Submitted By Melissa Clucas & Henry Gwazda, School Committee Communications Subcommittee MHS roof bid approvedFollowing a competitive bidding process, the School Committee unanimously approvedawarding the Marblehead High School roof and HVAC replacement contract to Homer Contracting Inc. for $8.97 million, about $2.1 million under budget. The bid includes fixed pricing for a full roof recovering along with HVAC, plumbing and electrical work. This marks a major step toward resolving longstanding building issues at MHS. Most construction is planned for the summer, with substantial completion targeted…
A team can’t go undefeated unless it wins its first game, and that’s what the Marblehead High School boys basketball team (1-0 in the Northeastern Conference, 2-0 overall) did last Friday night (Dec. 12), when it defeated the Danvers Falcons in the opening round of the fourth annual Zach Markowitz Memorial Tournament hosted by Salem Academy, 58-51. The Magicians then took on Salem Academy in the title game the next day, and defeated them going away, 72-40. The Navigators defeated Bishop Fenwick in their first-round…
The School Committee discussed declining enrollment and grades at its Dec. 4 meeting. CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER Declining enrollment took center stage at another School Committee meeting on Dec. 4, as Superintendent John Robidoux presented more data to address concerns about the number of students leaving Marblehead schools. “So, we’re down over 200 students since June 7 to when school opened in September,” said School Committee member Jenn Schaeffner. She said enrollment had dropped by 25 students in the prior week alone. That’s a…
Declining enrollment took center stage at another School Committee meeting on Dec. 4, as Superintendent John Robidoux presented more data to address concerns about the number of students leaving Marblehead schools. “So, we’re down over 200 students since June 7 to when school opened in September,” said School Committee member Jenn Schaeffner. She said enrollment had dropped by 25 students in the prior week alone. That’s a drop from 2,754 to 2,511 students since June. “I am very interested in what’s going on,” Schaeffner said.…
The School Committee unanimously approved a cedar bench to be placed outside the Veterans School in memory of student Savanah Gatchell, who was killed in an alleged drunk driving crash in August. She was 13. A 16-year-old Marblehead boy, who was driving, is charged. Gatchell’s teenage sister, Allysa, was at the Dec. 4 School Committee meeting and cried softly after the vote. A bench honoring Savanah Gatchell will be placed outside Veterans School, where she was a student. The 13-year-old was killed in an alleged…
Marblehead Superintendent John Robidoux sent a message to families today, announcing that schedules at MHS and Veterans School are changing back to what they were last year. "At the beginning of the school year, our community was notified about some adjustments to the school schedules. These changes were intended to address the need for extended recess time in grades K-6," Robidoux wrote Tuesday. "It became apparent, however, that further discussion regarding the impact of the time change at the secondary level needed to occur. In…
The Marblehead Public Schools are exploring the possibility of developing an early childhood center at the old Eveleth School. Assistant Superintendent of Student Services LisaMarie Ippolito is sending out a survey to get input from the community. Ippolito writes: "For context, an early childhood center is a specialized educational and care facility designed to support the development of young children, typically from infancy through age 5... This early childhood center would play a crucial role in laying the foundation for lifelong learning, social skills and…
This Saturday morning at 10 a.m., the Marblehead–Swampscott Powderpuff rivalry returns as 87 Marblehead High School senior girls take to Blocksidge Field in Swampscott. The Magicians have beaten Big Blue the past two years. Marblehead and Swampscott high school seniors face off in a recent Powderpuff game. CURRENT PHOTO “Powderpuff is the heart of senior year for the girls,” said longtime coach Jacqui Bouchard, who came out of a one-year retirement to lead the team again this fall. “They look forward to this experience from…
Tuesday afternoon, the Marblehead High School roof replacement subcommittee voted unanimously to recommend the School Committee accept an $8.9 million general contracting bid from Homer Contracting to handle the roof project — $2.1 million under budget. The subcommittee also voted to move forward with a roof recovering, rather than liquid-applied repairs. The MHS roof has been leaking for years, leading to mold and even ceiling tiles falling on students. CURRENT PHOTO In a surprise, the costs to recover the roof came in substantially lower than…
Contract and other salary increases in Marblehead schools would add $1.54 million to the district’s fiscal year 2027 budget, according to Assistant Superintendent Mike Pfifferling. Meanwhile, the town has asked all departments to submit level-funded budgets. The MPS FY 26 budget is $49.1 million, which was 5% higher than the year before. The school department also faces hikes in utility, transportation and other costs, pushing the total increase in salaries, services and supplies to $2.4 million, Pfifferling said. Pfiffering and Superintendent John Robidoux are meeting…
