[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6087779,"mediaKeyId","2888306-6c5d2bc5ecd1f2924dadcaa1362b7d89","parentId",2888306,"title","School committee approves CREST Collaborative articles of agreement amendments","audioSeconds",481,"startMs",9864000,"endMs",10345000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888306-6c5d2bc5ecd1f2924dadcaa1362b7d89&start=9864&end=10345","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888306-6c5d2bc5ecd1f2924dadcaa1362b7d89/thumbnail_9864000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6087779/Massachusetts/School-committee-approves-CREST-Collaborative-articles-of-agreement-amendments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087779-aaeaa29fbc9ebb8e35072dbefc2053e0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771023962&Signature=SmMgFjbMTyg70CJW5Vjssy3sdPwBrgzOif2KveLJi62fBTMq3yKCeqYEFIhdP1jzJhmWcKXxQQLeLPpbmNL~bR~qW22vsyWnqMpowlP6jxZI8bC70aC6RBsC3iWYGngNpxJbM0YKwoHpHB2GWPmQmjnw4aXMLhyaCCIbcqSeFzpEE5nJN1o1x4oACoWEgSW0S6bEHU7LkUGjv1s8mJxFdAx-Q8q7x-ezKHVIZi0q~Y2bSBwo6DKjtvHBAY~6jdrwd4gkRp1mbrzcl9OXqg~FUd75B4n9TEdH3RMXwuNFjLMoJpjYc3r4zjgIAheJ0gj05pzaQB68y5mLhmJQFcD6DQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Andover Public Schools, MA","date","2025-04-04T14:52:04Z","article","The North Andover School Committee voted to approve amendments to the CREST Collaborative's articles of agreement, as recommended by the CREST board. The vote preserves North Andover's membership in the regional special-education collaborative and maintains access to CREST placements, contracted services and shared transportation resources.

Why it matters: CREST provides placements and services for students with complex special-education needs that some districts cannot provide directly. Committee members noted that CREST placements vary in cost but generally provide a local, collaborative option that can be less expensive than private, out-of-district placements while centralizing expertise.

What the committee heard: Administrators described CREST as a useful partner for placements, transportation options (including wheelchair-van coordination) and professional development for district staff. Committee members moved to suspend the normal first-read schedule because the collaborative requested timely approval prior to an April 30 deadline.

Committee action: The committee voted unanimously to approve the CREST articles amendments as drafted by CREST's board of directors.

Next steps: District administrators will remain engaged with the collaborative to support transportation arrangements, placements and related service coordination.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","North Andover (MA) School Committee - April 03, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The School Committee voted to approve CREST Collaborative's updated articles of agreement, maintaining district membership in the special-education cooperative and supporting access to CREST placements and services.","taxTitle","North Andover Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",71054,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6087784,"School committee backs town-meeting warrant items and operating budget amid debate over reserves",1138,8807000,9945000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888306-6c5d2bc5ecd1f2924dadcaa1362b7d89&start=8807&end=9945","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888306-6c5d2bc5ecd1f2924dadcaa1362b7d89/thumbnail_8807000.jpg","/articles/6087784/Massachusetts/School-committee-backs-town-meeting-warrant-items-and-operating-budget-amid-debate-over-reserves","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087784-a4ad61ad1543dde10c6aee20c2d258b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771023962&Signature=cf9gVMy7zFoGJk23fm7MZLbOvonmJTzEdHwan5Eo37LuQwFHYipa3ugWQx~shCG25Z2WJRaAaX4iMv7OdKMKEQoRf87ptX8whqbDwpexCVGANGe55q3-UBYFILjrRoorbAPljKQwMSQy7oZlkCNRw6knLH-qNxgqszUXXzY2duPbScAIShFQZ8f~gPI0ss631Z4YN4ewsaDMW344ieE4LASBCNxFZfpu0OSYh4HDm9ihsUPa8Uzsq30HFuak2XcN3tA2WR3M~Y3NwwH8-yAIqOi2zZyJfYeqWEk1YmGVTfhNnX7-qpaZu5BuaetbwxHReakSWoxZhApxB6B4~rnsdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The North Andover School Committee voted to recommend favorable action or otherwise act on multiple town-meeting warrant articles affecting school finances and capital projects. Committee members also debated how best to preserve funds for special-education overruns.

Votes at a glance
- Article 7 (FY2026 Capital Improvement Program): Committee recommended favorable action on capital projects totaling $13,054,999 including school IT needs, auditorium repairs and drainage work; vote to recommend was recorded as passed by the committee.
- Article 11 (FY2026 General Fund operating budget): Committee recommended favorable action on the operating budget request of $68,200,000 for the school department; recorded committee vote to recommend was unanimous among voting members.
- Article 14 (Transfer from Special Education Stabilization Fund to FY2025 General Fund): Committee recommended favorable action to transfer up to $45,000 from the special-education stabilization fund to offset this year's FY2025 deficit.
- Article 15 (Citizen article to close Special Education Stabilization Fund): The committee recommended favorable action to close the fund and move the balance to other reserves; debate centered on whether the stabilization fund's structure or a finance-committee reserve was a better long-term vehicle to cover special-education overruns.
- Article 16 (Transfer from free cash to offset FY2025 school deficit): Committee recommended favorable action; the precise amount was left to be specified to town meeting based on final accounts.

