Pentucket Regional School District Cuts Ribbon on New Junior-Senior High School

pentucketporta on September 16, 2022

WEST NEWBURY – The Pentucket Regional School District cut the ribbon on the new Pentucket Regional Junior-Senior High School on Wednesday, marking a major milestone in an eight-year effort to build a state-of the art building.

More than 200 people, including District, state, and local officials, community members, parents, and future students, celebrated during a ceremony in the courtyard of the new school. About 970 students and 160 staff members began classes in the new building on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

Superintendent Justin Bartholomew, a 1994 Pentucket graduate, explained that District leaders had proposed building a new school more than 20 years ago, but could not muster enough community support.

The idea was revived in 2014 under then-Superintendent Jeffrey Mulqueen. A School Building Committee was launched in 2016. The We Are Pentucket Municipal Ballot Question Committee formed in 2018 to generate support in the sending communities of Groveland, Merrimac, and West Newbury.

In 2019, voters in all three communities overwhelmingly approved a $146.3 million building for grades 7-12. The Massachusetts School Building Authority is providing up to $52.7 million in support of the project.

“This is the work of all the people who raised me, who raised all these students through the years,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “They taught us not to give up. When you see adversity, how do you get around it? When you see an obstacle, how do you break through? And, ensure you’re speaking the truth.”

High School Principal Jonathan Seymour, who chaired the School Building Committee, and School Committee Chair Christopher Markuns thanked the more than two dozen people who served on the Building Committee. “When we embarked on this project, we knew it was a commitment and a statement of our values,” Chair Markuns said. “You feel the weight of that commitment, and you feel urgency to meet it. That means putting the people, staff, resources and programming inside it to meet its full potential.”

MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy praised the Building Committee for the selection of the construction team, which has delivered the building on time and within its budget.

McCarthy quoted Salt Lake City Tribune columnist Dan Valentine, who wrote, “A school is four walls, with tomorrow inside.” McCarthy added: “We are proud to be part of Pentucket’s tomorrow.”

State Sen. Bruce Tarr, state Rep. Lenny Mirra, and Calee Merenda, representing state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, presented proclamations congratulating the District.

Rep. Mirra praised Superintendent Bartholomew for opening the former Junior High and Senior High for community tours. The former Junior High School was opened in 1967, while the former High School opened in 1958. “When we walked through and saw the infrastructure, it became apparent we couldn’t just slap another coat of paint on it,” Rep. Mirra said.

Sen. Tarr said the new building embodied the passion, persistence, and collaboration that are the hallmarks of the District.

“The doors of opportunity are about to open wide and through those doors you will find something that isn’t new to the Pentucket communities: Passionate and committed educators, who have always given it their best regardless of what the building looked like,” Sen. Tarr said. “They will get the building they deserve. The students will get the building they deserve.”

Senior Dominic Karatzas led the Pledge of Allegiance. Kyla Dolan, Paige Nottingham, Keira Milliken, Madelyn Shikes, and Leslianis Weinburg, members of the award-winning Pentucket Regional High School Choir, performed the Star-Spangled Banner. Paul and Denise Pouliot, representatives of the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People, opened the program with a traditional blessing. The Pentucket region is the ancestral home of the Abenaki and Wabanaki.

Members of the We Are Pentucket committee — Julie Torrisi, Julie Wisniewski, Chris Manning, Dena Trotter, and Lindsay Goff — led the ribbon-cutting. Student ambassadors conducted tours of the building.

About Pentucket Junior-Senior High School

A two-story wing houses students in Grades 7 and 8. A separate three-story wing houses students in Grades 9-12. The two wings are joined by a large foyer and dining commons.

Key features of the school include:

  • A state-of-the-art HVAC system and solar roof panels. It is estimated these measures will save $2 million in energy costs during the next 20 years, by reducing the building’s energy footprint and lessening carbon emissions. The new school is on path to receive the coveted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold designation.
  • A 610-seat Performing Arts Center. The Center supports the District’s award-winning arts and music programs, and will serve as a gathering place for community programs and activities. The building also includes a drama studio to allow for smaller group work and performances.
  • Flexible spaces. Chair and table designs vary, so teachers have limitless design options to allow them to maximize educational options.
  • Teacher planning spaces. Each floor has dedicated space for that grade’s teachers, allowing teachers to collaborate across disciplines.
  • Dedicated student entrance. Students are dropped off at the rear of the building, via a bus-only access road. From there, students walk through the arts wing to their class area.
  • Day lockers. Each floor has a small number of lockers that students may use for the day, and program in their own passcode. This removes lockers from the main hallways, improving access and student flow.
  • Breakout areas. Each grade area has an open area to facilitate small-group work by students, either independently or with teacher support.

