All Around APS

Dear APS staff and families,

As many of you are aware, a total solar eclipse will be visible from many parts of the country on Monday, April 8, 2024. Weather permitting, the event will begin a little after 2 p.m. and continue for approximately 2.5 hours.

While Andover is not in line to experience eclipse “totality,” the occurrence will take place during dismissal times at all schools. To offer protection for our students and staff, the district is able to provide our students with eclipse glasses to protect their eyes during this time which will be sent home with your student. I’d like to thank our West Middle School PAC and Phillips Andover for their support in donating glasses, which make up a portion of the district’s supply. Glasses should only be worn when looking at the eclipse. The glasses are opaque, much darker than sunglasses, and can limit visibility when walking.

The eclipse also presents an educational opportunity, and some teachers may decide to take students outside during this time. If you prefer that your student remain indoors, please contact your teacher directly.

NASA has shared comprehensive information on the eclipse and how to enjoy it with your family on their website. It’s a unique occasion as the next total solar eclipse that will be visible in the U.S. will not be until August 2044.

Dr. Magda Parvey

Superintendent

Andover Middle School Show Choir places second at first ever competition!

Congratulations to the students of Interlude, Andover's new middle school show choir, for placing second at both of their competitions in the 2024 season. Interlude competed against six other middle school show choirs between Andover's New England Show Choir Showdown and Bishop Hendricken's Lil' Rhody Rumble in March. In addition to their overall second place ranking at each competition, Doherty students Miles Novaria was awarded Best Soloist of the division, Devin Eracar and Ashley Bungcayao received a judges' award for their featured dance duet. West Middle student Payton Reyno was awarded Best Performer. Directors Sabrina Lambros and Trent DeBonis could not be prouder of these students for their achievements!

Andover’s Intergenerational Garden

On March 25, 2024, Dr. Parvey and members of the School Committee joined town officials and community volunteers to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Playstead Intergenerational Garden. Andover resident Sue Curtis submitted a proposal to the Town’s Participatory Capital Budgeting initiative. With the support of Jane Burns, Andover’s Director of Elder Services, the Village Garden Club and several town departments and organizations, work on the garden will begin this spring!

The Playstead Intergenerational Garden project will include the addition of an ADA compliant pathway, new irrigation, ADA compliant raised garden beds for produce, benches, and picnic tables. Once completed, the garden will host experiential programming for both Andover Youth Services and the Robb Center. Volunteers from the Andover Village Garden Club will continue to support the maintenance of the garden.

APS honors World Autism Day

World Autism Awareness Day was celebrated across the globe on Tuesday, April 2nd. Many APS staff and families pledged their support that day by wearing gear with positive messages calling for acceptance and understanding.

APS Music Education Program Receives National Recognition

Andover Public Schools has been awarded the NAMM Foundation's Best Communities for Music Education designation for the third year in a row for its outstanding commitment to music education. Now in its 25th year, the designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in providing music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Andover answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. School officials verified the responses, which were then reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

We have seen incredible growth in our programs these past three years, as showcased last month at our All Strings and All Bands Nights, in which we welcomed close to 850 student performers over three concerts in two nights. This weekend alone, several students in grades 4 to 6 are participating in the MMEA Treble Choir, two school musicals, HS Performing Arts groups at MICCA competitions, and our growing Winter Guard program at NESBA finals. We are grateful for your support of music education and the arts in Andover.

APS Mourns the Loss of Wood Hill Middle School Music Teacher

We share our sympathies with the family and friends of Gina Murray, Music Teacher at Wood Hill Middle School who passed away last week. Mrs. Murray was an 18-year veteran of the school and made a great impact on the district’s students and staff. Mrs. Murray made certain her students had the spotlight as she worked tirelessly to bring music into the classroom. Mrs. Murray was also the co-director of Wood Hill’s drama club and was the creator of the Community Arts program at the school. Mrs. Murray’s dedication to her students was acknowledged and celebrated last year by the Andover Rotary Club, where Gina received the Educator of the Year award as a Citizens Who Care Honoree.

