01.3.2024 – Volume 2, Issue 6

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SPORTS

MHS outpaces Big Blue Page 9

IN THIS ISSUE

CURRENT EVENTS

CUZNER IN NATURE

Christmas tree bonfire this weekend

Caught on camera in Steer Swamp

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January 3, 2024

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FLAG POLICY

MHS students set to protest draft flag policy Offering alternative plan, teens want to keep BLM, pride flags

BY LEIGH BLANDER Marblehead High School students were planning a protest for Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 3, in opposition to a draft policy that would give the School Committee control over which flags, banners and signs are allowed in schools. In social media posts, the MHS

Democrats Club called the draft policy “censorship.” (Read the text of the draft policy, Page A12.)

The students, led by seniors Sophia Weiner and Siena Day, are asking to get on the Jan. 4 School Committee meeting agenda, where they’ll present an alternate plan. They want to form an eight-student (two from

each grade at the high school) committee that would create a flag policy.

“This is a topic that mainly affects students,” Weiner told the Current. “Students should be the ones deciding this.”

BLM, pride flags Weiner and Day specifically

The mother of a Marblehead student removed the Black Lives Matter flag at the high school without permission.

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

FLAGS, P. A12

‘NO CONFIDENCE’

‘Hit and kicked and punched’

Teachers share stories of violence, understaffing SCHOOLS

Student restraint protocol released

BY LEIGH BLANDER Nearly a month after placing four Glover School educators on leave amid a student restraint controversy, interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness released the district’s Behavioral Health Crisis Protocol in response to a public records request by the Current.

The protocol, which was last updated in January 2022, defines a behavioral health crisis as “any situation in which a student’s behavior puts them at risk of putting themselves or others in physical danger.”

The protocol lists several steps to take when a student is in crisis, including: » Ensure that one Safety Care-trained individual is responding. Safety Care is a crisis prevention intervention program used by the district to train educators.

McGuinness said 11 Glover staff members are trained in Safety Care. » Once a student is contained within a designated space, no more than three staff should continue to attend to them. » All other staff need to attend to students who may have seen or been part of the incident, inform the building principal and create alternate paths for classes to transition through the building. » If the student has not de-escalated using Safety Care protocols after 20 minutes, request that building mental health staff (counselor or psychologist) assess them if

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

Teachers show their solidarity at the Dec. 21 School Committee meeting.

School Committee approves $9,500 in PR support

BY LEIGH BLANDER The School Committee is expected to meet Thursday, Jan. 4, two weeks after dozens of educators packed a meeting and demanded the removal of Student Services Director Paula Donnelly and Associate Director Emily Dean. The teachers accused Donnelly and Dean of ignoring safety concerns and requests for more staffing.

The Marblehead Education Association, the teachers union, was

responding in part to recent studentrestraint incidents that prompted interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness to order an outside review of the district’s restraint policies and place four Glover School educators on paid leave. (For additional information, see “Superintendent releases details on restraints” elsewhere in this issue.)

Near the end of the Dec. 21 meeting, the School Committee met in executive (private) session to discuss the MEA’s complaint.

‘No bodies or money’ “I spent five months in a state of alert while trying to teach and keep my class safe,” Glover School teacher Jane Sullivan said at the meeting.

Sullivan said she asked repeatedly for a support person for a student in crisis but did not receive one.

“I asked for help, and I was told to ignore the behavior and keep teaching,” she said. “They [Donnelly TEACHERS, P. A2

RESTRAINTS, P. A2

TRAFFIC COMMITTEE

Residents voice concerns over pedestrian safety

BY WILL DOWD A review of crash data in Marblehead’s Complete Street Plan identified 41 high-accident locations, with a significant cluster of 13 to 14 crashes occurring along Pleasant and Lafayette streets between West Shore Drive and Spring Street.

These findings will guide the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee’s approach to improving road safety, according to chair Gary Hebert. He emphasized the importance of a targeted strategy, noting the data helps direct attention and resources to the highest-risk areas in town. He sees value in addressing major trouble spots first.

The committee met on Dec.

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WILL DOWD / CURRENT PHOTO

Committee members listen to public concerns during the Marblehead Traffic Safety Advisory Committee meeting on Dec. 18.

18. During an extensive public comment period, 20-year resident Elaine McGrath described a steady erosion of

pedestrian safety. She asserted “pedestrians in this town are an afterthought.”

McGrath mentioned

vehicles, including police cars, frequently blocking sidewalks.

She referenced a recent digital warning sign detailing fines for

parking on sidewalks.

“Anybody who’s a pedestrian in this town knows that even after that sign went up, there has been no strict enforcement,” McGrath said.

Fellow resident Jonathan MaGee expressed frustration over drivers failing to yield at crosswalks along Guernsey Street near his home.

“More often than not one but two but three cars will go by and sometimes,” he said. “I just let them know how I feel with my fingers.”

He called for greater police presence to help curb speeding.

Police Chief Dennis King said the department tries to balance competing priorities in town. He TRAFFIC, P. A12

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A2 Wednesday, January 3, 2024 Marblehead Current

‘SEPARATING’

Law firm drops School Committee as client

BY LEIGH BLANDER

Attorney Liz Valerio worked for the Marblehead School Committee 12 years ago and is coming back after the committee’s most recent firm quit.

Teachers From P. A1

and Dean] have allowed dysregulated students to roam the hallways unsupervised and disrupt multiple classrooms with screaming, slamming of doors and multiple other behaviors.”

Sullivan continued, “Marblehead teachers have been asked to make do without support, instead being told that there are no bodies or money to support these students.”

The MEA took a no-confidence vote in Donnelly and Dean on Dec. 14. McGuinness has launched an investigation into Donnelly and Dean’s performance but so far has not placed them on leave or fired them. That brought out the crowd of teachers on Dec. 21.

“Our letter of no-confidence was ignored by the interim superintendent,” said Marblehead High School math teacher Nick Broughton. “Coming into this school year, staff morale was at an all-time low, and the lack of action by the interim superintendent is compounding our frustrations.

The faculty, our students and our families deserve better.”

Broughton described a dysfunctional relationship between the student services leadership and teachers.

“As educators who serve this community, we are accustomed to working closely and collaboratively with our students, their families, our colleagues and administrators,” he said. “Dr. Donnelly and Ms. Dean routinely interrupt this process.”

He continued, “Although we are the people who build relationships with our students, Dr. Donnelly and Ms. Dean make decisions without us. Instead of seeking our input, team members are excluded from meetings, vital information is not shared with

In a surprise announcement at a Dec. 21 meeting, School Committee Chair Sarah Fox said the law firm Stoneman, Chandler & Miller is dropping the committee as a client.

“They felt we are separating,” Fox said. “They will stay with us for 60 days as per contract to handle any tying up of lose ends and handing things off to new counsel.”

Fox did not explain why Stoneman, Chandler & Miller

us, or our professional expertise is ignored. At times, decisions for our students have been made in our name without our consent or knowledge.”

‘Hit and kicked and punched’ Brown School teacher Cara Herendeen fought back tears as she addressed the School Committee.

“I am here in support of all special education students to receive the behavioral supports that they need,” she said. “I am here in support of all children who see their teachers being hit and kicked and punched… who see their classmates being aggressive without support or consequences.

I am here for your children who are seeing their education interrupted because we have no support and we are told to just keep teaching.”

Catherine Homan, a fourthgrade teacher at Village, accused Donnelly and Dean of “allowing me to teach in unsafe teaching conditions.”

She said special education students who are legally entitled to support staff are not getting them.

“For two months, my students who require a paraprofessional to learn and feel safe [didn’t have one],” she said. “I was told to be patient. This is illegal.”

Two Glover kindergarten teachers added that they have seen “repeated incidents that threatened the safety of teachers, staff and students.”

Parents also spoke out, supporting teachers.

“To you the administration, listen to every single word, listen to what they need,” said Bit Coppola, who has students at Brown and Village.

She added, “Now that budget season is upon us, stand with our teachers and our district so we can provide them with what they need… more bodies for them,

is discontinuing its service of the committee. The firm represented the board during the controversial ousting of former Superintendent John Buckey in August and drafted a non-disparagement clause in his separation agreement.

Fox said that state laws exempt the committee from normal procurement procedures in some instances, including involving legal counsel, so the committee will not need to compare fees to get the most competitive rates.

