State Sen. Bruce Tarr will be in town on Monday at 10 a.m. at Rowley Town Hall to listen to the budget issues of concerned parents. All parents in the district are encouraged to attend and speak out on further cuts that affect the school.
"Triton teachers recently saved five jobs by agreeing to give up two days of pay, and for this we can't thank them enough," said Liz Butler, president of Pine Grove's PTO. "But the crisis is not over. Eight other jobs have been cut, and the 2010 budget is expected to require even more cuts, so please join us in meeting with Senator Tarr to voice our concerns."
Recent state cuts of $390,000 in transportation funding for the Triton school district had left the administration scrambling to find a way to balance the deficit, which led to the announcement of slashing 13 staff positions, of which the teachers saved five. When the towns regionalized transportation in 1993, they were assured by the state that they would receive 100 percent funding for transportation for their efforts in undertaking this regionalization, but the funds have been steadily decreased. "We ask all parents to come and speak out to our legislator about this injustice that affects our children daily," Butler said.
For those who miss the meeting, Tarr also has a satellite office in the Rowley Town Hall Annex. The hours are every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and the first and third Thursday of every month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Parents are also encouraged to write letters to the state representatives and senators, describing their dissatisfaction with the budget cuts.
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Missing your kid's coat? Hat and mittens? Maybe even your daughter's favorite necklace? It just might be found in the school's lost and found box in the all-purpose room. Look now before the holiday break, because all articles will be donated to a worthy cause over the holiday vacation.
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Pine Grove fifth- and sixth-grade students are now participating in the Massachusetts Children's Book Awards Program by reading any of the 25 nominated book titles selected for this year. Fourth-grade students may participate as recommended by their classroom teachers. Those students who read at least five of the books may vote for their favorite book at a pizza party during the first week of March.
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Sign-ups for Rowley Youth Baseball and Softball League will be held on Jan. 12 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Sal's Pizza and White Farms in Ipswich. Food will be discounted, and a portion of the proceeds will go to RYBSL.
Registration can also be done online at www.rowleyyouthbaseball.com and www.rowleyyouthsoftball.com. The cost is $100 per player, with second family member cost of $75. A $15 late fee will be assessed for sign-ups received after Jan. 30.
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There will be no school on Thursday and Friday for the holiday. The schools will be closed for the week of Dec. 28 for school vacation, reopening Monday, Jan. 4.
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Michelle Pelletier Marshall covers Rowley and Merrimac elementary schools for The Daily News. She can be reached at marshallsinmass@comcast.net.
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