1. Regardless of when the warning news was announced, or by whom, the plan of action would not have changed. Dr. Scuzzarella and her team have been working double-time to improve the North Andover High School academic experience with little to no additional funding.
   
   
2. I am relieved; it is far more reassuring to me to know that the open and honest relationship between Dr. Marini and our School Committee Chair is intact. I may have disagreed with their decision to delay release of the warning news - but the end result has not changed.
   
   
3. I am encouraged that elected officials - on both sides of our town government - are steadily learning to trust in the importance of an informed public vs. a reactionary public. Providing honest answers, upfront, breeds respect and understanding, even when the going gets rough. North Andover local government has moved light years ahead just in the past year and a half - changing the way we do business is never easy or quick - but I see us taking giant steps forward.
   

1. North Andover’s elected, appointed and employed leaders are wonderfully accessible to the general public compared to other communities. It’s no wonder that our Town received an award this year for the depth of both document info and contact info available online to citizens.
   
   
2. Many, many Massachusetts communities with really good school systems - some in the excellent category - are on NEASC warning status and have been for some time.
   
   
3. Check out the link for the Norton School Committee at http://www.nortonschoolcommittee.org/. If you read their home page statement about their accreditation warning statement, it reads as though it were written for North Andover. Warning status given for academic issues already corrected for? Sounds familiar?
   

My conclusion: "Somebody" [Eagle-Trib? Globe?] needs to do some investigative reporting. Accreditation is important - NEASC is the only national Assoc. that does the accreditation - but how many or what percentage of Massachusetts high schools are currently on warning status? If the number is significant, it dilutes the impact of the warning. If warnings are issued for cookie-cutter academic reasons that public high schools can not address with the financial resources available to them, we need to know that.

I asked our School Committee and Dr. Marini to post our NEASC warning information publicly on the schools’ website [they said it is currently available at the Stevens Memorial Library].

If accountability is what we want, Chairman Whidden and Dr. Marini met the challenge. If accreditation is what we want, we are fully accredited and the warning status is being addressed in a prompt, reasonable manner. If great schools are what we want, we’re there, and we continue to set the bar higher every day. The challenges we face are not one iota particular to just North Andover - it’s how we face them that makes the difference. I am confident we’re more than equipped to do the job right.

Sincerely,
Sandy Gleed

Discuss this in our forum

SAVE THE DATE!  The 3rd Annual Walk For Kids is September 14, 2008!

Come as a family and show your support for the North Andover Public Schools.

Registration will take place beginning at 12:00 noon on Saturday, September 14th at Smolak Farms.  The Walk will begin at 1:00 p.m.  In addition to an entry fee, sponsorships are accepted.

CLICK HERE to download the Sponsor Sheet with additional details.

Date: Sunday Sept.14, 2008
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Registration: 12:00 pm to 1:00 p.m.
Where: Smolak Farms, at 315 South Brad Street
Entry Fee: $30 per family, 1 Free NAFE T-shirt per family while supplies last.

In addition to the walk there will be:

• pre-walk warm-up with experts from Fitness Together
• Meet the Devil Dawg and the Lowell Devils Street Team
• Drawings for Signed Bruins Puck and other sports memorabilia
• Live Music Performed by The Time Flies
• Refreshments
• And, of course, the Smolak Farms petting zoo and play equipment

For More Information on the Walk For Kids, please e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
As in any organization, efforts proceed more quickly with more personnel.  Please contact us if you would like to assist in our efforts in any way.
 
Thanks again for your support.
Sue Donato
president, NAFE

Friends of the North Andover Senior Center Present the 4th Annual
"A Matter of Taste".

When: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 6:30 - 9:00 PM
Where: Stevens Estate, Osgood Street
Cost: $40.00 per ticket
 
Special Guest Pat Whitley - Host of WRKO Radio "Restaurant Show"
 
Featuring Wine Tasting by McAloon's Liquors.
 