Fox received a proposal from

more support in the classroom and outside the classroom.”

Another mom added, “Any assurances that Glover is safe are disingenuous until past failures can be addressed.”

Later in the meeting, McGuinness addressed the concerns.

“We are definitely in challenging times that necessitate frequent communication,” she said. “I do respect the MEA deeply, and tonight is important and hard, and I hear you.”

McGuinness also assured parents that, even with the four Glover educators on leave, there is a short-term plan to cover student services.

“One area, reading services, is still in play to get coverage,” she said.

McGuinness said she is close to naming an interim principal to replace Glover Principal Hope Doran, who went out on medical leave on Dec. 5. Veterans School Principal Matt Fox has been filling in at Glover for the last couple of weeks.

School Committee Chair Sarah Fox asked Assistant Superintendent for Finance Michelle Cresta to identify funding needed for special ed services, in addition to coming up with level-funded and levelservice budget plans for next school year.

“When we hear that we’ve gone from five BCBAs [boardcertified behavior analysts] to one, I want a deeper dive into the special education budget to make sure what is being budgeted is in alignment with meeting the IEPs we have right now,” she said. “A grid needs to exist that looks at the number of hours for every service committed and the needs to match up the number of employees to cover those services.”

Budget update Cresta and McGuiness also presented updates on the budget

Restraints

From P. A1 they are not already present.

The protocol advises educators to call in a mobile crisis intervention team if a student is expressing suicidal or homicidal ideation or cannot be physically managed without restraint after two 20-minute restraints.

Finally, the protocol advises staff to call 911 if they still cannot manage the student.

McGuinness also released a transcript from a training video used by MPS staff on physical restraint prevention and requirements.

The transcript emphasizes that restraint does not include brief, physical contact to promote student safety or offer guidance.

It defines a student escort as “temporary touching or holding, without force, to help a student walk to a safe location.”

However, “Once the student begins to resist, it is no longer considered an escort, and staff members must determine if there’s an immediate danger to the student or others,” the transcript continues.

The training transcript also advises staff, “If physical restraint is required, it’s imperative to

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

Recent incidents involving student restraints at Glover School have prompted several investigations, as well as four educators being placed on leave.

monitor the student’s well-being.

Staff members should monitor students for noticeable changes, and if the student experiences physical distress, release the restraint and immediately seek medical attention. Examples of distress include: labored breathing, wheezing, skin becoming hot or cold to the touch and a noticeable change in skin color.

The training warns, “You must release the restraint if the student says they cannot breathe.”

It also lists restraints that are prohibited, including mechanical and chemical restraints. Seclusion is also prohibited. Seclusion is

the involuntary confinement in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving.

Seclusion is different from a “time-out,” which according to the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is when a student is temporarily removed from an activity or class for purposes of calming.

Investigations McGuinness launched an outside review of the district’s restraint policies, contracting with Comprehensive Investigations and Consulting LLC for up to $9,000.

attorney Elizabeth B. Valerio Dec. 20. Valerio, of the firm Valerio, Dominello & Hillman in Westwood, had previously been retained by the committee back in 2010. It’s unclear how long Valerio worked for Marblehead, or why the committee changed lawyers.

“I think it’s really important that we get this underway,” Fox said of hiring Valerio.

The committee voted 4-0 (member Meagan Taylor was absent) to move forward with Valerio, without any discussion of cost.

process. The administration has been meeting with principals and department heads to determine their budget needs.

It will present “budget binders” to the School Committee on Jan 12. The administration will then work through budget changes to come up with both a levelfunded plan, which would assume no increase in funding, and a level-services plan, which would require an override.

Communications help The School Committee voted unanimously to hire a public relations professional, which board members attributed to the need to help the district navigate the crisis related to student restraint and the Glover School.

In the past, committee members Fox and Alison Taylor had expressed disapproval for spending tax dollars on communications work rather than more “student focused” needs.

The cost for John Guilfoil Public Relations is $9,500 through June. Guilfoil’s firm was hired earlier this month.

“I feel as though it may be hypocritical,” said member Alison Taylor. “At least personally, I was very clear about not wanting to spend money on a communications consultant.

Crisis management is a different situation.”

Member Jenn Schaeffner added, “The optics. I go back several superintendents who have been asking about this. It is in extreme, unexpected situations good to have the right words for the community.”

Guilfoil sent out its first press release on Dec. 21, spotlighting a Toys for Tots drive at the Veterans School. Cresta explained that Guilfoil’s services are actually less expensive when the firm includes positive press releases, along with crisis communication services.

“The review will focus on Marblehead Public Schools’ processes and protocols around the use of restraints on students, and as part of the review, CIC will involve a qualified subject matter expert in the field of state and federal statutes governing physical restraint in public schools and special education law,” McGuinness said.

McGuinness has launched a second external investigation of the student support process and is hiring a consultant to evaluate and make recommendations regarding district systems and support services.

“At the conclusion of this investigation, I will prioritize and implement the recommendations from the investigation, including any that may involve our overall district leadership,” she said.

McGuinness has declined to answer questions about the cost of this investigation.

The School Committee also unanimously approved moving forward with its own audit of policies and policy implementation related to support services and school safety.

In addition, Cresta plans to present a request for proposal for an audit of special ed services offered in Marblehead.

nEWS FOr PEOPLE, nOT FOr PrOFIT. CO-CHAIRPERSONS

Jessica Barnett Ed Bell NEWSROOM Editor - Leigh Blander

lblander@marbleheadnews.org

Community Editor - Will Dowd wdowd@marbleheadnews.org

Consulting Editor - Kris Olson kolson@marbleheadnews.org

Sports Reporter Joe McConnell

jmcconnell@marbleheadnews.org

Intern - Benji Boyd CONTRIBUTORS

Jo Ann Augeri Silva Stephen Bach Bob Baker Linda Bassett Nicole Goodhue-Boyd Laurie Fullerton Mark Hurwitz John Lamontagne Christine McCarriston Eyal Oren Pam Peterson Chris Stevens Linda Werbner BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Virginia Buckingham - President Gene Arnould Jessica Barnett Ed Bell Francie King Robert Peck Donna Rice Richard Weed - Treasurer EDITORIAL BOARD

Ed Bell Virginia Buckingham Kris Olson Will Dowd Robert Peck Joseph P. Kahn DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Kathryn Whorf DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Marion Warner Greely FOUNDERS

Jessica Barnett Ed Bell Leigh Blander Will Dowd David Moran Kris Olson DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

North of Boston Media Group Marblehead News 217 Humphrey St. Marblehead, Massachusetts 01945 781.910.8658 info@marbleheadnews.org www.marbleheadCurrent.org Marblehead Current is published every Wednesday by Marblehead News Group, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It is mailed to all homes and businesses in Marblehead, MA 01945.

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, January 3, 2024 A3

COUNCIL ON AGING

Community room to get $150K facelift

BY WILL DOWD The Council on Aging is embarking on an estimated $150,000 project to renovate and expand its community room and sunroom in the Judy and Gene Jacobi Community Center.

COA Executive Director Lisa Hooper presented the plans to the Select Board recently.

“We have a sunroom that was put on after the building was built and it has served its purpose,” Hooper told the Select Board. “It’s about 26 years old. It’s not heated, it’s not air-conditioned.

And really, we need the space.”

Marblehead architect Walter Jacob said the plans call for taking down the existing enclosed porch and building a new, larger structure in the same footprint that can serve as an indoor/outdoor cafe.

“What we’re doing is taking one of the existing rooms that are inside and

COURTESY PHOTO / WALTER JACOB ARCHITECT

CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD

Council on Aging Executive Director Lisa Hooper shows off the community room set for a $150,000 renovation in 2024.

making a little service station there,” said Jacob, “so that people can buy muffins and coffee and things like that.”

The upgraded area will include varied seating options and some built-in, diner-like booths and tables. It will connect through a doorway to the existing lounge and enhance programming and activities.

“The first area gets used often for events and social groups, but the back sunroom doesn’t get much use,” said Hooper. “The renovated area will give us

Marblehead Housing Authority REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS To select a developer partner to assist the Marblehead Housing Authority in pursuing the mixed-income redevelopment of its state-aided public housing developments of Broughton Road, Marblehead, MA 01945.

