Page 2 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MARCH 8, 2024 Need a hall for your special event? The Schiavo Club, located at 71 Tileston Street, Everett is available for your Birthdays, Anniversaries, Sweet 16 parties and more? For more info, call (857) 249-7882 LIKE US ON FACEBOOK ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER FACEBOOK.COM/ADVOCATE.NEWS.MA School modules addressing overcrowding still headlines school board discussion By Neil Zolot T he School Committee is ready to take on the issue of overcrowding head on. “Overcrowding is a districtwide issue,” member atLarge Samantha Hurley said at the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 27. “It has been for some time. After speaking with principals, teachers and guidance counselors, I believe no solution should be off the table. Every building has diff erent needs and ideas to maximize space.” She and other new members spoke with employees at the schools while touring the Adams, Lafayette and Webster Schools and the High School on February 9. “Every location is doing a fantastic job optimizing space in the buildings, but I think we can all agree how we are currently operating is not an ideal learning or working environment,” Hurley reacted to what she saw. “Hallway learning is distracting and, even though they are spacious, converted utility closets are not ideal spaces. Some have no windows or glass on their doors because they were closets.” She also said some of the temporary modules being used at Webster lack running water, bathrooms or well circulated air. “Webster has modules extended from the back of the main building,” Hurley reported. “They were originally installed as a temporary solution, hence no direct plumbing. Students and staff have to go into the main building to use restrooms, which was stressed to be an inconvenience.” Nevertheless, she praised teachers for “making the best of these situations and creating warm and welcoming learning spaces. Kids don’t feel they’re out of place, but there is a sense of disjointedness.” The use of modular units were topics of discussion at the September 11 and 25 City Council meetings last year. In the latter, $150,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds was appropriated to hire an Owner’s Project Manager to study using them. Mayor Carlo DeMaria hopes they can be in place at various schools in September, although topography will make it impossible at the Devens School and High School. He touted their use at colleges. Everett is one of the very few school systems with kindergarten to 8th grade neighborhood schools, although at one time the Parlin School was a junior high school. The 2019 closure of Pope John XXIII High School, now owned by the City of Everett and slated for housing, and the age of the old Everett High School on Broadway, now being used for preschool and other programs, prompted the building of the current High School in 2007 and eventually led to K-8 neighborhood schools. Saugus, on the other hand, opened a new Middle/High School complex in 2020, converted their Middle School to a townwide upper elementary school, and one elementary school to a townwide lower elementary school and closed their neighborhood schools. Marblehead opened their new High School in 2002, converted the old High School into a Middle School, converted the original Middle School/Junior High into a townwide upper elementary school and recently consolidated the lowest grades into two elementary schools. DISCUSSION | SEE PAGE 8
3 Publizr Home