PHOTOS: Pentucket Regional High School Stadium Opening Celebrated, Student Athletes Recognized

pentucketporta on November 2, 2023

The Pentucket Regional High School varsity football team takes the field at the opening game of the school’s new football stadium against Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School on Sept. 8. On Friday, Oct. 27, the school celebrated the opening of the new stadium by recognizing the School Building Committee, School Committee, and all of the school’s fall athletes and band members. (Courtesy Pentucket Regional High School)

WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew and Principal Brenda Erhardt are pleased to share that Pentucket Regional High School celebrated the opening of its new football stadium during a halftime ceremony on Friday, recognizing fall athletes and those who made the new stadium possible.

The Pentucket Regional School Committee, the Building Committee, and all fall athletes and band members were recognized at halftime of the Pentucket Regional High School varsity football team’s 27 to 20 victory over Northeast Metro Tech.

Fall athletes dressed up in their uniforms or Halloween costumes as they took the field at halftime to be recognized, and community members in the stands were asked to recognize the band and committee members who made the new stadium possible.

The stadium was built as part of the $146.3 million project that also saw a new middle high school built.

“We are blessed to be able to enjoy a new middle high school and all new athletic complex, and that blessing is the result of the hard work of members of our School Committee and Building Committee,” said Superintendent Bartholomew. “It was also a pleasure to recognize all of our hard working fall athletes and band members in this new and wonderful stadium.”

The stands were full during the game against Northeast Metro Tech on Friday evening, when Pentucket Regional High School recognized all those involved in the construction and planning off the new football stadium. (Courtesy Pentucket Regional High School)

Members of the girls soccer team took the field in Halloween costumes as they were recognized during a ceremony celebrating the opening of Pentucket Regional High School’s new football stadium. (Courtesy Pentucket Regional High School)

Members of the girls volleyball team pose for a photo after taking the field to be recognized during a ceremony celebrating the opening of Pentucket Regional High School’s new football stadium. (Courtesy Pentucket Regional High School)

From left, School Committee Members Wayne Adams, Chris Reading, and Marie Felzani were recognized during a halftime ceremony celebrating the opening of Pentucket Regional High School’s new football stadium. (Courtesy Pentucket Regional High School)

Students attended the game wearing Halloween costumes, cheering on their fellow students as the Pentucket Regional High School varsity football team defeated Northeast Metro Tech 27 to 20. (Courtesy Pentucket Regional High School)

Senior cheerleaders take the field as student athletes are recognized during halftime of the Pentucket Regional High School football game on Friday, Oct. 27. Pentucket recognized all those involved in the stadium’s construction, as well as all fall athletes, during a ceremony at halftime of the game. (Courtesy Pentucket Regional High School)

Merrimac Fire Department to Host Haunted House Halloween Event During Fire Prevention Week

pentucketporta on September 26, 2023

MERRIMAC — Chief Larry S. Fisher is pleased to announce that the Merrimac Fire Department will be hosting a Haunted House Halloween event in accordance with fire prevention week.

WHEN:  

Friday, Oct. 13 from 6-8 p.m.  

WHERE:  

Merrimac Fire Station, 16 East Main St. 

WHO:

  • Merrimac Fire Department 
  • Merrimac Council on Aging 
  • Merrimac Public Library  
  • Pentucket Middle High School Theater Arts Students 
  • Pentucket Girls Volleyball Players
  • Merrimac Police 
  • Merrimac PTO 
  • Old Home Days Committee 
  • Merrimac Daisy Troop 
  • Merrimac Fire Couplings
  • Merrimac Historical Museum
  • John Guilfoil Public Relations

WHAT:

The Merrimac Fire Department will be hosting a Haunted House Halloween event as part of their fire prevention week initiative, which is observed this year from Oct. 8- Oct. 14. The Merrimac Fire Department will be handing out fire prevention, home, and Halloween safety tips during the event. 

The event is free and will include crafts, pumpkin decorating, age-appropriate haunted houses, a Whoopie Wagon food truck (at the Sweetsir School), cotton candy and more. A limited amount of event t-shirts with a custom patch will be available for purchase.  

The Merrimac Public Library will be holding a Spooky Story time during the event from 6:15-6:30 pm. and 6:45-7 p.m., and the Merrimac Council on Aging will be handing out allergy free candy.  The Merrimac Old Home Days Committee will be displaying and selling scarecrows, which can be displayed at homes or businesses around town. 

