Drawing upon the strength of our community, our families, our students, and our partners, Lynn Public Schools commits to fulfilling the intellectual, physical, and social-emotional potential of all of our students. We work together so our students learn to thrive, advance, and impact the greater community and the world. This collaboratively-developed vision captures the essence of who we are, what we endeavor to do, and how we believe success will be achieved for every student. Accordingly, this is more than just a vision, it is us – the Lynn Public Schools.
As a professional family, we engage our work with students and their families anchored in a simple yet meaningful set of core values: inclusiveness, high expectations, collaboration, shared responsibility and inspiring life-long learning. No one core value is more important than another. They do, however, complement one another in a really powerful way. In sum, these core values reflect our belief in embracing each student for who he or she is, our commitment to working hands joined with all stakeholders in the community for the benefit of students, and providing each student with the rigorous, world-class education that he/she deserves. These values drive our thinking, our actions, and our approach in every aspect of the very important work we do.
With a solid values foundation and a vision for where we are headed, we continuously evolve to meet the needs of our students. This involves, but is not limited, to leveraging professional development to deepen professional understanding, continuously and thoughtfully weaving technology into instruction, and seeking feedback in an effort to improve.
Lynn is a special place. A tight-knit city rich with adults who are deeply committed to ensuring that every young scholar has the opportunity and the support to learn to thrive, advance, and impact the greater community and the world. This is the essence of our work – a task that we take seriously and that I, as superintendent, am deeply honored to lead.
Our Office Information
Administrative Offices
Phone
Fax
Address
(781) 593-1680
(781) 477-7487
100 Bennett Street, Lynn, MA 01905
Regular Hours
Monday - Thursday - 7:45 AM until 3:45 PM
Friday - 7:45 AM until 2:45 PM
Summer Hours
Monday - Thursday - 7:45 AM until 2:45 PM
Friday - 7:45 AM until 12:45 PM
Superintendent's Report To The School Committee - 2022/2023
Superintendent’s Report April 13, 2023
LPS has once again been hit with loss and sadness. As a community we are mourning the loss of two of our own. Last week we supported the family of one of our educators. This loss impacted us all but certainly on a deeper level for Breed and Classical. Our hearts continue to be heavy around this loss. Tomorrow we will as a community pay our respect to City Council Vice President Buzzy Barton. His impact on our community has been so great that it is difficult to put into words. He has given so much of his life to our community as a first responder and as an elected official. Our students have always been a priority to him, and he has often spoken on behalf of them in his work. It is said that a life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered. Tomorrow and Saturday will be an opportunity to remember Buzzy and celebrate the impactful and beautifully lived life he has had.
The Pickering Building Project continues to make progress. A Design Update Community Forum was held by LeftField and Raymond Design Associates in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office and Lynn Public Schools. The Forum reviewed design progress for the new Pickering Middle School. All participants had the opportunity to share their thoughts about the design and siting options presented and were able to provide feedback on a preferred option for the school. The Pickering School Building Committee voted unanimously to choose the Sisson grounds site as the best option to build on. Next steps are to submit this to MSBA on April 27 for review and will need to go in front of the facility assessment sub-committee in May to present our educational plan and site proposal for possible approval. The board of directors will then need to approve on June 21.
As you all know we are in an educator shortage across the country which has made it very difficult to fill all positions in need causing us to overburden our current teaching staff to take on more classes than typically they would. In an effort to work toward building our own pipeline I would like to share an update on the work we have been developing on our grow your own educator pathway within our district. Last year we offered to all three high schools to implement Future Teacher clubs and we were able to get a small group started. To update you this year our high school “Future Teacher clubs” are up and running at Lynn Tech, Lynn English, and Lynn Classical. We have partnered with Educators Rising, a nonprofit that works with high school and college students aspiring to become educators. This work is supported through DESE grants awarded to both Lynn and to Educators Rising. Our clubs are advised by Jen Ciampi and Christina Dixon at LVTI, Lisa Escalera at LEHS, and Josh Guerin at LCHS.
Over 50 students across all three schools are participating in after school club activities, learning more about different types of careers in education and how to become an educator. In addition, we are offering MTEL preparation classes to high school seniors in these clubs, preparing them to take the Communication and Literacy MTEL prior to enrolling in a teacher prep program. Students are also receiving vouchers allowing them to take the Communication and Literacy MTEL at no cost. We had our first students take the MTEL recently and they have come back to share their experiences with students enrolled in the prep course this spring.
Students also had the opportunity to take a field trip to UMass Lowell where they attended the first ever Educators Rising conference in Massachusetts. They attended sessions to learn more about public education and the teaching profession. They also got to go on a campus tour and meet with admissions counselors to learn more about the college admissions process.
Some of our LVTI students enrolled in the Early Childhood and Care program are working in early childhood classrooms right here in the Lynn Public Schools this year, working with LPS teachers to learn more about the role of a teacher and even running their own small groups during center time. There are over 40 juniors and seniors working in dual language and special education classrooms.
We are so excited about the opportunity to share more about careers in public education and support their future goals to become educators. We look forward to hiring them back in LPS when they are ready!
We are proud of another national recognition for our MLE department. Rania Caldwell has been selected as the WIDA LEA Executive Committee Representative to represent MA and all Local Education Agencies (LEAs) in the WIDA Consortium for SY23-24. In this role, Rania will meet with state agency officials (SEAs) from across the country to elevate the voice of LEAs to best serve their multilingual learners. The WIDA Consortium is made up of 41 U.S. states, territories and federal agencies dedicated to the research, design, and implementation of a high-quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate system to support multilingual learners in K-12 contexts.
MCAS season has begun, and our schools are in the process of administering and preparing to administer MCAS testing. A great deal of time, effort and planning goes into this testing administration from every angle school, district, families, and of course the students as the most important component of this process. Our schools continue to do a wonderful job supporting our students through these high stakes testing. We are hopeful to see improved results.
Some information was presented to the school committee by teachers from Lynn English High School that the committee should have some clarification for.
Number of students in early college at LEHS
The teachers cited a number of students in early college, but it appears they were citing only the number of students in one of the designations. At the start of spring semester there were 232 students seated in early college. Nevertheless, the enrollment at LEHS is not currently at capacity and some classes are small. However, it should be noted that for SY24 370 students are slated to be enrolled in early college. If all goes as planned 15% of the school will be enrolled in early college next year at Lynn English with another approximately 5% on the waitlist (approximately 133 will remain on the waitlist). This program is a program of significant size in the high schools and remains a priority of the district, and early college is a statewide priority as well. Therefore, we cannot minimize the importance of a workable schedule for early college and other innovative programs we may seek to implement in the future in our high schools.
Past process for the schedule
The teacher group also discussed the process for the current schedule, but it bears further discussion of the process of how the schedule first came under discussion and where we are today.
Prior to the pandemic, a consultant was hired by LPS to work with wide constituent groups to change the high school schedule through a thorough and robust process. This project was intended to open up possibilities for expanded early college partnerships, programs like After Dark, job shadowing and internships. One of the key features that changed was the waterfall aspect. Although there are benefits to a waterfall, the daily changing of the order of periods is a major stumbling block for programming. This project did result in a schedule that was agreed upon and was approved by the colleges.
Before LPS was able to change to this schedule, the schools were closed due to Covid-19. A decision was then made to pause on the implementation of that schedule because schools were heading into a remote learning situation. As we began to emerge from the pandemic, the current schedule we have now in LEHS and LCHS was devised following safety guidelines for schools. It was designed to minimize transitions so that students would have less opportunity to come together in large groups during passing time, giving the virus the opportunity to spread. Students could also be cohorted if an emergency situation with the virus emerged. At the time, although the early college office was not part of the schedule creation, this schedule was confirmed to work for both early college and After Dark.
There was a process within LEHS and LCHS to make sure students and faculty had input. A survey was given, and a high majority of teachers agreed to the schedule, and it was approved for the following Fall. After this process was followed and concluded, another schedule was presented as an alternative by Jeff Bigler, and for several reasons this schedule was not a viable alternative.
The current schedule moved forward, and a group of teachers met with Dr. Tutwiler last year to discuss their concerns about it. He pointed out that it is very difficult to make everyone happy with a schedule and he felt the schools needed time to adjust to the schedule. He did suggest some further input would be gathered.
As all are aware, we have experienced many disruptive transitions over the last few years. Adding to this was a new Superintendent search and an interim period. There were many competing priorities within the school district, and a major concern has been the system-wide disruption to scheduling with the PowerSchool implementation. The timing of the gathering of feedback and a vote on Jeff Bigler's schedule, which is still not a viable schedule for many reasons, left many voices out of the processes including the colleges. The student feedback on the schedule resulted in a majority vote by students in both schools to keep the schedule they have. With that said, enough student commentary leads us to believe we need to look at how instruction is being delivered in the two-hour block and whether we need to make adjustments to the length of those blocks.
A meeting has been scheduled with the teachers who spoke to hear their concerns and talk about next steps. Further discussion within LPS as we transition to the Superintendency of Dr. Alvarez will resume with the goal of working on this problem during the upcoming school year, with any changes being presented before the committee in anticipation of the following school year, SY 24-25.
