MERSD Shares Updates on Essex Elementary School Feasibility Study

The Manchester Essex Regional School District wishes to provide the following information about the proposed feasibility study for Essex Elementary School.

In November 2022, consultants Habeeb & Associates publicly shared its needs assessment of both
Essex Elementary and Manchester Essex Middle High School. The study identified that Essex Elementary, which opened in 1955, has passed its useful life and requires about $9 million in capital investment.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) admitted MERSD into the Eligibility Phase of its grant process in 2023. Being accepted means Essex Elementary has been identified as being one of the neediest schools in the state, and close to being out of options to address its structural issues. Participation in the MSBA program allows MERSD to work with MSBA experts to determine solutions for providing a renovated/rebuilt facility.

The project will be overseen locally by the Essex Elementary School Building Committee, which will work in partnership with MSBA. The SBC is required by the MSBA to be made up of town representatives with backgrounds in construction, architecture, landscape, and education, as well as, the district Superintendent of Schools, a School Committee member, the school Principal, District schools’ facility management director, at least one teacher from the school, a member of the Finance Committee or local budget official, and a representative from an office authorized by law to construct school buildings.

This feasibility study will be funded by Essex, Manchester, and the District. The towns’ cost will be determined by the capital allocation formula in the Regional Agreement and MSBA will provide a minimum of 30 percent reimbursement.

Funding the Feasibility Study is a three-step process.

The first step is an affirmative vote for the Essex Elementary School Feasibility Study warrant article by the MERSD School Committee. The second and third steps require affirmative votes to fund the towns’ portions of the study at each of the town meetings.

The School Committee voted on April 2 to move ahead with a $1.5 million feasibility study. The study will assist the District in developing and evaluating alternatives and recommending the most cost-effective and educationally appropriate preferred solution to the MSBA for consideration.

Manchester-by-the-Sea Town Meeting convenes on April 24 at 6:30 p.m. at Memorial School. Essex Town Meeting convenes on May 6 at 6:45 p.m. at Essex Elementary.

To learn more about MSBA and the feasibility study please visit the Essex School Building Project page.

Manchester Essex Regional School District K-12 STEAM Showcase

The Manchester Essex Leadership Team would like to extend its gratitude to the MERSD community for its support and participation in the K-12 STEAM Showcase held on March 27th at the Middle High School.  A special thank you goes out to Cell Signaling Technologies for their financial support of the event. 

Attendees were able to immerse themselves in a wide array of interactive presentations associated with science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM), where they could explore and experiment with concepts firsthand.

“The K-12 STEAM showcase provided an immersive learning environment that highlighted the interconnectedness of various disciplines while inspiring curiosity and innovation in all who participated,” Umile said. “There was something magical about seeing (and hearing) high school students generate science-related poetry on an old electric typewriter and kindergartners explain their results on a wooly bear research project; all in one location. It was truly a testament to the power of hands-on learning and collaborative exploration” shared STEM Department Chair Kristi Umile.

Exhibits this year included LED headlamps, experimenting with coloring clothing using plant pigments, counting wooly bears to correlate with winter intensity, operating robotic arms, examining medical devices, participating in math competitions, and encountering snakes from both New England and around the globe.

The Showcase included: 

• 30 student/staff booths and 26 booths from outside locations

• Art displays from all four schools

• Musical performances from the high school band and choir

• A Butter ”UR” Biscuit food truck, donated 10 percent of proceeds back to the MERSD STEAM Event

MERHS student Maggie Whitman shared, “The STEAM showcase is such an amazing opportunity for people to share and be excited about things that they might not be able to all the time. I got to run a table for robotics and CAD, things that I don’t get to talk about very often, because my friends don’t find it as interesting as I do. The fact that I got to talk to people for a few hours and share my work with these people in our town and school that actually were interested in hearing what I had to say was so awesome. Not only that, but I also got to represent multiple parts of who I am, as I got to sing with the chorus and Soundwaves as well. The fact that one teacher could organize the whole thing is incredibly impressive, there was such a wonderful turnout and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it.”

The inaugural Showcase took place in March 2023 and featured student-engineered cars, bacterial art, and a robotic arm demonstration. 

“We want our students to feel like there is always a place for them to explore, and the Showcase is a great demonstration of how driven and creative our school community truly is,” Superintendent Beaudoin said.

 

 

STEAM club at Memorial Elementary School, Candace Stremple, Elia Simon, Evelyn Bergeron, Mia Stefanovich, Lucia Ochs, Harley Lage, Georgia Kordonis, Audrey Donnellan-Valade, Leo Willmott, Brody Brennock.

Arion Stremple and Owen Gaudet, with the Middle School Math Team, organized a ‘Starburst Math Challenge’. A game where you choose different levels of difficulty in math to win prizes.

Artwork done by Manchester and Essex Elementary school students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High School Student, Sadie Rich, with the Poetry Club, creating black out poetry using science text and an electric typewriter.

Manchester Essex Regional High School Students Recognized in Sixth District Congressional Art Contest

Principal Julie Sgroi and Art Educator Tamera Burns congratulate Manchester Essex Regional High School students Miles Takayesu and Henry Swerdloff for their achievement in the Sixth District Congressional Art Contest. 

The Art Show is an annual event sponsored by U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, showcasing the creative work of students from private or public high schools in grades 10-12 in the district, including homeschooled students. 

Each year, all entries, which are submitted into the contest by high school art faculty, are displayed in a formal gallery setting and judged by a panel of three jurors with a background in the arts/ arts education. The jurors select a Best of School award from each submitting school, which becomes the selection pool for the four top awards: Grand Winner Award, First Prize, Second Prize, and Third Prize. 

This year’s contest was hosted on March 16 at the Montserrat College of Art. Takayesu was honored with the Best of School award for his piece “Unity.”

