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School Committee

Friday, July 13, 2012

Cricket Field Group To Continue Efforts

While the School Committee works on an MSBA application, neighbors hope to find alternative options for Hillside Elementary School and to raise awareness of the issue.

“Save Cricket Field” organizer Sue Owen said she was not surprised by the School Committee’s decision Tuesday evening not to remove the field as an option for a future Hillside School site. But Owen said she and others from the Cricket Field neighborhood plan to maintain their efforts to seek out alternatives and to convince the town that building on Cricket Field is not the way to go. “I think the School Committee is committed to going forward, to finding solutions for the problems at Hillside and Mitchell, and we in the Cricket Field community are also supportive of finding options,” Owen said after the meeting, held July 10 at Broadmeadow Elementary School. “I can see where the Hillside community might be fearful that their school could…

In this Article:

School Committee Takes No Action on Cricket Field, Hillside Elementary School, Cricket Field, and 5 more ›

Catherine Kurkjian

9:06 am on Sunday, July 15, 2012

The divisive environment that has been created from this situation seems to be unnecessary. Option 1A.2b is a viable option for building a new school at the Hillside location (PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDY, Final Report 6 July 2012); hence, it is unclear to me why such an exorbitant amount of time and money continues to be expended considering Cricket Field. Option 1A.2a: Hillside ES ‐ New School (w/ …   more ›

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

School Committee Takes No Action on Cricket Field

Board members chose not to vote on Park and Rec's proposal to remove the property as a potential site for a future school and will move forward with the MSBA process.

The future of Cricket Field will remain uncertain for the time being, as the Needham School Committee decided Tuesday not to remove the park as an option for a future school site. But school officials also said their first choice would be to keep Hillside Elementary School at the current site, at 28 Glen Gary Rd.— echoing the sentiments expressed by several Hillside parents as well as a group of Cricket Field neighbors who want to save the park. “I think the Park and Recreation Commission’s vote was and is well-meaning and heartfelt and makes sense from their perspective,” Needham Public Schools Superintendent Dan Gutekanst said, referring to the commission’s June 11 vote to request the School Committee to remove Cricket Field as an option…

In this Article:

Cricket Field, Hillside Elementary School, Park & Rec Votes to Take Cricket Off the Table, and 7 more ›

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Newman's Modular Classrooms Moving Out

Volunteers helped school staff pack up materials in preparation to return to the newly renovated building this summer.

Today, just two days after school closed for the summer, crews will be getting to work taking down the modular classrooms at Newman Elementary School following the building’s recent renovation. “Newman will be closed as of midnight tonight,” Needham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Dan Gutekanst said at the School Committee meeting Tuesday, June 19. “The campus will be closed and the offices will be closed until July 9.” Newman parents who need to reach the building principals can contact them at Eliot School, Gutekanst said. The Newman staff was busy up until 10 p.m. the last day of school, June 19, packing up their classrooms and offices. The quick job was completed with the help of many volunteers, including the staff at Charles River …

In this Article:

A New Look for Newman, Newman Elementary School, Eliot School, and 4 more ›

Cliff Hayden

4:58 pm on Sunday, July 1, 2012

Schools can grow up to 10% larger than the projected population 5 years out. In this case, that should be enough capacity for the Elementary level for some years, so I think it makes sense to stay in line for the 40% reimbursement from the State. The town also has to manage its debt carefully in order to maintain it's AAA bond rating. If we had accelerated Hillside and/or Mitchell, there is a …   more ›

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Residents Speak Out on Cricket Field Proposal

Area neighbors and Hillside parents presented concerns on both sides of the issue during the public comment portion of Tuesday's School Committee meeting.

Neighbors concerned about the possible use of Cricket Field as a site for a new Hillside Elementary School got a chance to speak out on the issue during the public comment portion of Tuesday’s School Committee meeting. But they weren’t the only ones with something to say. Parents from the Hillside School community also weighed in on the issue—asking the School Committee not to take Cricket Field off the table but to keep as many options as possible open for the future school building project. Elizabeth Bloom, a Nehoiden Street resident and Hillside parent, said she didn’t feel it was fair to take any options off the table. “It’s really just too early in the process,” she said. “It’s about more than what’s best for one particular area.” …

In this Article:

Cricket Field, Hillside Elementary School, Cricket Field Supporters Crowd School Committee Meeting, and 5 more ›

Doug Fox

12:21 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012

There isn't much buildable land in Needham, so it would be a mistake to eliminate one of the few spaces available. We're going to have to get creative to solve our school crunch.   more ›

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Park & Rec Votes to Take Cricket Off the Table

The commission is requesting that the Needham School Committee remove Cricket Field as a possible future site for Hillside or Mitchell elementary schools.

The Needham Park and Recreation Commission voted this week to take Cricket Field off the table as an option for a future school site. Though the issue only recently came to light for neighbors, who flooded a School Committee meeting on June 5 to show their concern, the commission has been aware of the proposal since Park and Recreation Director Patty Carey saw the field mentioned in a report to the Permanent Public Building Committee in March and has been following the process closely since then, member Tom Jacob said. The commission submitted a letter to the School Committee earlier this month outlining some of their concerns. “It’s actually been on our agenda every meeting since we found out about it,” Jacob said of the issue. Though it …

In this Article:

Cricket Field, Cricket Field Supporters Crowd School Committee Meeting, Hillside Elementary School, and 3 more ›

Louise Miller

8:55 pm on Sunday, June 17, 2012

I completely agree with the Park and Recreation Commission.   more ›

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Cricket Field Supporters Crowd School Committee Meeting

Neighbors are concerned about the possible future use of Cricket Field for an elementary school site to address needs at Hillside and Mitchell schools.

