AMESBURY — Firefighters, chiefs, police officers, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and one extremely loveable therapy dog comprise the badge-wearing segment of friendly faces patients run into at the Lower Merrimack Valley Regional Collaborative COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic.
MERRIMAC — The Merrimac Fire Department, Municipal Light Department and Pentucket Regional School District report that gusty winds have caused power outages and property damage in town today.
Ann Brady-Lozier (far left), school nurse at the Dr. Frederick N. Sweetsir School in Merrimac, waits with other volunteers at one of the eight vaccination stations set up at Saturday’s Lower Merrimack Valley Vaccine Clinic session in West Newbury. (Courtesy Photo)
WEST NEWBURY — Amesbury Fire Chief Ken Berkenbush, on behalf of nine Merrimack Valley communities and their fire departments and public health officials, reports that extremely successful COVID-19 vaccination clinics have been held at the Dr. John C. Page School in West Newbury over the past two weekends. Officials in the nine communities are calling attention to the efficiency and local impact of this clinic, which has served first responders and the regions’ oldest citizens, and which is now in jeopardy of ending with a sudden shift in vaccine distribution policy in Massachusetts at the state level.
“Phase two is a critical time for the vaccine distribution effort. It is where our oldest and sickest residents — our most vulnerable and least mobile — are being served,” Chief Berkenbush said. “I join my colleagues in Amesbury, Georgetown, Groveland, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, Salisbury and West Newbury in calling for the state to reconsider its decision to cut off the vaccine supply to successful regional clinics such as ours.”
In total, the Lower Merrimack Valley Vaccine Clinic has been allocated 1,600 does to inoculate 800 residents. With second dose clinics scheduled for Feb. 18 and March 6, the clinic projects to actually use approximately 1650 doses and vaccinate 825 people, thanks to careful handling of the vials. The clinic has resulted in zero wasted doses and a 103% usage rate of the allocated doses.
New state guidelines indicate that doses will only be made available to regional clinics that can operate five days per week, serving at least 750 doses per day.
“At the onset, we were told to prepare for 100 doses per community per week. We were prepared for more doses if they were available, but the new guidelines from the state represent a nearly fourfold increase in clinic capability,” Chief Berkenbush said. “The state is certainly aware that nearly all regional clinics will be unable to meet this threshold and are unable to guarantee both facilities and volunteers for 40 hours a week. This represents nothing short of a moving of the goalpost.”
Since the Cold War, municipalities have been asked to plan and prepare for emergency situations. Federal and state governments have for decades asked municipalities to be ready should emergencies arise, and as a result, local leaders are uniquely trained and qualified to handle a situation such as the distribution of vaccines. For example, annually municipalities will often hold flu vaccination clinics. Emergency preparedness is also drilled and practiced regularly, among all levels of government.
“There is no doubt there is a significant need for mass vaccine sites, especially for larger areas and areas that are more adversely impacted by the virus. However, these sites should operate simultaneously with regional clinics led by municipal Boards of Health and First Responders,” said Paul Sevigny, Director of Public Health for the Town of West Newbury. “During phase two especially, we should be asking our 80-year-old great-grandparents to travel the shortest distance to their vaccine site. Otherwise, we risk them never receiving a vaccine. Clinics like these are a literal lifeline.”
The Feb. 6 Lower Merrimack Valley Vaccine Clinic ran from 4-8 p.m. A steady stream of elderly residents and several remaining Phase 1 medical practitioners and first responders entered and and departed through different doors and filtered through the Page School’s gymnasium, where a volunteer corps of firefighters, paramedics, nurses and administrators were waiting.
The process was orderly, and residents were made to feel at ease, as they were greeted at the door by their local fire chiefs and other familiar faces. Residents, who made appointments ahead of time, were checked in before being sent toward one of eight vaccination stations. A pharmacist and pharmacy technician were on-site for the clinic to fill syringes on demand and ensure efficiency. Residents reported that their anxiety levels were significantly deceased by attending a local clinic with familiar faces greeting them at the door.
“This is an example of neighbors helping neighbors,” Chief Berkenbush said. “It would be a shame to see this effort wasted.”
Added West Newbury Fire Chief Michael Dwyer: “We have worked since last fall to execute and staff this clinic, but really we have been working for generations to be ready for this moment. We still stand ready, and the only barrier is the supply of vaccine.”