¡Juntos Logramos!
Respectfully submitted,
Deb Ruggiero
Superintendent's Report Download And Archive (PDF)
Lynn Public Schools Elementary and Secondary School
Emergency Relief (ESSER III) Allocation Plan
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, was enacted on March 11, 2021. The ARP Act provides additional funding for school districts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Education portion of ARP is known as the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III or ARP ESSER) Fund.
The purpose of the ESSER III fund is to support the safe reopening and sustaining safe operations of schools while meeting students' academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lynn Public Schools received an allocation of $42,106,523 to be spent through August 2024. Therefore, this will be a multi-year plan for anticipated activities.
On September 13, 2018, I formally shared my entry plan with the Lynn School Committee. Having spent the previous three years as Deputy Superintendent, partnering with all seven secondary schools and five elementary schools, I definitely had strong contextual knowledge of the Lynn Public Schools (LPS) prior to assuming the role of Superintendent on August 1, 2018. Nonetheless, it seemed both prudent and necessary to fully engage an entry plan. The purpose of the entry plan was to structure and define my effort to become better-acquainted with the most central elements of the Lynn Public Schools - most notably all aspects of the student and family experience and community partnerships. The focus of my entry involved hitting the ground learning (instead of running).
The goals of the entry plan were as follows:
To determine strengths, challenges, and goals in our schools and supporting departments
To gain deeper insight to the student experience
To determine the nature of the relationships between schools and families and schools and the broader community
To become familiar with policies, protocols, and norms
To identify data to inform a long-range strategic plan
While typically the form and function of an entry plan might appear to serve strategic planning exclusively, I engaged this highly collaborative and interactive process with hopes that would result in new and meaningful relationships, which it most certainly did.
As was presented in September 2018, the entry plan featured three phases:
Phase 1: Listening and Learning: gathering information through a series of interviews, forums and document review.
Phase 2: Analyzing and Sharing: making sense of the information gathered and share it publicly.
Phase 3: Planning and Implementation: explicit effort to tie the analyses and outcomes, related feedback, and other data to a long-range strategic plan. The district partnered with a professional from Planning for Success toward this end.
The entry phases and activities therein were meaningfully reinforced by a parallel, long-range strategic planning initiative. Timing was favorable for this approach as the previous district plan expired in 2017. This approach provided depth and stronger understanding as I moved between the two processes. Further, the parallel approach allowed me to test conclusions I was drawing from interviews and entry-related processes.
With the first school year as superintendent now complete and both my entry plan and a substantive framework for the strategic plan also complete, I offer this report of findings. Please download the full report below:
Student Learning Goal: Increase Achievement for All Students
SY2021-2022 Goals
Stabilize, Heal, Transform
Student Learning Goal: Increase achievement for all students
Key Indicators:
Through supporting and expanding established systems of family engagement and attendance intervention, we seek to maintain at least ninety percent (90%) attendance rate daily. Further, we will decrease the chronic absenteeism district wide by at least 2 percentage points*.
As a result of the district acceleration strategy, 80% of students who begin below grade level in the adopted early literacy screener (grades K-5), the English Language Arts and Math iReady assessment (grades 6-10) or other assessments for specified groups will make more than typical growth between the fall diagnostic and the spring benchmark.
Increase the percentage of English Learners making progress toward English language proficiency to at least 49%
Key Actions:
Attendance
Refine and implement strategies district wide to support high attendance rates across all grades:
Wellness Teams
Monitoring attendance in eSchool and Schoology
Communication with teachers regarding students they are concerned about
Work with social worker/LCHC to provide ongoing supports
Collaboration with all local agencies
Adhering to guidelines for protocols and procedures for outreach
Building based meetings/clinicals on a weekly basis
Climate and Culture
Implementation of Caring Schools/SEL focus
Collaboration with Social Worker to support families
Providing wraparound services with all local agencies
Consistent communication and outreach with families
Supporting systems that focus on engagement-extracurricular, community events, Town Hall
Open Houses
Implement new high school schedule featuring advisory block
Acceleration of Learning
Acceleration Philosophy:
Provide all students access to grade level content with unit-by-unit, or lesson-by-lesson scaffolds.
Utilize data to identify what students need, and integrate targeted and individualized standards-based instruction with grade level content and skills
Create and implement a system of frequent progress monitoring and responsive action planning to ensure accelerated pace of skill development and knowledge acquisition
Blended Learning
Engage district wide professional learning on Blended Learning, an approach which leverages multi-modal forms of instruction that offer our students convenience and flexibility and opportunities to control the learning pace and revisit lessons to deepen understanding.
Springboard
Narrow literacy gaps in grades K-3 by providing data-driven literacy supports during and after school and deepening school-home partnership by training caregivers to support specific literacy practices at home.
Meeting Social Emotional Needs
56% increase in clinical staff district wide.
Grade Level Clinical Support at all secondary schools
Continued Implementation of Caring School Community
Explore a system of data-driven response for social-emotional needs (data gathering, analysis, action planning, progress monitoring)
After-School Intervention and Support
Resurrect Extended Learning Time providing after-school supports in core content areas for identified students
Springboard literacy intervention model
Focus on Family Partnership
Ongoing, two-way communication and partnership with families
Identify time for consistent family outreach
Springboard family engagement
Addition of 17 family engagement professionals
* This excludes students who are absent due to COVID-19 illness or related quarantine.
District Improvement
SY2021-2022 Goals
District Improvement
Goals
Key Actions
Empirical Indicators
#1
Refine and expand opportunities for instructional leadership to provide optimal learning experiences for all students in SY21-22 and beyond.
[STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE ONE]
In keeping with an effort to develop an in-district pipeline to leadership, partner with the Lynch Leadership Academy to provide deep professional learning for sitting and aspiring leaders
Micro Academies for secondary department chairs focused on instructional leadership
Development and Implementation of a universal system on Instructional Leadership Teams (ILT) in all schools
Implement Modern Classroom Teacher Mentorship program
- At least 85% of secondary teachers in core content disciplines report that coaching they receive is relevant and useful in improving their practice
-
At least 90% of Micro-Academy participants implement the learning from the professional development in their schools.
-
100% of schools have created the conditions for launching an ILT in SY22-23
District Improvement
Goals
Key Actions
Empirical Indicators
#2
Successfully implement actions in an effort to increase and retain a racially and linguistically diverse staff. Engage these steps as part of a five-year plan to increase the staff of color by at least 1% each year. Data will be broken out by teachers (and related service providers), paraprofessionals, and administrators.
[STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE TWO]
· Critically evaluate existing systems and structures that impact student outcomes and performance and educator experience.
· Continue professional development on principles of Equity for all LPS staff
· Secure funding support for the MTEL preparation and support for paraprofessionals and unlicensed teachers
· Propose new recruitment positon for human resources for FY23 budget.
· Mentor and Induction program review to identify and/or refine specific features for teachers of color.
· Launch Fellowship program in partnership with Salem State University
Expand and refine Affinity Group for faculty and staff of color
Stated in goal.
District Improvement
Goals
Key Actions
Empirical Indicators
#3
Establish and/or expand the foundation and structures for increasing family connection and partnership
[STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE FOUR]
Finalize family survey. Design focus group feature for deeper, more detailed feedback
In partnership with the Lynn Teachers Union, develop written qualifications and responsibilities for school-based Parent Liaisons
Develop a professional development framework for parent liaisons.
Identify block of time for weekly family outreach
·
Finalize and administer an annual survey to gauge family engagement; at least 40% return rate
Written qualifications and responsibilities for Parent Liaisons
Articulation of professional learning framework for Parent Liaisons
District Improvement
Goals
Key Actions
Empirical Indicators
#4
Develop and present a community engagement and communication plan for the Pickering Middle School building project
[STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE THREE]
Identify
-
Person(s) responsible for regular communication and response to questions
-
Strategy/rhythm for communication
-
Appropriate platforms for communication
-
Key engagement opportunities
Fully executable engagement and communication plan presented and approved by the School Committee by the close of the Eligibility Period, January 28, 2022
District Improvement
Goals
Key Actions
Empirical Indicators
#2
Successfully implement actions in an effort to increase and retain a racially and linguistically diverse staff. Engage these steps as part of a five-year plan to increase the staff of color by at least 1% each year. Data will be broken out by teachers (and related service providers), paraprofessionals, and administrators.
[STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE TWO]
· Critically evaluate existing systems and structures that impact student outcomes and performance and educator experience.
· Continue professional development on principles of Equity for all LPS staff
· Secure funding support for the MTEL preparation and support for paraprofessionals and unlicensed teachers
· Propose new recruitment positon for human resources for FY23 budget.
· Mentor and Induction program review to identify and/or refine specific features for teachers of color.
