UMass Lowell Announces this year's Summer Camps

Attention Families:

UMass Lowell Summer Camps

UMass Lowell Announces the return of their popular summer camps.

Among the programs offered are:

Athletics camps for basketball, baseball, softball, ice hockey, field hockey, soccer and volleyball enthusiasts.

Band camp, a week-long intensive program aimed at improving the individual skills and broadening the experiences of musically talented students.

DesignCamp, offering many hands-on science and engineering workshops for students in grades five through 11. Each workshop is built around a series of design projects, interesting science activities and problems to solve.

The Tsongas Industrial History Center’s summer camps, which offer youngsters a chance to visit four national parks in Massachusetts, build a canal system, and take a boat trip on the Merrimack River.

For more information, click on the link above.

Next Budget Meeting Set for Wednesday Night, June 16

The next Lowell Public Schools Budget meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 16 at City Hall in the City Council Chambers at 7:00 P.M.

Topics on the agenda include:

Student Achievement Gains Across the District, District Strategic Goal #2: Promoting Community Involvement in Order to Enhance Educational Opportunities for Students, Student Middle School Intramurals and the Evaluation of the Superintendent of Schools.

For a complete agenda of the night's topics, please visit our homepage.

Lowell to Host Innovative Cities Conference

Lowell is hosting the Innovative Cities Conference. The conference, titled Innovative Cities: Best Practices in Urban Development, will be held June 15-17th. This exciting conference will be hosted by our community partners: Lowell National Historic Park, UMass Lowell, Middlesex Community College, The Lowell Plan and others.

Stakeholders from the following areas will share their successful strategies for promoting small to mid-size cities:

Ann Arbor, Michigan
Asheville, North Carolina
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Lowell, Massachusetts
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Portland, Oregon

Conference topics will include economic development, the creative economy, sustainability, transportation, housing, education, etc.

For more information, visit the Innovative Cities website or email info@innovativecitiesconference.com

By the way, while at the website, check out the section labeled "Lowell Attractions."

Special Education Parent Advisory Council

The Lowell Special Education Parent Advisory Council will hold its last meeting of the school year on Thursday, June 3, 2010 at the Butler School Library Media Center on Gorham Street at 7:00 p.m. This will be a general meeting.

Stay up to date on Lowell Public Schools Special Education information.
All Lowell Public School parents/guardians and educators are invited to attend.

For more information call 978-454-1967 or email lowellspedpac@aol.com

Community Partnerships: UMass Lowell's Alex Ruthmann speaks to Lowell City Council

Community Partnerships

Dr. Alex Ruthmann, Music Education professor from UMass Lowell spoke with City Council members at last week's meeting. Ruthmann stressed the importance of sustaining vibrant partnerships and continuing to develop long term relationships that will benefit both students and the citizens of Lowell.

Click here for Dick Howe's blog posting and You Tube video of the meeting.

Over the last six months, the Lowell School Department has been wrestling with a projected budget shortfall of between $7 million and $9 million. I feel it is my responsibility to ensure that the community at large realizes how devastating this level of cuts would be for Lowell Public Schools.

Lowell Public Schools for the past two decades have enjoyed positive growth in all areas. We have a higher percentage of new schools than any other urban district in the commonwealth. We are proud of the fact that this year we were ranked in first place of all urban school districts for our student achievement growth in the area of mathematics and in the top third for English language arts. The staff and programs that have ensured our success in the past have been significantly reduced over the past six years, and any further reduction at this point will result in the elimination of entire programs and key positions that have made our gains possible.

We have been working with our state delegation and the city manager in an attempt to mitigate this financial shortfall, but at this time no one knows what the final numbers will be. What we do know, however, is that any reduction in funds will have a detrimental and long-lasting impact on student achievement.

Given the amount of the anticipated shortfall, the Lowell School Department and School Committee have done a great deal of planning and budget analysis over the past six months so that the cuts taken do the least amount of damage. We have held numerous finance subcommittee meetings to discuss this dire situation. Many concerned community leaders such as George Duncan, president, Enterprise Bank, Jim Cook, Lowell Plan director and Kendall Wallace, chairman, Lowell Publishing Company, to just name a few, have joined us in these discussions over the past year. We appreciate their time and support of the Lowell Public Schools. Their commitment to a high quality education system is reflective of the support we have for the schools throughout the city.

There are no easy answers as we are still feeling the effects of the 2008 economic crisis. Despite this downturn, our students and their families are counting on us to be the best we can be even in difficult times. Granted, as your superintendent of schools, I wrestle with the complexities and difficulties of clearly communicating the damage of further cuts to Lowell Public Schools and the need to provide hope and inspiration at the same time. Please know that we are committed to educational excellence and collectively we will overcome. You are encouraged to attend the public budget hearings Thursday, May 27, and Tuesday, June 1, in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 7 p.m.

CHRIS SCOTT

Superintendent of Schools

Dear Staff, Families and Lowellians,

We are in the throws of our budget season which is very difficult given the budget shortfall the School Department is facing.

The School Committee will be presented with the Superintendent’s Recommended budget at the May 19th School Committee meeting. The Budget Hearings are scheduled for Thursday, May 27th and Tuesday, June 1st at City Hall, Council Chambers at 7PM. Please plan to attend, as the cuts will gravely impact our School District.



