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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

PHOTOS: Students Walk for Cystic Fibrosis At Great Oak

Greak Oak Elementary School held a Walk-A-Thon to raise money for May's Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month.

The rain took a vacation on Friday, May 11, just in time for the Great Oak School's first ever Walk-A-Thon For Cystic Fibrosis Awareness. The entire student body turned out for the event, in colored shirts according to grade, to walk laps around the school to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Principal Matt Fusco emceed the event from the highest point of the school playground, assisted by the event organizer, fifth grader Bailey Witham, whose mother Leeanne Curran has the disease. Witham sent off the eager walkers with a toot of his bullhorn and a smile, before joining in on the walk. Learn more about Bailey's mission to spread awareness here. 

Friday, May 11, 2012

Fifth Grader Spearheads Cystic Fibrosis Walk at Great Oak

May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month: Danvers fifth Grader Bailey Witham hopes to bring awareness and support to people with cystic fibrosis, like his mother.

Bailey Witham seems like your typical eleven year old. The freckled fifth grader with big brown eyes is an avid Bruins fan, takes swimming at the YMCA, and plays baseball and football. He participates on the student council and gets straight A’s on his report card, and he loves to ride his bike.  But Bailey has a cause that's very close to his heart. And because of it, Bailey Witham is his mother’s hero. Bailey’s mother, Leeanne Curran, is a Danvers native and former Great Oak School student. She was diagnosed at the age of two with Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disease that affects the lungs. Leanne initially showed no signs of affliction, but when her baby brother was diagnosed with CF at just four months of age, Leeanne was tested also …

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Officials Break Ground on $133.7 Million Agricultural and Technical High School

The groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Essex Aggie campus in Danvers.

State and town officials, school administrators, trustees and stakeholders joined to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new $133.7 million Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical High School at the Essex Agricultural campus on Wednesday.  Described as a "powerful champion" since the inception of the project, which dates back to the mid-1990's, Senate Majority Leader Fred Berry said waking up this morning he was "very, very happy." Berry was presented with a plaque of honor from current freshmen at the North Shore Tech and Essex Agricultural School.  "I am tremendously grateful that with the guidance of the Mass. School Building Authority, the Patrick-Murray Administration saw a way to a better future for students on the North Shore…

Thomas J Burke

12:43 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012

It is a total waste of a couple of million dollare before finished. The railroad tracks have been tore up and sent to China by greedy people who put selfish profit above patriotism. We need a railraod before sending kids to a technical and agriculture school. They will be unemployed and on welfare after graduation.   more ›

Sunday, April 29, 2012

PHOTOS: Danvers Officials Celebrate Arbor Day With Elementary Students

Riverside Elementary students celebrated Arbor Day on April 27.

Students at Riverside Elementary were joined by Danvers town officials and members of the Danvers Garden Club, to celebrate Arbor Day on Friday, April 27. After hearing from Town Manager Wayne Marquis, as well as classes who read the Arbor Day proclamation, students threw a shovelful of dirt onto the base of a newly planted weeping cherry tree, at the front of the school. The tree was donated in part by the Danvers Garden Club. Each student left the ceremony with rose of sharon seeds to plant at their homes.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Q&A With Danvers' School Committee Candidates

Learn more about the four candidates running for seats on the Danvers School Committee.

On the first of May, four candidates will race for two seats on the Danvers School Committee, a three-year position. The four candidates are: Manuel (Manny) Lopes, Connie Pawluk, David Thomson, and Alan Vervaeke.  Here's a closer look at each of the four candidates. For a complete look at the ballot, click here. Manny Lopes: Danvers resident for 10 years, Three children attending Great Oak Elementary (Bailey, 5th grade,  Jeffrey, 4th grade, and Lauren, 2nd grade) Wife, Kathy, is an elementary and special education teacher. Volunteer Coach & Board member for Danvers Youth Soccer. Former high school girls varsity soccer and girls varsity lacrosse coach (Ipswich High School) Holds Masters in Education;  Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study…