Dore and Whittier designed the new school. Vertex served as owner’s project manager, and W.T. Rich served as construction manager.

The old High School has been demolished, while the old Middle School is in the process of removal. Construction of a front courtyard and permanent parking area continue. Playing fields will be added on the site of the current temporary parking lot. A stadium will be built on the site of the former Junior High School.

Pentucket Regional School District Invites Community to Ribbon-Cutting for New Middle-High School 

pentucketporta on September 8, 2022

The Pentucket Regional School District will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Pentucket Regional Middle-High School on Wednesday, Sept. 14. (Photo Courtesy Pentucket Regional School District)

WEST NEWBURY – Superintendent Justin Bartholomew and the Pentucket Regional School District would like to invite the community to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Pentucket Regional Middle-High School.

WHEN: 

Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 4-6 p.m.

WHERE: 

Pentucket Regional Middle-High School, 24 Main St.

WHAT: 

The Pentucket Regional School District is holding a ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new Middle-High School.

The ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. in the school’s rear courtyard. Following the ceremony, student ambassadors will lead tours.

Parking is limited. Attendees may park in the lot located off Main Street, or in the lot next to the former Middle School site.

The new school officially opened on Tuesday, Sept. 6, with about 970 students. The 211,700-square-foot facility has two wings, one that houses students in Grades 7 and 8 and another that houses Grades 9-12. The wings are joined by a large foyer and dining commons.

The $146.3 million building offers advanced features designed to improve the school’s energy efficiency and learning environment.

A cutting-edge HVAC system and solar roof panels are estimated to save $2 million in energy costs during the next 20 years by reducing the building’s carbon footprint and energy emissions. Students have a dedicated entrance and access to day lockers that will improve student flow. Teachers can utilize flexible learning and planning spaces, as well as breakout areas designated to each grade area, to facilitate and maximize learning opportunities.

The new school also features a 610-seat Performing Arts Center that will support the District’s award-winning arts and music programs as well as community activities.

The new school was designed by Dore and Whittier. Vertex served as owner’s project manager, and W.T. Rich served as construction manager.

Pentucket Regional School District Math Team Takes Honors in League Competition

pentucketporta on June 21, 2022

WEST NEWBURY – Superintendent Justin Bartholomew and Pentucket Regional Middle School Principal Terry Conant are pleased to report the success of the Middle School Math Team this season.

During the year, students under the direction of Teacher Dan Leonard met regularly to learn about and practice concepts in the five concentrations: Mystery, Geometry, Arithmetic, Number Theory and Algebra. Material covered during team meetings applied, enhanced, and enriched math content provided in their classrooms.

Twelve students participated: eighth-grade students AnnaRose Bissitt, Haley Bruno, Owen Cantone, Ella Gregorio, Madelyn Grimes, and Summer Welper, and seventh-grade students Holden Choma, Lily Kesner, Fiona Moore, Ian Parrott, Lyla Travers, and Devyn Walsh.

Pentucket students performed well in each of the five meets in the Intermediate Math League of Eastern Massachusetts, both as individuals and as a team:

Meet 1: Gregorio and Welper tied for first place among all eighth graders. Moore and Travers tied for second place among all seventh graders.

Meet 2: Kesner took first place among all students. Cantone and Gregorio tied for second place among all eighth graders. Cantone scored perfectly in Algebra, Gregorio scored perfectly in Mystery, and Kesner scored perfectly in both Mystery and Number Theory.

Meet 3: Welper took third place among all eighth graders.

Meet 4: Kesner took first place among all seventh graders, while Moore finished third. Cantone finished in third place among all eighth graders. Kesner scored perfectly in Mystery.

Meet 5: Kesner took first place among all seventh graders, while Parrott took second place. Cantone took third place among all eighth graders. Kesner, Cantone, and Gregorio all scored perfectly in Mystery.

Pentucket finished fourth out of nine teams in their division, competing against students from Amesbury Middle School, Triton Middle School, and other public and private schools in Eastern Massachusetts.

“I believe that all of the students had rewarding experiences and I was very pleased with their performances during the meets,” Leonard said. “Our seventh graders are looking forward to competing again next year.”

