By: Paula Porten & Tom Duggan – December 2004 For the last two years, residents of Lawrence have been calling the construction of a $110 million high school “The Big Dig of Lawrence,” because of its price tag. For months, School Committeeman Amy McGovern and Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy have been questioning the quality of work […]
PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By: Tom Duggan – November, 2004 With all due respect to the Superintendent of Schools in North Andover, you might think his previous job experience in Reading would have taught him a lesson or two about listening to parents and not supporting fuzzy math programs. Unfortunately for […]
ANDOVER- The Greater Lawrence Technical School unveiled the new Science and Technology wing last month and dedicated it to a lifelong advocate of the vocational school, Evelyn Burke. Mrs. Burke has been a member of the Technical School Committee for eighteen years, was treasurer of the board for twelve years and was a nursing instructor […]
Hey People! It’s Just A News Story! October, 2004 Last month The Valley Patriot ran a front page news story about Brooks School Summer Camp in North Andover conducting mock marriage ceremonies between same-sex kids (some as young as five years old). Some people were clearly offended and outraged by the headline, “Brooks Marries Same […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL September, 2004 John Kerry and the democrats have long touted the myth that the presidents’ education initiative “No Child Left Behind Act” (NCLB) isn’t funded and “leaves kids behind”. In fact, it was a mantra at the Democrat National Convention and the media has consistently reported the charge as fact. But, a […]
By: Tom Sharkey – September, 2004 The development of the mill buildings, the construction of a new rail center, and the repairs to City Hall and to Veterans Stadium speak to a community coming together to shape its future. Though still in its early stages, emerging as another success story for the City is Lawrence […]
By: Hanna, age 10 – September, 2004 Our new ace reporter, Hanna interviewed (Kathleen Kostan) the new principal of the Thomson School in North Andover. How do you feel about MCAS? “I wouldn’t just say it is just MCAS, because I think the Education Reform Bill which started MCAS is the best that has ever […]
By: Tom Duggan – September 2004 NORTH ANDOVER – Children attending the Brooks School summer camp this year were encouraged to get “married” during carnival day where a mock marriage booth was set up for children to “marry” each other. According to several children who attended the day camp and two sets of parents […]
By: Hanna, Age 10 – October, 2004 What is the difference between a teacher, a principal and a superintendent? Teachers work most directly with the students in the classroom. Principals run the schools and are in charge of everyone in the school building. Superintendents are in charge of all the schools. We make sure that […]
By: Dr. Charles Ormsby – August, 2004 Last month we discussed (The Valley Patriot, July 2004, Page 3, Freedom’s Laboratory) how free societies, by respecting the rights of property owners to keep their property and to dispose of it as they see fit, permit the maximum degree of rational experimentation and therefore maximize our rate […]
Some People Never Learn PAYING ATTENTION WITH TOM DUGGAN By: Tom Duggan – July, 2004 Former North Andover School Committeeman Diane Huster still doesn’t get it. After being thrown off the School Committee two years ago by the voters, Huster continues to engage in the very same personal attacks and viscous political tactics that […]
Lawrence School Committee uses State Tax Dollars on Cell Phones…for Themselves By: Tom Duggan – July, 2004 LAWRENCE- In the first three parts of this series, The Valley Patriot reported that Lawrence School Committee members had: 1) wasted thousands of dollars on lavish meals at the One Mill Street restaurant at state taxpayers’ […]
Frederick Hess, Beacon Hill Institute – June, 2004 (Guest Columnist) A Measure of the Need for Reform America’s schools are in a state of crisis. Few of our schools are excellent, many are mediocre, and yet we, the adults responsible, are content to tinker and theorize. Demands for radical change are consistently met by protestations […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL May, 2004 “Wheels of Justice” is an organization made up of individuals who disguise themselves as an advocates of “peace” and love for all. They were recruited to speak to two sophomore classes at North Andover High School by history teacher Barry Humphreys, who didn’t clear it with Superintendent Harry Harutunian […]
By: Tom Duggan – May, 2004 While other communities in the Merrimack Valley are counting every penny and making difficult cuts to services and personnel, foregoing luxuries like out-of-state travel, and appealing to the state for more funding, the Lawrence School Committee appears not to have similar concerns. Last month, while no other superintendent […]