LPS Connector

It is hard to believe we are almost through the first quarter of the school year.

The last month has been very busy, with all of our schools hosting Open House events and/or welcome back parties. I hope you all had a chance to connect with your children’s teachers and the support staff at our schools. Education is a community effort and when we work together in partnership, we see the greatest results.

Speaking of great results, October marks National Principals Month. We are fortunate at LPS to be home to some of the best school principals around. The principal sets the culture of the school building and is the leader in creating a school community. Each of our schools has a unique culture and feeling of community, as unique as the skill sets and personalities of each of our principals. Before the month is over, be sure to give your favorite principal a social media shout-out or a high five to let them know they are appreciated. #thankaprincipal

We had a great time celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, which ran from September 15 to October 15. It culminated with a big Hispanic Heritage festival at North Common and the 5th Annual Latino Parent Conference, which you can read more about below. Additionally, several schools participated in creative lessons to explore Hispanic and Latino countries and cultures, which broadens the knowledge base of our students who do not share that heritage, while instilling pride in those who do. I love seeing that spirit in our school community.

There are many upcoming events and opportunities across the district highlighted in this newsletter. For instance, Lowell High School will be hosting a community open house on Thursday October 21 to showcase everything the school has to offer. This is a great opportunity for parents of elementary and middle school students to learn more about the high school. There are also several afterschool program opportunities for our middle school students about to begin including the Student Police Academy and the Kids Who Code program for those interested in computer science.

This month’s history column by Family Resource Center Coordinator Rebecca Duda focuses on the history of the former Varnum School. Every day I learn something new and interesting about the history of this city and school district.

On another note, the Lowell Public Schools is working in conjunction with the Lowell Health Department to offer COVID-19 vaccination clinics at schools across the city. Our goal is to make obtaining a vaccine or booster shot as convenient as possible. Getting vaccinated and continuing to make smart choices like wearing masks and maintaining some social distancing measures are the best ways to keep our school community and the greater community safe and healthy. Additional information can be found in this newsletter.

Take care of yourselves and each other,

Dr. Joel D. Boyd

Superintendent of Schools

Giant earthworms, brown beetles, slugs, and rotting tree stumps.

Every 5th grader’s dream!

The week of September 22, 5th graders at the Sullivan, Stoklosa, and Butler Middle Schools left their classrooms and headed out to their school gardens to learn about the signs and importance of decomposition in their urban ecosystem.

It is the first lesson of a new science mini-unit called Composting in the Garden made possible by an Open Outdoors for Kids Hybrid Learning Grant from the National Parks Foundation. The grant is a partnership between the Lowell Public Schools, Lowell National Historical Park, and the Tsongas Industrial History Center.

This fall, the unit is being piloted by teachers Becky Cox and Erinn McLaughlin at the Stoklosa, Kevin Freeman at the Butler, and Sheri Kinney at the Sullivan. Next year it will be rolled out to more than 2,000 fifth-graders districtwide.

On a Monday morning in late September, LNHP Ranger MaryBeth Clark explained to the 24 students in Ms. Kinney’s class that decomposition is when something that is alive dies and breaks down to become part of the soil.

There was no dust on these students. They immediately knew why that was important.

“The nutrients!” “It helps things grow!” “It’s good for the soil!” came the shouts from the crowd.

Ranger MaryBeth then gave the kids their mission for the morning: working in groups of three and armed with a “scientific tool” (a popsicle stick), a magnifying glass, and a laminated sheet of photos showing things like pill bugs, fungus, and dead leaves, they were to find signs of decomposition in the school garden.

Then each group were charged with filing out a sheet explaining what they found, and what it made them wonder about.

Throughout the five-lesson unit, student will get to investigate a bag of compost, build their own micro-composter in their class, learn about food webs, and in the spring, explore nature and the ecosystem in their own neighborhoods. The program is crafted to foster student stewardship and sharpen their scientific observation skills.

Ranger MaryBeth is also hoping they will be able, next spring, to participate in “River as a Classroom,” taking the students out in boats in the river to conduct scientific river testing.