Participating Restaurants: Baystate Chowda, Bertucci's, Bollywood Grill, Burton's Grille, Butcher Boy, Casa Blanca, China Blossom, Eatz Restaurant, Fuddruckers, Haru Chinese Cuisine, Joe Fish/The Loft, Keys Grille, Mad Maggies, Orzo Trattoria, Panera Bread, Perfectos Caffe, The Ninety-Nine, The Original Val's.
 
Tickets available for purchase at the North Andover Senior Center or by calling
978-937-4132.

Transportation is the No. 1 unmet need in our community.  It is one of the most difficult services to obtain for older adults in all communities.  Volunteer drivers needed!  Northern Essex Elder Transport meets an enormous need in the community by providing transportation for those who have no other way to get to and from medical appointments.  As a NEET driver, you can request the area you prefer to drive and the day or days and times, you would be available, whether it is once a week or once a month.

We need drivers now more than ever.  If you can help please call the North Andover Senior Center at 978-688-9560.  All NEET drivers are provided with an orientation to the program, receive supplemental insurance for their vehicle, and will be reimbursed at 43 cents per mile driven.  Set your own hours for availability.

Get your ticket to ride The Polar Express.  Kick off your holiday season on Saturday, November 29, 2008 with a magical ride to the North Pole. 

Join Santa’s elves for a reading of Chris Van Allsburg’s "The Polar Express", cocoa, dessert, and visits from some special Christmas friends.  Tickets available Saturday, October 18, from 9 - 11 a.m. at Saint Michael School, 80 Maple Avenue, North Andover. Tickets are $20 per person.  Trains depart from the Newburyport MBTA station at 11:35 am, 1:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 5:30 pm.  A portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit the Cor Unum Meal Center in Lawrence, . Donations of new hats, mittens, scarves and sweaters (for all ages) will gladly be accepted at the train station, and will be distributed by Cor Unum and DCF (Department of Children and Families) to those in need.   For tickets after October 18th, call 978-686-1862 or visit www.saintmichael.com.

From Eagle Tribune: August 26, 2008 

NORTH ANDOVER - School leaders expect more than two dozen children to transfer out of the Thomson School, after learning yesterday the elementary school did not meet its MCAS test improvement goals for the second consecutive year.

Under the No Child Left Behind law, if a school receiving federal Title 1 funding does not meet its adequate yearly progress (AYP) two years in a row, the district must offer the choice of moving to another school.

Superintendent James Marini said he does not have any specific details from the state yet.

But he said 29 families had expressed interest over the past couple of weeks in moving their children if the school did not meet its testing benchmark.

If that happens, the school will be losing about 7 percent of its 425 students.

"We'll do our very best to make this work," Marini said.  "It's a balance for us.  We don't want to overload any other school.  It's important for us to respond positively to parents' requests to move and do this in a way that doesn't have a negative impact.

"It's a challenge," he added.

Thomson has had the lowest Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System scores of the town's five elementary schools.  The school did not meet its improvement goals for the 2006-2007 year in English language arts.

Thomson is one of two schools in North Andover that receive federal Title 1 funding, which is given to schools that have a certain number of low-income students.  Twenty-one percent of the students at Thomson last year were considered low income.

The Atkinson School is also a Title 1 school.

Now parents can request to send their children to the Atkinson, Franklin or Kittredge elementary schools.

Marini said he will try to comply with parents' first requests of schools they want to transfer their children to, but it will depend on class size.  He does not want to place students into a class where there are already 25 or more students.

"It's a balance for us," he said.  "We don't want to overload any other school."

School officials need to make sure parents who requested transfers still want to move their children out of Thomson.

Then they will spend the days leading up to the Sept. 3 school start shuffling busing schedules and classroom lists.  The district is obligated to pay for busing students to schools that are more than two miles from their homes.

Marini said he was not sure how many people would want to transfer.

"I didn't have any way of measuring the first time through," Marini said.

The superintendent sent a letter to parents yesterday afternoon about the Thomson not meeting the requirement.  School officials will meet with Thomson parents Thursday to discuss the district's next steps and answer any questions people might have.

They're waiting for specific data on how close the school came to meeting it annual yearly progress goals.

"I think Thomson will be a great school. It has terrific leadership, programs and initiatives," Marini said.

