Additional stories

News

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. To join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address. Once you do, your comments will post automatically. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.

comments powered by Disqus

March 20, 2008

ACE reaches 2008 target

The Andover Coalition for Education recently announced full funding of two of the group's 2008 target projects: the second year salary for the School Department Grants Coordinator ($45,000) and the purchase of needed physics equipment for all three middle schools ($10,000).

With support from area citizens, businesses and other civic organizations, "ACE's fundraising efforts this year have ensured that important momentum generated last year by School Grants Coordinator Dr. Lisa Glickstein was able to continue and build this year," reported the organization. To date, Glickstein has secured over $500,000. in state and federal grant money for the town's schools — ten times her half-time salary, said ACE.

The recent physics equipment purchase will improve the science curriculum in each of the middle schools,and allow Andover High School to accelerate its physics curriculum.

"We are so grateful to ACE and those individuals, organizations and businesses who support it," said Superintendent Claudia Bach in a release. "Even when impossibly tight budgets threaten important programs and services throughout the district, ACE's efforts ensure that we are able to move forward in meaningful ways — offering our students the kinds of programs they need in order to be successful in an increasingly challenging world."

Since its launch two and half years ago, ACE has helped support the development of a new Engineering Lab at Doherty Middle School (in partnership with Andona, the Doherty Parent Advisory Council and Merrimack College), the launch of the Engineering is Elementary (science program in all elementary schools, and the Expeditionary Learning Program at Wood Hill Middle School. In total, ACE has raised over $169,000.

Affordable housing, one home at a time

The completion of Andover's next permanently affordable home, at 94 Cheever Circle, will be celebrated next week, March 26.

Andover Community Trust, a nonprofit organization, has now built four such homes in town. The celebration will take place at noon at the home.

Students earn top (book)marks

Four students from Andover have won a state bookmark contest through Massachusetts School Library Association. Andover librarians and their students will be going to the Boston Statehouse on April 2 for an awards ceremony. The schools that have winning entries are West Middle, Bancroft Elementary and Shawsheen School.