“It is exciting to see the students’ hard work and perseverance pay off,” Principal Conant said. “The teamwork and skills they practiced this year will stay with them throughout their educational careers.”

Pentucket Regional School District Announces Leadership Appointments for 2022-2023 School Year

pentucketporta on June 15, 2022

WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew is pleased to announce several administrative changes for the 2022-2023 school year.

  • Stephanie Dembro will become Principal at the Donaghue and Sweetsir Schools. She has served as Assistant Principal at both schools. She replaces Ken Kelley, who has served as a principal in the Pentucket District for more than a decade and is leaving for a position in another district. “Mr. Kelley has been absolutely fabulous as a school leader,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “Ms. Dembro and Mr. Kelley have been an incredible tandem. We are very excited to continue the stability in leadership that the Donaghue and Sweetsir communities deserve.” A search committee will be put together to find a replacement for a new Assistant Principal.
  • Tara Ellis, currently Special Education Coordinator, will assume the position of Assistant Principal/Special Education Coordinator at Page School.
  • Brandon Bates will become Assistant Principal at the Middle-High School. Bates comes to the District from the Lawrence Public Schools, where he worked as Ninth Grade Dean of Students at Lawrence High School.

“These changes will help us better provide quality education and support for all of our students,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “They are passionate about education and improving our District, and I look forward to seeing what our new leadership team will achieve.”

Pentucket Regional School Committee Approves 2022-2023 Budget, Shares Information About Cuts, Additional Fees

pentucketporta on May 11, 2022

WEST NEWBURY – Superintendent Justin Bartholomew and the Pentucket Regional School Committee wish to share an update about the District’s 2022-2023 budget, and the impact it will have on students, staff, and faculty.

The School Committee unanimously approved a budget of $47,846,000 for the coming school year on Tuesday, May 9. The Committee had requested an additional $1.34 million in spending to cover an ongoing structural deficit between state funding and the actual cost of services.

The District sought increased funding through a Proposition 2 ½ override, which voters in Groveland and Merrimac did not approve.

To close a $1.34 million gap, the School Committee approved Superintendent Bartholomew’s recommended cuts:

General expenses ($528,364)

  • Reduce HS/MS supplies, $45,864
  • Stop paying for field trips in Grades 6 and 7, $28,000
  • Reduce Paraeducators positions by two, $40,000
  • Reduce athletic teams to two male and two female teams per sport, $25,000
  • Discontinue a percussion contract, $24,500
  • Do not hire a human resources manager, $115,000
  • Reduced the number of special education teachers from six to four, $120,000
  • Do not hire Tech Repair or Tech Theater support, $85,000
  • Eliminate special education coordinator days during the summer, $45,000

Increased fees ($325,950)

  • Increase before-school and after-school program fees by $50 per session, or $110 for both sessions, $160,000 (estimate)
  • Double athletic fees in effect in the 2020-2021 school year, and eliminate family cap, in the 2022-2023 school year only, $105,950 (Students who have an economic hardship would still be eligible for a waiver.)
  • Eliminate one bus route, $60,000

Staff reductions ($485,686)

  • Eliminate one nurse position
  • Eliminate 1.2 English Language Arts positions (Middle-High School)
  • Eliminate one Math teaching position (Middle-High School)
  • Eliminate one Science teaching position (Middle-High School)
  • Eliminate one Visual Arts teaching position (Middle-High School)
  • Eliminate a .7 Performing Arts teaching position (Middle-High School)
  • Eliminate one Physical Education/Wellness teaching position (Middle-High School)
  • Reduce Art teaching position at Page Elementary School from 1.0 to 0.6
  • No Library/Media Aide at Bagnall Elementary School
  • Eliminate one elementary teaching position each at Bagnall Elementary School and Sweetsir Elementary School

“None of this is fair. None of this is good, but it’s where we are,” Superintendent Bartholomew said.

Increased fees and staffing cuts were spread across the District, while attempting to protect elementary grades where development of health, wellness and interpersonal skills are especially critical.

Committee members concurred with the recommendation to not seek a smaller override. A second override would mean a larger number of teachers would receive notification of possible non-renewal on Friday, and create great uncertainty across the District into July.

The spending gap is being driven by a series of factors, including a significant decrease in state funding:

  • Student transportation costs will increase by more than $500,000 next year. The state does not follow its obligation to fully funding regional school transportation, and actually is cutting Pentucket’s allocation by $144,000 next year.
  • Pentucket will receive just $67,500 in additional Chapter 70 funding.
  • While the state promotes its $1.5 billion Student Opportunity Act, the District will receive only $58,000 from the Act next year.