“Anytime I can get them outside and doing something hands on, it helps them learn so much better than just reading from a book,” said Sullivan Middle School teacher Sheri Kinney, explaining that two years ago she realized that composting is part of the state’s science standards, but they were not really addressing it in the curriculum. “So this is perfect.”

The Burgoyne Theater at Lowell High School was filled with the sounds of fingers snapping and hands clapping as some of the school’s most gifted writers gathered to share their work while channeling the spirit of a student who roamed the halls of the school more than 80 years ago.

In recognition of Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Weekend, 21 Lowell High School students brought forward their most creative writing to compete in the annual Kerouac Writing Contest.

Jack Kerouac, a famed mid-20th century novelist, poet, and pioneer of the Beat Generation, graduated from Lowell High School in 1939. He went on to write 12 novels, among them, his most well-known, On The Road (1957).

This year’s writing contest was emceed by two well-known Lowell poets, Anthony Febo (LHS ’05) and Elmer Martinez (LHS ’15). Elmer is a past winner of the contest.

Each of the 21 students read one piece of work in the first round. The judges then narrowed the field to 10 writers, who read a second piece.

The judges were: Bill Walsh, a local Kerouac scholar who leads Kerouac-themed walking tours; Kurt Phaneuf, an English teacher from Oswego, New York; and Hassan Melehy, a French professor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, whose 2016 book Kerouac: Language, Poetics, and Territory, explores the influence Kerouac’s first language being French had on his writings.

Prior to the start of the competition, Febo and Martinez gathered the young writers in a circle to pump them up and provide advice from a couple of seasoned spoken-word professionals.

“Don’t read your poem – bring it to life,” said Febo, encouraging the writers to spring the emotion that created the words off the paper and into the room. “Bring us on the journey of your poem”

Febo also stressed that although it is called a contest or competition, it is really just “an excuse for the poets and artists to see each other.” He encouraged the writers and their friends in the audience to not wait until the end of a piece to show approval of lines that resonate with them, but to snap to let the writer know what they wrote was “fire.”

Febo and Martinez encouraged the young writers to come out to the spoken-word open-mics that take place on the first and third Tuesdays of each month downtown. The next event is October 19 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Nibbana Café on Cardinal O’Connell Parkway. They also encouraged them to as well as to take advantage of workshops hosted by FreeVerse, a non-profit that fosters the art of the spoken-word among the city’s youth.

“If you want to continue writing and performing there is a space for you,” said Febo.

Following the first round of competition the students had a special treat – a visit from famed composer and Kerouac friend David Amram.

Student writers who participated include: Ethan Ty, Erin Shelter, Disha Patel, Nina Wolf, Douglas Forsythe, Kristen Lopez-Ferrei, Ezra Cote, Joylyn Ndungu, Eva Secchiaroli, Juliana Costa, Nophea Vicheth, Regina Wasaidy, Bella Luz Jiminez, Yik Kwan Xiao, Angel Meirelles, David Anderson, Jakob Solivan, Edna Bonsu, Yolande Forchoh, Kaylani Riley, Lucas Silva.

The winners were: Senior Joylyn Ndungu (1st place - $250), Junior Nina Wolf (2nd place - $150), and Sophomore Ethan Ty (3rd place - $100). Prizes were furnished by Lowell Celebrates Kerouac.

Edna Bonsu: https://youtu.be/IwvcjY_HEkQ

Jakob Solivan: https://youtu.be/agJvavtv5L4

Nina Wolf: https://youtu.be/b9-ZfL4PHHk

Joylyn Ndungu: https://youtu.be/I8kqM9Hq-p8

David Anderson: https://youtu.be/lme14Gv-2wQ

Ezra Cote: https://youtu.be/gopfS_AMr5g

Bella Luz Jiminez: https://youtu.be/jTiLkoWhNBM

For more about Lowell Celebrates Kerouac, visit: https://lowellcelebrateskerouac.org/

“Si Se Puede! Si Se Puede!” chanted the crowd of parents and students at the 5th Annual Latino Parent Conference held in the Lowell High School cafeteria on Saturday October 15.