About 100 Needham residents—some wearing green-and-white T-shirts reading “Save Cricket Field”—showed up to the School Committee meeting Tuesday evening to hear about options for Needham Public Schools’ Hillside and Mitchell elementary schools, including one that would build a new Hillside school on Cricket Field. Despite being told that it was not the time for public comment, residents made it clear they were not happy with the proposal—which is one of about three main options being considered in what School Committee chairwoman Heidi Black called “the very, very, very early stage” of the planning process. Several people called out or shouted unanswered questions throughout the presentation by architecture firm Dore & Whittier, which was …

In this Article:

Hillside Elementary School, Mitchell School, Cricket Field, and 5 more ›

Catherine Kurkjian

9:09 pm on Tuesday, June 12, 2012

I think the Cricket Field neighborhood is a group of people who are frustrated with School Committee procedures that allowed the Board to disregard their concerns. There is no other Needham school surrounded by traffic on all three sides and in such close proximity to residential homes. I do not live in the Cricket Field neighborhood but having such a limited buffer zone between an elementary …   more ›

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Newman Playground Could Get Name, $100K

The Kelly Robey Connelly family has promised major support for the school project in honor of longtime Needham resident Phil Robey.

The new playground to be constructed at Newman Elementary School could be getting both a name and a $100,000 donation, thanks to a local family that is looking to honor one of their own. The family of Phil Robey has promised a significant donation for the project if the Needham School Committee agrees to name the finished playground in Robey’s honor, according to Mary Kelley, a member of the Support the Newman Playground organization. The group has been working to raise $250,000 by the end of June so they can secure a contractor for the summer and have the playground restored by the time kids return to school in the fall. The playground equipment is being torn down as part of the ongoing Newman renovations. The town will fund the leveling …

In this Article:

Newman Elementary School, A New Look for Newman, Charles River Center, and 1 more ›

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

School Committee Reorganizes for 2012-13

Susan Neckes joined the board following the April 10 Town Election, and a new chair and vice chair were named.

Updated Wednesday, April 25 at 4 p.m. with a correction and additional information about the Hillside and Mitchell projects. Meeting for the first time since the April 10 Town Election, the Needham Public Schools School Committee on Tuesday, April 24 welcomed newly elected member Susan Neckes to the board and reorganized their positions. Neckes replaces Bill Paulson, who chose not to seek a second term. The School Committee got down to business right away by voting on who would become the chairperson. Heidi Black was selected unanimously, moving over from her slot as vice chairwoman, while Joseph Barnes was chosen to be the new vice chairman. Black’s first public comments as chairwoman were to thank her predecessor, Marianne Cooley. “I’ve …

In this Article:

Hillside Elementary School, Mitchell School, Committee Considers Possible Options for Hillside, Mitchell Schools, and 1 more ›

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Anti-Bullying Curriculum Teaches Needham Students to Stand Up, Speak Out

School Committee members heard an update on Needham Public Schools' new programs on bullying and cyber-bullying issues at the April 3 meeting.

Though reading, writing and arithmetic are as important as ever, Needham students have been busy over the past year learning another set of Rs—recognize, refuse and report. The three words are key components of Needham Public Schools’ new anti-bullying curriculum and help kids find their voice when it comes to speaking out against mean behavior. This May will mark two years since the Massachusetts legislature passed new legislation requiring schools to take a more active role in educating kids about bullying, and on Tuesday, April 3, the Needham School Committee heard an update on how the district is meeting those goals. Chris Brumbach, director of student development and program evaluation, began the conversation by introducing the board …

In this Article:

Needham Public Schools, Needham High School, and Survey Shows Decline in Alcohol, Marijuana Use Among Needham Students

JuliannaSmith

5:36 pm on Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Bullying happens everywhere. It happens all the time, and it's happened since forever. Because it's so common, many adults think bullying is just a normal part of growing up. However, each one of us has the right to feel safe in our lives and good about ourselves. So as a parent, I suggest to provide your child a safety device to give them protection with this bullying problem's. You can check …   more ›

Friday, March 23, 2012

NEF Awards $46K in Spring Grants

Educational programs will include a Revolutionary War encampment, various visiting authors and artists and disability awareness.

Continuing its tradition of helping to fund educational enrichment programs in the Needham Public Schools, the Needham Education Foundation has awarded more than $46,000 in small grant money for the spring 2012 cycle. Programs reach children in every school building in the district, from elementary up to high school, and include a variety of events from visiting artists and authors to a Revolutionary War encampment at Hillside Elementary School. "These are definitely thinking outside the box and have a lot to give to students," School Committee member Kim Marie Nicols said of the 15 grants announced on Tuesday, March 20. Fourteen of the 15 grant applications were submitted online via the Needham Education Foundation's new Web form at …

In this Article:

Hillside Elementary School, Mitchell School, Newman Elementary School, and 5 more ›

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