Why it matters: The committee's favorable recommendations guide how the town will present borrowing, appropriation and transfers to town meeting. Committee members said they favored securing funding to avoid more drastic cuts and emphasized the need to balance flexibility with transparent, dedicated reserves for special education.

Key debate points: Member discussion focused on how to structure reserves for unpredictable special-education costs. Mark Rogers, a resident and finance committee alum, presented a town-meeting warrant article proposing a $700,000 transfer to the Special Education Stabilization Fund and argued the fund should be restored to a target ceiling; others, including the town manager (speaking indirectly through conversation in the meeting), recommended relying on a finance-committee reserve mechanism that offers quicker administrative access during the fiscal year. The committee ultimately favored closing the stabilization fund and asked town leadership to formalize a reserve plan that ensures funds are available when needed.

Process notes: The committee also voted to suspend its normal first-read requirement on a number of warrant items to ensure the warrant could be printed before the next meeting and to allow the articles to reach town meeting on schedule.

Next steps: These recommendations will be part of the materials printed for the town warrant and discussed at town meeting; committee members said they expect further public outreach to explain the operating budget and alternatives prior to the town vote.","The School Committee voted favorable recommendations on several town-meeting warrant articles including the FY2026 operating budget, capital-improvement items and transfers related to the school deficit; members also debated closing the Special Education Stabilization Fund in favor of finance reserves.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6087789,"School committee approves updated international trip waiver after attorney review; vote 4-1",874,2093000,2967000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888306-6c5d2bc5ecd1f2924dadcaa1362b7d89&start=2093&end=2967","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888306-6c5d2bc5ecd1f2924dadcaa1362b7d89/thumbnail_2093000.jpg","/articles/6087789/Massachusetts/School-committee-approves-updated-international-trip-waiver-after-attorney-review-vote-4-1","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087789-e5c3b6eb45795d562e64f1710d8aacb6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771023962&Signature=X-b3bYodQedna7G~GhK72jrxf8M7aZPmPNq~kfarjNvKAsewqYLVmjb82iUnJaonPsO8IsWBvo3QALHKJbwjZo4oi~QjPrD3wfu9WcBD2gpuyExRmfM1t7NbiVQx8~tC1VgamJl5UNI5CUzjRVDRm3InHuThcqx0Op9iiYRj~Tts6AA79upXKvJc5Fj2qVVwCgwci7uFV0OTz14-S4b7F6BslGJDbtN~jZJy~1zJFH5dg~5kXgkGigSQxWgoRl301w31S7yXYcSpBAKKfzjMCXZI-EqiCUBeA5nUMq3LhwDQn1yAZsZsrKyjxWUPXt9yL2TmAm3T4KGFMaqKyXlcBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The North Andover School Committee voted to suspend its rule requiring a second read and approved an updated waiver form for overnight international student travel, clearing the way for parents and students to sign the revised document before spring-break trips.

Why it matters: The new waiver updates medical-authority language, warns parents about immigration and re-entry risks that have changed in recent months, and reintroduces rescheduling and cancellation language. Town counsel and the high school's head of schools said the form tracks widely used university waivers and is intended to inform families while protecting the district when it offers international travel.

What the committee heard: Attorney O'Connor, representing town counsel, said the updated waiver \"alerts both students and their parents as to the inherent, risks, associated with travel\" and that it \"gives them more notice as to the types of things that they might encounter and encourages them to, again, really take a look at what the government now has out on, you know, immigration requirements.\" She said the form includes a medical authorization similar to prior forms and a release of liability and indemnification.

Committee action: After discussion about re-signing previously distributed forms and whether notarization should be required, the committee first voted to suspend rules to consider the item on first read and then voted to accept the form as presented. The final recorded vote on accepting the waivers was 4 in favor, 1 opposed; the dissenting vote cited ongoing liability concerns.

Implementation notes: The district asked parents and adult students to sign the updated waiver for trips scheduled over April break. Committee members discussed creating notary access at the central office or scheduling notary nights at the high school for families requiring notarization in future years. Attorney O'Connor said the administration is also drafting broader travel policies (chaperone criteria and additional domestic consent forms) that will return to the committee for review.

