Kathy Glennon will head the special education department for the school district next year.
The appointment of Glennon, currently the assistant director, was approved by the School Committee last Tuesday. She will replace Maureen Szymczak, who retires in June.
"We're very happy with the appointment, and I think Kathy will do a really nice job," member Stan Schwartz said.
Glennon discussed new initiatives and ways to collaborate between special education and regular education, Schwartz said. "We're very excited about that."
Glennon came to Amesbury in 2006 after serving as the special education chairwoman at Marblehead High School for 22 years. She has a bachelor's degree from Northeastern University and a master's in special education from Lesley University.
Superintendent of Schools Charles Chaurette said the district had about 15 applicants, and five were interviewed.
In her two years as the assistant director, Glennon has done "an absolutely phenomenal job," Chaurette said.
"We're really thrilled to have her take over the department," he said.
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Two high ranking Amesbury High School seniors have been recognized with the annual MASS Superintendent's Award and NASSP Principal's Award. Benjamin Hall is the recipient of the Superintendent's Award, and Mollie Sydlowski has been chosen to receive the Principal's Award. In addition to this recognition, both students received a scholarship from the Amesbury Alumni Association to assist in their continued education.
Hall, Class of 2008 valedictorian, plans to attend Boston College next year. Sydlowski, who also ranks at the top of her graduating class, will attend College of the Holy Cross this coming fall. Both students are highly involved at AHS and in the community.
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Noah Kligerman and Kylee Kus have been selected as this year's recipients of the Scholar Leader Awards. Each year the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middle Level Educators and The New England League of Middle Schools team up to present this award to two students from each middle school in Massachusetts.
Kligerman and Kus, who are both eighth-graders, were selected for their outstanding scholarship and leadership activities. On May 29, they will be formally recognized at the Scholar Leader Awards Banquet at the DCU Center in Worcester.
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In addition to inducting Woodbury Cammett, Michael Costello and Marlene Schroeder into the AEFI Hall of Honor on May 9, the Amesbury Educational Foundation Inc. also distributed Innovation in Education awards. Four programs at Amesbury Elementary School were recognized with these awards and given funding.
Pamela Gagnon and Margaret Welch were given funding to build and supply a greenhouse at AES. AEFI provided Catherine Jackson's "Movies in the Classroom" project with an Apple computer, a digital video camera and four digital cameras. Two of Bruce McBrien's projects received funding. The grants will be used to purchase Leapfrog early literacy software, digital microscopes, a digital video projector and a 3D video presenter.
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The next round of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System has begun. Third- through eighth-grade students will take the math portion of the test now through May 29. Fifth- and eighth-grade students will also be tested in science and English. Fifth- and seventh-grade students will take the history and social science assessments.
10th-grade students will take the math portion of MCAS on May 21 and 22. The state requires that all high school students pass the MCAS in order to graduate.
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Students elected to the Amesbury High School chapter of the National Honor Society will be inducted on May 13. The induction ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Amesbury High School library.
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The annual Amesbury High School Music Awards Social will be held on Wednesday from 6:30 to approximately 8:30 p.m. in the AHS library.
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Both Amesbury Elementary School and Cashman Elementary School will celebrate their students and teachers on May 15. Each school has planned a Celebration of Academic Learning that will include an open house at each school for students and parents beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Students at AES have prepared displays for the night. They are in the final stages of preparation.
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Students at both elementary schools have brought home piggy banks that they will fill and donate to the Junior Relay for Life that both schools will participate on May 23.
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Amesbury Middle School held its final Spotlight Assembly of the year. The Destination Imagination teams presented their skits. Third-grade students sang three songs from the American Revolution. Nancy Sullivan, who organized the assembly, and her fourth-grade class shared the research they have done on animals. A few fourth-graders in Cathy Berry's class presented poetry during the assembly.
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On May 19, Ristorante Molise will host a banquet dinner for Amesbury High School graduating seniors ranked in the Top 10 of their class.
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The next School Committee meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on May 20 in the Amesbury Middle School library.
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Amesbury Middle School's Parent Advisory Group will continue to run its electronic collection and recycle drive. DVD players, MP3 players, cell phones, digital cameras and a variety of other electronic devices can be dropped off in the AMS Main Office. Proceeds from recycling will go to PAG and will directly benefit the students and school.
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The Amesbury High School Pops Concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. on May 22. The location is pending.