To date the School Committee has been asked to examine numerous reduction possibilities. The following chart illustrates the potential savings from reducing 24FTE teacher positions and reducing the current 4-house configuration to a 3-house configuration at Lowell High School:

24 FTE Teacher Staff Reduction
$ 1,385,328
Mean class size of 24 students

1 House Office Reduction
$ 366,716
From 4 to 3 House Offices
Total Savings:
$ 1,752,044

Following are additional budget reductions that are being considered and evaluated for recommendation within other employee groups at Lowell High School:


Interscholastic and Intramural Athletics
FY10 Budget $ 747,915
Potential Reduction $ 249,305

After-School Clubs & Student Activities
FY10 Budget $ 142,000
Potential Reducation $ 71,000

Instructional & Support Specialists
FY10 Budget $ 235,851
Potential Reduction $ 159,254

Building Custodians
FY10 Budget $ 850,543
Potential Reduction $ 195,670

Security Guards
FY10 Budget $ 273,938
Potential Reduction $ 39,134

Clerks and Clerk Schedulers
FY10 Budget $ 594,859
Potential Reduction $ 183,335
Total: $ 897,698

The following chart illustrates the potential savings from 3 FTE and 4 FTE reductions at the elementary and middle levels respectively. There are currently 14 elementary schools and 6 middle schools in the district. As the Bartlett Community Partnership School and Pyne Arts Magnet School are 2-strand, K-8 schools, please note that they are included with the elementary level reductions.

Per School Savings
Elementary Level Reduction:
1 FTE
$ 808,108
2 FTE's
$1,616,216
3 FTE's
$2,424,324

Per School Savings
Middle Level Reduction:
1 FTE
$ 346,332
2 FTE's
$ 692,664
3 FTE's
$1,038,996
4 FTE's
$1,385,328

There have been many administrative changes in the school district for the 2010/11 school year. Below are the announcements that have been made in the last few weeks.

Jason DiCarlo, McAuliffe School New Position: Murkland School Principal
Marianne Bond, Murkland School Principal New Position: McAvinnue School Principal
Matt Stahl, Moody & Washington School Principal New Position: Pawtucketville Memorial Principal
Kelly Clough, McAvinnue School Principal- Resigning
Alison Corner, Pawtucketville Memorial Principal- Retiring
Bill Manolopoulos, PyneArts Principal- Retiring but will return for one more year
Linda Lee, Shaughnessy Principal- Retiring but will return for one more year
William Samaras, LHS Headmaster- Retiring
Edward Rozmiarek, LHS Headmaster Starting July 1, 2010
Susan Mulligan, Bailey Acting Principal
Please feel free to contact me at any time – my door is always open.

My best to you,
Chris Scott

Superintendent Scott's Statement on the Budget

Over the last six months, the Lowell School Department has been wrestling with a projected budget shortfall of between $7 million and $9 million. I feel it is my responsibility to ensure that the community at large realizes how devastating this level of cuts would be for Lowell Public Schools.

Lowell Public Schools for the past two decades have enjoyed positive growth in all areas. We have a higher percentage of new schools than any other urban district in the commonwealth. We are proud of the fact that this year we were ranked in first place of all urban school districts for our student achievement growth in the area of mathematics and in the top third for English language arts. The staff and programs that have ensured our success in the past have been significantly reduced over the past six years, and any further reduction at this point will result in the elimination of entire programs and key positions that have made our gains possible.

We have been working with our state delegation and the city manager in an attempt to mitigate this financial shortfall, but at this time no one knows what the final numbers will be. What we do know, however, is that any reduction in funds will have a detrimental and long-lasting impact on student achievement.

Given the amount of the anticipated shortfall, the Lowell School Department and School Committee have done a great deal of planning and budget analysis over the past six months so that the cuts taken do the least amount of damage. We have held numerous finance subcommittee meetings to discuss this dire situation. Many concerned community leaders such as George Duncan, president, Enterprise Bank, Jim Cook, Lowell Plan director and Kendall Wallace, chairman, Lowell Publishing Company, to just name a few, have joined us in these discussions over the past year. We appreciate their time and support of the Lowell Public Schools. Their commitment to a high quality education system is reflective of the support we have for the schools throughout the city.

There are no easy answers as we are still feeling the effects of the 2008 economic crisis. Despite this downturn, our students and their families are counting on us to be the best we can be even in difficult times. Granted, as your superintendent of schools, I wrestle with the complexities and difficulties of clearly communicating the damage of further cuts to Lowell Public Schools and the need to provide hope and inspiration at the same time. Please know that we are committed to educational excellence and collectively we will overcome. You are encouraged to attend the public budget hearings Thursday, May 27, and Tuesday, June 1, in the Council Chambers of City Hall at 7 p.m.

CHRIS SCOTT

Superintendent of Schools

Another LPS/UML Partnership

UMass Lowell Physical Therapy Students teach Lincoln School students about healthy living

To see the article posted on the UML website, click the link above.

LET 22 unveils new web site

LET 22, the district's educational TV studio, has just unveiled their new website. Check it out by clicking here. This is another great resource brought to us by Jack Pinard and the folks at LET 22. Visit their site often for news and events available in multiple formats. Also available at their site is the LET 22 schedule for viewing the television station at home.

Citywide Parent Council Meeting May 17

On Monday, May 17th, the Citywide Parent Council will host their next meeting at 6:30 at the Stoklosa School on Broadway. This meeting will feature the Mary J. Bacigaluupo You Make A Difference Awards and Citywide Parent Council Board Elections for the next school year.

6:30 Welcome Reception
7:30 Award Presentations: Volunteers from each school will be honored.

