Page 4 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, SEpTEmbER 23, 2022 Orange Rose Foundation presents charitable donation to Portal To Hope O n July 1, 2022, the Orange Rose Foundation was proud to present a check to Portal To Hope (PTH) in support of their hard work helping victims of and raising awareness about domestic violence. The Foundation was organized by the family and friends of a victim of domestic violence, Ersilia (Cataldo) Matarazzo. According to the Orange Rose Foundation’s website, it is “a 501(c)3 charity focusing on supporting organizations that assist victims of domestic violence. Orange Rose, Ersilia’s faPOPE JOHN | FROM PAGE 1 -Barros said it would pretty much reduce overcrowding to zero, except for the Parlin. School Committee Member At-Large Cynthia Sarnie asked if it is true that children were in hallways and closets learning. Tahiliani said they have restructured several closets to make them learning spaces. “There’s also small group instruction and intervention in the hallway, mostly in the elementary school,” Tahiliani said. vorite flower, signifies Ersilia’s beauty, strength, passion, excitement, and love for her family and friends.” Ersilia was an active member of the Everett community, volunteering her time to help others. The work done by PTH provides a variety of programs and services that help survivors heal and recover from situations of domestic abuse. The Orange Rose Foundation will continue to work hard to raise funds to support programs that do as much good as PTH. She asked Mayor Carlo DeMaria if he has done any cost analysis since the last meeting. DeMaria said the number to renovate Pope John in 2019 was $50 million. They have filed a Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) application to build a new high school with CTE programming, and he prefers it at Rivergreen Park. That should be completed by February. “People are starving, unable to pay their tax bills now,” DeLawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lein * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 Lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net Pictured during the check presentation are members of the Orange Rose Foundation as well as Portal To Hope: Foundation members Giuseppina Cerasuolo, Tricia LaRocca, Adriana Carbo, Elvira Cataldo, Giuseppe Cataldo, Marc Cerasuolo, Erminia Buscaino and Gina Maniscalco and PTH members Deb Fallon and Joseph Faulstich. Maria said. “Unfortunately, I have to steward the tax dollar – trying to make sure that we spend our money wisely.” He added that he’d love to be Santa Claus, but that it’s a balance. Sarnie asked DeMaria how he feels about a potential change. DeMaria said he’s open to anything, adding that he’s the only School Committee representative who has a child in the school system. DeMaria said the City of Everett bonded the Pope John building for $10 million. They built 77 units at St. Theresa’s, and the City Council took a vote a few years ago to buy Pope John for senior and veterans housing. “I don’t know about kids learning in closets, but I know about kids living and sleeping in closets,” DeMaria said. “I’ve been in those houses – apples to apples.” DeMaria said there are 600 kids at the old Everett High School along Broadway now. That would increase the asset that the City of Everett owns, if they use that option. During Monday’s School Committee meeting at Everett High School, Supt. of Schools Priya Tahiliani suggested that seventh and eighth graders moving into the former Pope John XIII School would alleviate overcrowding in all but one school. (Advocate photos by Tara Vocino) Ward 4 School Committee Member Michael Mangan asked if they can transition assistant principals instead of hiring people. Tahiliani said she is happy to explore that option, if they get to that point. She clarified that the $30 to $40 million conservative estimate was done this past week. The other plans were from 2018 to 2019. Mangan asked if there’d be room for career and technical educational classes at Pope John. Tahiliani said no; either they’ll go lower on the price and get less or go higher on the price and get more. “A school building is a need to have five years ago,” Tahiliani said. “We are here to advocate for the students.” Mangan said Councillor-at-Large Stephanie Smith made a motion at last Monday’s meeting to tour the Pope John facility. He suggested to include School Committee members in that walkthrough. School Committee Chairman Jeanne Cristiano, who represents Ward 3, said we needed schools yesterday. They started at 506 students two weeks ago; now there’s 630 in the freshman class. “All these plans are great,” Cristiano said. “But we need action now.” Cristiano said if she had a special education child being pulled out of his or her classroom, they already feel badly about learning differently. She asked DeMaria why he was shaking his head. DeMaria said interventionists take kids out of their classrooms for services. He said it’s been happening since 1991, when he graduated. When he was explaining his own experience in school learning remedial math and reading classes, Cristiano said “that explains it.” DeMaria responded, “Excuse me?” taking exception to her remark. “You should be ashamed of yourself,” DeMaria said. “I was trying to tell you about my own personal experience in school.” DeMaria said he has to make sure that people can afford to live in the city and appreciated the need for more classrooms but Cristiano’s derogatory comment wasn’t called for. “I don’t want to fight with you,” DeMaria said to Cristiano. “We’re neighbors and friends here.” He suggested working together, despite differences of opinion, and that he will visit the schools in the coming days. Cristiano, a Pope John graduate – said the building was looking fabulous after she toured the facility last Friday afternoon. Mangan said parents and neighbors said they all wanted a school during three neighborhood meetings that he attended. “That’s how I drew my conclusion,” Mangan said. “The council seems overwhelming in support of making it a school for the foreseeable future.”
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