Nahant Harbor Review - Nahant, Massachusetts USA

NAHANT HARBOR REVIEW • JULY 2010 • Page 7News From the Johnson SchoolBy Diane Mulcahy, PrincipalThe school year is quickly coming to a close. The students are enjoying the end-ofthe-yearactivities. Field Day was held Tuesday, June 8th. Tuesday was a beautiful day.Lori Nugent, Shawn Cummings and a team of wonderful, dedicated parent volunteers,planned a grand day for students and teachers. The sixth-graders particularly enjoyed thetraditional water balloon fight with the fifth-graders also following tradition and pickingup the field. We’re grateful for the community support for Field Day. The Tides Restaurantsupplied the food for lunch, the Knights of Columbus donated water and juice, theMt. Vernon Restaurant supplied the grill, and the DPW supported us with the logistics ofthe day. Thank you for the continuing support to our school.The Sixth Grade Moving-On Ceremony was held on Wednesday evening, June16th, at the Johnson School. Family and friends joined the School Committee, to celebratethis milestone for the eighteen sixth-grade students. Olivia Cooke, as class president,made remarks, which opened the ceremony. Several Johnson School students wonawards, including the Citizenship Award, presented by the American Legion, to LindaDeCicco and Ryan Cole. Olivia Cooke won the Lowland Math Award and was presentedwith a commendation from the State House, for her recital of the Gettysburg Address.Corey Bleau, Olivia Cooke, Liam Devereaux and Peter Doyle were presented withPresidential Academic Excellence Awards. Simon Klee was presented the PresidentialAchievement Award.The Johnson School was awarded a $4,085 grant from the Hardscrabble EducationFund, a fund of the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF). Johnson School willuse the funds to Integrate Technology in the Math Curriculum. These funds will purchasean Eno board, for the 5/6 grades math program. We are most appreciative of thefunds, which will allow us to broaden our technology base. The Hardscrabble EducationFund promotes and supports academic achievement in pre-collegiate, public schools inBeverly, Lynn, Marblehead, Salem, Swampscott and Nahant, by issuing grants to teachers,schools, or districts, primarily in the fields of Mathematics, Science and English.ECCF was established in January, of 1999, to increase local philanthropy and providesupport to non-profit organizations, located in and serving Essex County. The Foundationoffers all the philanthropic, grant-making, financial and tax expertise needed toengage in effective, inspired, charitable giving. ECCF stewards over 80 charitable fundsand has awarded over $8 million in grants to local organizations. To learn more aboutECCF, please visit www.eccf.org.Two Johnson School students, Jackie and Thomas Frisoli, took advantage of thebeautiful weather and parade watchers, to have a lemonade stand, during Monday’sMemorial Day Parade. The brother and sister team raised $70, for equipment for thePhysical Education program. Mrs. Spencer will put the money to good use, buyingequipment she will use next year. Thank you Thomas, a first grade student in Ms.Brown’s class, and Jackie, a third grader in Mrs. Durant’s class, for donating your timeand effort to our phys. ed. program.With generous donations from the PTO, our 6th grade students were all able toparticipate in a new CPR program this year, led by our school nurse, Cheryl DiLisio andour Phys. Ed teacher, Mrs. Spencer. The students worked hard to learn the informationand techniques and received an American Heart Association certification card, valid fortwo years! Also, with funding from the PTO, many staff members were able to receiveFirst Aid Training, under the instruction of Mrs. Spencer. We now have 12 staff memberscertified in First Aid and 15 CPR/AED certified staff! Thank you, PTO, for fundingthese staff initiatives.Nahant Police Officer Armand Conti visited our school, early in June, to discusssafety with all of our students at the Johnson School. He has been working as a liaisonwith our school crisis team and has been compiling a lot of information and refining histechnological skills, to present some great safety-related information to our students. Thestudents were very attentive that day and asked a lot of really good questions. Some ofhis topics were beach, boating and water safety, bicycle and pedestrian safety, trafficrules and the Massachusetts Helmet Law, internet/computer and cell-phone awarenessand safety, cyber bullying/cyber safety, and communicating with others with courtesy.We hope to expand on these topics and have him present during the school yearagain. When you see Officer Conti around town this summer, or anytime, say “hello”and thank him for all of his hard work and interest in helping us at our school!The last day of school was Thursday, June 17th. Students and staff will hopefullyenjoy a happy, safe and restful summer!Nahant Teachers Defer NegotiationsThe Nahant Teachers’ Association (NTA), has agreedto continue with their current contract, due to expire thisAugust, until August 31, 2011. This decision by the NTAis a very significant step in assisting with the fiscal year2011 budget constraints, as it maintains the current salaryschedules and working conditions, for one additional year.The NTA Co-Presidents, Ms. Peever and Ms. Durant,attended the May 25th School Committee meeting, atwhich time the Nahant School Committee voted unanimouslyto approve this extension.This joint action allows the Johnson School tocontinue its current programming, without the majorinterruptions and disruptions facing many communities, inMassachusetts. This decision, combined with TownMeeting approval of the school budget for 2010-2011,will allow the initiatives in the new, five-year, StrategicPlan, to move forward on its current timetable.Christmas Parade ScholarshipRecipientsCongratulations to our 5 recipients of the ChristmasParade Scholarships. We wish them well and success intheir futures. Juliana Lisco, attending the University ofDelaware, Thomas Ball, attending the University of NewHampshire, Thomas Walsh III, attending MassachusettsMaritime Academy, Kyle Taylor, attending the Universityof Michigan and David Wilson Jr., attending RochesterInstitute of Technology.Good Luck and enjoy the experience. You willsucceed!!!Submitted by Roz PuleoDonald Savino and SonsMasonry/Landscape ContractorsWalls • Patios • Walkways • Driveways • Drains • PlantingsFamily owned & operated since 1947 • Licensed & Insured781-581-0289Keep the Nahant Harbor Review coming to your door! Subscribe toNahant Home Delivery today! Thank you.