IMPORTANT DATES Pre-Proposal Meeting: January 4, 2024, 11:30AM Proposal Submission Deadline: March 15, 2024, 10:00 AM Developer Selection: April 30, 2024 The Marblehead Housing Authority (“MHA”) is seeking proposals from qualified developers to: a) Partner with it in carrying out a comprehensive local planning process and developing a plan (the “Plan”) for the mixed-income redevelopment of its state-aided public housing development at Broughton Road (the “Site”); and b) Acquire, through a to-be-formed ownership entity or entities, an interest in the Site for the purpose of carrying out the Redevelopment Project more particularly described below.

The Plan will involve the creative ideas of the Developer team to develop new affordable units as well as rehabilitation/replacement and/or preservation of existing public housing units at the Site (the “Redevelopment Project”). The successful respondent will join the MHA as a Co-Applicant in submitting a response to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (“EOHLC”) Redevelopment Initiative as described in a Notice of Funding Availability (the “NOFA”) issued by EOHLC on October 23, 2023 titled “Public Housing Innovations”, Public Housing Notice 2023-19. Documents related to the NOFA may be found here https://www.mass.gov/doc/phn-2023-19-public-housing-innovations-2024-notice-of-funding-availability/download The successful respondent will also be designated, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30B, §16, as the party to acquire an interest in the Site.

For the full RFP Package and supporting attachments, please visit www.marbleheadha.org

more space to serve our clients and participants for gatherings to reduce social isolation.”

The latter point is key, said Suzanne Gruhl, president of the COA Board of Directors.

“We’re very big on socialization, and this is huge for socialization.”

The board has contemplated upgrades to facilitate seniors congregating for years.

“What you’re going to have is instead of people running in and out, have it more of a place of congregation, which

A rendering of what the Council on Aging’s $150,000 renovation and expansion will look like.

is exactly what seniors need,” said Gruhl.

Hooper got the ball rolling on upgrades after doing research on best practices at other senior centers in the state.

“We visited several centers and saw they had café spaces which we thought was a great idea, especially for encouraging social engagement among seniors,” she noted.

Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer noted that “given the funding sources are not taxpayer sources, but through the fundraising they’ve done, it made no sense to run it through our

capital improvement plan process.”

The $150,000 project costs will be covered by a mixture of private donations, the Friends of the Council on Aging and a Shattuck Fund Grant.

Hooper said she hopes the COA can put the project out to bid this winter and begin

construction in the spring with everything wrapping well before year’s end.

Select Board members unanimously signed off on the project.

“It looks great, we’re definitely excited,” said Select Board Chair Pro Tem Moses Grader. “It’s a great use of existing space.”

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A4 Wednesday, January 3, 2024 Marblehead Current

Opinion EDITORIAL

In our opinion, an eventful year

This past year, the Current began publishing weekly editorials. Unsigned, they reflect the consensus opinion of our six-person editorial board and regularly address important issues affecting the town and its citizens.

Not all issues carry equal weight, to be sure. And not every editorial rated a spot on our Best of 2023 list. (Readers’ letters made that clear.) With that in mind, we look back on some of the year’s hits and misses: If any one topic dominated our editorial page, it was Marblehead’s public schools and how they are being managed, internally and externally. The cycle began with January’s announced departures of Marblehead High Principal Dan Bauer and Assistant Superintendent Nan Murphy, leaving soon-to-be-resigned Superintendent John Buckey with what we assumed would be key hiring decisions moving forward.

In hindsight, we were probably a bit too optimistic about what lay ahead. “The sky isn’t falling on Marblehead schools,” we wrote back then, even as darker clouds were gathering overhead.

There was more — much more — drama to come as the School Committee welcomed two new electees last spring, then swiftly ousted Buckey with little public debate or explanation. In subsequent editorials, we questioned, among other things, new committee member Brian Ota’s lack of transparency about his pending discrimination complaint against the now-former superintendent, creating an apparent conflict of interest.

“As beginnings go, this was not an auspicious one,” we noted.

School affairs also triggered our longest editorial, published Nov. 8, which followed a contentious School Committee meeting (one of several) and a public records request by us, which left many teachers feeling, in their words, “under siege.” We won’t revisit all the details here, except to reaffirm that (a) we do want the best for all Marblehead students and educators and (b) we are committed to best journalistic practices, which include seeking public records when circumstances warrant.

Now let’s hope, auspiciously, for more transparency and less drama in 2024.

Elsewhere, few topics consumed more civic bandwidth than the $2.5 million tax override that came up for town vote last spring. In our April 19 edition, we urged officials to send the article to a full Town Meeting vote in June. They did, and we again recommended a “yes” vote — with a few caveats about controlling town spending in the future.

The voters said “no,” though. Did we fail to make our case? Maybe, but that’s the difference between reporting the news and offering an opinion. We inform, you decide.

Other key issues that drew our attention included: affordable housing, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and town zoning policy (“The problems will be complex, and solutions may not be universally loved, but they are necessary.”); a fair and workable school flag policy; expanding the Board of Health and Traffic Safety Advisory Commission to bring more qualified candidates on board; and the national movement to create local, nonprofit news entities (like us) to fill a community void.

At times we also tackled less weighty subjects.

For example, we wrote approvingly about the joys of summertime in Marblehead; applauded the work of Marblehead Arts Festival organizers and Rotary Club leaders; acknowledged Black History Month and Mental Health Awareness Month; and, as Halloween neared, waggishly suggested Marblehead might profit by embracing its Inner Salem rather than recoiling from it.

Let’s just say the jury’s out on that one.

In other matters, we were generally propickleball (urging Recreation and Parks to make peace between pickleball enthusiasts and critics); anti-gas-powered leaf blowers (supporting more rigorous enforcement of a summertime ban, which, based on what we saw and heard, literally fell on deaf ears); and, given the capital costs and potential fire risks, cautious about designating solar power as a major town energy source — even though we strongly believe in reducing our collective carbon footprint.

So, how does our 2023 scoresheet look now? A mixed bag, we’d say. Still, it’s up to readers to keep us on our game, so to speak. In that spirit, we wish you all a happy, healthy and engaged 2024.

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY

A recipe for relationships

BY VIRGINIA BUCKINGHAM If Marie Kondo, the superhero of organizing, saw how I keep my recipes, she’d probably faint on the spot. The spine of my “Best of Family Circle” cookbook is stretched far beyond any bookbinder’s worst imaginings. The inside is stuffed with all manner of collected recipes — those once tried and forgotten favorites I know by heart, those I hope to try someday and those I’m never going to try (read: yam chili), but for some reason I hang on to the possibility.

Finding a specific recipe — this past holiday it was for mini cherry cheesecakes — would be an exercise in frustration for anyone with even a modicum of OCD, but I always manage to find what I’m looking for. This season, I also rediscovered something I wasn’t: a roadmap to past and present cherished relationships, illustrated through a generous offering of ingredients and their preparation.

One friendship forged in the fires of a political campaign in the mid-1990s is evidenced not just by shared support for our chosen candidate, but a desire to learn the food traditions of an unfamiliar holiday.

Oklahoma-born Martha, like me, married a Jew, and unlike me, mastered hosting the Jewish holidays with their plethora of special dishes that this Connecticutborn Catholic had never cooked before.

About halfway through the pile of recipes inside the cookbook cover is a typewritten page entitled Ginny’s Rosh Hashanah Menu. Martha, the original hostess with the mostest, laid out my festive game plan from the Kiddush to the first and second courses, an entrée, side dishes and desserts. She didn’t stop with just this overview. I have her printed recipes for two different kinds of homemade knishes, honey baked carrots, multiple versions of honey cake, sweet apricot noodle kugel and more.

As I remember it, my first holiday hosted for David’s family was a success. As I comb through Martha’s recipes, though, it’s her kindness I relish even more.

A recipe from the candidate we worked for is among the pile, too. Well, at least a response to a question about a recipe I sent him. On Office of the Governor stationery is a note from me to Bill Weld asking him for tips on preparing a wild rice dish he once served at a dinner party.

“You can’t let the rice know you’re afraid of it,” he quipped in his note back, along with advice to add copious amounts of salt.

Among the other recipes clipped from newspapers and taped to scraps of paper, hand-copied on pages

ripped from a paper tablet, printed out from recipes browsed on the internet and one literally written on the back of an envelope, are several in my mother’s distinct handwriting. She must have given me a bunch at once because there is also the cardboard backing of a check register on which she wrote, “Enclosed [are] my recipes and some old, old ones I thought you might like to try sometime.”