Pentucket Regional Middle High School theater arts students and the girls’ volleyball team will be volunteering during the event.  

The event will be held in place of the annual open house and is meant to bring the community town departments, and community groups together for a family fun event.  

Parking near the fire station is limited. Additional parking will be located at the Sweetsir School, 104 Church St., and a shuttle bus, provided by Salter Transportation, will be available to transport community members to and from the fire station. J &A Audio and Lighting, LLC is donating their expertise, services, and equipment to bring the event to life. Local artist, Breanna Noone, designed the specialty patch and is contributing to some of the displays. 

“We encourage our community members to attend and participate in what is sure to be a fun event for all ages,” said Chief Fisher. “We as a department and as a town are committed to community engagement and this event is a wonderful way to show that by working together, we can create a large community event. We would like to thank our town partners for collaborating with us and volunteering their time to create a community event where everyone can participate.”  

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Merrimac Applicants Sought for Vacancy on Whittier Tech School Committee

pentucketporta on August 22, 2023

MERRIMAC – The Pentucket Regional School District invites interested Merrimac residents to apply to fill a vacancy on the Whittier Tech School Committee.

The board member serves to represent the best educational interests of children from the Town of Merrimac. Applicants will be interviewed in public session by the Pentucket Regional School Committee, which is the appointing authority. The selected applicant commits to serving a three-year term, ending March 31, 2026.

The Whittier Tech School Committee establishes purposes, policies, programs, and procedures which will best produce educational opportunities for all students.

School Committee members have four responsibilities:

  • Create and adopt District policies.
  • Select a Superintendent-Director to implement those policies.
  • Evaluate the Superintendent-Director.
  • Budget for adequate resources for the District.

Whittier Tech School Committee members are expected to maintain effective communication with the public, staff, and students, and to maintain awareness of attitudes, opinions, desires, and ideas. All Committee meetings are held in adherence to the Open Meeting Law, except where a closed executive session is permitted by the law.

Merrimac residents who are interested in serving are asked to send a letter of interest to Marianne Naffah, Office of the Superintendent, 22 Main St., West Newbury 01985 or to mnaffah@prsd.org, no later than Friday, Sept. 1.

 

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Town of Merrimac Launches New Website

pentucketporta on July 12, 2023

MERRIMAC —The Town of Merrimac is pleased to announce the launch of its new website. The new website, https://townofmerrimac.com, now features a user-friendly design and modern features to ensure that residents can easily access resources and important information. New features of the site include:  
  • Community Calendar to stay up to date with town events
  • Social media integration with Merrimac’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages.
  • New staff directory that features new phone numbers to easily contact town leaders, department heads and committee members
  • Agendas and Minutes Library
  • Online Payments and Forms
  • Expansive Search Feature
The homepage features an expansive menu that allows users and visitors to access Town Government Offices, Online Bill Payments, Elections and Voting information, and community resources. Residents can now subscribe to the site to receive email alerts of news updates and events posted on the website. Users can also apply for open municipal positions within Merrimac directly on the site. “The Select Board was looking to actively pursue ways to increase service levels throughout the Town of Merrimac, and our new website offers a way to provide better communication to our residents,” said Select Board Chairperson Chris Manni. “We encourage residents to explore our new site, as they can now access vital information with unlimited accessibility and ease.” The new website was created and designed by John Guilfoil Public Relations.  

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Merrimac Historical Museum Donates Dr. Frederick N. Sweetsir Portrait to Sweetsir School

pentucketporta on July 5, 2023

The Pentucket Regional School District’s elementary schools all are named after local historical figures: Dr. Elmer S. Bagnall in Groveland, Dr. John C. Page in West Newbury, and Helen R. Donaghue and Dr. Frederick N. Sweetsir in Merrimac.

Pentucket Regional High School German Instructor Stephen Petersen, who has some interest in the history of the District, noticed that all of the elementary schools displayed a portrait of their namesake except for Sweetsir School.

And the search for the missing portrait began.

The District contacted the Merrimac Historical Museum in hopes it might have one. With the help of Historical Museum members, the portrait was found within the Museum archives.