Swerdloff received honorable mention for his still life “We All Love Poppa Marvin.” 

Principal Sgroi and Educator Burns wish to recognize the following students whose art was displayed in the contest: Addison Lai, Cora Hughes, Pippa Springler, and Ali Erdogan.

“Congratulations to all of our students,” Principal Sgroi said. “I am so glad they earned this opportunity to showcase their vision and talent, and we are beyond proud to have their work represent MERHS.”

“Each student worked so hard on their projects, and to see them get the acknowledgement they deserve is beyond rewarding,” Burns said. “These students should be extremely proud.”

For more information about the Sixth District Congressional Art Contest including the full list of winners, click here.

Manchester Essex Regional High School artists had their works displayed in the Sixth District Congressional Art Contest. Left, Miles Takaeysu’s “Unity,” and right, Henry Swerdolff’s “We All Love Poppa Marvin.” (Photos Courtesy Manchester Essex Regional School District)

Solar Eclipse April 8th

 

As you know, we will be experiencing a rare solar eclipse on Monday.  

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk.

When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse, people must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times.  MERSD students and staff have received viewing glasses that were generously donated by MERHS parent Shelbi Schimpf, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard Smithsonian, through a grant from NASA.

It's estimated that the eclipse will begin at about 2:16 p.m., and end at about 4:38 p.m. At its peak, about 3:30 p.m., about 93.3 percent of the sun will be obscured.  

We want everyone to be safe, so we are sharing the following NASA tips: 

• It is not safe to look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing.

• Always inspect your eclipse glasses or handheld viewer before use. If torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged, discard the device.

• Always supervise children using solar viewers.

• Eclipse glasses do NOT make it safe to use cameras, cell phone lenses, binoculars, telescopes, or other optical devices.  You should only use these devices if you have special solar lens filters. Eclipse glasses will not prevent serious eye injury when using cameras or optical devices.

• Remember to wear sunscreen, a hat, and protective clothing to prevent skin damage. Even during a partial or annular eclipse, or during the partial phases of a total eclipse, the sun will be very bright. If you are watching an entire eclipse, you may be in direct sunlight for hours. 

Due to the timing of the eclipse, some students may be in transit between home and school. Please remind your children to view the eclipse only through eclipse glasses.

For those who are interested, an afterschool Community Viewing Party is being hosted by the Essex Elementary fifth-grade parents (more information here).  Keep an eye out for emails from your building principals and the athletics director regarding school specific safety measures and activities.

District Newsletter March 2024

Manchester Essex Students Display Excellence at State DECA Conference

Principal Julie Sgroi and DECA Advisor Barrett Alston wish to share the success of Manchester Essex Regional High School students at the 66th Annual Massachusetts DECA State Career Development Conference earlier this month.

The conference, held in Boston on March 7-9, was attended by more than 3,800 students who are studying in areas such as business, finance, marketing, and hospitality. More than 200 businesspeople evaluated student role plays, case studies and presentations.

Ten Manchester Essex students were crowned as state champions, earning a spot in the DECA International Career Development Conference on April 27-30 in Anaheim, CA:

• Finnian O'Hara, Business Finance Individual Series

• Erik Bischoff and Adam MacLeod, Automotive Services Marketing Individual Series

• Avabella Mitrano, Community Awareness Project Management

• Mackay Brooks and Sienna Crocker, Caelie Patrick and Celia Mann, Ava Fritsch and Olivia Kent, Hospitality Services Team Decision Making

The following students were named state finalists: Gwen Berger, Finn Birkeland, Harper Brooks, Ella Chafe, Gabbi D'Andrea, Troy Flood, Charlie Lations, Jack McCavanagh, Stephen Ross, Charlie Rubens, Matteo Sarmanian, Lily Stefanovich, and Jake Zschau. These students may be qualified for the international competition at a later date.

Five students were recognized for having the best exam results or role plays: Ava Fritsch, Liv Kent, Adam MacLeod, Caelie Patrick, and Lily Stefanovich. MacLeod was honored in both categories.

“Our students had an awesome performance,” Alston said "Congratulations to all students who competed as they displayed their acquisition of skills and knowledge that will shape them as future entrepreneurs and leaders."

Superintendent Pam Beaudoin and Principal Sgroi wish to thank Advisor Alston and all DECA sponsors for their guidance and continued support.

From left, Mackay Brooks and Sienna Crocker, Caelie Patrick and Celia Mann, Ava Fritsch and Olivia Kent, State Champions in Hospitality Services Team Decision Making

Finnian O'Hara, State Champion, Business Finance Individual Series

Avabella Mitrano, State Champion, Community Awareness Project Management

Erik Bischoff and Adam MacLeod, State Champions, Automotive Services Marketing Individual Series

Essex Elementary Principal Search Update

I am pleased to announce that Kim Provost has been chosen to serve as our next Essex Elementary Principal beginning in the 2024-2025 school year.

Ms. Provost joined the District in 2012 as a special education teacher and currently serves as the Middle School Dean of Students and the K-8 Social Emotional Learning Coordinator. Ms. Provost is an expert behavioral specialist and has a demonstrated commitment to cultivating an authentic learning environment and supporting staff in developing differentiated pedagogy and instructional practice. An experienced teacher and instructional leader at both the elementary and middle school levels, Ms. Provost brings to this position a student-centered philosophy, strong communication skills, and a collaborative leadership style. 

As part of the transition, Ms. Provost will create an entry plan that will be shared with the community. The plan will include opportunities for her to meet with stakeholder groups beginning this summer and throughout the Fall of 2024.

Please join me in welcoming Ms. Provost to the Essex Elementary learning community!

Sincerely,

Pam

Pamela Beaudoin
Superintendent
Manchester Essex Regional Schools