· Launch Fellowship program in partnership with Salem State University
Expand and refine Affinity Group for faculty and staff of color
MCAS Spring 2017 Announcement | Mitchell Chester Commissioner
MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
On the Desktop – March 6, 2017
This spring marks the start of the next-generation MCAS assessments in English language arts and math in grades 3-8. After considering for several years how to best update our already strong statewide assessment, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted in November 2015 to maintain a test unique to our Commonwealth that would draw some of its questions from the existing MCAS, some of its questions from the PARCC assessment developed by a consortium of states, and some questions created specifically for the next-generation MCAS. This spring is the debut of that new test.
The Board also voted to transition to computer-based testing. For the next-generation MCAS tests this spring, most students will take the computer-based version in grades 4 and 8. Many schools have also chosen computer-based testing in grades 3, 5, 6, and 7; the remainder will be taking the paper version.
Many people ask us why we conduct statewide testing. These tests are required by both state and federal law, but more importantly:
- Test results help parents gauge whether their children are making academic progress.
- Test results help educators identify strengths and weaknesses in their curricula and instructional methods.
- A student’s participation in statewide testing helps provide context to other students in the same school, students in other schools within the district, and students in other districts. Failure to participate denies this perspective not only to the student who refuses to participate, but to other students and parents in the school, district, and statewide.
- Test results help the state target additional resources to underperforming schools.
- Test results help document our progress to the Governor and the Legislature as we seek to ensure adequate funding for all our schools.
MCAS was first instituted as part of the 1993 Education Reform Law. The programs and funding in that law have led to nearly a quarter-century of steady improvement in our K-12 schools. Today Massachusetts is number one in the nation in elementary and secondary education.
Refusal to Participate in State Tests
Every year, some families ask whether students are allowed to opt-out of taking a statewide test. In brief, the answer is no. Testing is a mandatory part of the curriculum, the same as a spelling test or math test, and statewide assessments are most useful when all students take them. Neither the Commonwealth nor Congress provides an opt-out provision. Tenth graders who refuse to take MCAS jeopardize their high school diploma. In addition, refusals to test can impact a school’s accountability rating. The accountability system is set up to encourage high participation rates (if it weren't, results would not be reflective of school-wide achievement). The federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires a 95 percent participation rate. Schools with a lower participation rate run the risk of having their accountability rating lowered.
Under draft regulations that the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education sent out for public comment on February 28, 2017, schools and districts that fall below a 90 percent participation rate will have their accountability status set to Level 3 (out of 5). Further, the 2016-17 and 2017-18 participation rates will be combined to determine participation rates for the 2017-18 accountability levels. In other words, refusals to test in spring 2017 could impact a school's accountability rating for two years.
Students who refuse to take the MCAS test may remain in the testing room as long as they are sitting quietly and are not interfering with other students. If a student becomes disruptive, they should be removed from the testing room and placed in a safe location until testing is completed and regular classroom instruction resumes. Given that statewide standardized tests are a legal requirement, it is my department's expectation that all students will participate.
More information about the next-generation MCAS, including information for parents, is available online at our MCAS page. Questions relating to testing refusals can be directed to Deputy Commissioner Jeff Wulfson at jwulfson@doe.mass.edu.
October 2022 New Executive Director of Social Emotional Learning
Superintendent announces Tina Hoofnagle as the new Executive Director of Social Emotional Learning.
Superintendent Deb Ruggiero is pleased to announce the appointment of Tina Hoofnagle as the new Executive Director of Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Ms. Hoofnagle has been in the position as interim since September 21st when she replaced Carolyn Troy who resigned from the position. The Executive Director of SEL leads the clinical model and supports the development and implementation of SEL curricula across the district.
Ms. Hoofnagle is clinically accomplished and a well-respected social worker who will lead the SEL department with incredible commitment and expertise.
Ms. Hoofnagle distinguished herself within our pool of candidates as the one who is best suited for the role.
Ms. Hoofnagle has held many positions throughout her career in the Lynn Public Schools. She began her career in 2002 as the Clinical Director of the Welcoming Elementary School, moved to Cobbet Elementary as a Social Worker and Lead Social Worker for the District, in 2016 was appointed Program Specialist for Parent and Family Engagement, and then transitioned to Assistant Director of SEL in 2019. Throughout all her roles she has been an integral member of the LPS team in creating the vision, developing the model, and supporting the learning around the SEL work. Her leadership, clinical expertise, and unwavering commitment has resulted in the hiring of a clinical team of school-based clinicians and clinical supervisors that now number ninety-three (93).
Throughout her career in LPS, Ms. Hoofnagle has been a consummate teacher providing professional development and supervising masters level clinicians. As Assistant Director of SEL, Ms. Hoofnagle has provided exemplary leadership developing a highly supportive and differentiated supervision model; she continued in her commitment to provide professional development especially focused on trauma and SEL; and supported multiple SEL initiatives including the adoption of Caring Schools Community. Ms. Hoofnagle is a 21st century visionary who has served the students and the staff of LPS for twenty years. She has worked tirelessly to bring high quality clinical support to all LPS students.
The quality most admirable and undeniably visible to those with whom she works is Ms. Hoofnagle’s unshakable values. She approaches her work to leadership and education in general with a passion and commitment grounded in a love for children and a profound belief in their potential. This core value is present in her daily actions and interactions.
Ms. Hoofnagle holds Bachelor of Social Work Degree from the University of Southern Maine; a Master of Religious Education from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary; and a Master of Social Work from Salem State College. She will assume the Executive Director of Social and Emotional Learning immediately.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce his appointment of Frangie Cruz as the Principal of Ingalls Elementary School. Ms. Cruz will replace Irene Cowdell in December 2021, at which point Ms. Cowdell will retire.
Through a rigorous, multi-step process, Ms. Cruz distinguished herself among an experienced and talented pool of candidates as one who will continue to make a deep impact as a member of the Lynn Public Schools leadership team.
Ms. Cruz’s journey to the Lynn Public Schools began in Bridgeport, CT, where she served as a school counselor and led turnaround work district wide.
She transitioned to Massachusetts, first developing and refining strategy around family and community partnerships with Mass Insight Education before transitioning to the Boston Public Schools. In Boston, Ms. Cruz served as the Director of Operations and Academic Advancement at the Mario Umana Academy, a K-8 dual language school. There, Ms. Cruz led a number of progressive initiatives, most pointedly those directly impacting improvement with instruction and school culture. Her success while at The Umana played a role in her acceptance to the highly-regarded Lynch Leadership Academy for the 2020-21 school year.
In multiple interactions with Ms. Cruz, the depth of her passion for this work is abundantly clear. No doubt, she possesses all of the necessary skills and experiences expected of school leaders. Perhaps more importantly, she has unshakable core values steeped in a belief that every student is capable of achieving on a high level. In each position in her career, there is a noticeable theme of relationship and capacity building and progressive thinking, all of which is unambiguously focused on student development toward that end.
Mr. Cruz holds a holds a Bachelor Degree in Political Science from the University of Hartford, and Masters in Education Psychology from the University of Connecticut. Ms. Cruz is fully fluent in Spanish. She will co-lead with Ms. Cowdell effective July 21, 2021 and continue in the role as principal upon Ms. Cowdell’s retirement in December of 2021.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce his appointment of Carolynn Fabale as the Executive Director of Human Resources. Ms. Fabale will replace Barbara Rafuse, who recently retired.
Through a rigorous, collaborative process, Ms. Fabale distinguished herself among an experienced and talented pool of candidates as one who would make a wonderful addition to the Lynn Public Schools leadership team.
Through the interview process, Ms. Fabale clearly stood out.
Not only was she the candidate best fit for the role, but someone about whom we are all very excited. Energy and charisma are two characteristics one immediately observes when interacting with Ms. Fabale. Equally important, she stands on an impressive career in education which began 20 years ago as a special education teacher in Los Angeles. Ms. Fabale credits her experience as a special education teacher with shaping her views on valuing and supporting school staff. She transitioned to human resources after seven years in the classroom, first in Los Angeles Unified School District, and then in director roles for several school districts very similar to the Lynn Public Schools.
Beyond the depth of her knowledge and the substance of her experience, Ms. Fabale is an innovator. She has modernized human resources departments in her experience in the past – that seemed to be a common theme among her references. What is more, she brings incredible energy and a collaborative spirit that we believe will help establish the human resource department in the Lynn Public Schools as a model.
Ms. Fabale holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in early childhood education and Master’s Degree in special education both from California State University, Los Angeles. She will begin work as Executive Director of Human Resources on July 1, 2021.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce his appointment of Dr. John Braga as the Principal of Lynn English High School. Dr. Braga will replace Tessie Mower, who served in an acting capacity during the 2020-21 school year. Through a rigorous, multi-step process,
Dr. Braga distinguished himself among an experienced and talented pool of candidates as one who would make a wonderful addition to the Lynn Public Schools leadership team.
Dr. Braga’s journey began as an English teacher at the Mario Umana Academy School in Boston.
Before ascending to leadership roles, Dr. Braga also taught English at East Boston High School. Dr. Braga’s leadership experience is broad. He served as director of English language learners services and supplemental programs at the district level before returning to building based leadership roles in Boston and most recently in Somerville.