Dr. Frederick N. Sweetsir was born in Merrimac in 1911, and after attending Bowdoin College and Tufts Medical School, became a local doctor who served Merrimac residents. Soon after Dr. Sweetsir started his general practice in Merrimac, he volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Force and served from 1942 to 1946. He was discharged as a Major. Sweetsir went on to serve in the medical service of the U.S. Army Air Force until his return to Merrimac in 1946, where he would engage in general practice until 1977.

He was an Executive Councilor of the Massachusetts Medical Society and numerous medical committees in northern Essex County. He was also a member of the committee that built the Helen R. Donaghue School. Overall, Dr. Sweetsir was known for his altruism and amiable care of his patients.

The former Red Oak School was renamed in his honor.

Like the Museum members today, Dr. Sweetsir was dedicated to preserving the Town’s history. He was chairman of the Merrimac Historical Museum, and around 1974, Sweetsir formed a historical commission that was dedicated to the preservation of town history.

“Dr. Sweetsir was best known as an advocate for the schools and Town of Merrimac,” said Museum Board Chair Larry Fisher. “He personally paid to have the old school landing next to the fire station moved in order to preserve the last standing schoolhouse in Merrimac. He also passed on a large amount of his personal historical collection to the Merrimac Historical Museum.”

The District’s close ties to town history have a deep impact on its students, who are greatly interested in the history of their schools. Sweetsir School, which educates students in Pre-K through Grade 2, is next door to Helen R. Donaghue School, which teaches students in Grades 3-6. Sweetsir students start by learning the facets that make up historical thinking – geography, civics, unity, and diversity – within their history classes.

Upon arriving at Donaghue, history lessons shift to focus on applying these elements to the history of Massachusetts and local communities. At the beginning of the year, Grade 3 students learn about town government, local geographic features and historical landmarks, and the demographic origins of Groveland, West Newbury, and Merrimac.

This year, Grade 3 teacher Kathleen Tercerio reached out to the Historical Museum about doing tours with students. Each class walked from Donaghue School to the Museum to take a tour with Fisher, where they learned about the history of Merrimac, as well as about the individuals for whom their schools were named.

“The students loved it so much that they brought their parents back to the Museum the following weekend and regurgitated the tour. They’re like sponges; they soak up all of the information. It was very exciting to see,” said Sweetsir and Donaghue School Principal Stephanie Dembro.

Fisher, who loves to add one-of-a-kind pieces of town history to his personal collection, has a deep passion for the preservation of local history and noted that students will be crucial in that effort moving forward.

“The kids were very engaged with the history and trying to preserve it. They say that you can win the hearts of people through the kids, and it’s true,” he said. “Our kids are our future because they place a different value on our history.”

“We’re doing this to make sure the town retains some of its history,” said Fisher. “This puts a spotlight on the school, but also on the role of the Museum in the town’s preservation.”

“The Pentucket Regional School District prides itself on getting our students involved in the greater community. Our students at all of our schools, from Kindergarten through Grade 12, have shown great interest in the history of their towns and schools,” said Superintendent Justin Bartholomew. “It’s amazing to see them go out into the world and exhibit an appreciation for where they come from.”

Fisher presented the portrait to Superintendent Bartholomew and Principal Dembro at the school on Tuesday, June 6. They hung the portrait in the lobby, where students will finally be able to put a face to the name of the man for whom Sweetsir School was named.

“The kids are going to be so excited to see this,” said Principal Dembro. “I know that when they come out (to the lobby) at dismissal, the portrait will be the first thing they notice.”

Pentucket students involved in the Pentucket Profile, “the voice of Pentucket students,” wrote an article that uncovers the history behind the namesakes of Pentucket’s elementary schools. The article can be found here.

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A Truly Special Addams Family Musical Production Takes Place at Pentucket Regional Middle School after Actor Returns to Stage Following Knee Injury

pentucketporta on June 11, 2023

WEST NEWBURY — A stacked cast of Pentucket Regional Middle School students took the stage at 7 p.m. Saturday for the third and final performance of “The Addams Family Young@Part,” a 60-minute version of the hit Broadway musical.

But when 7th grader Paige Souliotis was rolled onto the stage in a wheelchair and breathed life into the wonderfully macabre Wednesday Addams, the crowd suddenly knew that they were part of a special moment in the storied arts and theater history at Pentucket.

