Page 2 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 3, 2024 Students support return of alternative education guidance counselor post at Malden High School Position included in FY25 school budget by School Committee and approved by City Council By Aiden Luciano Malden High School Blue and Gold M alden High’s prominent alternative learning programs Pathways, Recognizing Individual Success Everyday (RISE) and Practical Academic Community Education (PACE) went most of the past school year without a guidance counselor. So, Pathways senior Benjamin Perez has stepped up to the plate after seeing this issue. As Perez stated in an email to Jennifer Spadafora, the Vice Chair of 8 Norwood St. Everett (617) 387-9810 Open Tues. - Sat. at 4:00 PM Closed Sun. & Mon. Announcing our Classic Specials Dine In Only: * FREE Salad with purchase of Entree, Tuesdays & Wednesdays * Cheese Pizza - Only $10 Catch ALL The Live Sports Action On Our Large Screen TV’s Scan & Follow Us on Facebook! the Malden School Committee, “I believe these programs need something like that as the transition from high school to college or the workforce will look different and possibly more difficult for those without a guidance counselor.” Superintendent of Malden Public Schools Dr. Ligia Noriega-Murphy said she agreed that the PACE and RISE students deserve the same support as any other student within the high school. Perez has amassed student support in the hundreds in the form of signatures in the school and around the community. In a Google Slides presentation presented by Perez at a recent School Committee meeting, she and her collaborator, another MHS student, Leticia Carvalho, they stated that “the students in these programs need a higher level of academic support, as many of them are under-credited and overaged.” In addition to this, many of the students in these programs have financial, cognitive and emotional needs/challenges. After Perez’s presentation, Spadafora told her School Committee colleagues “it really spoke to me as my own son is in the Malden High students, from left: Leticia Carvalho and Benjamin Perez collected signatures backing a petition requesting a return of a guidance counselor position for alternative learning. The position was included in the Fiscal Year 2025 school budget by the Malden School Committee and approved by the Malden City Council. (Courtesy Malden Blue and Gold/Aiden Luciano) RISE program.” She said she believes every student should have access to someone who can guide them. Spadafora said that after hearing the story and statement from Perez, she expects the administration will support the need for a guidance counselor and fill the position soon. That position was not funded in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 school budget that just ended on June 30, but it is included in the recently passed FY25 Malden Public Schools budget and is expected to be in place for the start of the 2024-25 school year, according to Malden Public Schools staff. www.810bargrille.com Maldonian named to Dean’s List at University of New England M eghan Pothier, of Malden, has been named to the Dean’s List for the 2024 spring semester at the University of New England. Dean’s List students have attained a grade point average of 3.3 or better out of a possible 4.0 at the end of the semester. The University of New England is Maine’s largest private university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible online offerings. For more info, visit une.edu For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 617-387-2200 or Info@ advocatenews.net
3 Publizr Home