• Monday April 15 - Friday, April 19, 2024 – Patriots’ Day/ Spring Recess (NO SCHOOL)

• Saturday, April 6, 2024 – Laylat al-Qadr
• Wednesday, April 10, 2024 – Eid al-Fitr*
• Tuesday, April 23, 2024 – Passover* (day 1)

*Holiday or observance begins at sundown the day before.

Understanding the new IEP Process

Please join the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) at their virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 7:00 pm. Nancy Koch, APS Executive Director of Special Services, will be introducing the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE’s) new IEP process which will be implemented in the district in Fall 2024. She will explain the change of focus of the IEP, the roles of all team members, how the new IEP will be rolled out, and most importantly, the role of the student. Please join us by logging on using the link below.

https://zoom.us/j/91293764113

Meeting ID: 912 9376 4113
Passcode: 030359

The School Committee met on April 4, 2024. Items on the agenda included an update on the APS Author Series generously funded by the Cummings Foundation Grant, an update on the co-teaching initiative for inclusive classrooms for grade 9 students, and an informational presentation on the FY25 Andover Special Town Meeting Warrant Article on the Zoning Bylaw & Map Amendment/Establish Multifamily Overlay District.

Meetings are held in the School Committee Room at Central Office, 30 Whittier Court – 2nd floor and are broadcast live by AndoverTV via Andover public access television (Comcast Channel 6 and Verizon Channel 43) or by streaming from www.andovertv.org. Recordings of these meetings are posted on Andover TV’s Video Archive under the School and Building Committee Meetings webpage.

To view meeting minutes from previous meetings, check out the School Committee’s meeting minutes archive page.

The next School Committee meeting will be held on April 25, 2024. Agendas are posted up to 48 hours in advance and can be emailed directly to those who are interested and sign-up for “Notify Me” alerts on our website.

The School Committee welcomes the community to join us for a virtual informal forum on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 7 p.m. These forums have no set agenda, and the community is welcome to stop in to the forum at any time to speak with two members of the School Committee on any topics related to our schools. Links to participate in virtual forums will be sent closer to the date.

Because these sessions are attended by only two School Committee members, they allow an interactive dialogue outside of the Open Meeting Law legal parameters. Issues raised at the forum that might require further discussion with the entire School Committee will be communicated during a regular business meeting. Additional Informal Forum dates for 2024 can be located here.

Andover’s Annual Town Meeting will begin on Monday, April 29, 2024 at the Collins Center at Andover High School. Town Meeting is convened annually to adopt the operating budget and to consider other matters such as zoning changes, town purchases, by-law additions and amendments. The business of each Town Meeting is contained in a document known as "the warrant,” which is mailed to all registered voters and posted on-line as part of the Finance Committee Report. This year, a Special Town Meeting will precede this year’s Annual Town Meeting beginning at 7 p.m.

Every article at Town Meeting is important and will have an impact on the town, but the articles listed below have particular bearing on the Andover Public Schools. These articles and voted on were discussed by the Committee at the February 29th, March 7th, and March 21st meetings.

Article 4: FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET

Article 5: FISCAL YEAR 2025 CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND

Article 6G: FY2025 REVOLVING ACCOUNTS

Article 14E: CONTRACTS IN EXCESS OF THREE YEARS

Article 14F: ACCEPTING EASEMENTS

Article 17: GRANTING EASEMENTS

Article 24: CAPITAL PROJECTS FROM GENERAL FUND BORROWING

Article 25: CAPITAL PROJECTS FROM FREE CASH

Article 34: GENERAL BYLAW AMENDMENT

• The district is working to codify language in the APS employee handbook to communicate that non-disclosure agreements are not a condition of employment or separation of employment. Because this work is in progress and should be completed shortly, the School Committee voted unanimously to disapprove the article, as it would no longer be relevant.
  

Special Town Meeting

Article 1: Zoning Bylaw and Map Amendment/ Establish Multifamily Overlay District