The rallying cry, which translates to “Yes We Can!” first gained popularity in 1972 when the United Farm Workers, led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, held a 25-day fast in Phoenix in protest of the poor wages and working conditions of farm workers.

Pastor Cecilio Hernandez, President of Fortaleza, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to ensuring educational equity for Latino students in grades K-12, told those in attendance that they may not face the same circumstances as Latino farm workers in 1972, but “we face struggles of our own today.”

“We have an individual and collective responsibility to achieve the education our community deserves,” said Hernandez, pastor at Iglesia Christiana Ebenezer Asambleas de Dios. “This is a fundamental right.”

Hernandez encouraged those in attendance to have their voices heard – talk to their children about school, get involved in school site councils and PTOs, and to hold their children to higher expectations.

He pointed to many examples of Latinos in the city of Lowell who have found great success despite obstacles, including: Lowell High School Dean Dr. Maria Vejar, LPS District Support Specialist for Equity and Engagement Rosa Segarra-Morales, Greenhalge Elementary School Assistant Principal Magaly Rodriguez, Business Development Specialist Elkin Montoya, Commercial Real Estate and Property Manager Vlad Saldana, Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership Associate Director Cathy Mercado, and attorneys Amsi Morales Owens and Mayte Ramos.

“Skin color, hair texture, or accent should not stop our kids from achieving great things,” said Hernandez.

Segarra-Morales and Spanish Bilingual Family Liaison Katerynne Patino explained that the school district offers many services to those whose primary language is not English to help them connect with their children’s schools including document translation. Additionally, each school has access to a language bank that allows for two-way communication between parents and school staff who speak different languages and the schools use a variety of technology, such as Class Dojo, Talking Points, Remind, and S’more, which translate messages, updates and newsletters, to provide another layer of communication.

The district will be launching Bilingual Family Circles in multiple languages based on the needs of each school. These are geared mostly to newcomer families, giving them the opportunity to become familiar with the education system, expectations, and resources that are available to them through the Lowell Public Schools.

Additionally, in an effort to address barriers to Hispanic student success such as chronic absenteeism, a high dropout rate, and discipline issues, the district is in the process of creating a Task Force for Hispanic Student Success.

Anyone who is interested in serving on the task force can contact Rosa Segarra-Morales at rsegarra-morales@lowell.k12.ma.us

What better way to wrap up Hispanic Heritage Month than with a fiesta?! The Hispanic Heritage Festival was held at North Common on Friday October 15. Festival-goers enjoyed music by the Jose Castillo Band, performances by the Acre Girls Dance Troupe, an inspirational keynote speech from entrepreneur Joanna De Pena, delicious food prepared by the LPS food service chefs, and a fun passport activity that took them on a whirlwind tour of every Hispanic nation thanks to the research and work done by Lowell High School students.

Here are some examples of Hispanic Heritage Month activities in our schools. The top collage is great work done by students at the McAuliffe School who learned about Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Below that are photos from the Reilly School, which celebrated Hispanic students by learning about different Hispanic countries and territories and their cultures.

The Butler Middle School had an awesome Welcome Back cookout and family fun day on Saturday October 16. Burgers, hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy! When everyone wasn't chowing down, they could play basketball, cornhole, skeeball, and other games in the gym, or create some fun Halloween-themed crafts. The library was transformed into the Butler Boutique where families could "shop" (all free) from a wide variety of clothing, shoes, jewelry, and accessories donated by teachers and staff. A great way to spend an October Saturday afternoon. Great job Butler! #GoBulldogs

It is National Farm to School Month! Our feature Harvest of the Month is Pears. Did you know that pears are a good source of Vitamin C and Fiber?

Pear muffins made with local pears sourced from Fairmount Fruit Farm in Franklin, MA are being featured this month on the breakfast menu of all schools across the district.