Matinee Suspended

Forty minutes into the 2 p.m. matinee performance Saturday, Wednesday Addams was to turn around and snap a retort to her father, Gomez (Played by Brooke Pipan). When Paige went to pivot, her shoe got stuck and she twisted her knee, dislocating her patella and falling painfully to the stage floor.

“Gomez asks Wednesday ‘Where are you going?’ and I was supposed to twist to Gomez, holding a crossbow, and shout ‘Away!'” Paige said. “But my shoe got stuck and down I went. I knew right away that I could not stand up.”

The all-student cast and crew acted immediately. The curtain fell, and the performance was suspended. Paige was taken to Lawrence General Hospital. She was already nursing the same right knee from a spring lacrosse injury.

It was a devastating moment for Paige, 13, of Merrimac, who has been acting since grade 3, appearing in shows for Pentucket and for the Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport. It was not the first time she stared down disappointment. She was cast as Dorothy in 2020, but Pentucket elementary schools never held their “Wizard of Oz” performances, as the COVID-19 pandemic upended the school year.

The Show Must Go On

The 35-student cast and crew went into crisis mode. Director Brooke Snow, an 8th-grade teacher and the middle and high schools’ after-school theater director, watched with amazement as the students remained poised and in charge.

While the matinee was over, the 7 p.m. finale was still looming. Quickly, it was decided that another actor would step in for Paige if her injury kept her sidelined. But middle school plays generally don’t have understudies. Charlotte Walton, a 7th grader playing a pirate ancestor of the Addams Family, learned Wednesday’s lines, and other students, including 8th grader Abby McIntyre (playing an Addams ancestral cowgirl) helped Charlotte learn Wednesday’s dance steps.

“It was like watching a group of professionals, not middle school kids,” Snow said. “When Paige got hurt, of course the kids were spooked and concerned, but they immediately came to her rescue, they closed curtain and ran to her aide. Then, after all that, they started to address the 7 p.m. show. I’ve never seen such a reaction from an entire cast and crew.”

But Paige was determined.

“My mom drove me to the hospital, and all I kept saying was ‘Will I be back? Will I be back? Will I be back?” she said. “The whole car ride I was texting my friends, apologizing. I thought I ruined the show.”

At 4:45 p.m., the text came from Paige’s mom, Julie, to Snow. “She’s coming back.”

And at 7 p.m. on the button, with a brief introduction from Snow explaining the circumstances, 8th grader Thomas Carrozo, playing an Uncle Fester that would make Christopher Lloyd proud, smiled a crooked smile with a cocked neck as he rolled Paige’s Wednesday in for the opening number.

It was a moment that not many parents and aunts and uncles attending a middle school musical were prepared for.

Energy

With Snow perched just off stage on the stairs instead of her usual place in the seats, the students gave the performance of their young lives.

With Paige nimbly navigating her wheelchair, with some help from Nella Snyder (Addams ancestor Marilyn Addams), the usually nimble trained dancer was forced to rely on her voice to make up for the loss of body language from being seated. Her voice boomed, Snow said. The cast, seemingly buoyed by their shared crisis response, rose to the occasion.

And in the end, the effect of Wednesday Addams playfully electrocuting her brother Pugsley was not diminished by the wheelchair’s presence one bit.

“There was an energy,” Snow said. “I thought it was some of the best acting I’ve ever seen out of this group. They were forced to get out of their own way because they were forced to think differently. I knew the moment Thomas rolled Paige out there that the show would be special.”

The crowd was uproarious during the finale and for each group of cast members taking their bows. Paige received a standing ovation.

“I’m just so happy for my friends,” Paige said. “This is all about the group. We worked so hard, and I am so glad we gave a strong closing show. Everyone wants to close strong and go out with a bang.”

“When I saw the dress rehearsal on Thursday, I was absolutely blown away.  I was shocked to learn about Paige’s injury, but it doesn’t surprise me the way the group rallied around to support her,” said Sabrina Simone, Pentucket’s Assistant Principal for  Grades 7-9. “I’m in awe of Paige’s determination and perseverance–people will not forget this last performance, and I am so proud of this entire group. I have no doubt that this show will go down in history as one of the most special and outstanding performances at Pentucket.”

The musical theater program is a staple of the Pentucket Regional School District’s arts program. Every year, the elementary, middle and high schools each put on an assortment of plays and musicals. Some elementary students also have the chance to step up and perform with the older grades, as Paige did in 2019 when she played Young Elsa as a fourth grader in the middle school’s Frozen Jr. production.