Thomson's new principal, Greg Gilligan, has said with several new programs in place, he is confident the school will meet its MCAS goals the next time around.

Besides a new summer school piloted last month, Thomson will add new reading, writing and math programs, bring in more tutors and a social worker, and start a homework club.

Gilligan is setting up common planning time for teachers, where they can look at students' work together — pinpointing where a student may be having trouble and quickly remedying the situation.

"We want to exceed the benchmark, to surpass it," Gilligan said in an interview last week. "The key thing here is there's a sense of feeling among parents and staff to push forward."

Thomson School meeting
When: Thursday, 7 p.m. (August 28)
Where: Thomson School, 266 Waverly Road

Click on this link to join in on the discussion of this topic.

Will you be voting in the upcoming Massachusetts State Election?  Are you registered to vote?  Are you sure?

The Massachusetts City and Town Clerks Associations urge all residents to check their voter registration by October 15th for the Presidential Election.  You may call (978)688-9501 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to verify your status.

Even if you have been registered to vote for years, many Federal and State laws impact your registration status.  If you have moved, changed your name, or your local street list form was not received at city or town hall, you may encounter an issue at the polls.

When you registered to vote, you should have received a confirmation notice from the Registrars.  If not, your registration may not have reached their office.  If your local street list form was not received by city or town hall and you received a postage paid card, fill it out and send it in by the October 15th deadline for the Presidential Election.

If there is an issue with your voting status, in some cases, you will have to fill out an affidavit and show identification at the polls.  In other cases, you may be offered a Provisional Ballot that will only be cast if your registration eligibility is verified.

The Town Clerk’s Office is located at 120 Main Street. Our office hours are Monday through Friday 8:30AM - 4:30PM.

City and Town Clerks want all eligible citizens to be able to cast their ballot. Act now. Don’t wait. Check your voter registration status!

Congratulations to Christina Morgan of North Andover.   Christina was the winner of the Wii drawing which was held at the Senior Center on June 17th, 2008.   A total of $1710.00 was raised for the capital improvement campaign from the "Wii Can Do This Together" campaign supported by North Andover United and Friends of the Senior Center.

You can still make tax deductible contributions by clicking on this link.

The North Andover legislative delegation is inviting all North Andover citizens to join them for Public Forum on Tuesday April 15th at the North Andover Middle School.

"Our legislative delegation works together to provide North Andover with a strong and unified voice on Beacon Hill." said State Representative David Torrisi. "This is an opportunity for the residents of North Andover to hear about what’s happening at the state level."

Along with Representative Torrisi, Senator Steven Baddour, Senator Bruce Tarr, and Representative Barbara L’Italien will be on hand on to provide residents and town board members with an update on the state budget process and outlook for the upcoming fiscal year. Residents will also be invited to ask their legislators questions about any issues that are being discussed in town, or at the state level.

"As a delegation, we are all very proud and happy to serve the people of North Andover.  We know that by working together, we can accomplish a lot for the Town," said Senator Baddour.  "I welcome opportunities to update community members about what's new on Beacon Hill and to discuss the issues that are on the forefront of their minds."

"It’s important for residents to be informed about the work we do." added Representative L’Italien "We are proud to serve the residents of North Andover, and will continue to work hard to deliver results to the community."

The forum will be held in the Blaisdell Room at the North Andover Middle School from 6:30-8:30 pm. If you have any questions, please contact Representative Torrisi’s office at (617) 722-2014.

Click here to see formal announcement . 

This year the Senior Center was appropriated $250,000 through the Capital Improvement Fund to update and improve the existing space.  The Friends of the North Andover Senior Center have embarked on an 8-week Capital Improvement Fund Raiser.  Their goal is to raise $80,000.00 in 8 weeks.  These funds are necessary to fully fund and complete the proposed renovation project. Improvements to the senior center are as follows:

• Expanding reception and waiting area for better access for handicapped adults as well as all seniors entering the building.
• Moving and improving office space for better access to staff members by handicapped adults.
• Direct accessibility to all classrooms and nutrition site.
• Improving size of existing health screening office, and computer area

During the next 8 weeks, The Friends of the North Andover Senior Center Inc. will be aggressively fundraising to generate the $80,000.00 shortfall needed for this project to move forward. We need your help to accomplish this ambitious goal. If you would like to support us, mail your donation check made payable to:

Friends of the North Andover Senior Center, Inc.
PO Box 661, North Andover, MA 01845

This donation is tax deductible, please write "Capital Improvement Fund" in the memo section on check.