Annual CPC Board Elections
Please contact school Parent Liaison if you are interested in running to be a Parent Representative to the Citywide Parent Council. Evening meetings through out the year are usually held on the 3rd Monday of each month.

The Citywide Parent Council welcomes all parents.
For more information, please visit the CPC website.

Bartlett School's Charlie Lefebvre Honored by Students and Staff of the Bartlett School

Custodian Charlie Lefebvre was honored recently by the Lowell Public Schools for his many years of dedicated service to the Lowell Public Schools.

Student Council President Diego Torres, an eighth-grader at the Bartlett School, called Lefebvre "the salt of the Earth," adding that too often society bathes attention on the rich, famous and powerful rather than those who truly make a difference.

"The only thing we can take credit for are our choices," Torres continued, saying that Lefebvre chose to be a patriot in serving his country and chose to serve the Bartlett school community for the last 50 years. "He inspires all of us to serve and to do better."





To read the related article in today's Lowell Sun, click here.

The Benjamin F. Butler Middle School to host first annual Golf Tournament

The Butler School needs you!

The Butler School needs you and your fellow golfers for their First Annual Golf Tournament on Monday, June 21 at Hickory Hill Golf Course in Methuen.

Your $125. entrance fee is tax deductible!

This price includes coffee and donuts, 18 holes of golf, use of golf cart, lunch, gift bag. Various prizes will be awarded at the award presentation and luncheon.


For information please contact:
Carol Sutton or Rick Riley at the Butler School

csutton@lowell.k12.ma.us
rriley@lowell.k12.ma.us

(978) 970-5496

MCC to Offer Microsoft Office 2007 Training

Earn PDPs! Middlesex Community College will be offering training in Microsoft Office 2007 for use in the classroom. For more information, please contact Sheila Morin at 978-656-3416.

Sessions will be offered on June 12th & 19th or August 23 & September 1.

Visit the MCC website for more information on Community Education & Career Training.

Cyber Safety Event Monday May 3, 2010 at LHS @ 6:00

The Lowell Public Schools will host a cyber safety forum on Monday.

The program begins at 6 pm. Guest speakers will include Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone, Lowell Superintendent of Police Kenneth Lavallee, and Lowell Superintendent of Schools Chris Scott. Their remarks will be followed by a presentation on Cyber Safety by Assistant District Attorney Onyen Yong.

This very important community event is presented by the Lowell Public Schools, the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, the Lowell Police Department, Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Lowell General Hospital and the Lowell Juvenile Court.

May 5 is Massachusetts Walk to School Day

Check back here for more information.

STEM Pathway Community Partnerships

Event for Seventh & Eight Graders from the Wang and Butler Middle Schools

Professionals, Educators Talk to Middle-School Students

When: Wednesday, April 28, 3:30 to 5 p.m.

The “Science of Small Things” after-school program, housed in the UMass Lowell Center for Family Work and Community and funded by the National Science Foundation, is hosting an event for seventh- and eighth-graders of the Wang and Butler middle schools in Lowell. Representatives from Raytheon and Nypro, UMass Lowell faculty, and graduate students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields (STEM) will engage in conversation with the students about their educational experiences and career path choices.

Where: Kitson Hall, Room 309, UMass Lowell North Campus, 21 University Ave., Lowell

Community Partnerships: MCC Announces Summer Camps Information for July & August 2010

Middlesex Community College has announced summer camp details.
Visit the MCC Summer Camp website for more information.

Since 1996, Middlesex Community College summer camps have been providing children with an exciting range of unique opportunities to explore careers, gain knowledge, develop new skills and boost self-confidence! Our camps provide students with a safe environment in which to learn and have fun. Camps will be held from July 6-August 12, 2010, on MCC's Bedford and Lowell campuses, utilizing the vast open space in Bedford as well as the rich cultural and ethnic resources in Lowell. Camps include Aviation, Veterinary Medicine, Fashion Design, Cartooning, Digital Photography, LegoMindstorms and more!

A Conversation with Superintendent Scott at 7:00 Tonight

Please join us as Superintendent Scott and other elected officials discuss the upcoming budget. The Citywide Parent Council is encouraging all parents to attend. Superintendent Scott will host a parent question and answer session.

LOWELL CITYWIDE PARENT COUNCIL MEETING
Monday, April 26, 2010
7:00 pm
at The Lowell High School Television Studio, 55 Father Morissette Boulevard, Lowell


If you are not able to attend, this meeting will be broadcast live on LET 22, Lowell's Educational Television station.

For more information call or email Joe Longtin, CPC Chair at 978-452-1846 or jlandmax@aol.com

National Park Service looking for a Lowell Public Schools Teacher

The Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Program
is a national program within the National Park Service that connects teachers and students to parks. National Parks are classrooms presenting powerful opportunities for learning and adding new dimensions to understanding on a variety of topics linked to American heritage.

For more information, contact Leslie Obleschuk, leslie_obleschuk@nps.gov or call Leslie at 978.318.7831

Deadline for applications: May 12.
Only one position available for Summer 2010!

Minute Man National Historical Park
174 Liberty Street
Concord, MA 01742

Discussion: Special Education Programs at the Elementary School Level

Join us to learn more about the many programs for students at the elementary school level.