Most are written on index-size recipe cards, the kind that the organized souls among us keep in a metal box in alpha order. Not these: in no apparent order there’s a recipe for meatloaf, for champagne punch, macaroni and cheese (Who needs specifics? “Two cups of milk and a lot of cheese. Buy ends from the deli,” she instructs), meatballs and her Italian sauce which despite her Lithuanian heritage is still the best I’ve had.

I may never make beef stew again for my partvegetarian family but I’ll pause as I search for the banana bread recipe shared by a friend I made in Jack’s preschool and treasure my mom’s cursive writing and breezy asides — one pound “more or less” of good chuck stew meat — that perhaps I wouldn’t have come across in a more orderly portfolio.

Recipe trading is something I’ve engaged in throughout my career. It appears so anyway from the recipes taped to paper with the logo from the first job I had post-college through to a newspaper clipping taped to a sheet of paper from Massport where I worked 15 years later for “authentic meatballs.”

The “authentic” note is in the handwriting of a colleague, Joey, who became a close friend and made me the first pasta and red sauce topped with peas I’ve ever had. In my own handwriting are notes from that same era after a meeting I had with the head of the Boston building trades union. Before we got down to the business of discussing whether Massport would commit to using union-only labor on its projects (um, no), we traded notes on making pesto (combine arugula and basil with pine nuts and parmesan (yum, yes).

Recipe exchanges can indeed odd bedfellows make, and combing through a disorderly pile of them will elicit memories and fondness as nostalgic as a whiff of apple pie with homemade crust baking in the oven. I found two recipes for that, one my mom’s and the other the bananabread-baking friend’s. The latter is scrawled on the back of a large white flat envelope. It will be easy to find when I need it.

Virginia Buckingham is the president of the Marblehead Current’s board of directors. Her column appears weekly.

I BEG TO DIFFER

New Year’s resolutions 2024

BY JO ANN AUGERI SILVA

I rarely make New Year’s resolutions. Other than the perennial “I will lose (20/30/40) pounds this year,” I’d given up. One look at me and you know that perennial resolution is perennially broken.

I’m far from alone. Fewer than 8% of resolutions are kept throughout the year, and more than 80% are broken by the start of February.

This year, though, I’m going to follow psychologists’ suggestions and base my resolutions on experience from the recent past. I’m ecstatic to see the back end of 2023, so I figure if I avoid mistakes I made this past year, 2024 will be happy and catastrophe-free.

Here they are: DO NOT book a dream vacation in a country that’s about to explode in violent insurrection.

DO NOT replace your broken dream vacation with a trip to a country where you can’t eat the food or drink the water.

If you fail to heed that resolution: DO NOT eat the food or drink the water in a country where that is inadvisable.

If you fail to heed that resolution: DO pack electrolytes in every suitcase, carry-on, backpack, personal item and pocket.

DO NOT contract COVID-19 before you are recovered from food poisoning.

DO always take your medications and avoid foods that irritate your gut, etc. etc. etc.

DO always slather yourself with sunscreen. On every part of your body. Every part.

DO pile pillows on the floor next to your bed. Just in case. Black eyes heal slowly.

DO NOT contract a lung infection that lasts all summer long.

DO schedule mammograms exactly on time. DO NOT put them off for a day or a month or two years.

DO NOT hold private pity parties for yourself with 20-ounce single serving bags of chips. Or fudge. Or crackers. Or whatever.

DO eat lots of bananas, beets, pumpkin seeds and other antiinflammatory foods to reduce hypertension. DO remove salt container from the cabinet, stove and table.

DO NOT get a recurrence of the lung infection while on an overseas trip.

DO always use a flashlight when

walking at night on wet leaves, even if walking around the corner from your house.

DO pay attention to wet leaves — they are slippery. Especially on Marblehead sidewalks. Remember, you aren’t going to sue if you break something.

DO remove any and all sharpedged objects, scatter rugs and other hazards from your kitchen, home, bathroom, etc. etc. etc.

DO give daily thanks and show gratitude to your long-suffering and always supportive spouse without whom 2023 would have been even worse.

DO give daily thanks and show gratitude to the family and friends who bring joy to your world even when days seem dark.

And DO give daily thanks and show gratitude for the exceptional medical professionals, including Marblehead Fire Department EMTs, ER nurses and doctors, and various surgeons who treated and repaired your aging yet still (incredibly) functioning body in 2023.

DO give them less business in 2024.

Marblehead resident Jo Ann Augeri Silva, a retired journalist, author, public relations professional and educator, was an editor of the Marblehead Reporter.

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, January 3, 2024 A5

FROM THE VAULT

When the bicycle boom rolled through town

BY JARRETT ZEMAN

In this 1898 photo, a group of friends rests beside a road to Danvers during a bicycle trip.

In the late 1880s, so-called safety bicycles became popular among women. Safeties replaced earlier, big-wheeled bikes that were harder to ride. Clergy, who were worried at the time that women would abandon their roles as wives and mothers, discouraged women from riding any kind of bikes.

Boston was America’s cycling capital, with the country’s first bicycle club, magazine and manufacturer — the Albert H. Pope Company. Naturally, nearby Marblehead caught the bicycle bug. The Marblehead Bicycle Club was formed in 1882, which organized races, stunt riding shows and 100-mile rides known as centuries.

The bicycle boom coincided with George Eastman’s Kodak camera, which took photography out of the studio and placed it in the hands of the masses. Photographers like Fred Litchman of Marblehead captured everyday life, with

cycling a popular early subject.

When Litchman went on bicycle trips, he took photographs at each stop and arranged them in his album to tell a story.

This is one of 140 photos featured in the Marblehead Museum’s new book, “Marblehead Snapshots: The World of Fred Litchman.”

Litchman captured Marblehead at a pivotal time in its history, as locals created a seaside vacation destination from the ashes of two devastating fires along Pleasant Street in 1877 and 1888. The photos form a crucial historical record of a town unfiltered. The book is available to order on at MarbleheadMuseum.org and in the museum gift shop, which reopens on March 1.

Jarrett Zeman is the assistant director of the Marblehead Museum. From the Vault is a monthly segment highlighting an item from Marblehead Museum’s collection of over 60,000 artifacts.

Learn more and explore at marbleheadmuseum.org.

COURTESY PHOTO / MARBLEHEAD MUSEUM

MY MARBLEHEAD FIRST TIME

A new year with plenty of horizons

BY COURT MERRIGAN When we told people we were driving back home for Christmas, we generally got one of two reactions:” You’re driving all the way to Wyoming?!!?

How far is that, even?” and “You’re driving that whole way in the Mini??”

Friends, I can report the answers were Yes, 1,989 miles.

And yes. Two adults, two teenagers and two dogs did indeed go the whole way in my partner’s red Mini Cooper, aka the Red Baron. You need some next-level packing skills, and then you just sit there till you get there.

Here’s a telling fact that illustrates the vastness of the distances as you get out west: the first day, we drove across seven states all the way to Joliet, Illinois. The next two days? Two. As I have elsewhere mentioned in this column, one of the things I miss from back home is the horizon. Massachusetts is lovely, and Marblehead more so. But as a trueborn son of the high plains, I find myself perpetually seeking a way through the thickets of buildings, trees, highways and people, to find some semblance of a horizon. This is why I often walk to Fort Sewall or the trails at Seaside Park to look out on the ocean.

COURTESY PHOTO / WAYLON MERRIGAN

The view from the sixth hole

Well, I can further report that a perpetual wall of trees, trees, trees characterize Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania.

Even the farmlands of Indiana and Illinois seem woodsy to someone raised on the high plains. It’s a forest out there.

Yes, the woodlands do not relent until you cross the Mississippi River. You hit a few vistas in Iowa and eastern Nebraska. And then, just as some scenery appears in the form of pine ridges and limestone bluffs, you get home.

Home for us is the border region of southeast Wyoming and western Nebraska, known to locals as Wyobraska. As befitting an area of cattle country and farms, when I was growing up my family had a farm in Nebraska and a ranch in

Bighorns beneath the bluffs

Wyoming. Since then, both my partner’s parents and mine have retired on the Nebraska side of the border, so we had Christmas there.