Please enjoy these delightful pear Harvest of the Month Farm and Recipe videos developed by our district FoodCorp Member Vera Ok.

In celebration of National Farm to School Month, the Lowell Farm to School Collaboration will be hosting School Garden Professional Development for teachers, Farm to Table Cooking Classes for school families, as well as local fruit and vegetable highlights including apples, cherry tomatoes, and corn!

Want some reasons to Get Wild About School Lunch? According to the School Nutrition Association, research shows that children receive their healthiest meals while at school and that eating a balanced breakfast and lunch supports student achievement and wellness. These meals are full of whole grains, fruits and vegetables and low in sodium and fat.

Check out our website for updated menus. Follow us on Facebook: LPSD-FoodandNutrition or Instagram: lpsdfoodandnutrition for pictures and updates.

Vaccines are available for anyone 12-years-old or older.

Parents do not need to be present during vaccination. However, in order for anyone under the age of 18 to receive the vaccine, they need to have the consent form filled out by a legally authorized representative (usually a parent or guardian), and the minor must bring the form with them at the vaccination appointment. Copies of the consent form in multiple languages may be found at CONSENT If the parent or guardian is not accompanying the minor, they should also download and complete a pre-vaccination screening form which is available at SCREENING The form is also available in several languages at FORM (approximately halfway down the page you will see the "Pre Vaccination Screen Form" section).

Also, booster shots are available during the clinic to any individual who qualifies - this includes the following groups:

• Individuals 65 years of age and older

• Individuals 18-64 years of age at risk for severe COVID-19 due to certain underlying medical conditions as defined by the CDC

• Individuals 18-64 years of age who are at increased risk for COVID-19 because of occupational or institutional settings

Currently, only Pfizer booster doses are available. Individuals who received Moderna or Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) are not eligible to receive a Pfizer booster at this time.

Additionally, the following conditions must be met to receive a booster dose:

• Individuals must have received their 2nd dose of Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months prior to receiving their booster dose. (Therefore, qualified individuals who received their second dose prior to 4/14 are eligible to receive a booster during the 10/14 clinic, and those who received their second dose before 4/21 are eligible to receive their second dose at the 10/21 clinic.)

• Individuals must bring their CDC vaccine card (white card) or have a photo of the vaccination card in order to receive their booster dose.

LPS received 1,400 coats this month due to the generosity of donors and community partnerships. Many thanks to Kohls Department store in Chelmsford, Larry Finn from Coats from Ann Above and Cradles and Crayons for supplying this generous and much needed winter necessity for our students.

For any family that is struggling and in need this winter for a coat and or winter items, please contact your child’s school social worker or Lyndsey Killilea, Social Emotional Learning Coordinator (lkillilea@lowell.k12.ma.us) and we are happy to assist.

Lowell Public Schools will be closed on Tuesday November 2 for the city election. This is the first general election under the new district-based voting system. EARLY voting begins on October 20. For more information, including where and when you can vote, as well as a candidates guide available in English, Spanish, and Khmer, visit: LowellVotes

For registration information, visit: PreK

The Lowell Public Schools is looking to support Lowell residents interested in becoming a teacher with the Lowell Public Schools.

What do I need in order to become a licensed teacher in

Massachusetts?

The MA Department of Elementary and Secondary (DESE)

requires an individual to have a Bachelor’s Degree or higher and pass all

required MTEL tests.

How is the Lowell Public Schools going to help me become

a teacher?

Lowell Public Schools (LPS) is partnering with the

Collaborative for Educational Services (CES) and Fitchburg State University

(FSU) to offer an ESL Licensure Program (PreK-6 and 5-12). We will

provide a Plan of Study (six courses and a Practicum) and workshops to help

prepare for required MTELs. Those who qualify will be part of Cohort II

which will begin the program this coming January 2022.

Who is eligible for this program?

Lowell residents or Paraprofessionals presently employed by Lowell Public Schools who:

Possess a Bachelor’s Degree or higher

Are proficient in reading and writing in English

Have basic computer skills

Have a passion for teaching

Where may I learn more about this opportunity?