Added Merrimac Fire Chief Larry Fisher: “Our communities have rallied collectively in response to a need to deliver the vaccine. Our oldest population in many cases has challenges traveling to sites that are not local. We should continue to make all reasonable attempts to meet this population while encouraging others to use the larger mass vaccination sites.”
Residents who are eligible for a first dose vaccination can still visit mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine and residents can also search for a vaccination location near them by entering their zip code here.
However, seniors and those without internet access and others have struggled to make appointments through the state’s online system. The Councils on Aging in the nine communities, as always, stand ready to assist residents over the phone.
In addition to the fire chiefs, police chiefs, municipal managers, health agents, select boards, firefighters, police officers and EMS officials, the clinic organizers also wish to thank Erin Rich of West Newbury for serving as the volunteer coordinator for the entire clinic.
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Superintendent Justin Bartholomew is pleased to announce Chris Markuns has been appointed as the newest School Committee member for the Pentucket Regional School District.
The School Committee consists of nine representatives, three from each of the sending towns in the district. Markuns is one of the three representatives for the Town of Merrimac and plans to help support the work the district is doing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Pentucket School system has been a part of my family’s life for most of the 20-plus years we’ve lived here, and I’m happy to have a chance to give a little back,” Markuns said. “District leaders, families, teachers and staff have really done incredible things — basically reinventing school — to get through the past 10 months or so, and they deserve some support to keep that going and hopefully get back to the good work happening before last March.”
Markuns has worked in communications for Lawrence Public Schools since 2012. His twin daughters graduated from Pentucket High School in 2019 and his son is currently a junior at the high school. All three have attended Merrimac and Pentucket schools throughout their academic careers.
Markuns will serve in this role until at least the spring of 2021. His seat will be on the ballot for the 2021 Town Meeting.
“We are thrilled to have Chris serve on our school committee and would like to extend a warm welcome as he settles into his role,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “Our school committee plays a vital role for the communities they serve and represent, and have done an incredible job through the pandemic in finding a balance between protecting the health and safety of our community and ensuring our students have the best possible educational experience.”
Superintendent Justin Bartholomew reports the Pentucket Regional School District has been chosen by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the U.S. Department of Defense to receive rapid COVID-19 tests to help identify cases of coronavirus in the district.
On Monday, Nov. 16, the district was one of 134 districts in the state chosen to receive free, rapid tests as part of the program. There are approximately two million tests available, but Pentucket officials have not yet been notified of the number of tests they will receive.
The tests are to be used for staff or students who develop COVID-19 symptoms while at school. If the individual tests positive for COVID-19, they will be sent home and given instructions regarding the next steps to take, including self-isolation protocols and additional testing requirements. These tests can only be administered to those who are already showing symptoms related to COVID-19 and the district has created isolation areas at each school for those who are showing symptoms.
The instant results will also allow for the district to start conducting contract tracing immediately after a positive result is confirmed, helping to mitigate further spread of the virus in the school community.
“Being able to start the contact tracing process moments after confirming a positive test result is vital in preventing any further spread of COVID-19 in our schools,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “Though this resource will be vital in identifying cases of the disease among our school population, it’s important to remember that any individual who is showing symptoms of COVID-19 prior to the start of the school day should stay home and contact their healthcare provider about testing options.”
School nurses will be trained to administer the rapid tests in the coming weeks. Testing will only be conducted with parent or guardian authorization. Parents and guardians will also receive consent forms that must be returned and will also be contacted directly by the school should their students become symptomatic and need to get tested.
Families and staff are reminded that any individual who is showing any COVID-19-related symptoms prior to the start of the school day must stay home and contact their healthcare provider about testing. Those who may have been exposed to the disease are asked to remain home as well, monitor themselves for symptoms and contact their healthcare provider about testing options.
The district applied for the tests approximately three weeks ago. Districts chosen to receive the first round of testing kits were those who are currently utilizing in-person learning. Pentucket is currently following a hybrid learning model.
This is the first phase of the state program. DESE will also use the information gathered from the testing completed by all selected schools to help establish protocols for future phases. The tests will also be distributed to other organizations, such as private schools and nursing homes.
For more information about the program, click here. The district will share more information as it becomes available in the coming weeks.