The first few days back were lovely, a stretch of beautiful 60 degree -plus weather. My son and partner golfed (!) and my

THE DIXEY COLLECTION

A moving memorial

BY DAN DIXEY The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer and historian Dan Dixey, who regularly shares photos of Marblehead from his extensive collection, along with information about each shot.

The Soldiers and Sailors Monument was originally dedicated at the intersection of Elm, Green and Mugford streets in 1876. It is seen in this photo being moved up Brown Street (now Creesy Street) in May 1913 to its current location in Memorial Park between Pleasant and Essex streets. The move took five days and was done by Frank Goodwin and his crew. In the background is the Humphrey and Paine Shoe Factory at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Green Street. This glass negative was probably taken by Fred Litchman.

COURTESY PHOTO / COURT MERRIGAN

daughter took her little cousins to the park. Meanwhile, my brother and I drove up into pine ridge ranch country, where the bighorn sheep roam unperturbed by traffic other than ranchers on horseback. We also ventured into the Nebraska Sandhills, a secluded steppe in northwest

Nebraska. No forests there. In fact you’ll see nary a tree, just giant sand dunes clothed in grass where the cattle that dot the hillsides are the only sign of civilization.

There, a “small” ranch runs to fifteen thousand acres, rivers are narrow enough you can leap across, and I found that horizon I’d been looking for.

And now we’ve come to a new year, that time when we all look forward and backwards.

My sojourn back to the high plains threw into relief just how different my worlds are. What a rare opportunity to experience two incomparable places that are incomparably beautiful. Here in Marblehead, there have been sea witches and cranberry farms, yoga and “Marblehead Forever.”

And the overwhelming welcome we have received has made this transition a gentle one, and for that I am grateful to all our neighbors and newfound friends.

So what does the year ahead hold? I’ve got a few adventures on the docket: a day out on a lobster boat, a sailboat race, more walks to Marblehead’s hidden secrets. I’ll tell you this much: one year in, I’m a long way away from running out of Marblehead First Times. Plenty of horizons beckon!

And as always, if you’ve got an idea upon which I can embark for a Marblehead First Time, drop me a line at court. merrigan@gmail.com.

In this May 1913 photo, workers move the Soldiers and Sailors Monument up Brown Street, now Creesy Street, to its current home in Memorial Park.

COURTESY PHOTO / DIXEY COLLECTION / PROBABLY FRED LITCHMAN

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A6 Wednesday, January 3, 2024 Marblehead Current

CURRENT EVENTS

Check out Marblehead’s best bets Current Events spotlights exciting happenings in the coming week. If you’d like to contribute a listing, please email Current editor Leigh Blander at lblander@marbleheadnews.org.

—Leigh Blander

Dads & Donuts Saturday, Jan 6, 10 a.m.-noon

Join Hestia on the first Saturday of each month for its Dads & Donuts event, when kids and their fathers, or father figures, can play in the Paint Your Own Pottery studio, 13 Hawkes St. Complimentary donuts will be provided. For more information, reach out to pyop@ hestiacreations.com or call 781-639-2727.

Tree burning Saturday, Jan. 6, 6 p.m.

The annual tree burning is set for Riverhead Beach. Trees will be collected for the event curbside through Jan 5. All decorations must be removed.

Photography meetup Tuesday, Jan. 9, 7p.m.-9 p.m.

All photographers are invited to the Marblehead Arts Association for an informal meetup of photography enthusiasts.

Learn about new techniques and innovations in photography and digital art, receive feedback on your work, and connect with fellow shutterbugs.

New Lunch Hours Open at 11:30 Tuesday-Sunday New Lunch Menu!

Climate change talk Wednesday, Jan. 10, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Join Sustainable Marblehead and the Abbot Library for a discussion of “The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration” by Jake Bittle. The event will be at the library, 3 Brook Rd. Visit SustainableMarblehead.org for more information.

Former NBA star to share powerful message Wednesday, Jan. 10, 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Former NBA Celtics player Chris Herren, of Fall River, had a successful professional basketball career but he lost it all to the disease of addiction. Herren has been sober for 15 years and launched his nonprofit, Herren Foundation, to help others through recovery. He’ll be speaking at Marblehead High School and the public is welcome. For more information, contact Gina Hart at hart.gina@marbleheadschools.org.

Restoring the industrial waste site in Stellwagen Bank Wednesday, Jan. 10, 7 p.m.

From the 1940s-1970s, the U.S. government created a dumping ground in Massachusetts Bay for construction debris, derelict vessels, munitions and various toxic wastes, including low-level radioactive material. In the early 2000s, safety concerns arose when hazardous waste was covered with dredging material from Boston Harbor. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency worked together to solve this massive and delicate problem.

Environmental expert Steve Wolf will explain the history of this immense undertaking, which was completed in 2020. Free and open to the public. 4 Cliff St.

Top 10 of 2023

Delicious Homemade Authentic Greek Cuisine

ABBOT LIBRARY HAPPENINGS

261 Washington St, Marblehead 781-499-5006 Online ordering eliamarblehead@gmail.com or through DoorDash and UberEats

Poetry Salon

You Make It A Happy New Year!

Watch the New Year’s Day Slideshow Every image captured in 2023 wednesdaysinmhd.com

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Choose a school year subscription (Sept-May), a snowbird subscription (Nov-Apr) or a year-round plan. Subscribe at:

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BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

Poetry lovers are invited to a special session of the Poetry Salon with Claire Keyes, focusing on the works of Carol Seitchik, on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2 p.m.-4 p.m. The event will be held in the Program Room and online via Zoom. Seitchik, a visual artist from Beverly, turned to poetry due to health issues and published “The Distance from Odessa” in 2021. Her poems span generations and continents, touching upon themes of family, rebellion and migration.

The salon promises a deep dive into contemporary issues through poetry.

Online attendees must register in advance at abbotlibrary.org/events, while no registration is required for in-person attendance.

Adult book club

The Abbot Public Library invites book enthusiasts to its monthly Adult Book Club, held online via Zoom on Tuesday, Jan. 16, from 10 to 11 a.m. January’s discussion will feature “Tom Lake”

by Ann Patchett, with copies available in the library’s Reference Room.

Participation requires prior registration, which can be completed at tinyurl.com/ Jan-2024-Book-Club.

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, January 3, 2024 A7

BEACON HILL

CORNER OFFICE

BY WILL DOWD

of change, challenges

Town administrator Local lawmakers talk 2024 priorities looks ahead after year With major policy proposals already queued up, Marblehead’s two lawmakers on Beacon plan to hit the ground in 2024.

Rep. Jenny Armini, D-Marblehead, and Sen. Brendan Crighton, D-Lynn, aim to expand and improve public transportation options for their districts. Armini plans to continue pushing a bill she co-sponsored last session to electrify the Newburyport/ Rockport commuter rail line, prioritizing the stops in environmental justice communities like Lynn and Salem.

“What this does is it creates a timeline for electrification of the commuter rail that prioritizes environmental justice corridors at the front of the line,” Armini said.

She argues electrification would allow for more frequent service on the line and reduce carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, Crighton, chair of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation, pointed to the closure of the Blue Line and Sumner Tunnel this past year as an example of a transportation crisis he and others in the delegation had to tackle head-on. Their demands established a ferry service from Lynn to Boston.

“The ferry ridership exceeded all expectations with people actually being turned away on certain days,” said Crighton. “It demonstrated that this service is crucial for the region and really gets cars off the road.”

Making the ferry permanent and expanding its schedule year-round, seven days a week, is a top priority for Crighton in 2024. Crighton remains focused on supporting the MBTA as it works through much-needed repairs, and he emphasized the importance of transparency around the significant costs required.

“That’s going to be something that we need to tackle and be honest about as legislators — that money’s not falling out of the sky,” he said.

Protecting the environment is deeply personal for Armini, who serves on the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture and has made expanding so-called urban tree canopies a signature issue.

“Trees are crucial for public health and environmental quality,” said Armini.

“They filter air, provide shade, absorb stormwater runoff, stabilize soil and even boost mental health.”

She noted urban trees only last around six years on average due to threats ranging from road salt to drought to invasive pests. Freak storms have wreaked havoc in Marblehead due, in part, to a dearth of tree canopy to protect homes.

Beyond pushing legislation, Armini underscored the value of relationshipbuilding on Beacon Hill and at home in Marblehead.