Date: Thursday – May 6, 2010
Place: Butler School Library - 1140 Gorham Street
Time: 7:00 P.M.
All parents, educators and community members are welcome to attend.
This discussion will be led by Debbie Smith, Assistant Administrator, Lowell Public Schools, Special Education Department. This event is sponsored by the Lowell Sped PAC. The PAC is organized and run by parents of children receiving special education services through the Lowell School Department. As a PAC, we promote understanding between parents, teachers and the Special Education Department. We facilitate communication within the community regarding special education, provide information on available programs, offer information to parents and provide workshops and support. Newcomers are always welcome to attend meetings.

Tel: (978) 454-1967 or E-mail: Lowellspedpac@aol.com

Community Partnerships: MCC Announces Summer Camps Information for July & August 2010

Middlesex Community College has announced summer camp details.
Visit the MCC website for more information.

Since 1996, Middlesex Community College summer camps have been providing children with an exciting range of unique opportunities to explore careers, gain knowledge, develop new skills and boost self-confidence! Our camps provide students with a safe environment in which to learn and have fun. Camps will be held from July 6-August 12, 2010, on MCC's Bedford and Lowell campuses, utilizing the vast open space in Bedford as well as the rich cultural and ethnic resources in Lowell. Camps include Aviation, Veterinary Medicine, Fashion Design, Cartooning, Digital Photography, LegoMindstorms and more!

School Vacation Week April 19- April 23

Harvard University Panel to Discuss Exemplary High Schools

“How do High Schools Become Exemplary?” a three-week series of panel discussions, sponsored by the Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University, will focus on the best practices in place at the high school level. This panel discussion may be of interest to any educators working at the high school level.

The panel discussion, moderated by Ron Ferguson, the Faculty Director of the Achievement Gap Initiative, will be held Thursday, April 29, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., at the Askwith Lecture Hall, located in Longfellow Hall at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, 13 Appian Way, Cambridge.

Community Partnerships: WELCOME SPRING WITH TWO OUTDOOR CONCERTS

The Middlesex Community College Music Department Outreach Program will present two events which will take place at Derby Park Culture Garden on Middle Street, Lowell.

The performances will feature the Lowell High School Concert Chorus, on Monday, April 26 and the Lowell High Jazz Band on Monday, May 4.

Both concerts start at 11:00 and are free and open to the public. (In case of rain, the performances will take place in the MCC Cafeteria, 33 Kearney Square)

The mission of MCC Music Outreach Program is to bring high quality, professional music events featuring a range of styles, voices and instruments to students of all ages and the public of the Greater Lowell area.

BREAKING NEWS

LOWELL PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT
DR. CHRIS SCOTT NAMES EDWARD J. ROZMIAREK
HEADMASTER OF LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL

Contact Information: cscott@lowell.k12.ma.us

April 14, 2010

LOWELL – Dr. Chris Scott, Superintendent of the Lowell Public Schools, has offered the position of Lowell High School Headmaster to Edward J. Rozmiarek of Beverly, Massachusetts.

He has accepted the position.

Edward. J. Rozmiarek has served as the Assistant Principal of North Reading High School since 2006. Previously, Mr. Rozmiarek had served as an Assistant Principal at Mansfield High School and was the 2002 recipient of the Boston Center for Adult
Education’s Outstanding Educator Award.

Having previously been a practicing attorney, Mr. Rozmiarek has a great deal of education and experience in building a safe school community and will work to ensure a positive and welcoming learning environment for our students.

“Edward is extremely qualified to lead the critical work of taking
Lowell High School to the next level,” said Dr. Scott. “I am confident that he will demonstrate the innovation in leadership necessary to offer Lowell High School students the highest quality educational opportunities so that they are prepared for future success.”

Mr. Rozmiarek is a graduate of the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY and Boston University School of Law.

He will assume the position as of July 1, 2010.

Lowell High School serves 3,100 students at its urban downtown
campus.

The i-Generation requires a different approach to instruction

Today's eSchool News has an article by psychology professor and author, Dr. Larry Rosen. Rosen asserts that teen use of portable and mobile technologies will carry over into their education. Designing multi-dimensional lessons that take advantage of how kids live and work out of school is a much needed change in K-12 education. Read Rosen's article in eSchool News.

In addition to a different approach to instruction, now more than ever our students need cyber safety intruction. The Lowell Public Schools is offering an event for parents and students at Lowell High School on May 3. Please see previous posting for information on that upcoming event. Don't miss it!

Teaching About the Web

This website, by Common Sense Media, provides free materials and curricula around Internet Safety. Parents, teachers and others can access this website and get their free Internet Survival Guide for Parents. Common Sense Media will be offering a free curriculum to public schools in New York City and Omaha in the fall. Other school districts are considering its adoption, including Denver, the District of Columbia, Florida, Los Angeles, Maine and Virginia.
The Internet Survival Guide for Parents is available now by going to their website.

(Please see previous posting about our Internet Safety forum on May 3 at Lowell High School. For more information on this event, please contact Roxane Howe at rhowe@lhs.lowell.k12.ma.us)

The New York Times today has an interesting article that discusses Harvard's Howard Gardner's research around internet usage among kids. With the advent of the "Smartphone," more and more students are finding the internet readily available and "online" as much as 7 hours a day.

The New York Times article can be found here. If you do read the article, please consider subscribing to the New York Times.

Lowell Public Schools Instructional Technology Specialists are reviewing the Internet Survival Guide for Parents now. For more information about what your child's school is doing in the area of Internet Safety, please contact Anne Sheehy at asheehy@lowell.k12.ma.us.

Better Together: A Team Approach is the Best Approach

The Lowell Public Schools was mentioned in an article in the latest March / April edition of the AFT (American Federation of Teachers) publication, American Teacher.