Next steps: The head of schools will collect signed updated waivers prior to April travel; the central office will explore notary availability.","The committee voted to suspend policy and approve a revised parent/student waiver for upcoming overnight international field trips after town counsel described updates to risk and medical consent language.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6087794,"Students, teachers and residents press North Andover School Committee over teacher cuts and world language eliminations",1836,191000,2027000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2888306-6c5d2bc5ecd1f2924dadcaa1362b7d89&start=191&end=2027","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2888306-6c5d2bc5ecd1f2924dadcaa1362b7d89/thumbnail_191000.jpg","/articles/6087794/Massachusetts/Students-teachers-and-residents-press-North-Andover-School-Committee-over-teacher-cuts-and-world-language-eliminations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6087794-b49680d37b70049e445b291cb5d43696/orig.mp4?Expires=1771023962&Signature=i~BBl2e736fgNu8ckh1AczRczNyG5ljCunb56N3vqATPrK7nu-8gjVJbDaA2rE1C4w0bZ0EKnyuxEdOET8Z-ueVB-lRj9o2a4pTPTBcK199KUZCZm3FvRUItSrdUHFtWQCH7v5WHcuZVMpJ0BAYrEC22WvyS85E9NctPfH1h4oCx7UzVU286uMkVR2hBdx2xYrygkn37oHD0e1IqKDwrW8fhSAk~QaoiNcIjhnpNC~9MiM56ySrUtvb5wNiMeR3W3lTQR1HklGSghB3t4coofNX9WD1u7s4p2Dr31hsUDM6cUkrlcIfBD5qSubC1jPJsNOyi6pl59I5mG13hx5vmhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","North Andover students, teachers and residents pressed the School Committee on staffing cuts and the elimination of the middle-school world language program during public comment, saying the changes will harm students' instruction and the district's diversity of offerings.

Speakers said the reductions followed a multi-million-dollar budget shortfall that led the district to cut about 40 teaching positions systemwide and close one elementary school. The superintendent told the committee the district was operating with an unresolved budget gap and that the district had followed the collective bargaining agreement in making cuts.

Why it matters: Students and families said early and continuous world-language instruction is needed to reach advanced levels and college-credit opportunities. Teachers warned that removing middle-school language and reducing high-school native-speaker positions will reduce students' long-term outcomes and may disproportionately affect students who benefit from instruction by multilingual, native-language teachers.

Public commenters included Allison Shimana, a North Andover reading interventionist, who described the reading intervention caseload she led and the resulting assessment outcomes. \"According to the last year's end of the year DIBELS data for my caseload, 97 percent of my students met or exceeded the benchmark in phoneme segmentation fluency. 86.5 percent of my students met or exceeded the benchmark in nonsense word fluency correct letter sounds... 89 percent of my students' total composite score met or exceeded the benchmark,\" Shimana said, describing progress that she said will be lost if reading support positions are eliminated.

Students also addressed the committee. Sertad Sankla, a sixth-grade student at North Andover Middle School, read a poem urging officials to \"do what is right,\" and Anastasia Mahon, a high-school student, presented a petition of 362 signatures asking the district to \"find sustainable solutions to the current financial crisis that do not involve laying off our dedicated teachers.\"

French teacher Zahira Sawawi, who said five of nine high-school world-language teachers were cut, told the committee that losing native-language teachers reduces students' opportunities to connect with instructors who share their linguistic and cultural backgrounds. \"By cutting these positions, we're taking away the opportunity for students to learn foreign languages from teachers who can actually connect with them on a personal level,\" Sawawi said.

Several speakers described a student-led walkout that took place in protest of the layoffs. The superintendent said administrators worked with students and the police department to keep the event peaceful and safe.

Superintendent and committee response: The superintendent repeatedly told the committee the district followed the negotiated collective bargaining agreement in implementing layoffs and that staffing decisions were governed by those contractual rules. The superintendent also said the district is \"relooking\" at world-language offerings and will examine whether some positions can be restored if additional funds become available.

Kittredge transition and timeline: The superintendent outlined an elementary-school transition timeline tied to the Kittredge school closure. Families of students who would have attended Kittredge will receive school assignments and bus eligibility information on April 18; principals of receiving schools will introduce themselves in late April and early May; and class placements districtwide will be published on August 18. A transition committee chaired by district leaders was announced to coordinate visits, tours and meet-and-greet events.

What stayed unresolved: Speakers asked for clearer long-range planning and asked the committee to consider phased or graduated approaches to fee increases (separately discussed at the meeting) and to provide more transparency about where newly raised funds would be spent. The superintendent said any restoration of positions would require reducing other programs or new funds.

The committee did not reverse the layoffs during the meeting. Committee members and administration encouraged continued community engagement and scheduled follow-up opportunities, including community chats and the next school committee meeting in May.","Public comment at the North Andover School Committee focused on the district's recent layoffs and the elimination of the middle-school world language program, with students, affected teachers and parents urging the committee to restore positions or find alternatives.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

School committee approves CREST Collaborative articles of agreement amendments

School committee backs town-meeting warrant items and operating budget amid debate over reserves

School committee approves updated international trip waiver after attorney review; vote 4-1

Students, teachers and residents press North Andover School Committee over teacher cuts and world language eliminations