“Developing relationships this first year that allowed me to advocate for priorities effectively has been crucial,” she said.

“I try to spend as much time as possible engaging with constituents and officials at home and here at the State House. That’s how I stay connected on what’s happening and how I can get things done.”

Armini stressed that working on Beacon Hill is “a business built on relationships” that enables her and Crighton to

Kezer talks about prospects for more override attempts

BY WILL DOWD

COURTESY PHOTOS

State Rep. Jenny Armini spoke in support of three-year Marblehead Select Board terms on Sept. 26.

Sen. Brendan Crighton and Rep. William Straus, co-chairs of the Transportation Committee, listen to testimony from MBTA General Manager Phil Eng at an oversight hearing in 2023.

“advocate for Marblehead” and “get things done.” Armini said she has focused substantial time in her first year on developing those connections.

“That’s how I know what’s going on, and honestly, that’s what keeps me going.”

Armini credited local groups as invaluable sources of expertise when new climate change bills come up for consideration and votes.

“We have many informed, caring residents and organizations,” Armini said.

“I’m incredibly fortunate they share their wisdom and keep me grounded.”

Both legislators emphasized constituent services as a daily priority behind the scenes. According to Crighton, resolving issues for individual residents remains among the most rewarding and challenging aspects of the job.

“If we get an email or phone call, or someone reaches out from our district, we’re going to do everything we can to help them,” he said. “That’s probably the most stressful but rewarding part of the job.”

Armini called universal school meals one of their proudest 2023 achievements, ensuring breakfast and lunch for all public school students statewide. She believes it will help combat “hidden hunger” among food-insecure families.

Several other legislative achievements that Crighton and Armini highlighted from 2023 included securing in-state college tuition rates for undocumented immigrants, investing over $200 million into offshore wind development and passing the first major update to the tax code in decades. The tax package focused largely on providing relief for renters, seniors, veterans and the middle class at a time of historic inflation.

As she enters year two, Armini focuses squarely on the towns and city she represents.

“I approach each day asking, ‘How can I best serve Marblehead, Swampscott and Lynn today?’” she said. “That question guides my work now and into the future.”

The spacious corner office of Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer boasts a clean standing desk and a long, wooden table. No stray memos. No Post-It Notes.

No teetering paper piles.

He works nearly entirely off a MacBook and an iPad, reflecting his goal of moving Marblehead toward comprehensive digitization in the year to come.

“We spent 2023 putting critical pieces in place — people and systems,” he said.

After a year of major personnel changes and new systems implementation, Kezer is setting his sights on further modernization and restructuring efforts in 2024.

“What we’ve accomplished this year is starting to put the wheels in motion to make changes that give Marblehead the capacity to take on its challenges,” he told the Current. “One: moving forward on our information systems to better manage our finances, and two: getting the right people into the positions.”

He added, “We’re just at the start of a journey.”

Major investments made in digitization Key moves last year included hiring a new chief financial officer and bringing on board new financial software to streamline the budgeting process.

For Kezer, increased investment in technology aims to also boost efficiency and allow staff to focus less on administrative tasks like “moving paper from one box to another” and more on the day-to-day business of running their departments.

“Young people come into the workforce with no interest in shuffling paper,” Kezer said. “So we need to push our processes into the information systems.”

All these systems don’t come cheap: The total investment in these projects exceeds $1.07 million.

Select Board members recently signed off on a three-year $1.02 million contract with Tyler Technologies to replace what Kezer called an outdated 1980s administrative system. This contract includes a one-time $461,000 charge for transitioning to Tyler’s Munis platform, a cloud-based resource planning software suite. Following the implementation, the annual maintenance cost will be approximately $187,000. Munis will update functions such as payroll, human resources and general financial management.

The town adopted ClearGov, a cloudbased software suite designed for budget preparation and performance.

This adoption involved an initial cost of $23,433, including a $7,200 setup fee.

The annual subscription fee of $36,400 includes modules for operational, personnel and capital budgeting, a feature for digital budget book publishing and interactive tools for enhancing transparency.

With new systems coming online,

CURRENT PHOTO / NICOLE GOODHUE BOYD

Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer has been steering the town through significant changes, moving more processes online.

Kezer wants to continue the push he started after arriving in June 2022 to assemble a cohesive leadership team in the midst of myriad vacancies. He is close to hiring a human resources director and the town’s first sustainability coordinator, which were approved at May’s Town Meeting The human resources director will centralize many personnel management functions that currently fall to department heads and other staff. The addition of a sustainability coordinator, meanwhile, would support the town’s various environmental initiatives. Kezer plans for the role to collaborate closely with local bodies like the Marblehead Green Committee.

Restructuring Discussions are underway regarding potential restructuring plans for when Town Planner Becky Cutting retires next month. Possibilities include establishing a Planning and Community Development Department, integrating positions like the town planner, conservation agent and grant writer.

The goal would be creating “synergy for all the things that affect our growth and quality of life,” Kezer explained. He hopes to propose a reorganization plan to Town Meeting in May. Most of the associated costs could be covered by reallocating existing staff budgets, he noted.

Kezer reported positive feedback and encouragement from the Select Board and town.

“I’m totally optimistic, totally positive about where things are going,” he said.

While proud of this progress, Kezer acknowledged the need for continued diligent effort on financial sustainability and development of comprehensive long-range plans. For example, five-year capital spending allocations will still leave unfulfilled infrastructure needs at the end of that timeframe.

Overrides in 2024?

As for the annual budget process now getting into gear, early number crunching shows the town still relies heavily on free cash reserves to balance expenditures and revenues. Kezer does not plan to look seriously at proposing an operational override unless all other options have been thoroughly explored first.

“The override is the last resort calculation,” he said.

NEWS IN BRIEF

BY WILL DOWD The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to the news in brief. Send yours to wdowd@marbleheadnews.org.

Mattress disposal fees

The Marblehead Department of Public Health has announced new disposal fees for mattresses and box springs effective January 1. Residents with a 2024 Transfer Station sticker will be charged $35 per item. For commercial or non-stickered vehicles, the fee is $75 per item. The initiative, overseen

by Health Director Andrew Petty, aims to streamline waste management in the town. For further information, residents can contact the Board at 781-6310212 or visit marblehead.org/ health.

New COVID-19 rapid tests The Health Department, located in the Mary Alley Building at 7 Widger Rd., has announced the arrival of a new batch of COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test Kits. Residents are encouraged to visit and collect their kits promptly. Note: The tests are valid until March 25.

Suspended officer decision postponed again The disciplinary case against Marblehead Police Officer Christopher Gallo, who has been on paid leave for 2.5 years for allegedly spending over 100 hours at home during shifts, has extended into the new year.

Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer, the hearing officer in the case, told the Marblehead Current he was still working on his recommendation, but

CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER

The disciplinary case against Police Officer Christopher Gallo has extended into the new year.

“fires keep popping up” during his work days. Kezer plans to present his recommendation to the Select Board in a closed or public meeting.

The board can either agree with Kezer’s decision or take a different path regarding Gallo’s fate. Gallo, who has accumulated the most complaints of any Marblehead

officer over his 22-year career, has continued collecting his approximately $5,400 monthly salary while on leave.

consider skills, availability, location and physical limitations.

Applications are at the Council on Aging at 10 Humphrey St.

Tax work-off program

MAA invites artists to apply for Variations 2024

The town is accepting applications through Jan. 19 for the 2024 Senior Tax Work-Off Program, which allows residents age 60 and older to volunteer for the town in exchange for a property tax reduction up to $750. There are 30 openings for seniors whose income is under $51,528 (single) or $69,824 (twoperson household). Participants will complete up to 50 volunteer hours with town departments by Oct. 15 to receive an abatement credited at the 2024 minimum wage rate of $15 per hour.

Applicants must pass a CORI background check and conflict of interest training. Placements

The Marblehead Arts Association is inviting artists to apply for Variations 2024, an eight-week juried exhibition this spring showcasing 2D and 3D works across artistic styles/ mediums.

The jurors for Variations 2024 include Lydia Peabody, curatorat-large at the Peabody Essex Museum; Karen Haas, curator of photographs at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston; and Ariel Zaccheo, curatorial director at the Museum of Craft and Design in San Francisco. The application deadline is Feb. 15. More info at bit.ly/3NkFCbh

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A8 Wednesday, January 3, 2024 Marblehead Current

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CUZNER IN NATURE

Stumbling upon a buck in Steer Swamp

BY RICK CUZNER This is a white-tailed buck that I came across while walking in Steer Swamp in mid-December.

