PORTSMOUTH The city school district s Reopening Advisory Committee is recommending Portsmouth students continue five full days a week in the 2021-22 school year, with a fully remote option being offered by a third-party platform for families wishing to keep children out of the classroom.
The committee s findings were presented to the Portsmouth School Board Tuesday night, emphasizing “commitments” such as having more extracurricular activities, increasing focus on wellness and following recommended health protocols. Plans focused on largely returning to normal following a school year heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is a group that we intentionally brought a diverse group of stakeholders together, mental health experts as well, to really have meaningful discussions over some of the lessons learned this past year and how that impacts our planning for next year,” said Superintendent Steve Zadravec.
Jim Splaine
In another lifetime – it was during the last century, I served on the Portsmouth School Board for a term. At that time the Board had a size of 12 – now it s 9 – and I was the youngest member, although already into my 30s. Yet at every meeting we were talking about matters that directly and widely affected people much younger than any of us.
A bit later, in 1988, voters created a nine-member Charter Commission, which rewrote the city s Charter – essentially our constitution – for the first time in 100 years. I became the Chair, and we changed things like councilman to councilor, and created provisions like direct non-interference by elected officials into operations of city management, budgetary and auditing guidelines, and election oversight.
PORTSMOUTH Though he again received high praise from school officials across state lines, Portsmouth Superintendent of Schools Steve Zadravec’s third known bid for a Massachusetts-based superintendent position has again fallen short.
Zadravec lost out on his run at becoming the next superintendent of Amesbury schools Thursday evening. Elizabeth McAndrews, who had been serving as the district’s acting superintendent since last fall, was unanimously appointed the district’s next superintendent by the Amesbury School Committee.
Frank Tiano, superintendent of Uxbridge Public Schools, also in Massachusetts, was Amesbury’s third finalist candidate.
The Portsmouth school district announced Friday, April 16 the city’s School Board and Zadravec agreed to a one-year contract that would keep him as the district’s superintendent until June 2022. The Portsmouth School Board unanimously approved the contract on Monday, April 19.
PORTSMOUTH While he has agreed to a contract with the Portsmouth school district for one final school year in 2021-22, Superintendent Steve Zadravec’s job search for the coming school year is still active.
Zadravec has been named one of three finalists for the superintendent of Amesbury, Massachusetts, public schools, the third known time he has been a finalist for superintendent of a Massachusetts school district in 2021. Zadravec also sought superintendent positions in Reading and Andover, where he was a finalist but not selected.
Portsmouth superintendent search
The statement said Zadravec would continue exploring opportunities “that align with his personal and professional goals” and Portsmouth s School Board would begin its superintendent search “in earnest” in the fall.
Portsmouth High School offers COVID vaccine clinic for students
PORTSMOUTH - Portsmouth High School students aged 16 and older can receive their coronavirus vaccine next Monday, April 19, according to Portsmouth Fire Department Chief Todd Germain.
Administered by members of the fire department, up to 650 eligible students will receive their first shot of the Pfizer vaccine. Conducted with the help of Seacoast Public Health Network, the clinic will begin at 8 a.m. and run till either 3 or 4 p.m., Germain said.
“From the fire department perspective, we’re happy to be able to put together the clinic, staff it and get it done. Keep it local,” he said. “This is community helping the community here.”