Manny Lopes

3:23 pm on Monday, April 23, 2012

My family and I have enjoyed our 10 years in town. We have met some nice and personable people, most of which grew up in Danvers, attended Danvers schools, and have nothing but good things to say about the Town of Danvers. My wife and I chose to live in Danvers for several reasons, from the school system to the small town atmosphere. We enjoy walking to Goodies for an ice cream, going to Endicott…   more ›

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Sister Teachers at Thorpe Elementary Run for Close to Home Cause

Thorpe School teachers, sisters Nicole Lamar and Tammy Ryan, will run the Twin Lights Half Marathon, a fundraiser for Brigham and Women's Lahav Lab, where Lamar's premature daughter participated in a groundbreaking study.

Nicole Lamar knows first hand the fear of sitting with neo-natal specialists to discuss the risks associated with premature birth, and the helplessness felt when confronted with the hard facts: will my child walk, talk and function normally? “The Doctors at Brigham and Womens didn’t candy coat it, and nor should they,” the young mother, who teaches second grade at Thorpe Elementary School in Danvers, explained. “Maggie was coming early, there was no turning back, and we needed to know all the factors.” T The Lamar family’s baby girl, their second daughter, was born at 29 weeks, 5 days and she was in the NICU for two months.   The Lamars were approached with an opportunity by Dr. Amir Lahav to join in on a little known pilot program …

Friday, April 13, 2012

Participate in Danvers Public Schools Survey

Danvers Public Schools are seeking candid community feedback.

Courtesy of Danvers Public Schools Danvers Public Schools is inviting residents to weigh in on how well the district is educating their children, how familiar they are with district leadership, and their awareness levels surrounding budgetary issues. As it launches a ‘Perspectives on the School District’ survey on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, Danvers is engaging all community members and increasing involvement in discussions on how to navigate through the challenging times that lie ahead. Working once again with independent research and communication firm K12 Insight, the survey is a key component of the district’s strategic plan. “We are now in the fourth year of our five-year strategic plan, which is our roadmap for increasing student …

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

School Committee Says Goodbye to Longtime Member

Bill Bates participated in his last School Committee meeting earlier this week.

School Committee members recognized Bill Bates' service to the Danvers Public Schools at their meeting on Monday, April 9. Bates, a nine-year member, decided not to seek reelection for the committee. At the meeting, Superintendent Lisa Dana said "we're going to miss working with him...we appreciate what you've brought to us." Bates said in his nine years on the School Committee, he never missed a meeting. "It's because it's important," Bates said. "It was an honor to serve the people of Danvers in this capacity." Elections for the School Committee will be held on the first of May. Click here to see who's on the ballot.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

CHART: Schools Receive $13K in DEEP Grants

A look at the grants awarded at the April 2012 School Committee meeting.

More than $13,000 in educational grants were awarded to Danvers faculty and staff, through the Danvers Educational Enrichment Partnership (DEEP.) Teachers and faculty members attended the School Committee Meeting on Monday, April 9, to be presented with their grant certificate and a t-shirt from DEEP. DEEP Treasurer Glenn Boutchie said this year the "ask" from faculty was the largest DEEP had seen. 62 grants, amounting to $31,758, were requested. The program was able to award 34 grants, at $13,607. "We wouldn't be able to do this without the support of everyone coming to our events and functions," Boutchie said, reminding attendees that the next wine tasting fundraiser will be held in October. School Committee member Eric Crane also noted …

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Danvers Schools Announce Early Release Wednesday

Faculty will be attending professional development during the afternoon.

The following is courtesy of the Danvers Public Schools: On Wednesday, April 4, 2012 all students K-12 in the Danvers Public Schools will be dismissed as follows.  Teachers will continue to work on professional development. There will be afternoon pre-school on that day and the release time is 2:10 p.m. Parents should note that lunches will be served to students before dismissal from school.

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