“The theater program has been exceptional for students like Paige, and Brooke Snow is a gift to our communities,” Julie Souliotis said.

Added Superintendent Justin Bartholomew: “Showing so much grit in overcoming incredible adversity as Paige did is remarkable. And, as she points out, her peers rallying around her to support her and adapting to the situation in the production is a fabulous testament to the exceptional character of these young performers and their director.”

“The cast and crew displayed all of the characteristics that we strive for in all of our students,” said Pentucket Regional Middle School Principal Terrence Conant. “Pivoting and making the needed adjustments in under four hours is a tribute to their determination and teamwork. Paige’s commitment to her peers is an extension of her character that we see each day. Thank you to Ms. Snow for her leadership and commitment to our Pentucket students.”

For students like Paige, performing has helped her grow and prepare for what comes next in life.

“Theater has changed me as a person. I have gained support systems and worked in extremely close teams, and learned that there are things I can do that I didn’t know I could do,” Paige said. “I learned more about myself.”

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE

“The Addams Family Young@Part” is the authorized 60-minute edition of the Broadway musical created for elementary and middle schools, and youth theater groups. The performance was directed by Brooke Snow, who has served as

Cast:

  • Brooke Pipan as Gomez Addams
  • Fiona Moore as Morticia Addams
  • Paige Souliotis as Wednesday Addams
  • Thomas Carrozo as Uncle Fester
  • Bryce Couture as Puglsey Addams
  • Ava DePaolo as Grandma Addams
  • Aiden Johnson as Lurch
  • Gavin Prince as Lucas Bienecke
  • Astrid Laidlaw as Alice Bienecke
  • Tyler Stone as Mal Bienecke
  • Conor Price as Cousin Itt
  • Kayla Dinan as the Moon
  • Charlotte Walton and Griffin McFadden (Pirates/Soloists)
  • Ava Lucius (Nurse/Soloist)
  • Abby McIntyre (Cowgirl/Soloist)
  • Mikayla Trombly (Victorian/Soloist)
  • Zoe Power (Grim Reaper/Soloist)
  • Aubrey Flynn (Waiter)
  • Maddie Damacio (50’s girl ancestor)
  • Holly Cushing (80s girl ancestor)
  • CJ Aylward (Edgar Allan Addams)
  • Gabriella Albano (Knight/Soloist)
  • Agatha Quinlan (Bride)
  • Logan Rich (Groom)
  • Isabelle Engel (Creepy Child/Soloist)
  • Hannah Lovely (Sophisticated Lady)
  • Ava Murray (Pilgrim)
  • Nella Snyder (Marilyn Addams/Soloist)
  • Emma Niepp (Surfer)
  • Jada Languirand (Sailor/Soloist)
  • Tia Fahey (Prom Queen)
  • Jordan Basque (Clown)
  • Camden LeBlanc (Jester)
  • Kaya Dinan (Ballerina Ancestor)

Production Team/Crew

  • Director: Brooke Snow (staff member)
  • Assistant Directors: Lauren Rivers and Hailey Bruno
  • Stage Manager: Laken Graham
  • Technical Director: Kevin Berube (staff member)
  • Lighting Designer: Adam Hannula
  • Sound Engineer: Chaney Goldstein
  • Tech Crew: Jonah Brien, Zach Hannula, Zach Atwood
  • Choreographers: Fiona Moore, Nayana Carvalho, Lauren Rivers, Hailey Bruno

THE ADDAMS FAMILY A NEW MUSICAL

Book by MARSHALL BRICKMAN and RICK ELICE Music and Lyrics by ANDREW LIPPA

Based on Characters Created by Charles Addams

Young@Part® Edition Adapted by Marc Tumminelli

Young@Part® Edition originally produced at Broadway Workshop in New York City

 

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Donaghue, Sweetsir Elementary Schools Participate in Successful Memorial Day Program

pentucketporta on June 6, 2023

MERRIMAC — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew and Principal Stephanie Dembro are pleased to share that the Sweetsir and Donaghue Elementary Schools recently participated in a successful Memorial Day Program. 

The program, held on Friday, May 26, recognized active service members and veterans who are a part of the Merrimac community, including staff at the Sweetsir and the Donaghue schools.