Your support is greatly appreciated,

George White President of the
Friends of the North Andover Senior Center

Related stories can be read in the Eagle Tribune and North Andover Citizen.

It is with great pleasure that we announce Sandy Gleed as the 2008 Pristash Award winner.   The Pristash Award established in 2006 to honor David and Leanna Pristash is voted on by all the parent / teacher organizations in town.  The recipient is selected based on their selfless dedication to our public schools.  Last year's recipents were Lianne Patenaude and Paddy Duncan.  The award will be presented to Sandy on Thursday,  April 10th  2008 at the Top of The Scales from 6 - 9pm.  Tickets are $35 per person and are on sale (3/4) at B-Sporty on Chickering Road (across from Hafners).   For futher information or to place an Ad in our Best Wishes Book please contact Margaret Shaheen at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or at 978-686-6562.  All proceeds to fund the Pristash Scholarship at the High School.

Fears of a recession are heating up the debate as state lawmakers offer to aid Massachusetts businesses that face steep unemployment insurance rates.

The Legislature and Gov. Deval Patrick are poised to forego a scheduled annual rate increase in favor of freezing rates at their current level for another year — a move that would prevent businesses from being saddled with $153 million in higher costs to cover the state's unusually generous jobless benefits.

Read the rest of the article in the Eagle Tribune.

Governor Deval Patrick will file legislation today to revive the Cabinet-level position of education secretary, a controversial post that has been twice abolished by the Legislature in recent decades because it spawned conflict and confusion over who oversaw education in the Commonwealth.

Read the rest of the article from the Boston Globe.

In January 2008, the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) produced an informational video/television program that presents the compelling case for a comprehensive state tax revenue-sharing policy. The program features interviews with key local leaders as well as leading economists, all of whom recognize the fiscal crisis facing cities and towns, and the critical importance of local fiscal health to the sustainability of the state’s economy and quality of life.

The MMA is providing this program as a valuable resource tool for local use in educating the public and community leaders on the need for revenue sharing.

This video is very interesting and a lot of the issues discussed really hit home for North Andover.

Click here to view the video.

Interim High School Principal Carla Scuzzarella is expected to be hired permanently to the position after six months on the job.   Read the entire article from the  Eagle Tribune by clicking on this link.

We're happy to introduce the creation of a new section on our site: 2008 Town Election.   In this section we will highlight news articles and information relating to the important election coming up in March.   We are creating content sections and interactive forums for candidates to use (participation may vary) to help introduce themselves and provide a way of sharing information that my not have previously been available.

So mark your calendars for March 25, 2008 for the election and join in as an active participant to share information.   Help our community make solid decisions based on open and communicated ideas.   Keep an eye on the "Upcoming Important Election Dates" to the right our home page to stay updated on the latest events.

Please provide any comments to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .   This section will grow over time as more candidates participate and information is contributed.   We are actively making changes based on suggestions.  

As always, if you'd like to be more-closely involved in what is going on with our town please register on our site to receive updated information.   You can always unsubscribe and your information is not shared.

A designer has been chosen for the Police Station project.   Read the details on Wicked Local.

An interesting article from the Boston Globe:n "It's technically neither free nor cash, but it is a tempting way to balance the budget at the end of the fiscal year. Repeatedly raiding the account, however, can have costly ramifications."

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/01/31/no_such_thing_as_free_cash?mode=PF

Dear Friends,

As we close out 2007, North Andover United Inc. would like to share with you some reflections on the past year, as well as some thoughts about the year ahead.

