Tuesday, April 9, 2013
The superintendent is retiring after 22 years of service to Braintree.
Dr. Peter A. Kurzberg, Superintendent of the Braintree Public Schools is retiring on June 30, 2013 after 22 years as the school district's leader, and 42 years in public education. Celebration of his career ls planned for May 22, 2013 at Granite Links Golf Club, 100 Quarry Hills Drive, Quincy, MA. The event is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm. and will feature a reception, dinner and program to honor Dr. Kurzberg. Forms to request tickets to the celebration or to make a donation are available on the Braintree Schools website www.braintreeschools.org or at Colbert School, 348 Pond Street, Bïalntree. For more information, pëease Contact Carolyn Loud at (781)-380-0130 ext. 112.
Monday, April 8, 2013
King, the former director of guidance, passed away last August.
Rachel Norton sat across from Tony King in his office during their first meeting about preparing for college. Her heart pounding, Rachel thought of all the possibilities and felt unsure. King laughed. "He made me see that the question marks were opportunities, not something to fear," Rachel said. Rachel, a graduating senior and President of the Braintree High School Student Government, shared this memory last Friday during a tribute to the former guidance director, who passed away unexpectedly last August. His life was celebrated with a reception attended by dozens of former students, colleagues and friends, with song, and with memories of his compassion, wisdom and wit. King worked in the Braintree Public Schools for 35 years. He was …
Friday, April 5, 2013
A state law took effect in July 2012 that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity.
The Braintree School Committee voted earlier this week to adjust the district's bullying and other nondiscrimination policies in light of a new state law that bans discrimination on the basis of gender identity. The law became effective last July and adds gender identity to a list that includes race, color, sex, religion, national origin and sexual orientation. Into Braintree's "Bullying, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, Hate Crimes and Hazing Policy," administrators added gender identity to a similar list, which locally also includes physical appearance, economic situation, age, political belief and "other personal characteristics." The state provides definitions surrounding the term gender identity in a document provided to…
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Pizza Dipper was served at the middle and high schools.
The Braintree School Department notified families Thursday afternoon that a food product under voluntary recall had been served at the middle and high schools and encouraged parents to keep an eye out for symptoms. "This afternoon we were notified that Rich Products Corporation voluntarily recalled all of their products produced at its Waycross, Georgia facility due to possible contamination with Ecoli-0121," Superintendent Dr. Peter Kurzberg said in an electronic message. "One of the products recalled was Pizza Dipper. Rich Products is unaware of any illnesses associated with this product served today at our two middle schools and high school." The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that Rich Products had expanded its …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
The committee did not vote Monday night and is reviewing whether and how much to raise the fees.
Under what Athletic Director Michael Denise called the "most feasible" option, the annual fee paid by Braintree High School students if they play at least one sport or participate in at least one extra-curricular activity would increase from $150 to $225. That plan would also impose a $75 per season fee at the middle school level, require varsity ice hockey athletes to pay a $400 fee and increase the family caps to $450 for non-hockey playing families or $800 for those who participate in varsity hockey. Junior varsity hockey players would pay $325 with a $650 family cap. The option, one of four presented Monday night to the School Committee, is being considered for adoption next year. It is the lowest-cost option Denise laid out for …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
The Braintree School Committee approved the fiscal year 2014 budget Monday night.
Bill Gerety and his wife Maureen, like other parents of Liberty Elementary School fourth graders, are waiting anxiously to see how the Braintree Public Schools budget will evolve. In recent years, Braintree officials have approved annual expenditures in the spring, and by the end of summer additional funds – typically state education money – are made available, allowing the district to hire more teachers. If the same happens this year, one of the priorities identified by the school department is a Liberty teacher, which would enable the district to avoid collapsing four fourth grade classes into three fifth grade classes next year. The School Committee unanimously approved a $2 million increase to the department's budget for fiscal year …
Monday, March 25, 2013
Braintree officials are developing a long-term strategy to boost school safety.
Norfolk DA Michael Morrissey is offering Braintree and every town in his district a comprehensive school safety assessment, providing improved planning and security in the event of a violent school incident. “This is very important work, and I want to make it as easy as possible for towns to have it done,” said Morrissey, who last week convened the first meeting of his new Norfolk County School Safety Task Force. The meeting was attended by more than 50 people, including Chief Russell Jenkins and several other area police chiefs, principals, superintendents and elected officials. “We will provide this for whichever school facility the community chooses,” Morrissey said. “Then, local police and the school officials can use that assessment …
Friday, March 22, 2013
Superintendent Dr. Peter Kurzberg said he is both philosophically and financially against the program.
As it has since the program was introduced statewide in 1993, the Braintree School Committee earlier this week decided against participating in School Choice, which allows students to seek education outside of their home district. Braintree Public Schools routinely opts out, Superintendent Dr. Peter Kurzberg said, because the town already has limited educational space, there is a significant cost, and, more philosophically, the program is not consistent with the goal of equal education. School Choice is essentially saying, "We don't believe that every school can provide an equal educational opportunity," Dr. Kurzberg said. Students from Braintree may still leave for other communities that are accepting out-of-towners. During the 2010-2011 …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The school department is also reviewing plans for nursing at the second full-day kindergarten center.
Everyone that has requested a placement in Braintree's full-day kindergarten program and made a deposit has a seat for their child, Superintendent Dr. Peter Kurzberg said. That adds up to 158 students – eight classrooms of about 20 students each, Dr. Kurzberg told the School Committee Monday night. There are still one or two spots left at both Braintree High School and Monatiquot School. Full-day kindergarten for 2013-2014 also includes one classroom each at Hollis and Morrison. School Committee members approved using Monatiquot as a kindergarten center earlier this year despite lingering worries about nursing and security at the school, which is half-used by Meeting House Montessori. Dr. Kurzberg said Monday that the school department is …
Braintree is looking at spending $4 million on capital project town-wide during the upcoming fiscal year.
Of the approximately $4 million in capital spending that the town will likely undertake next year, nearly $1.3 million is earmarked for school improvements. Earlier this week, the School Committee approved plans to spend $700,000 on various projects, including an overhaul of the Braintree High School gymnasium. Those expenditures, which still need approval from the Town Council, are part of an annual outlay that the school department uses to keep up with building needs and other large-scale maintenance. On top of that, the town is also looking at spending $305,000 to pave the parking lots and driveways at East Middle School, and $279,000 on improvements to school security. The overal costs may come down somewhat, depending on where bids …
Kelly
3:39 pm on Wednesday, April 3, 2013
I agree that increasing sports fees is wrong and will make some families drop out. Kids, especially at this age, need to be involved in activities. I spend hundreds of dollars for my 2 children to bring in back to school supplies. It seems like schools and towns keep asking for more and more from parents. What pay taxes but still have to supplement our own money for school supplies, buses and … more ›