Students in kindergarten through Grade 6, directed by Music Teacher Johanna Dickson, performed patriotic songs and read reflections on what Memorial Day means to them.

Members of the American Legion Post 134 attended, led by Commander Roger Clark.

“It was so great to see the Merrimac community come together for this event,” said Dickson. “I was very proud to see our students ‘give back’ to the service members and veterans in attendance.” 

“This program is a great way for students to learn about the importance of Memorial Day and recognize the sacrifices of veterans and service members,” said Superintendent Bartholomew. “Thank you to all who attended, and to veterans and active service members for their contributions to the Merrimac community.”

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Merrimac Police Investigating Bitcoin Scam, Theft of $28,000, and Warning Community to Use Caution

pentucketporta on May 3, 2023

MERRIMAC — Police Chief Eric M. Shears reports that the Merrimac Police Department is investigating an incident in which a Merrimac resident was scammed out of $28,000, and warning the public about the proliferation of such scams.

On April 27, a 65-year-old Merrimac resident contacted police because she realized she had been scammed out of $28,000.

The resident had been online shopping when she clicked on a link and began receiving warnings that claimed to be scam alerts, which told her to call a specific phone number.

Upon calling the number, the resident was told to download an application, that funds had been mistakenly transferred to her bank account, and that she needed to contact her bank to make arrangements to correct the error. It is believed the application that the resident was told to download enabled the scammers to access the resident’s personal information, which was then used to further the scam.

Via a series of telephone calls that were spoofed to make it appear as if the resident was dealing with her actual bank, the scammers then convinced the resident to withdraw money from her bank account and then go to a nearby Bitcoin ATM and deposit a total of $28,000 to correct the alleged bank error.

It was only later that the resident realized she had fallen victim to a scam and contacted Merrimac Police.

“Scams like these are tragic because they target and take advantage of elderly residents, who often have limited income and rely on their savings,” said Chief Shears. “A key point to remember when trying to protect yourself against such scams is that few legitimate businesses will have you send payment via bitcoin, gift cards or money transfer.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers the following four signs to help people recognize possible scams:

  • Scammers pretend to be from an organization you know. They might use a real name, like the Social Security Administration, the IRS, or Medicare, or make up a name that sounds official. Some pretend to be from a business you know, like a utility company, a tech company, or even a charity asking for donations.
  • Scammers say there’s a problem or prize. They might say you’re in trouble with the government, that you owe money, that someone in your family had an emergency, or that there’s a virus on your computer. Some scammers say there’s a problem with one of your accounts and that you need to verify some information. Others will lie and say you won money in a lottery or sweepstakes but have to pay a fee to get it.
  • Scammers pressure you to act immediately. They might tell you not to hang up so you can’t check out their story. They might threaten to arrest you, sue you, take away your driver’s or business license, or deport you. They might say your computer is about to be corrupted.
  • Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way. They often insist that you pay by sending money through bitcoin, a money transfer company or by putting money on a gift card and then giving them the number on the back. Some will send you a check (that will later turn out to be fake), tell you to deposit it, and then send them money.

The FTC also recommends that if you get an email or text message from a company you do business with and you think it’s real, it’s still best not to click on any links. Instead, contact them using a website you know is trustworthy, or look up their phone number. Don’t call a number they gave you or the number from your caller ID.

“Scams like these are becoming increasingly complex, but one common part of such scams is that they seek to pressure people into quickly sending payments,” said Detective Stephen Beaulieu. “We encourage anyone receiving these types of calls or communications to slow down, take a deep breath, and reach out to friends, family members, or Merrimac Police for advice on what next steps should be.”

Residents who believe they may have fallen victim to such a scam, or who believe they may be communicating with would-be scammers, are encouraged to contact the Merrimac Police Department at 978-346-8321.

Merrimac Elementary Schools Celebrate Unique WeeBulletin board created by Sweetsir students and PTO members during Unique Week celebration. (Photo Courtesy Pentucekt Regional School District)

pentucketporta on April 10, 2023

MERRIMAC — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew and Principal Stephanie Dembro are pleased to share that the Sweetsir and Donaghue Elementary Schools recently celebrated Unique Week.  

Teachers, faculty, and PTO members collaborated to create a week, held from March 27-31, which was dedicated to celebrating each student’s uniqueness.  

