By WHAV Staff |
December 19, 2020
Haverhill School Committee members appear perplexed by gifts of “uncompensated time” delivered by union members last December. (Courtesy photograph.)
This is a developing story.
The union representing teachers and other education-related professionals Friday night voted “no confidence” in the Haverhill School Committee for its 5-2 vote last week to return certain students to the classroom Jan. 4.
Haverhill School Committee member Toni Sapienza-Donais. (Courtesy photograph.)
Haverhill Education Association’s Action Team and Executive Board took the vote during an emergency meeting Friday night. Within hours, nearly 300 members had signed on to the measure and immediately won the backing of School Committee members Toni Sapienza-Donais and Maura L. Ryan-Ciardiello the two that opposed the early return.
By John Lee Grant |
HVAC work taking place in Haverhill Public Schools this past summer. (Courtesy photograph.)
Haverhill schools may soon have a new on-staff technician specializing in heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
The Haverhill School Committee gave the go-ahead last week to moving money between accounts in order to hire a full-time HVAC technician. Stephen D. Dorrance, who was recently hired as the new facilities director, told the Committee that while most systems, such as plumbing and electric, can be monitored to be sure the job is done properly, heating and air conditioning issues cannot.
“The HVAC stuff, on the other hand, is buried in a building, it’s up on a roof, and it’s a huge expense for us. So, to ensure that we’re spending money wisely, I think that this investment, that will pay for itself, is justified,” Dorrance said.
By John Lee Grant |
Haverhill School Superintendent Margaret Marotta. (WHAV News file photograph.)
The Haverhill School Committee gave mostly high marks to School Superintendent Margaret Marotta at last Thursday night’s regular meeting.
An annual evaluation of the superintendent, required by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, gave the superintendent an average rating of “proficient” or second highest ranking. Mayor James J. Fiorentini began by acknowledging this year was a particularly difficult one that the superintendent handled well.
“I think overall, the superintendent has done an outstanding job and really, what we were thrown into was something that nobody could have ever anticipated, which is crisis management of a crisis that hasn’t happened since 1918. I think the superintendent did a marvelous job and I give her exceptional grades,” the mayor said.
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