At this time last year, the educational and municipal budget picture in North Andover looked grim, and we faced the possible loss of our high school accreditation.  Instead of sinking deeper into our troubles, North Andover citizens and leaders found creative ways to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, we approved a modest override to preserve critical services, and probably most importantly, we found the strength to work together, well, to promote positive change in our community.  We found our community spirit.

North Andover United Inc. also found our community voice.  We morphed from a hastily assembled yet highly skilled ballot committee, to an association with a civic educational mission, to a formal non-profit corporation with sixteen core members, an incredibly versatile informational website at www.northandover.org [now sporting video clips as well!], and countless supporters of all ages and demographics.  We’ve been successful because we’re passionate about the health of our town and reasonable about our approach to drive positive change.  And we’re in this for the long haul…

In the Gleed household, we enjoy a New Year’s tradition that’s both fun and reflective.  Each year we write our New Year’s resolutions down, we seal them in an envelope and pack them away with the Christmas decorations.  Then we open up last year’s envelopes, and tally the score of honored resolutions vs. forgotten or abandoned resolutions. 

Following that same tradition, consider this email North Andover United Inc.’s virtual list of 2008 New Year’s Resolutions:  We resolve to make an impact on improving State funding for municipal budgets; we resolve to remain knowledgeable about both lifestyle and budget issues that affect North Andover and pass that info along to you in a clear, concise [well…at least we’ll try to keep it short!] manner; and we resolve to work with our municipal and school department elected leaders, administrators and staff, to preserve that spirit of community that’s so critical to our future.

North Andover United, Inc. anticipates a heavy 2008 budget, election, and annual Town Meeting agenda.  And NAU is well underway on our State funding project.  We have a corporate sponsor who has now doubled their matching contribution to NAU to $5,000 with a deadline of December 31, 2007.  These donations are important because NAU intends to generate coalition action packets and widely distribute them across the state, as one critical component of generating an effective grassroots campaign to relieve municipal hardship.

Please consider making a contribution, before December 31st, to North Andover United, Inc., 81 Prescott Street, North Andover, MA  01845.  We’ve also provided a very convenient and easy-to-use paypal link on the home page at www.northandover.org.  You can make credit card donations by clicking on the Paypal button; you don’t even have to have a paypal account to use this feature. 

With the corporate $5,000 dollar for dollar match, not only do you double the impact of your donation, but NAU has a potential $10,000 opportunity to significantly impact our town’s future.  I’ve made my personal donation  – I believe in NAU!

On behalf of your friends at NAU, have a happy, peaceful and safe holiday season!

Sandy Gleed, Pres.
North Andover United, Inc.

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Sandy Gleed
81 Prescott Street, North Andover, MA  01845
www.northandover.org 
978-688-5026

Corporate Matching Donation Secured to Fund State-Wide Grassroots Coalition

November 28, 2007 - North Andover United and the local non-profit citizen group, "ABC" – A Better Community of North Andover, have merged to form a new non-profit corporation: North Andover United, Inc. 

Sandy Gleed, Chair of North Andover United, Inc. will lead the organization and officers and Board members will join forces under the NAU name.

"I am confident that our financial, marketing, business, website and volunteer skills will combine exceedingly well to support our commitment to advocate for accuracy and accountability in municipal government," said Gleed about the merger.

NAU is not content with sitting back and enjoying its June override election success or the kudos it has received for organizing the recent State of the Town of North Andover Government Forum.  NAU now plans to launch its state-wide citizen coalition, armed with accurate facts and figures, to focus Massachusetts legislative attention on critical issues such as increasing funding for special education. 

Reaching out to all 351 Massachusetts communities requires funding.  A corporate donor has pledged to match, dollar for dollar, the first $5,000 that NAU can raise from now until the close of December.  NAU supporters are asked to send donations to:  North Andover United, Inc., 81 Prescott Street, North Andover, MA  01845.

North Andover United, Inc. has pledged to work on finding solutions to the difficult underlying structural problems shared by municipalities across the state.  North Andover citizens are encouraged to join NAU and to register at www.northandover.org to receive  email updates, the "In Case You Missed It..." newsletter, and to track NAU’s progress.