According to MassWildlife, Massachusetts residents are learning to coexist with native white-tailed deer. Adult bucks typically weigh 120–160 pounds, while does average 80–120 pounds. Their coats change seasonally for camouflage and insulation.

Remarkably agile, these deer can run up to 40 mph and leap over significant obstacles. With exceptional vision, smell and hearing, they are wellequipped to sense danger.

As herbivores, their diet varies seasonally, preferring young forests, brushy habitats and agricultural areas. Does usually start breeding at 1.5 years, giving birth to one to three fawns after a 28-week gestation. Fawns can walk within an hour of birth and are known for their white spots. Deer are most active at dawn and dusk, often venturing into human-inhabited areas at night.

The Marblehead Current is proud to partner with photographer Rick Cuzner.

For the past 15 years, he has taken thousands of nature photographs that capture the wild animals who call Marblehead ho

A white-tailed deer stands in Steer Swamp.

Partially obscured by trees, a white-tailed deer in Steer Swamp looks toward Rick Cuzner’s camera.

BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

COURTESY PHOTOS / RICK CUZNER

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, January 3, 2024 A9

Sports TRACK

Magicians sweep past rival Swampscott to open up indoor track season

BY JOE MCCONNELL The Marblehead High boys and girls indoor track teams began a brand-new season on a successful note against rival Swampscott on Dec. 14 in Big Blue country. The boys won, 58-27, while the girls also breezed to victory, 65-20.

Boys high jump

Graham Tips soared to a first-place finish with a leap of 5-8. Alex Hersey (5-6) ended up second.

“In previous indoor seasons, Alex bolstered the shotput group, but with an emphasis on the pentathlon/decathlon, Alex will also be high jumping a lot this year,” said coach Nolan Raimo.

Ralph Pierre was then able to complete the sweep after clearing five-feet to account for third place.

COURTESY PHOTOS / ANGIE FISCHER

Marblehead High girls indoor track athletes, from left, Manuela Puente (sophomore), Nourin Osman (junior), Susana Wamba (sophomore) and Giovana Gentil (sophomore) at the meet against Swampscott on Dec. 14.

Girls high jump

It was a remarkable day for the girls high jump squad with three clearances of 4-8. Philine Heuermann, Paige Tredwell and Elise Burchfield soared past that mark, and they all also had quality attempts at 4-10.

Campbell Crane finished close behind at 4-2.

“The Division 3 state championship qualifier is 4-10, and for these three girls to be clearing 4-8 this early on in the season is very exciting,” said Raimo.

Boys shot put

Riley Schmitt continued his great start to the season with a toss of 42 feet, which placed him second against Swampscott.

“He was coming straight from hurdling, but still had a personal best by nearly two-feet on his first throw with no warm-ups,” said coach Danny Plunkett.

Graham Firestone threw a solid 32-5 to finish sixth after he too just completed the hurdles.

Tucker Crane improved upon his mark from the New Balance Northeastern Conference (NEC) Invite by almost a foot with a throw of 30-10. Rounding out the shot put lineup was newcomer Cam Gibson, who had a throw of 26-11.

Girls shot put

Lillian Reddy finally broke 30 feet to win the shot put with a personal best throw of 30-2.5.

Rachael Albert (29.5-5, personal best) was right behind her in second place. Hannah O’Brien (24-3, personal best) ended up sixth. Paige Fletcher (19-11.75) narrowly missed 20-feet, while also making her debut in track.

Boys 55-meters

Thomas Carlson (6.76) started off the regular season with an impressive victory in this event, and right behind him was Jacob Bobowski in second place with a time of 6.92.

Girls 55-meters

Ava Machado came in first with a time of 7.36. Freshman Lidia Jasmine Tiedra (8.23) was third.

Boys 55-meter hurdles

Hersey (7.85) opened the regular season with a victory in

BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

Marblehead boys senior indoor track captain Alex Hersey, junior Marc Grazado and sophomore Nate Jendrysik compete in the 55-meter hurdles.

this event. Marc Grazado (9.12) was second. Nate Jendrysik (11.39) narrowly missed third after stumbling on the last hurdle.

Girls 55-meter hurdles

Elise Burchfield took first with a time of 9.54. Tredwell (9.96) finished second. Crane (11.89) came in fifth.

Girls mile

Maren Potter (6:23) and Thea Shaw (7:37, four-second personal best) finished second and third, respectively.

Boys mile

Will Cerrutti (4:52.8) and Will Cruikshank (5:00) were running together throughout the first half-mile until Cerrutti turned on the jets in the second half to finish first. Will Cronin (5:11.8) battled the top Swampscott runner throughout the race to turn in another low five-minute performance, a great early sign for the veteran leader, according to coach Will Herlihy.

Boys 300

Isaias Aguasvivas Pena (40.4) came out on top. He was followed closely by Seamus Crowley (41.5, second) and Ethan Horgan (42.0, third).

“Isaias, a senior, is a firsttime runner,” said Raimo. “The longtime baseball player ran impressively, while making his debut. As he gains experience in the longer sprints, he will be capable of putting up more great

times by the end of the season on banked tracks.”

Girls 300

LeDaisha Williams sprinted out to a first-place winning time of 44.1. Gabby Hendy (47.5) finished second. Lucy Flynn (49.4) was fifth.

“LeDaisha is going to make a run to be among the top in the state this season in this event,” said Raimo.

Girls 600

It was a clean sweep for Marblehead. Mid-distance veterans Juliet Burchfield (1:58) and Grace Mortensen (1:59) led the way, with Isabel Mortensen (2:00) following closely behind in third.

Boys 600

Sean Heenan (1:43) took control of the race at about the 300-meter mark, picking up a 20-to-30-meter lead and never looked back. David Alpert (1:47) and Felix Regnault (1:55) also impressed, while making their 600 debuts to finish fourth and sixth, respectively.

Girls 1,000

Kate Twomey (3:35) picked up an important first place finish for her teammates, with Savannah Caruso (4:03) also securing a critical second place that helped win the overall meet. Abbie Goodwin (4:09) came in fourth. In the JV meet, newcomer Avery Wysor (3:48) crossed the finish line in first

Marblehead High junior Hannah O’Brien throws the shot put.

place.

Boys 1,000

Henrik Adams (3:03), making his debut, turned in a great performance to finish third.

Zach Pike (3:13) and Zach Plum (3:45) came in fifth and sixth, respectively.

Girls two-mile

Cat Piper (13:41) cruised to her first victory of the season, even after running an extra lap.

Shannon Hitscherich (14:59) was second overall.

Boys two-mile

Nate Assa (10:20.9) joined teammates Isaac Gross and Will Cerrutti as a state qualifier, while also winning his race handedly. Jonah Potach (11:17, 19-second personal best) finished second.

“Jonah has been battling to get past a plateau at this distance, so to see him breakthrough and get

Marblehead High girls indoor track runners Filip Grubor (freshman) and Avery Wysor (sophomore) compete in the 1,000.

a big personal best in this race is a great early sign,” said Herlihy.

Boys 4 by 400

Graydon Waller, Marc Grazado, Slater Johnson and Cruikshank ran the most exciting event of the meet to finish a close second in 4:04.7.

“Graydon opened up the relay with a great first leg. Cruikshank then put together an impressive double of a five-minute mile, followed by a great 400 leg on relatively short notice to finish up the relay. Marc and Slater battled to keep the race close as the middle runners, and for them to approach the fourminute mark on a small track is a great run,” said Raimo.

Girls 4 by 400

Sadie Halpern, Morgan Zion, Gabby Hendy and Kate Twomey (4:44) cruised past the rest of the field that accounted for five more points for the team.

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A10 Wednesday, January 3, 2024 Marblehead Current

IN THE POOL

MHS swim team takes first three meets

BY JOE MCCONNELL The Marblehead High swim/ dive team captured two more wins against both Danvers (9674, Dec. 20) and Beverly (101-55, Dec. 21) to remain undefeated after three meets.

“The team is off to a great start with three wins and many state sectional and state cuts, with others within hundredths of a second from also qualifying for the postseason,” said coach Sue Guertin. “The goal is to make these cuts early on in January.”

