Education - Marblehead Current

06 Jul

School Committee approves freshman sports, raises user fees

Leigh Blander0 CommentsEducation, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Top Stories

Freshman sports will be played this fall, after the School Committee approved an increase in Marblehead High School user fees to fund the program. User fees for students participating in athletics or performing arts are now $495 for the 2023-24 school year, a $12 increase over the previously-announced fee. “I’m not going to take access away from a couple hundred kids for $12,” said School Committee Chair Sarah Fox. The family cap for athletics and performing arts user fees will jump from $623 to $800.…

05 Jul

New: School Committee member will not drop complaint

Leigh Blander0 CommentsEducation, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Top Stories

School Committee member Brian Ota filed a discrimination complaint against Superintendent John Buckey. Newly elected School Committee member Brian Ota will not drop a discrimination complaint he has filed against Superintendent John Buckey, he told the Marblehead Current.“I am continuing on” with the complaint, Ota wrote in an email.Upon being sworn in two days after the June 20 election, Ota filed a “disclosure of appearance of conflict of interest” with the Town Clerk revealing that he had filed a discrimination complaint with the Massachusetts Commission…

30 Jun

UPDATE: New school board member Ota filed discrimination complaint against superintendent

Leigh Blander0 CommentsEducation, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Top Stories

Newly elected School Committee member Brian Ota filed a "disclosure of appearance of conflict of interest" report with the Town Clerk when he was sworn in two days after he was elected on June 20. The report, obtained by the Current, reveals that Ota filed a discrimination complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination against Superintendent John Buckey. Ota did not mention his complaint while campaigning. "I'm not going to comment on it because it's an open case," Ota told the Current. At a School…

30 Jun

‘Everything’s on the table’: School board to revisit layoffs, demise of freshman sports

Leigh Blander0 CommentsEducation, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

Some of the school employees laid off after last week's failed override could possibly get their jobs back, according to School Committee Chair Sarah Fox. The committee, with two newly elected members, voted unanimously to take another look at staffing and program cuts approved at Town Meeting, based on news that the school district has approximately $500,000 in surplus funds as the 2023 fiscal year ends June 30. The School Committee (from left) Brian Ota, Alison Taylor, Jenn Schaeffner, Sarah Fox and Superintendent John Buckey…

28 Jun

For some, fight for funding goes on despite override loss

Leigh Blander0 CommentsEducation, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Municipal Matters, Politics, Public safety, Sports, Top Stories, Town Election Guide, Uncategorized

With the failure of the $2.5 million override last week, some parents and residents are determined to find other ways to fund the schools and town next year and prevent the loss of more than 30 positions and several programs that have been cut. Pink slips were sent out to affected teachers and staff on June 23. Freshman sports have been canceled for next year. Voters rejected the $2.5 million override, but some residents aren't giving up. CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER “I personally feel…

27 Jun

NEW: Town, school finance directors issue joint statement about energy reserve fund flap

Leigh Blander0 CommentsEducation, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Municipal Matters, Top Stories

Tuesday afternoon, Town Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin and Schools Assistant Superintendent of Finance Michelle Cresta issued a joint statement days after confusion erupted at a Select Board meeting about $350,000 in energy reserve funds typically allotted to the schools. "The town's new finance director was unaware of the school's utilization of the energy fund," the statement reads. "Historically, the school department has utilized a majority portion of the energy reserve fund as the schools are the largest department in the town with far and away…

22 Jun

Town will let schools access $350K in energy reserve funds, but only for one more year

Leigh Blander0 CommentsEducation, Local News, Top Stories

In a heated meeting Thursday morning, Marblehead Finance Director Aleesha Nunley-Benjamin emphasized that the school district will have access to $350,000 in town energy reserve funds for fiscal year 2024, easing concerns about more layoffs in the district. The Finance Committee discussed $350,000 in energy reserve funds typically used by the schools. Nunley-Benjamin, who started in Marblehead this spring, told the Finance Committee that she was shocked to learn Wednesday that the school district has historically used $350,000 of the town's energy reserve fund as…

22 Jun

Charter School students show off their smarts at exhibition

Leigh Blander0 CommentsArt, Education, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools

Marblehead Community Charter Public School held its 25th annual Exhibition of Student Learning on Wednesday, June 14. Family and friends were invited to walk through the school and explore dozens of projects created and presented by the students. Eighth-grade students Marly Barry (left) and Anna Baughman present their clocktower-themed roller. PHOTOS / CLAIRE TIPS This year’s event was the first full-school exhibition since before COVID. That’s partly why the school chose the theme of “community” this year. “We try to make the projects themselves very…

21 Jun

School Committee chair ‘shocked’ by town budget announcement that could lead to more layoffs

Leigh Blander0 CommentsEducation, Local News, Marblehead Public Schools, Municipal Matters, Top Stories, Town Election Guide

The Marblehead School Committee and the district are dealing with a bombshell announcement late Wednesday that the town may not be able contribute the full $350,000 expected toward school energy costs in fiscal year 2024 because there may not be enough funds available. The town also notified the schools that it has to charge back approximately $60,000 in utility costs to the department for the current fiscal year, according to the district. The new Select Board is sworn in Wednesday night. Shortly after, it adjourned…

21 Jun

Marblehead fire chief blazes new trail

Will Dowd0 CommentsEducation, Local News, Public safety, Top Stories, Uncategorized

When Salem State University seniors crossed the stage to collect their diplomas on May 20, there was a very familiar face in the crowd. Fire Chief Jason Gilliland accomplished something no other Marblehead fire chief has done when he earned a bachelor’s of fire science and administration that day. And it only took him 30-plus years to do it. “It was good to finally accomplish this,” Gilliland said. “I hate leaving things undone.” Fire Chief Jason Gilliland wearing his cap and gown after receiving his…