The article discusses the concept of turning schools and districts into communities of inquiry.

The Lowell Public Schools / United Teachers of Lowell (UTL) partnership is based on the work that took place when Lowell teachers and administrators attended this training last summer. Professional Learning Communities built around inquiry are a part of our work in the Lowell Public Schools. To see more about PLCs in Lowell, see previous blog postings.

Read the article by clicking here.

Lowell Public Schools Events

To see Lowell Public Schools Events & Happenings by month, click on the links to the right.
For example, events happening in April can be found by clicking the link for April.
Events taking place in May can be found by clicking "May."

You can also find any event, article or information previously posted to this blog by using the Search This Blog feature.
Just use this as you would any search engine. Type your search term in the box and press Enter.

There are many informative events for parents, students and the community hosted by the Lowell Public Schools.
For instance, on May 3, 2010, there will be a Cyber Safety event for parents and students held at Lowell High School.
For more information on that event, click on "May."

Hope to see you there!

Another Community Forum

Student Bullying and Violence in the Wired World


A Community Forum for Parents and Students

Monday, May 3, 2010
6:00-7:30 pm
Cyrus W. Irish Auditorium at Lowell High School
50 Fr. Morissette Boulevard

Presented by: Lowell Public Schools, Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Lowell Police Department, Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Lowell General Hospital

Lowell High School Headmaster: The Search Continues

Two or three finalists for the Lowell High School Headmaster position will tour the city of Lowell, have lunch with members of the local business community, and meet with Lowell High School teachers and students possibly as early as next week.

The 17-member screening committee interviewed four candidates Tuesday night, including: Edward Rozmiarek, Assistant Principal at North Reading High School; Eric Juli, Director of Secondary Curriculum for the Lawrence Public Schools; Timothy McCarron, Assistant Principal of Newburyport High School; and Jennifer Smith, Dean of Students at Peabody High School.

Diane Paradis, Career & Technology Education Coordinator for Cambridge Public Schools, and Daniel Richards, Assistant Principal for Instruction at Belmont High School, will be interviewed today starting at 4:15 p.m. at the Central Administration Office at the Edith Nourse Rogers School.

Superintendent Scott will extend an invitation to two or three finalists after she receives the assessment of all candidates from the screening committee. She will then interview them. A site visit to the current school of the candidate she feels is most qualified will follow.

Open Forum

On Monday, April 12 at 6:00- 7:30 PM at the Stoklosa School on Broadway, the Lowell Public Schools, the Middlesex County Juvenile Court and Lowell Police Department partner to host an Open Forum on Education and Safety. Superintendent Scott, Judge Jay Blitzman of Middlesex County Juvenile Court and Chief Kenneth Lavallee of Lowell Police Department will be at the Open Forum to discuss and to listen to your concerns.

For more information please contact Dr. Phala Chea at pchea@lowell.k12.ma.us

Khmer Rouge Tribunal and Genocide Education Exhibit

Lowell Public Schools is hosting an exhibit on Khmer Rouge Tribunal and Genocide Education. Please join us as we present and discuss Cambodia’s past, present and future.

Mr. Khamboly Dy, Author of A History of Democratic Kampuchea, Dr. Alexander Hinton, Director of the Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights at Rutgers University, and Dr. John Ciorciari, Assistant Professor at Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan and Editor of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, will present.

Special thanks to Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association, Light of Cambodian Children, UMass Lowell, UMass Boston Asian American Studies Program, Middlesex Community College, Lowell Community Health Center, Greater Lowell Health Alliance and Lowell General Hospital for their support.

Sponsored in part by: Lowell Public Schools, Documentation Center of Cambodia, Primary Source, Lowell General Hospital, Tepthida Restaurant, and Top Donut.

Date: Sunday, April 18, 2010
Time: 9:00 am—12:00 pm Stoklosa Middle School
560 Broadway St., Lowell, MA 01854


For more information, please contact Dr. Phala Chea at pchea@lowell.k12.ma.us.

Wellness Fair

The Lowell Public Schools will again host a free city-wide Health & Wellness Fair.
This event will be held on April 29, 2010 at 6:00 PM at the Central Administration Offices at the Edith Nourse Rogers School. For more information please visit our website.


www.lowell.k12.ma.us

DuncanChat Today at 11:00

Participate in today's webcast with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Today Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will be hosting a webinar to explain the ins and outs of the new student loan legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Click here to access the website.

Read Robert Forrant's Boston Globe article on the Lowell Film Festival.

Lowell Film Festival this weekend

Lowell Film Festival set to start this weekend. Opening flick is "Jezebel" starring Lowell's own Bette Davis. Click the link for more information.

Making Higher Education More Affordable

Yesterday, President Obama signed a historic piece of legislation aimed at reforming higher education and the student loan system. According to President Obama, these reforms will make college more affordable and enable more Americans to earn a college degree.

The White House Blog has posted a great video featuring Dr. Jill Biden, a life-long educator, that answers many questions families may have on this legislation.

To read more, and view the video, click here.

Superintendent's Corner: Professional Learning Communities in the Lowell Public Schools

The following is an excerpt from Dr. Chris Scott's Superintendent's Corner:



The work that we have done in the district to establish professional learning communities which focuses on collaboration at every grade level in order to improve student achievement is the key to our school reform efforts. Educators are given the opportunity to collectively pool their professional skills in order to analyze the data and determine the most appropriate instructional strategies for their students.