Dr. Braga will bring notable experience and know how to bear on his role as principal at Lynn English. He has been instrumental in improvement efforts at the schools where he has served previously. Featured in each of the experiences, according to Dr. Braga, was a concerted effort to bring the community together around a shared goal. Dr. Braga’s experience with and focus on collaboration, instructional leadership, tiered systems of support, and culture building are markers that made him an attractive candidate.
Dr. Braga holds a Bachelor Degree in English from Stetson University, a Master of Education from Lesley, a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from Fitchburg, and a doctorate in education from University of Massachusetts in Lowell. Dr. Braga also speaks Portuguese and Spanish. He will begin work as principal on July 6, 2021.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce his appointment of Jessica Ekhomu as the Principal of Hood Elementary School. Ms. Ekhomu will replace Shirley Albert-Benedict, who served in an acting capacity during the 2020-21 school year.
Through a rigorous, multi-step process, Ms. Ekhomu distinguished herself among an experienced and talented pool of candidates as one who would make a wonderful addition to the Lynn Public Schools leadership team.
Ms. Ekhomu began her career as a 5th grade teacher in the Boston Public Schools.
She quickly ascended to an instructional leadership role as a lead teacher. Ms. Ekhomu’s impressive experience as a teacher led to successful admission to prestigious leadership fellowships, namely the Curate Fellowship and the Lynch Leadership Academy. She honed her leadership skills as a fellow at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School and then as Assistant Principal at the Tobin K-8.
During the interview process, Ms. Ekhomu demonstrated exceptional instructional knowledge. Both in her experience and through her responses to questions, she displayed deep understanding on how to analyze data and turn that understanding into strategy that improve student outcomes. Furthermore, Ms. Ekhomu conveyed a notable skill set in and experience with building and maintaining a collaborative, inclusive school culture. Her references willingly celebrated these skills and more and position her as a rising star among educational leaders.
Ms. Ekhomou holds a Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice and Master of Public Health from Georgia State and Master’s in Curriculum and Teaching from Boston University. She will begin work as principal on July 1, 2021.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce his appointment of Fred Gallo as the Principal of Lynn Vocational Technical Institute (LVTI). Mr. Gallo will replace Carissa Karakaedos, who served as principal since 2018 and is relocating to a different region in the country.
Through a rigorous, multi-step process, Mr. Gallo distinguished himself among an experienced and talented pool of candidates as one who is who will continue to make a deep impact as a member of the Lynn Public Schools leadership team.
Mr. Gallo is a known entity at LVTI.
After all, he has spent all of his 32 years as an educator at Lynn Tech. Mr. Gallo’s journey began as a bilingual teacher, focusing on science and mathematics. He then transitioned to teaching physics. A role that he engaged for five years before becoming a guidance counselor. Mr. Gallo serve as a guidance counselor for 16 years before his appointment as vice principal in 2015. Since then, Mr. Gallo has honed his leadership skills working closely with the principal on implementation of several innovative programs and also recently completing the Massachusetts Association of Vocational Administrators Leadership Academy.
Clear through the process is Mr. Gallo’s enthusiasm for continuous improvement and innovation at LVTI. This commitment is coupled with the deep belief in students first and embracing collaboration and voice in any change or improvement effort. Accordingly, Mr. Gallo’s principalship is not necessarily a continuation of the way things have been, but a forging forward in new and innovative, but collaboratively-explored ways.
Mr. Gallo holds a Bachelor Degree in Science Education from Boston University, a Masters in Education Administration from University of Massachusetts, Boston, a Masters in School Counseling from Salem State. Mr. Gallo is fully fluent in Spanish. He will begin work as principal on July 1, 2021.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce his appointment of Amy Dunn as the Principal of Lynn Classical High School. Mrs. Dunn was appointed Acting Principal on August 14, 2018 and has performed masterfully over the course of the 2018-19 school year.
Mrs. Dunn is completing her twentieth year in the Lynn Public Schools (and is a product of the Lynn Public Schools to boot).
She has served with distinction both in the classroom as a biology teacher and in support services as guidance counselor.
Her performance in these roles made her an easy choice for leadership at Lynn Classical as Vice Principal, a role she assumed nine years ago. Upon her predecessors late summer retirement, Mrs. Dunn willfully assumed the principal role in an acting capacity.
Here, Mrs. Dunn shined! She successfully led the school through the final stages of the accreditation process and artfully directed the development of a turnaround plan for the school.
Both endeavors are gargantuan undertakings. Mrs. Dunn successfully completed both, while managing the day-to-day rigors of building leadership, no doubt earning the respect and admiration of all observers.
Clear in her work over the past year is the demonstration of deep knowledge, embracing partnerships with families and community organizations alike, and a strong vision for the path forward at Lynn Classical High School. Mrs. Dunn is indeed the right leader for the role.
Mrs. Dunn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Master of Education Degree in School Counseling at Salem State University. Her appointment as Principal is effective July 1, 2019.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce his appointment of Rania Caldwell as the new Executive Director of English Learner Education effective August 31, 2020.
For the past three years, Ms. Caldwell has served as the Lynn Public Schools Director of English Learner Education. Given the scope of the legal, administrative and instructional work involved with English Learner education, the School Committee elected to shift the positon title to “Executive Director” in July 2020.
Notwithstanding her impeccable record in the Lynn Public Schools, including that as current Director of English Learner Education, Ms. Caldwell distinguished herself among the pool of candidates as one who is best suited for the role.
A native of Lynn, Ms. Caldwell earned a Bachelor of Arts (English) and Master’s degrees (English and Teaching) at Salem State University and a Specialist Degree in education leadership from Gordon College. She began her career in Lynn in 2008 providing coaching support in the classroom first and then progressing to her current role as Director of English Learner Education in 2017. In this role, not only has Ms. Caldwell ensured tight alignment with law, procedure, and regulation related to serving English learners, she has worked in collaboration with other departments to elevate instruction through district-wide professional development.
Further, she has worked to create meaningful opportunities for all students through the implementation of a dual enrollment program at Harrington Elementary School and introduction of the Seal of Biliteracy designation, a distinction that honors and celebrates bilingualism in the Lynn Public Schools.
In the three years as director, Ms. Caldwell has shown incredible leadership skills, deep content knowledge, and most importantly unshakable commitment to the learning and growth of all students in general and English learners in particular. She is a visionary who in her daily efforts not only seeks to polish and enhance experiences of students, but also expand upon them in creative and values-based ways going forward.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce his appointment of Glenda Colon as the Principal of Connery Elementary School. Ms. Colon will replace Dr. Mary Dill who will continue as the Principal of Brickett Elementary School. Through a rigorous, multi-step process, Ms. Colon distinguished herself among an experienced and talented pool of candidates as one who is and who would make a wonderful addition to the Lynn Public Schools leadership team.
Ms. Colon began her career as a K2 teacher in the Boston Public Schools.
She held other positions in the teaching ranks, including but not limited to roles in literacy instruction, Sheltered English Immersion, and assessment coordination.
During this period in her career, she also sharpened facilitation skills as a cultural diversity trainer.
In 2014, Ms. Colon ascended to a district leadership role in the Boston Public Schools, one wherein she developed and facilitated professional development for instructional leadership teams across the district.
She was appointed principal at the Alighieri School in 2015 where she currently leads.
Ms. Colon will bring impressive experience and know how to bear on her role as principal at Connery Elementary. She has a proven record, demonstrating notable strengths in instructional leadership, professional learning design and delivery, and building school culture. Most importantly perhaps is Ms. Colon’s deep commitment to each student and his/her growth and development.
Ms. Colon holds a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education from Salem State University and Master of Education from Lesley.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce his appointment of Peter Viselli as the Principal of Cobbet Elementary School. Mr. Viselli was appointed Acting Principal on August 6, 2018 and has led the school with distinction over the past ten months, sustaining and in fact building upon the school’s previous leader who equally led with distinction.
Mr. Viselli’s career in the Lynn Public Schools spans nearly twenty-five years. Prior to his appointment as Acting Principal at Cobbet Elementary, he served as Program Specialist at Washington STEM.
Leading up to his administrative appointment at Washington STEM, Mr. Viselli spent twelve years at Cobbet Elementary, the last six of which were as a Curriculum and Instruction Teacher.
In his role as Acting Principal, Mr. Viselli exhibited notably thoughtful leadership, prioritizing social and emotional well-being and rigorous instruction in his effort to do what is best for students, first and foremost, and the school system that serves them. What is more, Mr. Viselli’s deep familiarity with students, families, and community partners as well as the systems and structures at Cobbet serves as the perfect foundation for stability and success going forward.
In all, Mr. Viselli has proven that he has all of the necessary skills and the knowledge base to lead effectively.
Mr. Viselli holds Bachelor Degree from Georgia Southern College and Master of Education degree in reading from Gordon College.
His appointment as Principal of Cobbet is effective May 1, 2019.
Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce his appointment of Eva O’Malley as the new Executive Director of Curriculum. Ms. O’Malley will replace Deb Ruggiero who was appointed Deputy Superintendent on October 1, 2018. The Executive Director of Curriculum leads the identification and implementation of curriculum, the related instructional practices and professional development district wide. Through a rigorous, multi-step process, Ms. O’Malley distinguished herself among an experienced and talented pool of candidates as one who is best suited for the role.
