All eyes were on the sky as a plane circled overhead at the LARE Institute graduation celebration on June 16th. Students started snapping pictures of the message it was carrying, “Congrats 2016 LARE Grads! #WOW!Magic!” That was the kickoff for the celebration. Students were fitted for caps and gowns, lined up in order of their programs […]
MAYOR SAYS VOWS HE WILL NOT SUPPORT A PROP. 2 1/2 OVERRIDE June 15, 2016 – With Methuen Mayor Zanni proposing a 1% increase in the school budget, Superintendent of Schools Judy Scannell is threatening to make staffing cuts saying the increase is not enough. Superintendent Scannell says the 1% increase will result in eliminating four police […]
By: D.J. Deeb – June, 2016 May has proven to be a very busy month for the Methuen School Committee as it almost always is. There have been several workshops on the budget (which is still a work in progress), awards ceremonies, teacher recognition, and pro-active planning for the year ahead. First off, Congratulations to […]
By: Tom Duggan – 6-12-16 There is a war brewing in Methuen over Mayor Zanni’s proposed city budget, which School Committeeman Nick DiZoglio says “shortchanges our students” and “is a disgrace in a community like Methuen.” While Mayor Zanni proposes an increase in the school budget, not a decrease, DiZoglio called the budget measure a “cut” for the […]
By: Sandra Stotsky – June, 2016 There has been a long, slow decline in the reading level of American high school graduates. Our kids are not reading much at the secondary level, and what they do read may not develop college-level reading and vocabulary skills. Perhaps Bay State English teachers should consider research evidence as […]
This is part II of our sit down interview with State Senator Barbara L’Italien concerning her trip to Israel late last year. Since part I of our interview in March, Senator L’Italien and the other Senators who visited Israel have come under fire by anti-Semitic, hate groups disguised as “peace” organizations but actually support Palestinian […]
By: DJ Deeb – May, 2016 The debate over Common Core has been heating up over the past several months, especially with the Presidential and Congressional Elections looming. The purpose of this article is to explain the origins of Common Core, summarize the standards, and offer suggestions on how to stop Common Core from being […]
By: Tom Duggan – May 25, 2016 The Valley Patriot has learned that Andover High School has changed their longstanding policy and tradition of crowning a king and queen of the prom, replacing them with what they are now calling the “prom court”. The 2016 graduating class at Andover High had their prom two weeks ago, […]
By: Paul Murano – April, 21016 As the debate heats up about whether President Obama has a right to replace late Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia before his term ends in January, it is important to consider where the ideological divide lies on how to interpret the Constitution. It is no coincidence that this disagreement […]
By: Amy Berard In a 2016 memo, Massachusetts Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester explains, “We ask principals and test proctors to handle refusals with sensitivity. Students should not be pressured to take the test, nor should they be punished for not taking the test.” You read that correctly. You can refuse standardized testing for your child. […]
Do you binge watch CSI shows? Do you think you would make a good crime scene investigator? Come and test your skills during Northern Essex Community College’s first Crime Scene Open House on Saturday, April 30, from 9 a.m. until noon in room E 252 on the Haverhill campus. Northern Essex forensic science professor Mike […]
The Honorable Judge Peter Agnes, of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, shall Speak on the Law Day Theme: “The Watering Down of Miranda”. Local high school students will compete in this year’s Annual Law Day Speech Contest held on April, 29, 2016, at the Fenton Judicial Center/Lawrence District Court. The topic of this year’s Speech Contest is: […]
For the second year in a row, The Valley Patriot awarded a scholarship to a student graduating from the Greater Lawrence Technical School in Andover. The winners are researched, interviewed and chosen by Greater Lawrence Technical School Committeeman Jessica Finocchiaro. “I’m proud to say this is the 2nd annual scholarship from The Valley Patriot […]
Famous weatherman Al Kaprielian, MTV’s Brittany Baldi, and Hollywood star Steve Blackwood greeted three Market Basket employees at The Valley Patriot’s 12th Anniversary BASH, as the newspaper, their sponsors, and advertisers gave each of the three employees a $400 scholarship. The scholarship was started last year as the newspaper’s way of thanking the Market Basket employees […]
The Valley Patriot newspaper granted two, $600 scholarships at the 12th Anniversary BASH last month thanks to the sponsors and advertisers of the paper. Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan told the crowd that originally the scholarship award was $400, “but thanks to our platinum sponsors Kevin Leach, Joe Zingales of Team Zingales-Remax and Mike […]