Superintendent Bartholomew and Committee Chair Christopher Markuns of Merrimac recommended that residents and town officials begin working together immediately to find funding solutions for the 2023-2024 budget.

“The state is swimming in extra money, and we’re cutting $1.34 million,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “The funding formula does not work.”

To see Superintendent Bartholomew’s presentation to the School Committee, click here.

Pentucket Regional School District Music Education Recognized Among Top Programs in Nation For Second Year in a Row

pentucketporta on April 26, 2022

The Pentucket Regional School District has been recognized nationally for excellence in music education for the second year in a row. (Photo Courtesy Pentucket Regional School District)

WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew and Music Director David Schumacher are pleased to announce that the Pentucket Regional School District has been recognized nationally for excellence in music education for the second year in a row.

For 23 years, The NAMM Foundation has selected public school districts for its Best Communities for Music Education award. The award honors programs that demonstrate outstanding achievement in providing music access and education to all students, and that recognize the importance of music to a well-rounded education.

“It’s exciting to be selected for this award once again,” said Superintendent Bartholomew. “To be recognized two years in a row is testament to the strength of our music education, and the dedication of our faculty. Our students thrive as a result.”

The Pentucket Regional School District has a long tradition of excellence in musical programming. Instructors are specialists in their discipline: choir, jazz, percussion, strings, and woodwinds. They also remain active professionally by performing, publishing, recording, presenting, and guest conducting.

Programming supports students through individual and collaborative instruction. The District offers separate middle and high school percussion and jazz programs for credit. Students from Grade 4 on have numerous opportunities to perform publicly.

Students also receive significant support from sending communities. The Pentucket Music Boosters raise money for programming and trips throughout the year.

As a result, Pentucket students have earned top awards at Berklee College of Music, the University of New Hampshire, and Massachusetts Association for Jazz Education (MAJE) Jazz Festivals, Students regularly qualify for and excel at District, All-State, and All-National ensembles. Pentucket graduates go on to some of the top music schools in the country.

To be considered for the award, the District answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by the Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“Music and the arts are also about emotional wellness, so our music program has supported our community during the past two years,” Director Schumacher said. “Applying for this designation was a massive undertaking involving the coordination of K-12 music faculty, our district principals, and our community, so we sincerely thank everyone involved with the process.”

The Pentucket Music Department wishes to recognize and thank community groups who have long supported its mission and enabled its work, including the Pentucket Music Boosters, Pentucket Arts Foundation, and the Pentucket Education Foundation. Individual members of the community have also given kind donations to support the program over the years.

About The NAMM Foundation

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music-making by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information, visit www.nammfoundation.org.

Pentucket Regional School District Distributes COVID-19 Rapid Tests to Staff

pentucketporta on January 3, 2022

Pentucket Superintendent Justin Bartholomew hands a COVID-19 rapid antigen test kit to a staff member during distribution at Bagnall Elementary School on Sunday. (Photo Courtesy Pentucket Regional School District)

WEST NEWBURY – Superintendent Justin Bartholomew reports that more than 200 COVID-19 rapid antigen tests were passed out Pentucket Regional School District employees on Sunday, allowing staff to self-test before returning to work.

Tests were made available for any staff member who wanted one. Staff members were not required to take a COVID-19 test before classes resumed on Monday, Jan. 3.

District employees and volunteers coordinated check-in and distribution for two hours on Sunday morning at Bagnall Elementary School in Groveland.

“Our staff and students are our first priority. We want them to feel as safe as possible when classes are in session, and the tests are one more level of protection,” said School Committee Chair Dena Trotta, who volunteered at the distribution.

Test kits were provided to all Massachusetts public school districts by Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and Massachusetts National Guard.

“I’m certainly grateful to the Baker Administration and the state,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “With the Omicron variant, it has become difficult to find a rapid test on the shelves. What we heard from our staff is a lot of ‘thank yous’.”

 

Krista Niles, a first-grade teacher at Page Elementary School, checks in a staff member at a COVID-19 rapid antigen test kit distribution at Bagnall Elementary School on Sunday. (Photo Courtesy Pentucket Regional School District)

Pentucket Regional School District to Take Part in State’s K-12 Rapid COVID-19 Testing Program

pentucketporta on November 20, 2020

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.