Ms. O’Malley began her career in the Lynn Public Schools as a middle school special education teacher in 1987. In 2000, her work in the district evolved to include leading professional development for teachers. Additionally, during the same year, she began an adjunct teaching position at Endicott College – a role that she held for 14 years. In 2010, Ms. O’Malley was appointed the Assistant Director of Educator Quality, a Curriculum Department role she holds to this day. Fueled by her desire to sharpen school leadership skills, Ms. O’Malley sought and was awarded the Director of the Lynn Evening Enrichment Program (L.E.E.P.) in 2017.
Ms. O’Malley is a 21st century visionary. She has a strong sense for the knowledge and skills students need to be successful and contributory in grades k-12 and beyond. At the same time, she pays close attention to the ever-changing nature of these requisite skills and knowledge and brings this information to bear on curriculum and professional development initiatives.
The quality most admirable and undeniably visible to those with whom she works is Ms. O’Malley’s unshakable values. Ms. O’Malley’s approach to leadership and education in general, is grounded in a love for children and profound belief in their potential. This core value is present in her daily actions and interactions.
Ms. O’Malley holds Bachelor Degree in Science Education from Bridgewater State University and Master of Education from Lesley. She will begin work as Executive Director of Curriculum on December 17th.
Superintendent Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce the appointment of Phylitia Jamerson as Administrator of Special Education. Ms. Jamerson was previously the Assistant Director of Special Education for Academica, a charter school network of some 23 schools in Las Vegas, NV. For thirteen years prior to this leadership role Ms. Jamerson was a special education teacher, an experience that spanned schools in Las Vegas, NV
and San Diego, CA.
Ms. Jamerson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education from the University of Nevada - Las Vegas. She also successfully completed the Master of Arts in Leadership program at the University of Phoenix. Ms. Jamerson is licensed in Massachusetts as a special education administrator. Furthermore, she stays active in her membership with the Council of Exceptional Children and the Council of Administrators of Special Education.
Ms. Jamerson immediately impressed the interview team with her depth of special education knowledge and her expressed (and exclusive) desire to work in Lynn. Her experience both as a leader and a teacher were focused on going to the greatest lengths to meet the needs of students, first foremost, but also building capacity around a set of collaboratively-built cohesive structures. There were clear matches around philosophy and values, the sum of which made her the absolute best candidate for the role.
Superintendent Patrick Tutwiler is pleased to announce the appointment of Deb Ruggiero as Deputy Superintendent – assuming the position he held for the three previous years. Ms. Ruggiero is currently the Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, a position she held since January of 2018. Ms. Ruggiero will assume her new duties beginning in October 1, 2018.
Ms. Ruggiero has worked for the Lynn Public Schools for the past thirty-two years. She has worn a variety of teaching hats over the span of twenty years, including but not limited to special education and classroom teacher. For three years prior to assuming her first principalship, Ms. Ruggiero honed her teacher coaching skills as a Curriculum and Instruction Teacher. Thereafter, she spent 11 years in building leadership roles, most recently at Harrington Elementary School.
Ms. Ruggiero earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Lesley College, and a Master of Education degree specializing in reading and literacy from Endicott College. She also completed the Principal Preparation Program at the Merrimack Education Center. Ms. Ruggiero is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) as a teacher in early childhood, reading, and special needs; as an elementary principal; and as an administrator at all levels. She also holds the Sheltered English Immersion endorsement as required by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Ms. Ruggiero distinguished herself among a very talented candidate pool. With experience, education, and license criteria satisfactorily satisfied, the hiring committee sought an individual who could bring to bear his/her leadership experience and knowledge of instruction on the support effort with building leaders. Further, the team sought a suitable senior leadership “teammate”, a professional who could push the collective thinking and whose core values and collaborative spirit are a match with those of the existing team. In every way measurable, Ms. Ruggiero demonstrated best fit with what was sought.
While Ms. Ruggiero’s tenure in the Lynn Public Schools is extended, her addition as Deputy Superintendent reflects not necessarily a continuation of the way things are, but a forging forward in new and innovative, but collaboratively-explored ways.
Ms. Ruggiero was born and educated in Lynn and graduated from Lynn English High School. She currently resides in Peabody and has three adult children.
James E. Kennison will be the new principal of the Callahan Elementary School effective immediately. Currently serving as the Acting Principal, Mr. Kennison is actually a graduate of Callahan and is excited to be back where he started as a student.
He began his teaching career as a Grade 3 teacher at the Sacred Heart School in Lynn in 2004, and he has taught at Shoemaker, Hood, Lincoln Thomson, Harrington, Connery and Tracy Elementary schools.
He most recently served as the Program Specialist at the Connery Elementary School and has experience as a teacher of students with special needs and as a classroom teacher in Grades 2, 3 and 4.
Mr. Kennison received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Salem State College, a Master of Education degree from Salem State University and an Educational Leadership Certificate from the Northeast Consortium Leadership Academy. He is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as an elementary teacher for Grades 1-6 and a Principal/Assistant Principal for Grades Pre K-6. He also holds the Sheltered English Immersion teacher endorsement.
As well as being an experienced teacher and elementary administrator, Mr. Kennison has extensive knowledge of the elementary curriculum, is experienced in data analysis and curriculum alignment, and has experience planning and implementing professional development and facilitating grade-level common planning meetings to align instruction and pedagogical practices.
Katia Spiess-Amsler will be the new principal of the Aborn Elementary School beginning July 2, 2018. Currently serving as the Acting Program Specialist at the Connery Elementary School, Ms. Spiess-Amsler began her teaching career at Aborn in 2006 as a third grade teacher.
She has also taught at Brickett and Sewell-Anderson, and has spent the last eight years at Connery. She has experience as a classroom teacher in Grades 2, 3 and 4, worked as a Curriculum and Instruction Teacher, Math Specialist for Grades 3, 4 and 5 and a ultimately a Program Specialist.
Ms. Spiess-Amsler received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University, a Master of Education degree from Salem State University and an Educational Leadership Certificate from the Northeast Consortium Leadership Academy. She is licensed by the Mass Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as an elementary teacher, an elementary mathematics specialist, an English as a Second Language teacher, and a Principal/Assistant Principal for Pre K-6. She also holds the Sheltered English Immersion teacher endorsement.
As well as being an experienced teacher, Ms. Spiess-Amsler assisted in writing the district science curriculum, has extensive experience in data analysis, curriculum alignment, and after-school programming, and has experience planning and facilitating grade-level common planning meetings to align instruction and pedagogical practices. She is highly motivated and enthusiastic to begin her new position.
Ms. Spiess-Amsler is a resident of Lynn where she lives with her husband and two daughters.
Superintendent Latham Announces Carissa Karakaedos as the new
Principal of Lynn Vocational Technical Institute
Superintendent Catherine Latham is pleased to announce the appointment of Carissa Karakaedos as the principal of Lynn Vocational Technical Institute.
Ms. Karakaedos is currently the District Administrator of Essex North Shore Technical and Agricultural School and prior to that served for nine years as the Vocational Director and Assistant Superintendent of the Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District.
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No stranger to Lynn, Ms. Karakaedos began her teaching career at LVTI and spent four years as a mathematics and science teacher
She also taught at Lincoln Technical Institute and has been an adjunct instructor at Northern Essex Community College, the University of Massachusetts Boston and is currently an adjunct instructor at Fitchburg State University.
Ms. Karakaedos earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Simmons College, a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Cambridge College and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Leadership from Salem State University. She is licensed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as an Academic and Vocational Principal/Assistant Principal, Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent and School Business Administrator.
Ms. Karakaedos has extensive experience in overseeing both vocational and academic programs, fiscal management of vocational programs, supervision and evaluation of instructional staff, management of community programs that include partnerships and adult education and the planning and delivery of professional development opportunities for all staff. She has also had direct experience dealing with the development of new Chapter 74 programs and building infrastructure with the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
Ms. Karakaedos will replace Robert Buontempo who is retiring in June. She is highly motivated, well qualified and eager to take over the leadership of LVTI.
Superintendent Latham Announces Carolyn Troy as the new
Executive Director for Social/Emotional Learning
The Lynn Public Schools begins a new focus in July when the district’s first Executive Director for Social/Emotional Learning, Carolyn Troy, begins. Currently the Administrator of Counseling, Health and Wellness for the Winchester Public Schools.
Ms. Troy has worked in the field of social work in both the non-profit sector and the public school area since 1997.
She has experience as a social worker, School Adjustment Counselor, a district-wide clinical specialist, and a K-12 school administrator.
Ms. Troy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work both from Boston College. She is licensed by the Commonwealth as an Independent School Social Worker (LISCW), and holds licenses from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as a School Social Worker/School Adjustment Counselor, Director of Pupil Personnel Services and Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent.
