THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, March 13, 2026 Page 5 SCHOOL | FROM PAGE 1 add to the school year if needed. Originally, the school year was scheduled to end with the last day being Monday, June 15. Following Supt. Sippel’s recommendation, the School Committee voted in two successive votes to approve the 2025-2026 calendar update, which factored in the four snow days so that Malden High School’s last day of classes would be Monday, June 22, and that all other schools’ last day would be Tuesday, June 23. The first vote, which was unanimous, was to add the four snow days to the calendar. The one-day discrepancy between the two school levels — High School and K-8 — is a result of another vote, which was 5-3 in favor, declaring no school on March 31 in the K-8 schools only, due to a special municipal election being held that day. The City of Malden is holding a special election on March 31 where voters are being asked to decide yes or no on proposed Proposition 2 1/2 Override ballot questions. There are two questions, the first asking if voters support a property tax override of either $5.4 million or $8.2 million. Supt. Sippel said he had researched the issue of whether to close the K-8 schools for classes on the election day, since several of them are used for physical voting sites. He said that after consultation with Malden Police and city voting officials, the recommendation was to close those schools on the day of the election, which is done customarily in other regular elections. Mayor Gary Christenson, who serves as chairperson of the School Committee, agreed, citing the aspect of safety of the students and staff since members of the public would have access to parts of the building on that day. There are paid police details on duty those election days. School Committee Vice Chairperson Jennifer Spadafora said she disagrees with cancelling school on the day of the special election. She said it was concerning since the City Council — which set the election day — did not consult with the School Committee before setting the date. She also said it would be a disruption for parents of students who would have to make arrangements to supervise their children and perhaps miss a workday because of it. Mayor Christenson questioned why the question of the Council not informing the School Committee of the special election date was not brought up before that meeting. Since the closed schools for the election day was added to the K-8 school calendar, the last day of school for those students is now Tuesday, June 23. Voting in favor of having K-8 schools closed for the special election day were School Committee members Dawn Macklin (Ward 4), Elizabeth Hortie (Ward 5), Peter Piazza (Ward 6). Sharyn Rose-Zeiberg (Ward 8) and Mayor Christenson. Voting opposed to closing the schools were members Michael Drummey (Ward 1), Robert McCarthy Jr. (Ward 3) and Vice Chair Spadafora (Ward 3). Supt. Sippel noted that Salemwood K-8 had another day of classes cancelled due to a watermain break but that he would be petitioning the Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to excuse the one day so that Salemwood could end school like the other K-8s. COUNCIL | FROM PAGE 4 Improvement Funds, none of the wards ask for any fees from those who flock to the parks on Independence Day. It is all no charge, free to all. “I remember when my father used to take all of us to the park on the Fourth and we had little tickets to pull off, which we gave to get an ice cream, a drink or a hot dog,” Councillor Sica reminisced. “It was a couple of dollars for the book of tickets, maybe five dollars each.” On the resolution, Councillor Sica stressed, “We [the Council] have to do something to save city funds in these times. In no way was there ever any thought to cancel Fourth of July in the parks.” “In my ward I sit at my kitchen table every year around this [time] and stuff envelopes to send out to every business we have in and around our neighborhood — even others around the city — asking for donations to help fund our Fourth of July at Linden Park,” she said. “We are so grateful at how generous they are each year. What I was suggesting is that if we save the city of Malden funds, we just have to work harder to seek donations to help pay the costs.” Councillor Carey McDonald, who chairs the Finance Committee, gave a brief overview: “We have discussed what kind of cuts we could be looking at if the override does not pass — how many police officers, firefighters, folks in the DPW, city services — in answer to those who may say that has not been offered.” “What is incumbent upon us: to be ready to act if the override does not pass — what services we will see be diminished or lost and what events citizens love which will be cancelled,” Councillor McDonald said. 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