We are establishing the “cycle of inquiry” at every grade level so that educators have the opportunity to have professional conversations about teaching and learning. We believe that we will be able to continue to move our district forward because our focus has been and will continue to be on building internal capacity through the on-going promotion of healthy professional learning communities.

This work has received both national and state recognition by the American Federation of Teachers [AFT]. Please refer to our district’s blog: lowellpublic.blogspot.com where this story is posted, as it appears on the front page of the AFT Massachusetts journal The Advocate March 2010.

As many have heard me say “Lowell Public Schools is the coolest Urban School District” and we have many reasons to be proud – this successful initiative is just another example.

To see the full issue of the Superintendent's Corner as well as previous copies, please visit our website at www.lowell.k12.ma.us

If you are linking to this blog through our website, the actual address is:
lowellpublic.blogspot.com

Informing and Engaging Our Parents and Families

Today's eSchool News features an article about the new ways schools are using technology and social media sites to reach out to and inform parents.

According to the study from the Pew Internet and American Life project, while 99 percent of American adults access news daily, only 7 percent use just one media platform to do so. The majority—six in ten Americans—use a combination of online and offline sources.

How can we capture parents attention to inform them about important school news?

The gist of the article is that schools should use a variety of platforms to meet and engage today's stakeholders.


Read the article here.

Open Lowell Pools This Summer

Would you like to see the city's pools open again this summer for Lowell's children?


Eastern Bank and the City of Lowell are teaming up to raise $50,000 to open the swimming pools in Lowell for the summer. For every dollar you donate, the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation will match it, until the goal of $50,000 is met. Your donation will give families and children a safe place to go during the hot days of summer, and help create jobs for local lifeguards.

Head to the Eastern Bank website for more information or to make a donation.

The Great Debate

The Lowell Public Schools was again mentioned in a major publication last week when Newsweek published an article about the "Great Debate," entitled, Are Teacher's Unions the Problem or the Solution? The debate featured Kate McLaughlin, Bailey School Teacher and Executive Vice President of the United Teachers of Lowell.

Check out the article.

A Reading Streak

Everyone knows about the importance of reading to and with your children. But how committed are we to reading each and every night? One father and his daughter had a long streak of reading together. Read the incredible story in today's New York Times by clicking here.

Our Literacy and Instructional Specialists continuously review and revise summer reading programs when necessary. How much will your child read this summer? Have you made it a family goal to read together?

LHS Headmaster Search Continues

The business community is helping the Lowell Public Schools in search for Headmaster at Lowell High School.


Click here to see the recent article in the Lowell Sun.

2010 Kathryn Stoklosa Knowledge Bowl Winner

Congratulations and Kudos to the Daley Middle School Knowledge Bowl Team and Coaches.

A great round of competition last night featured the Daley, Wang and Sullivan Middle Schools in the final match.

After a number of close rounds, the Daley School earned 1st place. This year’s second place team was the Wang School and third place went to the Sullivan School.

The coaches of this year’s winning team are Ellen Louise Naser and Marsha Downey. Members of the Championship Team included Nana Adu, Kaley Bachelder, Francesca Cigliano, Alex Karabatsos, Hannah Karabatsos, Meghan McAnespie, Jeremiah Menyongai, Tyler Sar, Ralph Skinner and Thomas Skinner.

The Lowell Public Schools wishes to congratulate and thank the students, staff and parents of the Daley School and all participating schools.

What's Happening on LET 22?

Lowell Educational Telelevision

LET 22 Viewing Schedule and Monthly Newsletter can be found by clicking here. This month's newsletter even features a snippet about this blog!

Have you seen the new advertisement for our blog and other Lowell Public Schools happenings on LET 22?

LET 22 is your source for School Committee Meetings, school happenings and an exciting new "Reading to your Children," series. Check it out.

Kathryn P. Stoklosa Knowledge Bowl Update

Knowledge Bowl 2010 Semi Final Matches were held on March 15th and 16th.

The Wang and Robinson Schools, Semi Final Winners, and the Sullivan Middle School, the highest scoring team, go on to the Finals on March 18th.

Dr. Chris Scott, Superintendent of Schools and Connie A. Martin, School Committee Member, will judge competition on March 18th. This match starts at 6:30, promptly, at the Benjamin F. Butler Middle School. Congratulations and good luck to all student participants and coaches.

Thank you to all families for their participation in the 2010 Knowledge Bowl.

In Our Own Back Yard

This is a quick reminder, that some of the greatest museums, art studios and cultural centers are right in our own back yard.

Many local artists and museums participate in the Lowell Public Schools Fine Arts Pathway.

Visit the Culture is Cool website to contact local artists, museums and cultural organizations.
Lowell's Museums

Lowell Public Schools Teachers to Host Fifth Annual Benefit for Breast Cancer Research & Awareness

Lowell Public Schools Teachers Kathy Woods and Kathy Ramirez will again host their Fifth Annual Comedy Night Event for Breast Cancer Research & Awareness.

This event takes place on March 18th, at 6:30, at Lenzi's, 820 Merrimack Ave., Dracut, MA. For more information, please email kwoods52@yahoo.com.

Over 200 Participants Already Registered for "The Refugee Experience: A Practical Training for Working with Newcomers"

Register Now!

The Refugee Day Training for educators, social service, mental health, medical professionals and other refugee service providers is fast approaching. Over 200 individuals across the Commonwealth have registered for this training! The event will take place at Middlesex Community College in Lowell on Friday, March 19 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.