Ms. Troy began her work as a Mobile Crisis Clinician, Clinical Coordinator, Program Director and Group Facilitator for a non-profit in Dorchester, Massachusetts before moving to the Everett Public Schools where she spent four years as a School Adjustment Counselor and four years as District-Wide K-12 Clinical Specialist/Coordinator before moving to the Winchester Public Schools as the Administrator of Counseling, Health and Wellness.
Ms. Troy is also an adjunct professor for Lesley University’s Graduate School of Counseling and Psychology and Framingham State College.
Ms. Troy’s training includes, in part, short term therapy techniques with oppositional and defiant children and adolescents, crisis intervention, mental health first aid, PTSD, conducting sexual abuse evaluations of children, signs of suicide and depression awareness and social/emotional learning.
Superintendent Catherine Latham is pleased to announce the appointment of two new principals for the Lynn Public Schools. Lissa Bloom, currently acting principal of the Early Childhood Center, will be the new principal at the Harrington Elementary School, and Nancy Cassidy, currently the Curriculum and Instruction Teacher at Drewicz, will assume the position of principal of the Early Childhood Center. Both will assume their new duties on January 2, 2018.
Lissa Bloom
Ms. Bloom has worked in the Lynn Public Schools for the past fourteen years in a number of teaching and administrative roles. She has taught in Grade 1, Grade 2, integrated Pre-K, Structured English Immersion with students for whom English is not their first language, and has been a Curriculum and Instruction Teacher at Harrington assisting all classroom teachers in standards-based instruction.
Prior to becoming the acting principal at the Early Childhood Center, she was the Program Specialist at Harrington, working closely with the Harrington principal in an administrative position.
Ms. Bloom earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources and Family Development from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, a Master’s degree in Education from American International College, and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Administration, Elementary Grades 1-6, from Gordon College. Ms. Bloom holds licenses from the Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Early Childhood, and Principal/Assistant Principal (PreK-6), and she holds the Structured English Immersion endorsement from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Ms. Bloom is experienced in standards-based curriculum and instruction, structured English immersion strategies to support the instruction of English language learners, and the educator evaluation system. She has participated in extensive professional development in the areas of formative assessment, teaching both reading and writing at the elementary level, data determined decision making, safety care, and trauma-sensitive classrooms.
Ms. Bloom’s education, experience, motivation and enthusiasm are attributes that will greatly benefit the Harrington Elementary School as it strives to increase its wonderful gains. Ms. Bloom is married and lives in Peabody with her husband and puppy Graycie.
Nancy Cassidy
Ms. Cassidy has worked in the Lynn Public Schools since 2001 as a Pre-K teacher, integrated kindergarten teacher and first grade teacher.
Prior to that she was a Preschool teacher for the JOI Child Care Center in Lynn and served as its Executive Director for thirteen years.
She is leaving her position as Curriculum and Instruction Teacher at the Drewicz Elementary School where she has served as the chairperson of the Student Study Team, the coordinator for the iRead and System 44 reading programs, a member of the School Leadership Team, the Family Engagement Committee and the Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) team.
Ms. Cassidy received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Boston College, a Master of Education in Special Education from Salem State College, and graduated from the Educational Leadership Program at Gordon College. As well as holding a license from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as a Principal/Assistant Principal (PreK-6 and 5-8), she is licensed in Early Childhood and Moderate Disabilities and holds the Structured English Immersion endorsement from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Ms.Cassidy’s entire career has been spent in early childhood education not only as a teacher but also as an administrator and mentor. She has extensive experience with the curriculum and instruction required at the early childhood level, is well versed in the REACH for reading program and the Six Traits of Writing curriculum used in all of our elementary schools, and has expertise and experience in the education of students with disabilities.
Her background, experience and motivation make her the prime choice as the new principal of the Early Childhood Center. Ms. Cassidy lives in Lynn, has four adult children, and has been mother to a number of foster children.
Superintendent Catherine Latham is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Kimberlee Powers as the new Deputy Superintendent for the Lynn Public Schools. Ms. Powers who is currently the Executive Director for Curriculum and Instruction has worked for the district since 1991.
She will officially begin her new duties on October 2, 2017 replacing Dr. Jaye Warry who is retiring after thirty-six years with the district, eleven as Deputy Superintendent.
Ms. Powers holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree and a Master of Education degree with a concentration in Educational Leadership both from Salem State College. In addition to her work as an elementary teacher and a Curriculum and Instruction Teacher, she was the principal of the Ingalls Elementary School for eight years prior to holding a district level position.
As well as her extensive experience as a teacher, building principal and district administrator, Ms. Powers is an experienced social worker who began her professional career working for the Department of Children and Families. This early experience as a social worker combined with her extensive experience as an educator gives her unique insights into working with children, families, educators and community agencies.
Ms. Powers is well prepared, enthusiastic and energized by the opportunities that this new position will provide.
Superintendent Catherine Latham is pleased to announce the appointment of Anthony Frye as the new principal of the Washington Elementary School. Mr. Frye is currently the Acting Principal of Ingalls Elementary School and has worked for the Lynn Public Schools for the past eighteen years.
He has taught pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, first grade English language learners, and elementary reading. Prior to assuming the Acting Principal position at Ingalls, Mr. Frye served as the Program Specialist at Ingalls.
Mr. Frye earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from North Adams State College in North Adams, Massachusetts, and a Master of Science degree in Educational Administration with a concentration in Grades Pre-K to 6 from Cambridge College in Cambridge Massachusetts.
He is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) as an elementary principal and as a teacher for Grades Pre-K through 3. He also holds the Structured English Immersion endorsement as required by ESE.
Mr. Frye is experienced in data analysis; standards based curriculum planning and delivery; the educator evaluation system; and structured English immersion techniques to assist in the education of our English language learners. He is well-prepared, eager, enthusiastic and highly motivated to lead the STEM focused (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Washington Elementary School.
Mr. Frye is a resident of Lynn, is married and has two daughters.
Superintendent Catherine Latham is pleased to announce the selection of Ms. Mary Foster as the new principal of the Lincoln-Thomson Elementary School. Ms. Foster is currently the Program Specialist at Callahan Elementary School.
She has been involved in elementary education for over twenty-one years and has spent seventeen years at Lincoln-Thomson as a kindergarten and first grade teacher, librarian, curriculum and instruction teacher, English Language Arts/Mathematics Specialist and Acting Principal.
Ms. Foster received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Early Childhood Education and a Master of Education degree with a concentration in Library Media Studies, both from Salem State College. She received a Certificate of Advanced Study of Education from the Northeast Consortium’s Merrimack Education Center and received Principal/Assistant Principal licensure. She also holds certification as a Wilson Language teacher.
Ms. Foster has experience in standards-based curriculum planning, data analysis, common assessment development, the teacher evaluation system, and the design and scheduling of school based professional development. She has served as a member of School Improvement Planning teams and is intimately familiar with both the Massachusetts State Frameworks and the district curriculum and instruction programs that are designed to support those Frameworks.
Ms. Foster will bring extensive elementary experience to her new position and, because of her long term association with the Lincoln-Thomson Elementary School, will provide a seamless transition as long-term Principal Helen Mihos retires after thirty-seven years with the Lynn Public Schools. Ms. Foster is a long time Lynn resident and a graduate of Lynn Classical High School. She is the mother of two boys who also attended the Lynn Public Schools.
Superintendent Catherine Latham has announced that Ingalls Elementary School Principal Irene Cowdell will temporarily become the Acting Principal of the Washington Elementary School effective immediately.
While Ms. Cowdell takes over the reins at Washington, Ingalls Program Specialist Anthony Frye will become Acting Principal at Ingalls. Former Washington Principal John Licorish resigned at the end of July.
Superintendent Catherine Latham is pleased to announce the appointment of Christina Colella as the principal of the Shoemaker Elementary School. Ms. Colella will replace Patricia Riley who will retire on March 1st of this year.
Ms. Colella, a Lynn resident and graduate of the Lynn Public Schools is an experienced educator. She began her career as a third grade teacher in a Structured English Immersion class at the Harrington Elementary School and also has had classroom experience at the Connery and Sisson Elementary Schools.
Ms. Colella, a Lynn resident and graduate of the Lynn Public Schools is an experienced educator. She began her career as a third grade teacher in a Structured English Immersion class at the Harrington Elementary School and also has had classroom experience at the Connery and Sisson Elementary Schools. She has taught Grades 2, 3 and 4 and has been a Curriculum and Instruction Teacher and a teacher of students who are newcomers to the United States. She has been the Program Specialist at Harrington Elementary School for the past three years and during that time was the acting principal while Harrington Principal Ruggiero served as the interim principal at the Ford Elementary School.
Ms. Colella received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst majoring in English with a minor in Early Childhood Education, and a master’s degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell majoring in Curriculum and Instruction. She has also completed the Principals’ Preparation Program as part of the Northeast Consortium’s Merrimack Leadership Academy.
Licensed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as an elementary teacher, a teacher of English language learners and as a principal, Ms. Colella is experienced in data driven decision making, school law, school finance, standards based curriculum planning and delivery, and strategic planning in special education. Ms. Colella is excited and highly motivated to continue the excellent tradition of leadership at the Shoemaker School.