The Lowell Public Schools will be holding virtual

informational sessions as follows:

10/18/2021 @ 6:00pm

10/27/2021 @ 6:00pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://collaborative.zoom.us/j/9812739915

For further information, contact Pina Maggio, LTA

Director pmaggio@lowell.k12.ma.us or

Lisa Simpson, lsimpson@lowell.k12.ma.us

Know a Middle or High School student interested in computer programming? After school sessions of the Kids Who Code program begin next week. To register, visit: https://bit.ly/2WQfkXs

The Fall Student Police Academy program is open to students at the Stoklosa, Bartlett, and Robinson Middle Schools. The program will be offered at the Sullivan and Butler in the Winter and for Daley and Wang students in the spring.

Stoklosa, Bartlett and Robinson students can sign-up here: ACADEMY

By Rebecca A. Duda, Ed.D., Family Resource Center Coordinator

Located on Sixth Street between Myrtle and Beech Streets in Lowell’s Centralville neighborhood stands a majestic brick building with the words Varnum School over the entrance. While no longer a school, the building is a reminder of a long distant part of Dracut’s history—a part of Dracut’s history dating back 186 years to 1833.

As Dracut’s Central Village neighborhood continued to grow in the early 19th century, the need for an expanded school (there was already a small schoolhouse on Tenth Street) became apparent to several residents. On March 1, 1833 three men signed papers to form a corporation to operate a school— Joseph Bradley (President), Benjamin F. Varnum (Treasurer), and Jefferson Bancroft (Secretary). The new corporation was called, “The Proprietors of the Central Village Academy.” The school’s Trustees included some very notable names—among them Kirk Boot, Rev. Theodore Edsen, and Joseph Bradley Varnum. Students paid tuition—it was not a free public school.

The land for the school was purchased at a cost of $1,200 from Elisha Fuller, Josiah B. French, Joshua Bennett, and Joseph Bradley. These four lots of land totaled about 18,400 square feet.

The Central Village Academy, more commonly referred to as simply the Dracut Academy, opened in 1836. Mr. Isaac Witherell served as principal with 91 students attending. But, the building that opened in 1836 was not the brick building which now stands in Centralville. I have been unable to find a sketch of the original building, but Silas Coburn provides a description of it, through an interview, in his History of Dracut (1922), “It was a plain two-story wooden building with [a] square belfry on the end of a pitch roof. It stood end to the street and well back from it. There were two deeply recessed entrances in the end with a window over each door; an ornamental casement in the gable completes the picture. It looked as much like a country church as a schoolhouse.”

The school apparently did not do as well as the proprietors and trustees had hoped. By 1839 there were only 21 students and the principal had resigned. The trustees turned to Benjamin F. Butler to become principal. He accepted the position.

Years later in his autobiography, Butler wrote of his time at the Dracut Academy, “It was a queer school. There were 21 scholars and about 16 of whom were boys. The large portion of them were pupils who had found cause to leave the schools in Lowell, generally not because of their virtues. They ignored all discipline and had routed the former preceptor. I, by habit of mind, was a disciplinarian so that it happened at the end of three weeks I had lost 11 scholars of my 21 but no one of them had gone away without a thrashing, the remembrance of which would last him a lifetime.”

The school was then put in the hands of the Free Will Baptists to see if they would have more success with the school. Dracut purchased the school in 1843 and it became Dracut’s District Schoolhouse. However, Centralville was annexed by Lowell in 1851 and at that point became a Lowell school.

The original wooden building was moved to 520 Bridge Street in 1857 was replaced by the brick building which still stands. (The original school building which was moved to Bridge Street was the home of hardware company, Woods, Sherwood, Company from 1866-1910. In 1910 it was purchased by Marina Gage who then operated an ice company from the location for many years.)

As Centralville continued to grow, the City of Lowell made two additions to what was now called the Varnum School. In 1886 and two classroom addition was built and then in 1887 a second larger addition was built. It continued to be used as a school by Lowell until sold the building in 2009.