In order for us to increase our understanding of refugee life and our capacity to better meet the needs of refugee students, the following organizations are partnering on this event: Lowell Public Schools, Middlesex Community College, Lowell YWCA, Department of Children and Families, International Institute of Lowell, and Lutheran Social Services of New England.

For more information and to register, please visit the Lowell Public Schools Home Page.

UMass Lowell, UTEC, LTC and Others Partner in Broadband Access Project

Could the entire Downtown Lowell become the newest Wi-Fi Hotspot?


Potentially, with the new grant funded project announced in the Boston Globe today.

UMass Lowell, United Teen Equality Center, Lowell Telecommunications Corporation and others are partnering in a project to expand broadband access. See the article on the Boston Globe website by clicking here.

Citywide Parent Council Meeting Next Monday

Monday, March 22nd, 2010 at 7pm
Citywide Parent Council Meeting
Lowell High School Little Theatre

Showcase of Lowell High School Academies

Denise O'Connor, Coordinator of Smaller Learning Communities at LHS will present Academy Showcase, a video developed by the Lowell High School Communications Academy and give a brief overview of smaller learning communities.

The Citywide Parent Council encourages parents of middle school students to attend this informational session.

For more information call or email Joe Longtin, CPC Chair at 978-452-1846 or jlandmax@aol.com.

AFT Advocate Features Article about Dr. Scott and Paul Georges and the work of the Lowell Public Schools

This month's AFT Advocate features an article about the Lowell Public Schools. The article summarizes Dr. Scott's work in Lowell and with the United Teachers of Lowell, beginning with the "school house visits" Dr. Scott began conducting two years ago with UTL President Paul Georges.

Last winter, a team from the Lowell Public Schools, consisting of teachers and school district representatives, traveled to an intensive training conducted by the AFT's Center for School Improvement Leadership. Professional Learning Communities across our district are a part of the culture in the Lowell Public Schools. Looking at student performance data in an extremely focused way in our PLCs is an authentic and meaningful approach. The Lowell Public Schools continuously holds such workshops that have trained hundreds of teachers and paraprofessionals across our district.

The goal of this work is to give teachers and others the tools to interpret student performance data and act on what they've learned about their students. The AFT article goes on to describe how teachers feel valued and have the support necessary to tackle the challenging work like never before.

According to 2009 MCAS testing data, students in Lowell showed more growth in Math than students in any other urban district in the state. As for student growth in English Language Arts, Lowell came out in the top third among urban districts statewide.

This is good news for the Lowell Public Schools, for the teachers and staff and families of Lowell who rely on us to best educate their children each and every day.

To read the complete article, click here.

Knowledge Bowl Update

At last night’s Katherine P. Stoklosa Knowledge Bowl Competition, the Stoklosa, Wang and Bartlett Schools participated in an Elimination Match. The Wang School took 1st place with a score of 210, the Stoklosa took 2nd with 195, and the Bartlett 3rd with 120 points.

The Wang and Stoklosa Schools will move into the Semi-Final Rounds next week.
Join us next week as we head into the Semi-Finals! On Monday March 15th the Sullivan, Robinson, and Wang Schools will compete and on Tuesday March 16th the Daley, Butler and Stoklosa teams face off to see who is headed to the Finals.

Our final match will be held on March 18th. The winning team from each Semi-Final Match plus the remaining team scoring the highest point total will compete to see which school will be named the 2010 Knowledge Bowl Champs!

All matches are open to the public and start at 6:30pm at the Butler School. Thanks to the students, coaches, and families for their participation. We invite all families and community members to stop by and see another exciting student event at the Knowledge Bowl.

March is National Women's History Month

March is Women’s History Month

This is the thirtieth year that, as a country, we have celebrated women and their accomplishments, through Women's History Month.

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of women whose commitment to nature and the planet have proved invaluable to society.

Looking for ways to celebrate Women's History Month with your students? Visit the National Women's History Project.
Lowell recently celebrated Lowell Women's Week with events throughout the city.
Please see the website for more details.

Kathryn P. Stoklosa Knowledge Bowl

The 2010 Knowledge Bowl is well underway. The eight Middle Schools competed in Preliminary Rounds on March 1st and 2nd. Sullivan and Daley Middle Schools teams, first place finishers from each Preliminary Round, will meet in the Semi-Final Match. At last night's match the Butler School took 1st place with a score of 185, the Robinson School took 2nd place with 175 points, and the Pyne Arts had a final score of 150.

The Butler and Robinson Schools will move into the Semi Final
Rounds on March 15th and 16th.

This evening finds the Stoklosa, Bartlett, and Wang Schools vying for a spot in the Semi-Final Rounds. Congratulations to all students and their coaches for their hard work. Good luck to all! Stay tuned.

Kindergarten Registration is taking place now. Please see the link to the right for more information.

21st Century Communication for 21st Century Schools

The Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School will be joining the Gertrude M. Bailey Elementary School as schools that have begun blogging in order to enhance their ongoing family involvement efforts. 21st century communication for our 21st century schools!

Check back later in the week for the exact web address for the Pawtucketville Memorial Elementary School Blog.

Kindergarten Registration is taking place now.
Click on the link to the right for more information.

Moody Elementary School Math Night A Smashing Success

The Moody School held another highly attended Math Night this past Thursday night. The event was well planned and implemented due to family and staff involvement. Events like this Math Night and other school based events are designed to encourage parent involvement and "are essential in maintaining a culture within a building where parents feel comfortable and welcome," according to Moody School principal Matt Stahl. "These events give parents ideas of things they can do at home to help their students be better prepared for the demands of our classrooms."


