THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, NOVEmbER 13, 2026 Page 7 Come and Knock on Their Door City of Everett seeks input from small business owners to improve local resources Special to The Advocate T Here’s a fun group of ladies enjoying the recent Halloween festivities at the Connolly Center all dressed as Helen Roper, a character from the popular 1970’s television show Three’s Company, are, Pat Albano, Audrey Berardino, Maryann Salerno, Lorraine Haggerty, Karen Garofalo and Harriet Fitch. Everett student graduates from UW-Madison J ust over 1,600 students received doctoral, bachelor’s, master’s and professional degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in August 2026. The 2025-26 academic year was another record-breaking year, with UW awarding 14,162 degrees to he City of Everett is inviting local small business owners to share their experiences and help shape new resources designed to make it easier to open, operate and grow a business in Everett. In partnership with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the City is developing a Small Business Toolkit to help current and prospective business owners navigate the processes involved in opening, relocating, expanding or making major changes to a business in Everett. “Small businesses are 14,092 recipients, the most in university history. Zhou Wei of Everett graduated from the School of Medicine and Public Health, with a Doctor of Philosophy, Biomedical Data Science. For more information about UW-Madison, visit http://www. wisc.edu. PCSS I reports low chronic absenteeism rate P an important part of what makes Everett such a great community, and we want to make sure they have the support they need to succeed,” said Mayor Robert J. Van Campen. “Opening or growing a business comes with plenty of challenges. Navigating City processes shouldn’t have to be one of them. By hearing directly from our business owners, we can identify where improvements are needed and create resources that make a real difference.” To help guide the development of the toolkit, the City and MAPC are asking current Everett small business owners to complete an approximately 10-minute survey. The survey will gather feedback on their experiences navigating local requirements and identify opportunities to make City processes clearer and more accessible. The survey is open to current small business owners in Everett only and it is offered in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Haitian Creole. Please take the survey by going to https://cityofeverett.com/small-business/. Feedback col lec ted through the survey will help the City and MAPC develop a toolkit that addresses common challenges, answers frequently asked questions and provides business owners with the information they need to navigate City processes with greater confidence. Everett is looking forward to reviewing the experiences shared by Everett small business owners and responding directly to their concerns with the toolkit. “We’re always trying to be more creative in ways to help our small businesses,” said Director of Planning and Development Matt Lattanzi. “We are proud of the work that we have already achieved with Electrify Everett and I’m excited for what’s to come.” ioneer Charter School of Science (PCSS I) reported one of the lowest chronic absenteeism rates in Massachusetts, data recently released by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education showed. PCSS I, which is located in Everett, serves students in Grades K through 12 from several communities north of Boston, including Everett, Chelsea and Revere. In Massachusetts, chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of the 180 school days in a standard academic year. While the statewide chronic absenteeism rate currently stands at 17.1% for the 2025–2026 school year, PCSS I outperformed the state average by a wide margin, finishing the year with a rate of just 5.3% — 14th lowest in the state. PCSS also reduced its severe chronic absenteeism rate from 0.4% in 2024 to 0.1% for 2025–2026 — second lowest in the state. Severe chronic absenteeism applies to students who miss 20% or more school days. “As educators, we know consistent attendance is essential to long-term student success. Our staff has worked hard to foster an inclusive, supportive school culture where students feel inspired to show up everyday,” said PCSS CEO Barish Icin. “I am incredibly proud of our educators, staff, students and families for creating a culture where excellence is the standard.” Through a rigorous curriculum with an emphasis on STEM and the humanities, PCSS prepares students for excellence in any path they choose. This recognition reflects the school’s sustained effort to drive student growth, provide meaningful learning experiences and offer opportunities that position students for success in both college and career. PCSS frequently sends its students to the best colleges and universities in Massachusetts and beyond.
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