Roberts at our September 12th meeting and are excited that they will be exercising their voices and opinions at our meetings. Although they are not voting members of the Committee, their voices as Student Representatives are invaluable to our discussions.
The School Committee will have a "Community Chat" table at the North Andover Merchants Association’s Fall Festival being held September 21st at the high school. The table will have 1-2 School Committee members available for the community to come by and ask questions or to chat with. It’s a good opportunity to have one-on-one discussions. We hope you’ll stop by!
Also at the September 12th meeting, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Kristen Ando presented the pilot curriculum “Investigating History” for grades 3-8 and “Wit and Wisdom” for grades 6-8. We are excited about the High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) being used in our district and look forward to the continued feedback as this curriculum is implemented.
We recently received the financial audit back from CLA. This will be made public on the NAPS School Committee webpage within the coming days. The School Committee will be discussing the results at our next meeting. Interim Superintendent Lathrop has done a wonderful job at keeping the School Committee and the public informed of the financial status of the district going forward. Please tune-in to the School Committee meetings for those updates. Past meeting recordings are available on North Andover CAM.
Our next meeting is scheduled for September 26th at 7pm.
With kind regards,
Alissa Koenig
School Committee Chair
Rick Galante, Director of Community Programs
Reminder that the fall excel enrichment list of activities will be released for registration on October 1, 2024 with classes starting the week of October 21, 2024. Please see our link to the excel programs page: Click Here. We hope your first couple of weeks have been a great start to the school year. See you soon!
Rick Galante: galanter@northandoverpublicschools.com
Sharon Karalis: karaliss@northandoverpublicschools.com
Celebrating Teachers Night
Hall of Famer, Judy Nigrelli, did an amazing job as our keynote speaker at opening day this school year. Staff were moved and motivated to get to work with our students in the coming days. Thanks for everything, Judy! This October, we will have another ceremony to honor an incredible long-time North Andover teacher who is being inducted into the School Committee Hall of Fame: Lisa Bernard. Mark your calendars and please join us in support of Mrs. Bernard on Wednesday, October 30 at 7pm. Looking forward to seeing you! More information to follow in October's newsletter.
As we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, we take this opportunity to honor the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. This month serves as a reminder of the profound impact that Hispanic and Latino communities have had on our country, and it’s a time for us to reflect on the values of diversity, inclusion, and unity.
In North Andover, we are committed to fostering an environment where every student feels valued and respected, and where their cultural heritage is celebrated. Hispanic Heritage Month is a chance for us to highlight the achievements and influence of Hispanic and Latino individuals, not only in history but also in our community today.
Throughout the month, we will be engaging our students in various educational activities and events that showcase the vibrant traditions, languages, and histories of Hispanic and Latino cultures. These initiatives are designed to enrich our students' understanding and appreciation of the diverse world in which we live. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in making North Andover Public Schools a vibrant, inclusive community.
Mes de la Herencia Hispana
Al celebrar el Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana del 15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre, aprovechamos esta oportunidad para honrar las ricas culturas, historias y contribuciones de los hispanos y latinos estadounidenses. Este mes sirve como recordatorio del profundo impacto que las comunidades hispanas y latinas han tenido en nuestro país, y es un momento para que reflexionemos sobre los valores de la diversidad, la inclusión y la unidad.
En North Andover, estamos comprometidos a fomentar un ambiente donde cada estudiante se sienta valorado y respetado, y donde se celebre su herencia cultural. El Mes de la Herencia Hispana es una oportunidad para que destaquemos los logros y la influencia de los individuos hispanos y latinos, no sólo en la historia sino también en nuestra comunidad actual.
A lo largo del mes, nuestros alumnos participarán en diversas actividades y eventos educativos que mostrarán las vibrantes tradiciones, lenguas e historias de las culturas hispana y latina. Estas iniciativas están diseñadas para enriquecer la comprensión y el aprecio de nuestros estudiantes por el mundo diverso en el que vivimos. Gracias por su continuo apoyo y colaboración para hacer de North Andover Public Schools una comunidad vibrante e inclusiva.
Please continue to be early and patient...
With the new school year comes new bus routes. All bus routes are posted online on the district website (linked here). Please be early to the bus stops for the first few weeks until the drivers get the routes down. Make sure you check your mail for information on school transportation; we've mailed out hundreds of letters. If you signed up, you would have received an envelope in the mail with a student bus tag and ties for backpacks. Have those read for the first day of school. Please reach out if you have any questions at all. Thanks for your support!
Family Flu Clinic for Ages 3+
October 22, 2024
4:00pm – 7:00pm
North Andover High School
430 Osgood Street, North Andover, MA
Please register ahead of time at...