Ms. Colella and her husband have three children the oldest of whom attends the Aborn Elementary school in Lynn.
The superintendent is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Mary Panagopoulos as the new principal of the Sewell-Anderson Elementary School.
Effective July 1, 2015, Ms. Panagopoulos will replace Ms. Patricia Mallett who will retire at the end of the school year after serving the Lynn Public Schools for over 40 years, the last nine as the principal of Sewell-Anderson School.
Ms. Panagopoulos, a Lynn resident and graduate of the Lynn Public Schools, is also a seasoned Lynn Educator with over 30 years of experience. She began her career as a teacher of students with special needs and has served at Connery, Drewicz, Harrington, Ingalls, Shoemaker, and Tracy. She is currently the Curriculum and Instruction teacher at the Drewicz Elementary School. At Drewicz she serves as the MCAS coordinator, a member of the instructional leadership team, the Student Study Team coordinator and as acting principal. For the past three years she has served as the coordinator of the Lynn Public Schools Tutorial in Place summer program, a collaborative summer program with outside agencies, private home day-care providers and the Lynn Public School Department. Over her years in education she has developed excellent relationships throughout the Lynn Public Schools and with our community partners.
Ms. Panagopoulos received a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Lesley College, and a Master of Education degree from Salem State College. She holds licenses with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in elementary education, moderate special needs and elementary school administration; and she is a certified Wilson reading instructor and a trained Safety-care Behavioral Safety specialist. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to support differentiated instruction for all students and is dedicated and motivated to continue the excellent academic successes seen at the Sewell-Anderson Commendation School.
Superintendent Catherine Latham is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Patrick Tutwiler as the new Deputy Superintendent for the Lynn Public Schools.
Dr. Patrick Tutwiler, an experienced educator, will be leaving his current position as Headmaster of Brighton High School in Boston and will officially begin his duties as Deputy Superintendent for the Lynn public Schools on July 1, 2015.
Dr. Tutwiler holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from The College of the Holy Cross, a Master of Education from Harvard University Graduate School of Education, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston College’s Lynch School of Education. Previous to his current position at Brighton High School, he was the principal of Wayland High School, Dean of Students at Westford Academy, and Assistant Headmaster at English High School in Boston. He began his career as a World History and United States History teacher at Brighton High School.
Dr. Tutwiler is well prepared for this new position and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in secondary curriculum and program development. He is a strong proponent for inclusion at all levels and for all students and is experienced in working with community organizations and educational institutions. He is enthusiastic and energized to both support and stimulate our vision for the Lynn Public Schools.
The superintendent is pleased to announce the appointment of a new principal for the Thurgood Marshall Middle School. Ms. Molly Cohen, an experienced educator with the Lynn Public Schools, will be leaving her current position as vice principal at Breed Middle School to officially take over leadership of Marshall on January 5, 2015.
Ms. Cohen has extensive experience as a teacher, guidance counselor and school administrator. She began her career in public education in Salem Massachusetts as an English as a second language teacher and came to the Lynn Public Schools in 2005 as a sheltered English immersion teacher at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute. She has also served as the bilingual guidance counselor at Lynn English High School and as the vice principal at Breed Middle School. Previous to her public school work she was a teacher of English as a foreign language in Chile and English as a second language in Boston.
Ms. Cohen received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Vermont Burlington with a dual major in English and sociology, a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language degree from Simmons College, a Master of Education degree in school counseling from Salem State College and received her principal license after completion of the Merrimack Leadership Academy program.
Ms. Cohen is proficient in written and oral Spanish, knowledgeable in curriculum and instruction planning and implementation, skilled in data analysis, and experienced working with community agencies. She brings excellent organizational skills to her new position and is well prepared and eager to transition faculty, staff and students to the new Marshall Middle School which is scheduled to open in September 2016.
The superintendent is pleased to announce the appointment of a new principal for the Thurgood Marshall Middle School. Ms. Molly Cohen, an experienced educator with the Lynn Public Schools, will be leaving her current position as vice principal at Breed Middle School to officially take over leadership of Marshall on January 5, 2015.
Ms. Cohen has extensive experience as a teacher, guidance counselor and school administrator. She began her career in public education in Salem Massachusetts as an English as a second language teacher and came to the Lynn Public Schools in 2005 as a sheltered English immersion teacher at Lynn Vocational Technical Institute. She has also served as the bilingual guidance counselor at Lynn English High School and as the vice principal at Breed Middle School. Previous to her public school work she was a teacher of English as a foreign language in Chile and English as a second language in Boston.
Ms. Cohen received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Vermont Burlington with a dual major in English and sociology, a Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language degree from Simmons College, a Master of Education degree in school counseling from Salem State College and received her principal license after completion of the Merrimack Leadership Academy program.
Ms. Cohen is proficient in written and oral Spanish, knowledgeable in curriculum and instruction planning and implementation, skilled in data analysis, and experienced working with community agencies. She brings excellent organizational skills to her new position and is well prepared and eager to transition faculty, staff and students to the new Marshall Middle School which is scheduled to open in September 2016.
Superintendent Catherine Latham is pleased to announce the appointment of Patricia Hebert, currently the Program Specialist at the Ingalls Elementary School in Lynn, as the new Principal of the Drewicz Elementary School.
Ms. Hebert holds both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Education degree from Salem State College with double majors in elementary education and psychology. She is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as a principal and an elementary and middle school teacher. She received her principal license after participating in the Commonwealth Leadership Academy. Ms. Hebert is an adjunct faculty member at North Shore Community College in Lynn and Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill.
Ms. Hebert has taught since 1997 and has elementary experience in Florida, North Carolina and Methuen, Massachusetts. Working in the Lynn Public Schools since 2001, she has taught Grade 1, Grade 4, Grade 5 and Grade 6. She was an elementary and middle school mathematics teacher at the Ford School and Ford School Annex and has taught English language arts, science and social studies at the elementary level. She is a strong proponent of the philosophy that the state standards in reading and writing are essential standards that are applicable across the curriculum to all content areas. As a member of the Ingalls Elementary School leadership team, Ms. Hebert has had extensive training in Universal Design for Learning at Harvard University, a practice-oriented program that provides a blueprint for creating flexible goals, methods, materials and assessments that enable all students to succeed in the classroom.
While at Ingalls, Ms. Hebert was a member of the Family Engagement Alignment Team, a member of the School Improvement Committee, the MCAS and ACCESS test coordinator, and an active participant in planning team meetings for students with special needs.
Ms. Hebert is a dedicated educator and a capable and committed leader who will use her extensive experience and fine leadership skills to work closely with parents in the Drewicz School community, to encourage, support and assist her teachers, and to provide an optimal learning environment and program for every child.
Superintendent Catherine Latham is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Richard Held as the Acting Assistant Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Science.
Mr. Held has worked in the Lynn Public Schools for the past sixteen years as a grade 5 teacher and as a science and technology specialist, most recently at the Aborn School. He has an in-depth knowledge of the science curriculum and extensive experience with educational technology. Mr. Held has done comprehensive work preparing science lessons integrated with technology for all grades at the elementary level, and he is currently preparing additional lessons and professional development activities that will address the upcoming implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards.
Mr. Held received a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in both elementary education and psychology, and a Master of Arts degree from Salem State University. He is a member of the National Science Teachers Association, the Massachusetts Engineering Leadership Committee, and the Gateway STEM Project in collaboration with the Museum of Science. Prior to becoming a teacher, Mr. Held had a career in business management and will, no doubt, use his well-honed management skills in this new appointment.
Mr. Held will begin by concentrating on the elementary science program and will eventually expand his focus to include the middle school science program. He is excited, enthusiastic and well prepared to begin work to solidify our elementary science program and bring consistency and uniformity to elementary science instruction throughout the district.
Superintendent Catherine Latham is pleased to announce the selection of Ms. Susanne Garrity as the new principal of the Cobbet Elementary School. Ms. Garrity has been at the Harrington Elementary School for the past thirteen years as a teacher in grades one and three, a curriculum and instruction teacher and currently as the Program Specialist. She has extensive experience in standards-based curriculum design and lesson planning, the analysis of data, differentiated instruction, and the planning and presentation of professional development targeted to the needs of an individual school and faculty. She has done extensive professional development for the district in classroom management, reading comprehension, differentiated instruction, and in the implementation of the new teacher evaluation system.
Ms. Garrity graduated from Colby-Sawyer College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Study and received a Master of Education degree from Salem State College in Early Childhood Education. Prior to becoming a teacher she worked as an administrator in a therapeutic pre-school for traumatized children where she developed, implemented and supervised their therapeutic curriculum and play therapy.
Ms. Garrity brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to her new position. She is well versed in the common core curriculum and in the policies and practices demanded by both the district and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and she is blessed with outstanding human relations skills. She will bring excellent leadership to Cobbet and is well prepared to work in an atmosphere that demands a high level of accountability.