During Unique Week students participated in activities including breathing exercises during Monday’s mindfulness theme, creating music notes, designing infinity symbols, coloring and more. Students were encouraged to wear fun outfits that corresponded with that day’s unique theme.  

Additionally, students created posters and worked with their peers to create an overall poster featuring individual creations. The PTO sponsored the inclusive poster project.

“As counselors, we are excited to celebrate We are Unique Week. It gives our students and staff the opportunity to reflect on what makes us amazing,” said School Psychologist Amy Brennan. “We are all incredible individuals and together we create an incredible community.” 

Unique Week gives students the opportunity to foster relationships with peers and celebrate their unique qualities through fun activities and engagement.  

“Unique Week is important to me as a Special Education teacher in the Horizons Program, because it provides an opportunity for the school community to celebrate each and every student’s strengths, passions, and love that they spread each and every day both in and outside of the classroom,” said Special Education teacher Margaret Ford. 

“The Merrimac students have continuously demonstrated their abilities to show care, compassion, kindness and inclusion to our students who access the District Program,” said Special Education Teacher Abbie Glynn. “Unique Week is just another way that our little community can come together to celebrate everyone’s uniqueness, while also showing students that they share similarities to some of their peers that may look or act differently than them. As a teacher of the district program for many years, I am so proud to share in this special week to not only honor my students, but every student in the Merrimac schools who are special and unique.”  

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Man Sentences to 22 years in state prison for Raping and Kidnapping Elderly Merrimac Woman

pentucketporta on September 19, 2022

Originally distributed by the Essex District Attorney’s Office:

A 51-year old Merrimac man admitted that he broke into a 74-year old woman’s home and repeatedly raped her last July.  Judge Thomas Drechsler sentenced him to 22 years in state prison followed by three years of probation.

William Raia pleaded guilty to Aggravated Kidnapping, Armed Assault in a Dwelling, Aggravated Rape (3 counts), Assault to Rape, Strangulation, Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon on a person over 60 (2 counts), Assault & Battery on a person over 60, causing injury and Breaking and Entering in the Nighttime causing Fear.  While on probation, Raia was ordered to comply with the Sex Offender Registry Board, seek and complete Substance Abuse and Sex Offender Treatment, and stay away from and have no contact with the victim.  He is required to wear a GPS monitoring device for the first year of probation.

Essex Assistant District Attorney Kate MacDougall requested a 30 to 40-year sentence stating, “Were it not for the victim’s presence of mind and courage, this would have been a homicide.  This was a made-for-TV horrifying attack in the night.  The victim not only was able to escape, saving her life, but she also was able to direct law enforcement to key evidence that aided in identifying her attacker.”

Had the case gone to trial, ADA MacDougall would have introduced evidence that would have proven that on July 3, 2021, a 74-year old woman was woke up in her Merrimac home to the defendant standing over her.  He immediately began to attack her sexually and physically.  The defendant made statements that made her believe that he had been watching her for some time and was familiar with her routines.  At one point the defendant smoked a cigarette and drank a beer.  The victim noted where he left the cigarette butt.  When his back was turned, she fled naked out of the house, into the pouring rain, to her neighbor’s house.

Responding officers located the beer can and the cigarette butt, as well as an “old-fashioned” flip phone that was registered to the defendant’s wife.  After submitting the rape kit, beer can and cigarette butt to the MSP Crime Lab for analysis, a clear Y (male) profile was found in the rape kit and a complete profile on the beer can.  Merrimac Police detectives surveilled the defendant and were able to collect the butt of a cigarette that they observed him smoke.  The DNA on that cigarette butt matched the DNA that had already been analyzed.

“This outcome cannot restore the peace of mind that the defendant so callously took from this brave woman,” Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said.  “I am hopeful that not having to endure a trial and the resolution of the case, will provide her with some peace.”

“This defendant not only committed despicable acts against the victim, he also shattered the sense of security in our entire community,” Merrimac Police Chief Eric Shears said.  “I am grateful for the collaborative efforts of the Massachusetts State Police detectives, Crime Lab and the Essex DA’s Office along with our entire department in solving this case quickly.”

ADA MacDougall praised the efforts of Merrimac Police Sergeant Steve Ringuette and Detective Steve Beaulieu, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Thomas Sullivan and the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab in solving this case.  She was also assisted by Essex Victim Advocate Maria Arroyo-Long.