September is National Library Card Month and our goal is to help every North Andover student, parent, caregiver and teacher, too have a Stevens Library Card! First-time library cards are always free and replacement cards are free during September and October. Have a card with a question or a problem? We can help! Visit the Library’s Circulation Desk, call 978-688-9505 x42017 or email Stevens-Circulation@NorthAndoverMA.gov
Explore all Stevens has waiting for you: 1,000s of books, manga and graphic novels, magazines, DVDs, music, even music instruments, a telescope, and STEM kits. Books and magazines come in lots of formats today: print, audio-CD, and digital online through OverDrive, TumbleBooks, TumbleMath, and TeenBookCloud; your choice.
Join us for activities like story times and book groups, craft times and programs like Pokemon Club, or technology help. Dates, times, and places are on the Library Calendar. School papers and projects? Visit Stevens and talk with a librarian. Use Stevens E-Library’s 40+ online resources: encyclopedias & reference; history; literature; science, world languages; test preparation & E-learning. You can search by keyword, subject or name.
Visit our digital book displays, or try our Reader Request form for personalized book recommendations, for all ages. Indicate your preferred format: print and audiobooks, e-books and e-audiobooks. You should receive a follow up within 2 days and provide you with at least 3 titles.
Don’t miss any of the fun. Follow the Library on Twitter @StevensMemLib, Facebook, or the Library’s website www.StevensMemLib.org
If you don’t find an answer to your question, email or call the Library so we can help. Staff will respond when available. Stevens Memorial Library: 345 Main Street, North Andover
Phone: 978-688-9505, for Children’s x42010, Teens x42032, Reference Desk x42016
The Library’s hours are: Monday-Thursday 10am – 9pm, Friday 10am – 6pm, Saturday 10am – 5pm, Sunday 1-5pm.
Key Library Links
Overdrive
TumbleBooks
https://www.tumblebooklibrary.com/home.aspx
TumbleMath
https://www.tumblemath.com/home.aspx
TeenBookCloud
https://www.teenbookcloud.com/Home.aspx
Calendar
http://www.eventkeeper.com/mars/xpages/S/STEVENSML/ekp.cfm?curOrg=stevensml
E-Library
https://stevensmemlib.libguides.com/az.php
World Languages
Digital Book Displays
https://www.stevensmemlib.org/digital-book-displays/
Reader Request Form
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSebb18UWQkl3cx2C6gCzJuIqwjhF8CFbfONRXpUPzgkOGfRLw/viewform
Care Solace: A Community Resource
As the new school year begins, supporting our youth's mental health is more important than ever. The new school year can bring feelings of both anxiety and excitement as students transition into a new grade, perhaps a new school, and are all in turn learning and growing into who they are. We have provided a Back to School resource packet for parents who are navigating through this time. Click here to access the flyer.
By working together, we can create an environment where our children thrive. Remember, Care Solace offers valuable mental health care coordination services to connect you with community-based providers for counseling, therapy, and more.
To access Care Solace: Call 888-515-0595: Their multi-lingual helpline is staffed 24/7/365. By joining hands as a community, we can provide a nurturing environment that supports the mental health and well-being of our youth. Let's prioritize their emotional growth and create a brighter future together.
North Andover Public Schools has partnered with Care Solace in order to help support the mental health needs of our community by connecting families with therapeutic supports. More than 500 dedicated multilingual Care Companions are available 24/7/365 to ensure the perfect fit for each person’s unique care needs and insurance requirements. The organization has a network of more than 420,000 licensed providers, serving more than 800 organizations across the United States.
Substitute Teaching
The school district is always looking for energetic and caring people to join our pool of substitutes in our eight schools. We are instituting a new program to make the process as efficient and user-friendly as possible. The Frontline Absence Management platform will allow you to get notifications of daily coverage needs via a mobile app, online portal and/or telephone. Another change is that subs will be able to work in all schools or select one or more preferred locations. Interviews for new substitutes will take place every Thursday afternoon during the school year. Background checks and a new part-time employee packet will need to be completed prior to starting in this important position. More information is on the district HR webpages (linked below). Thanks for your consideration and have a great school year!
In accordance with Massachusetts Special Education legislation, North Andover Public Schools is making every effort to locate, identify, and evaluate children who may have a disability and may be entitled to specialized educational services. Regardless of the severity of the disability, it is the North Andover Public Schools' responsibility to determine if the child is eligible for special education or related services under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) or 306 CMR 28 (Massachusetts Special Education Regulations). Referrals may come from a parent, physician, preschool program, or early intervention services. The age limits include three-year-olds (preschool) through twenty-one year-olds up to the twenty-second birthday. All inquiries or new referrals should be sent to Lyn O'Neil, Interim Director of Special Education, 566 Main Street, North Andover, MA 01845.
oneill@northandoverpublicschools.com
Thank you!