Mr. Stahl wishes to thank all parents, families and staff members for a successful Math Night.

Kindergarten Registration is taking place NOW!
See important information below.

Don't Forget to Register: The Refugee Experience will take place on Friday, March 19, 2010

“THE REFUGEE EXPERIENCE :

A Practical Training for Working with Newcomers”

Friday, March 19, 2010, 8:30 am - 3:15 pm

To register, click here.


Addressing issues common in the process of becoming a refugee, entering and living in a new community, and accessing benefits.
Focus on understanding the emotional needs of newcomers and developing effective strategies to deal with the impact of dislocation and trauma.


Middlesex Community College
33 Kearney Square, Lowell, Massachusetts
(1st floor Cafeteria)
Please register by March 17.

Important Kindergarten Registration News

If you have a child born on or before September 1, 2005, s/he is eligible to start Kindergarten in September 2010. The following information is
important for you.

EARLY KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

Date: March 1 – 31, 2010
Time: Monday through Friday
8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Thursday 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Please bring the following documents:

Evidence of Date of Birth
Updated Immunization Record
Proof of Address
For example; a current utility bill addressed to Parent and or Guardian
If applicable, student Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

For more information:

Family Resource Center
43 Highland Street
Lowell, MA 01852
Phone: 978-674-4321
Fax: 978-674-2148

Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Standards and Expectations for Technology Literacy serves as a guide that Instructional Technology Specialists and teachers use to guide us in the use of technology in the 21st Century classroom. Click here to see the guide.

Reading with Young Children: First Lady Obama Celebrates Dr. Seuss' Birthday

In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, the First Lady read “The Cat in the Hat” aloud at the Library of Congress during the National Education Association’s Read Across America event. She was joined by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and many students who sported red and white striped hats in honor of The Cat in the Hat.

Don't forget to ask your elementary school child how their school celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday.

Check back here in coming weeks for information on an upcoming Lowell Educational Television video showing strategies to use when reading aloud with your own young children.

The White House Asks...

As part of a new citizen involvement series, The White House, via it's web site today, posed the question:

"What does a 21st Century education mean to you?"

Check it out. Go back in a few weeks and The White House will post citizen answers.

What does a 21st Century education mean to us? Food for thought. Please check back for examples of what a 21st century education looks like in the Lowell Public Schools. For more information, check out the information on our website regarding the Pathways Initiative.

To visit The White House site, click here.


MCAS Season is Almost Upon Us...

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is offering a parent hotline at 1-866-MCAS-220. In addition to this, visit the link here for MCAS "Question of the Day" information.

Lowell Public Schools Unveils Yet Another Blog...

As part of our plan for increasing community and family involvement via the web, the Gertrude M. Bailey School will announce their new blog during the week of March 8, 2010.

Please check back here for more information next week.

Wednesday's Early Release Day

Wednesday, February 24 is an Early Release Day.
Please visit our website for more information on school closing times.

Knowledge Bowl 2010

Information on this year's Knowledge Bowl has been posted to our website. Also, don't forget to check back for Lowell Educational Television schedule for postings of viewing times.

Article in today's Lowell Sun highlights the work of Lowell educators

Helping to rewrite the history books

Article in today's Lowell Sun highlights the work of Lowell educators.



This article in the Lowell Sun today highlights the work of educators in Lowell on The Genocide Education Project.

Lowell Public Schools Announces Blog

During school vacation week, February 15-19, 2010, the Lowell Public Schools will unveil the first of many web logs (blogs,) providing access to information for parents on a timely basis.

In addition to our other forms of communication with the community, these blogs can be accessed 24/7 and contain timely, pertinent information regarding our schools and our mission.

Through our Lowell Public Schools blog, we hope to increase awareness, interest and participation among families and the community.

Teen Cell Phone Tour at American Textile History Museum

Visit the American Textile History Museum during February School Vacation Week for the teen cell phone tour.

ATHM Teen Cell Phone Tour

Get your own guided tour without paying the guided tour price! Free with general admission, just follow the list of cell phone tour stops, and dial up for a teens’ perspective on our displays – includes historic songs, original poetry, and more. Created for the ATHM by teens from Lowell’s United Teen Equality Center - check it out!
For more information, visit the American Textile History Museum website.

Kids Week in Lowell

KIDS’ WEEK IN LOWELL FEBRUARY 15-20, 2010
For more information call Lowell National Historical Park(978) 970-5000, Monday - Friday. For those with hearing impairment, TDD (978) 970-5002.



The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism has posted a list of family activities and events in various parts of Massachusetts during the February school vacation week. This information may be of interest to families planning for vacation week. For more information, click here.

Art is the Handmaid of Human Good

The Lowell Public Schools, along with Middlesex Community College and UMass Lowell recently announced another Pathway. The Fine Arts Pathway, spanning grades K through 16, and offering over 40 electives at Lowell High School alone, promotes the 21st century skills of collaboration, creativity,critical-thinking, problem-solving and communication.

This initiative allows us to harness the power of the arts to teach important 21st century skills and supports components of both the Governor’s Readiness Project and the 21st Century Skills Initiative. Embodying Lowell’s historic logo “Art is the Handmaid of Human Good” this pathway will allow students to learn in and through the
arts and to develop their artistic potential through a rigorous Fine Arts education across all grade levels.

For more information please visit our website.