Michelle Flynn will be assuming the position of Assistant Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Early Childhood, the position vacated by Ms. Mahoney. She has worked for Lynn Public Schools for more than 30 years and holds licenses in early childhood education, elementary education and the education of students with special needs. She taught kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classes for 26 years. Ms. Flynn is currently Program Specialist for Early Childhood and has been responsible for programmatic and fiscal oversight of the Early Read First initiative. She has worked closely with Ms. Mahoney on all of our early childhood grants and early childhood programs and, most recently, has served on the team providing training on the new educator evaluation system and the district team working with School Works monitoring site visits for our Level 3 schools.
Ms. Flynn earned a bachelor's degree in special education from Bridgewater State University and a master's degree in education from Cambridge College. Her extensive experience and lifelong dedication to early childhood education at both the school and district level make her a perfect appointment to maintain and advance the excellent programmatic and fiscal integrity of the early childhood programs in Lynn Public Schools.
New Pickering and West Lynn Middle School Initiative Archive
Guidance for Parents/Caregivers
Suggestions on Supporting Children Through Election 2020
Post-election stress disorder is real, and it was coined after the 2016 election. Our students, families and community could experience strong and mixed emotions leading up to and following the Presidential Election. The Lynn Public School values and respects all our students and we remain in partnership with our families and our community during this time. We hope this will offer meaningful suggestions for ways to acknowledge and hold a wide range of emotions your children may feel and help you as parents and caregivers remain healthy in the midst of a stress filled community event. We also recognize and address the importance of self-care as stress from an emotionally laden event can impact on our social, emotional, mental health and overall wellbeing. LPS community remains in partnership with our families during this time. Please reach out to the Student Support staff in your school if you would like additional support, resources or information for yourself, your students or your family.
Tips to Structure a Discussion: Validate emotions and concerns
• Keep lines of communication open. This will provide the reassurance that you are available to listen and to help them through this challenging time
• Normalize the wide range of feelings and emotions they may be feeling. It’s perfectly normal to have wide range of feelings. Acknowledge they may feel overwhelmed with the intensity of their emotions
• Provide reassurance that the school/classroom community is a safe place where belonging, accountability, mutual respect and empathy are core values.
• Instill hope despite uncertainty. Students may feel preoccupied with worry about the future: how the election results may impact their families, their identity, their hopes for the future etc. Acknowledge the crisis/problem
• Acknowledge that our country/community has been experiencing multiple stressors at one time: a pandemic, events that have highlighted inequity and injustices, and a contentious/difficult election cycle
• Seek to listen and understand different perspectives. For many, the issues that have come to the forefront directly involve their identities, their voice, and injustice
Encourage effective coping
• Practice self-care
• Talk about what you are feeling and be aware if you are being impacted physically, socially and emotionally
• Focus on what you can control vs. what you cannot
• List all that you are grateful for in the midst of possible community strife
• Look to what unites us as a community versus what divides us
• Be intentional about including mindfulness into your day. Mindfulness can play a key role in decreasing levels of anxiety. Deep breathing or a mindfulness exercise can help regain a sense of calm when things feel uncertain or out of your control. If this is something that is of interest for your students, our Student Support staff can work with you and your family to identify resources
Recovery or Referral
• Supportive, neutral communication should help to restore a sense of calm and safety
• Assure your students that they have supportive teachers and school support staff that can assist them during this difficult period of time
• Extend grace and kindness to yourself and those around you
• If you have a student that continues to perseverate about the election or continues to have strong emotional content, please refer to your clinical staff for additional support
Tips for Coping with Emotional Stress
1. Digital detox-especially in the evening. Take a break from the news, social media etc. Stress affects cortisol- which can interfere with your sleep
2. Spend quality time with loved ones who don’t stress you out
3. Find time to meditate/practice mindfulness
4. Write down your thoughts
5. Do things that make you laugh or things you enjoy
6. Eat mindfully
7. Try to get enough rest so that your brain is functioning at its best
8. Go outside and get some exercise –studies show that increased exercise correlates with decreased stress levels
9. Stay focused on the present moment. Try to catch yourself if you are worrying about things that may or may not happen. Refocus your mind on today. Take one day at a time.
10. Take control of what you can
Final Words to Center our Learning Community
President Obama was quoted as saying, “There are values that transcend race or culture, that move us forward, and there’s an obligation for all of us individually as well as collectively to take responsibility to make those values lived.”
The values that we hold as the Lynn Public School community will serve us well as we navigate through this election cycle... our core values: inclusiveness, shared responsibility, collaborative relationships, high expectations, and inspiring life- long learning, these shared values will provide a firm foundation as together we move forward.
Teacher Resources: Edutopia www.edutopia.org Teaching Tolerance www.tolerance.org
Phase 2 Remote Learning Plans - Paper Distribution - April 27, 2020 English - Spanish
A Letter To Our Seniors - April 28, 2020 English - Spanish
An Important Update Regarding Phase 1 - Remote Learning Plans - April 17, 2020 English - Spanish
March 2020
Dear Lynn Families,
The Lynn School Department and the City of Lynn Public Health Division are in communication and working with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health concerning the Coronavirus. Daily updates are provided to us from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and we want to reassure you that the immediate risk to the general public remains low.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a guidance calling for individuals who have recently returned from countries with widespread, ongoing transmission of the virus to self-quarantine for 14 days from the day he/she left the identified country. Those countries are: China, Italy, Iran, and South Korea. If you departed one of the identified countries on or after February 22, 2020, I ask that you alert your student’s principal as soon as possible. Then, per the CDC guidance, you must self-quarantine for a total of 14 days from the date of departure of the identified country.
As always, simple precautions will help prevent the spread of the flu and other respiratory illnesses:
Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, using a tissue or the inside of your elbow
Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water frequently and use hand sanitizer
If you have a fever or feel sick, stay home and call your healthcare provider
If your child has a fever, he or she should not return to school until he or she has been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
The Coronavirus is an evolving situation that we are monitoring closely. Please be assured that we are monitoring student health concerns. Further, the Inspectional Services Department is disinfecting in schools as they normally would during the cold and flu season and disinfecting “high touch” areas (door knobs, push bars on doors, handrails, etc.) as part of the their daily cleaning protocol. We are following all recommended guidelines to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
We remain deeply committed to student and staff wellness and will continue to share new information with you as necessary. Please visit the Center for Disease Control website for more information. We will also provide any updates on this website and on our Facebook page.
Self-Care and The Holidays and Tips to Manage Stress
Self-Care and The Holidays
- The holidays can be a time of hustle and bustle, but they can also be a time of learning and slowing down the pace. A time to take care of ourselves and one another.
- We can look at the values the holidays can teach at these times: expressing gratitude, participating in acts of kindness and compassion, and experiencing the joy that can be felt by giving and helping others.
- The sharing and giving make the giver and the receiver feel good. This simple act and positive feelings associated with it is teaching the essential social-emotional skill of empathy.
- Ever year at this time, we are reminded how difficult holidays can be for those who are lonely, alone, have varied mental health or learning needs, homeless, health challenges, or are trying to balance ever increasing work and home life demands.
- Often the stress associated with the holidays comes from feeling overwhelmed or having unrealistic expectations. We hope the tips we offer will help minimize stress you may experience.
1. Celebrate family traditions and create new ones
Talk with your children about family traditions- how they began, family members who started them, which ones they love, new ones you might start and add to the list of well-loved family traditions
2. Acknowledge any changes in the family
This is especially important when family dynamics have changed because of divorce, a new marriage or sibling, a family member who is ill, a death in the family, or family member(s) who would normally be with you at the holidays who may not be this year due to travel restrictions.
3. Be realistic about your expectations
Set realistic expectations and ask for support when you need it. Gently remind yourself the holidays are not about perfection. Practicing patience, flexibility and compassion will only help as you balance all of the demands.
4. Prepare kids for changes in their routines
Holidays are a change in the normal schedule, and for some kids that can be overwhelming. Change can leave kids feeling anxious or unsettled. Preparing kids for changes in their routines- what to expect and expectations you have for them can help decrease anxiety. If possible, try to keep some routines the same. This predictability will help a child feel less anxious.
5. Holidays are not easy- Extend grace to yourself, if possible, give yourself a break
Self –Care is important. Try not to stretch yourself too thin. Decide what is important, prioritize, and say “no” to what you can’t handle. If you or your family could use some added support or assistance, please reach out to your school. Student Support Staff are here to help!
6. Be sure to laugh and have fun!
Kids can pick up on the stress and tension adults feel. Find things that makes you laugh, enjoy your children for who they are, and remember it’s often the unexpected, small moments that matter most and the ones you will likely remember and cherish most!
On behalf of the Lynn School Committee and our principals, directors, teachers and other staff, I extend a warm welcome to parents and others to visit our schools and classrooms. Active involvement of families and the community in our students’ education is a key to student success and one of my highest priorities.
To keep our students and staff safe and secure, and to keep classroom disruptions to a minimum, we have developed guidelines for visiting all Lynn Public Schools. “Visitors” include all parents and school department employees, as well as others.
The Lynn Public School District is committed to providing information on its websites to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. We are actively working to increase the accessibility and usability of our websites by implementing current standards including the World Wide Web Consortium’s WCAG 2.0 guidelines.Visit Our Accessibility Webpage For More Information and Contacts.