Superintendent Justin Bartholomew and Principal Jonathan Seymour are pleased to announce the four Pentucket Regional High School seniors have been named Commended Students for the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program.
The four students to receive the recognition are:
Letters of commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation were presented to the students earlier this week.
“Congratulations to Nathan, Mitchell, Megan and Casey for these incredible honors,” Principal Seymour said. “They’ve demonstrated an exemplary commitment to their learning and these recognitions are a great, tangible example of that dedication.”
Approximately 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation have been recognized this year. Though the four will not continue in the 2021 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, the Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of the more than 1.5 million students who took the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
“I am beyond proud of the well-earned recognition our students have received,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “They’ve worked incredibly hard over the course of their academic careers to set themselves up for success and have achieved that goal without a doubt.”
Additionally, Blanchard, Powers and Reading were selected for the College Board National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program based on their scores. The program, which is separate from the National Merit Scholarship program, recognizes students from underrepresented groups who have excelled on their PSAT/NMSQT and in the classroom.
Students received letters of commendation from the College Board as well.
MERRIMAC — Police Chief Eric Shears, Town Clerk Gwendolyn Lay Sabbagh and the Board of Selectmen would like to remind residents of the upcoming Special Town Meeting next week, and share information about mail-in and early voting.
A Special Town Meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 19 in the Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School Cafeteria, 115 Amesbury Line Road, and start at 7:30 p.m.
All attendees are asked to wear a face mask or covering and maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from those outside of their household. Seats will be set up 6 feet apart for residents to use and the area will be sanitized prior to the Town Meeting.
To view the warrant articles that will be voted on during that meeting, click here.
Residents are encouraged to utilize either mail-in or early voting for the upcoming special town and presidential elections, both of which will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
State ballots are mailed separately from the Town’s Special Election Ballots. All residents who requested mail-in state ballots should have received them by now. All local ballots will be delivered by Friday, Oct. 16.
When voting by mail, please make sure to follow all instructions and sign your inner envelope to ensure that the ballots are accepted. The ballots for the town election and presidential election must be returned separately in the proper envelopes.
Both ballots may be returned by mail to the Town Clerk’s Office at 2 School St., Merrimac, MA 01860, or can be placed in the ballot drop box located near the front door of Town Hall. Ballots must be submitted by 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Early voting will begin on Saturday, Oct. 17 and be held at the Merrimac Town Hall, 2 School St. The full schedule is as follows:
Voting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at the Dr. Sweetsir School on Church Street from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
All voters are asked to wear a face mask or covering, and to practice social distancing. Voters should expect wait times while voting to ensure proper social distance guidelines are followed.
Those with additional questions may contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 978-346-8013.
Chief Larry Fisher is pleased to announce that the Merrimac Fire Department is seeking applicants for a part-time administrative assistant position.
The administrative assistant will work directly with the Chief Fisher and the department’s two deputy fire chiefs, and will be responsible for greeting and working with members of the public during normal business hours. This position is a part-time position for 19 hours per week.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
To qualify, applicants should have at least a high school diploma or equivalent degree. Preference will be given to candidates who have earned an associate’s degree or above in business administration or finance, and/or who have at least two years of experience in a secretarial position and business environment, including experience in customer service, or an equivalent combination of experience, education, and training that would provide the level of knowledge and ability required for the position.
Click here for more details about the position.
To apply, interested individuals should submit resumes to lfisher@merrimacfire.org with “Administrative Assistant” in the subject line or mailed to the Merrimac Fire Department at 16 East Main St., Merrimac, MA 01860. The job posting will remain active until the position is filled.
The Town of Merrimac is an equal-opportunity employer.
WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew and Assistant Superintendent Brent Conway are pleased to provide an update on the development of a new, more culturally responsible and inclusive history and social studies curriculum for the entire Pentucket Regional School District.
Over the past year, members of the district have been working to update the curriculum in order to meet the new history and social studies standards set by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The new standards create an added emphasis on teaching students civic responsibility; focus on including more diverse materials and discussions to create a more accurate representation of different genders, races and cultures; and include more lessons on local history and indigenous groups. These changes by the state were the first revisions since 2003, though much of the content still reflected the original 1997 version even after the revision.
Using the new standards as a foundation, district officials and teachers from all Pentucket schools met to review the current curriculum to find the gaps and needs in order to align with the new guidelines. The group was co-chaired by Assistant Superintendent Conway and John Siegfried, History Department Chair for grades seven through 12. A survey was also completed by staff and families in the district.
“Our goal is to help shape students into ethical and morally responsible community members by focusing on teaching them civic responsibility and important historical periods that haven’t gotten the attention they deserve in the past, including ones that bear particular importance for people of color and women,” said Superintendent Bartholomew. “These updates to the curriculum for all of the district’s students will help us to achieve that goal and ensure they are receiving an in-depth and thorough education in world history.”
Some of the key changes include:
To view a full summary of the committee’s report, click here.
Over the next approximately 16 months, work will be done to implement the curriculum, starting with the purchasing of textbooks and e-editions of textbooks for students.
“These new materials will support a critical step forward for our district, and provide our students with the knowledge and support they will need to become informed and thoughtful citizens,” Assistant Superintendent Conway said. “It is vital for our children to know and understand the history of all people and cultures, and we’re especially proud to include more lessons about the indigenous groups of Massachusetts and the Pentucket region.
Assistant Superintendent Conway gave a presentation about the new curriculum to the Pentucket School Board on Tuesday, June 16. To view the presentation, click here.
Terrence “Terry” Conant has been selected to become the new Pentucket Regional Middle School Principal beginning July 1. (Courtesy Photo Pentucket Regional School District)
Superintendent Justin Bartholomew is pleased to announce that Terry Conant has been named the new Principal of Pentucket Regional Middle School.
Conant will assume his new role on July 1, and replaces Ken Kelley, who has been selected as the new principal of the Donaghue and Sweetsir Elementary Schools.
“I could not be more excited to be joining the Pentucket family,” Conant said. “I am looking forward to meeting students, families, and staff in the upcoming weeks to learn about the traditions that make PRSD a great place to be. I would like to thank Dr. Bartholomew and the selection committee for allowing me the opportunity to lead the PRMS community as we enter the next phase in teaching and learning. I can’t wait to get work.”
Conant most recently served as the assistant principal at the newly built Beverly Middle School in Beverly. Prior to working in this new building he served as an assistant principal at the Briscoe Middle School, the now closed middle school building in Beverly, since 2011. During his 20 years in Beverly he has facilitated a professional learning community (PLC) focused on social emotional learning and school climate. He also collaborated with the creation of a grade five through eight middle school building and program with the grand opening in September of 2018.
During his tenure in Beverly, he served on multiple teams to bring educational success to the district. He helped build the school culture, was a member of Beverly Public Schools’ data team, collaborated with content teams to discuss curriculum, facilitated the student support team, organized the sixth grade trip to Nature’s Classroom in Charlton, Mass. and was appointed as the middle school representative on the School Committee’s Curriculum, Instruction and Student Life Sub-Committee.
He was also selected to be the head facilitator of the STEAM and Technology specialists at the elementary level at Beverly Public Schools from September 2014 to June 2015 to transition to the Next Generation Science Standards and to align and develop curriculum. From 2005 until 2020, he served as the Professional Development Instructor at Beverly Public Schools.
“Terry has a truly remarkable resume– he brings with him a wealth of experience and insight, and we’re excited to welcome him to the Pentucket team,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “His background demonstrates that he’s a well rounded, thoughtful educator, and we’re confident he’ll be a wonderful asset to our district moving forward.”
Conant also worked as a technology instructor at Briscoe Middle School from 2010 to 2011 and as a sixth grade science teacher at Memorial Middle and Briscoe Middle Schools from 2002-2010. He also served as the equity coordinator at Briscoe Middle School from August 2010 to June 2011.
From 2000 to 2011, Conant worked as the assistant varsity football coach at Beverly High School, and as the head freshman baseball coach from 2002-2011.
He’s also played in the school band, and highly values the skills and knowledge learned from the arts.
From 1996 to 2010, Conant additionally worked as the camp director for the City of Beverly Recreation Department’s Adventure Camp.
Prior to working at Beverly Public Schools Conant was a middle school math and science teacher at St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish from 2000-2002. While there, he also served as the school’s athletic director.
Conant has also volunteered previously for the Beverly Little League, North Shore Flag Football League and Beverly Babe Ruth Baseball.