Against Danvers, the 200yard medley relay team of Cale Nelson, Nate Rosen, Brady Leveroni and Logan Doody (1:51.03, sectional cut) came out on top. In the 200-yard freestyle, Rosen (1:57.01, sectional cut) bested the entire field, as did Nelson (2:12.62, sectional cut) in the 200 IM. Doody (22.77, state cut) was the first in the 50-yard freestyle. Maxine Hall (138.11 points) took the top spot in diving. The 100-yard butterfly belonged to Leveroni (58.95).

Gary Podstrelov (54.82) owned the 100-yard freestyle. Rebecca Vaynshteyn (6:04.45) went to the head of the class in the 500-yard freestyle. The 200-yard freestyle relay team of Doody, Rosen, Nelson and Owen Torstenson (1:38.61, sectional cut) took the top spot.

Leveroni (1:02.09) bested

COURTESY PHOTO

Members of the Marblehead High swim and dive team gather together in the pool after wrapping up another early season win before the holidays. The Magicians are 3-0 following their two most recent wins against Danvers and Beverly.

everybody in the 100-yard backstroke. Gary Podstrelov (1:09.72) experienced similar results in the 100-yard breaststroke. In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Sophia Weiner, Finn Bergquist, Song Waitekus and Bella Takata (4:06.38, sectional cut) finished first.

Against Beverly, Ian Chemel, Nelson, Gary Podstrelov and

MHS VARSITY SPORTS SCHEDULE Wednesday, Jan. 3 4:05 p.m., girls hockey, vs.

Shawsheen, at Edge Ice Arena, Bedford 6 p.m., girls basketball, vs. Saugus, at Saugus High 7 p.m., boys basketball, vs. Saugus, at Marblehead High 7 p.m., boys hockey, vs. Medford, at LaConte Rink, Medford Thursday, Jan. 4 4:30 p.m., boys and girls indoor track, vs. Danvers, at Danvers High 6:30 p.m., boys and girls swimming/diving, vs. Masconomet Regional, at Lynch-van Otterloo YMCA Saturday, Jan. 6 9 a.m., wrestling (varsity quad), vs. TBA, at Beverly High 5:30 p.m., boys hockey, vs.

Winthrop, at Salem State O’Keefe Center 7:30 p.m., girls hockey, vs.

Peabody, at Salem State O’Keefe Center Monday, Jan. 8 7 p.m., girls basketball, vs.

Peabody, at Peabody Veterans Memorial High 7 p.m., boys basketball, vs.

Peabody, at Marblehead High Tuesday, Jan. 9 5:30 p.m., alpine ski racing, vs. TBA, at Ski Ward Ski Area, Shrewsbury 5:30 p.m., wrestling, vs. Beverly, at Marblehead High Wednesday, Jan. 10 4:30 p.m., boys and girls indoor track, vs. multiple schools, at

(1:00.25), Waitekus (1:02.73, state cut) and Bergquist (1:04.66, state cut) swept the 100-yard butterfly.

Nate Rosen (53.46), Greg Podstrelov (55.08) and Quicken (57.42) maintained the sweeping trend in the 100-yard freestyle.

Leveroni (5:45.31), Weiner (5:46.06, sectional cut) and Pechhold (6:19.76) did likewise in the 500-yard freestyle.

In the 200-yard freestyle relay, Greg Podstrelov, Volkov, Nate Rosen and Torstenson (1:41.58) came out on top. William Wade, Quicken, Lucas Rosen and Quinn Sullivan (1:51.27) finished second.

Doody (58.40, state cut), Chemel (59.98, sectional cut) and Bergquist (1:06.52, state cut) swept the 100-yard backstroke. Nelson (1:09.32), Takata (1:11.02, state cut) and Nate Rosen (1:11.02) experienced similar results in the 100-yard breaststroke.

In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Doody, Greg Podstrelov, Leveroni and Nelson (3:50.91) accounted for a first-place finish.

Wade, Quicken, Gary Podstrelov and Volkov (3:57.91) finished second.

The Magicians will get back to work after the new year against Masco at home on Thursday, Jan. 4.

Warmups begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA.

Marblehead High 8:30 p.m., boys hockey, vs.

Danvers, at Ray Bourque Arena, Beverly 8:40 p.m., girls hockey, vs.

Bishop Fenwick, at Essex Sports Center, Middleton Thursday, Jan. 11 5:30 p.m., alpine ski racing, vs.

TBA, at Blue Hills Ski Area, Canton 6:45 p.m., gymnastics, vs.

Bishop Fenwick, at Bakers Gym, Salem 7 p.m., girls basketball, vs.

Swampscott, at Marblehead High 7 p.m., boys basketball, vs.

Swampscott, at Swampscott High Saturday, Jan. 13 7:30 a.m., wrestling, vs. TBA, at Pelham High Noon, girls hockey, vs.

Newburyport, at Graf Skating Rink, Newburyport 12:30 p.m., boys and girls dive meet, vs. NEC League, at Peabody-Lynnfield YMCA 4 p.m., boys hockey, vs.

Peabody, at McVann/O’Keefe Memorial Rink, Peabody Sunday, Jan. 14 10:30 a.m., girls hockey, vs.

Bishop Fenwick, at Salem State O’Keefe Center 1 p.m., gymnastics, vs.

Masconomet, at Yellow Jackets Gym, Middleton 2:30 p.m., boys basketball, vs.

Salem, at TD Garden, Boston

Doody (1:53.81) came in first in the 200-yard medley relay.

Leveroni, Rosen, Simon Quicken and Torstenson (1:58.49) ended up second.

In the 200-yard freestyle, Leveroni (2:05.42) breezed to victory. Takata (2:09.32, sectional cut) and Vaynshteyn (2:14.31) settled for third and fourth, respectively. Nelson

(2:11.11, state cut), Chemel (2:25.89) and Monica Pechhold (2:40.07) swept the 200 IM, as did Doody (22.74, state cut), Torstenson (24.54) and Weiner (27.01) in the 50-yard freestyle.

Caroline Crosby (152.45 points), Maxine Hall (140.50) and Yuri Volkov (132.30) were the top three divers against the Panthers. Gary Podstrelov

SPORTS ROUNDUP

Magicians final notebook for 2023

BY JOE MCCONNELL

High fives all around for the girls basketball team Coach Paul Moran’s girls basketball team entered the Christmas break flying high on a five game winning streak.

They smoked Beverly in the second game of the season, 54-40.

“My two senior captains (Katie Pyne and Kate Burns) have been giving me everything they have so far,” said Moran.

Pyne was one of the leading scorers against the Panthers with 12 points.

“She really moved the ball well in this game, and did everything and more to secure the win,” added the veteran coach.

Burns was credited with 14 points and 10 rebounds against Beverly. “It was

her best game to date,” Moran said afterwards.

Freshman Ainsley McDonald also ended up in double digits in points with 11. Ramona Gillette chipped in with 10. Marri O’Connell netted four.

Samara Dosch came off the bench to produce two points, while playing solid defense in the winning effort.

Juniors Maddie Forbes and Olivia Goldwater also came off the bench to supply great defense and rebounding skills to thwart the Beverly offense on many occasions.

Moran has a simple explanation for the fast start. “We (coaches) went at them pretty good, working them hard for the first couple of weeks in practice, and now this is the fun part for them,” he said. “They have

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday January 23, 2023 at 8:00 PM on the request of Michael and Kelly Janos to vary the application of the present Zoning By-law by allowing a Special Permit to construct an addition to an existing single-family dwelling on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required lot width and side yard setback located at 47 Londonderry Road in the Single Residence District. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, § 18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via rel’note participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=en1wRXd3V2xnmHE3cy92Sk1TU1BTUT09 Dial in+ 1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the 1neeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead. org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons 1nay also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@ marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record.

Alan Lipkind Secretary

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday January 23, 2023 at 8:15 PM on the request of MPM Companies LLC to vary the application of the present Zoning By-law by allowing a Special Permit to construct a new single family dwelling which will replace an existing single-family dwelling on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required lot area and side yard setbacks located at 60 Prospect Street in the Unrestricted and Central Residence District. The new construction will exceed the 10% expansion limits for nonconforming buildings. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmdHE3cy92SklTUIBTUT09 Dial in+ 1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@ marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record.

Alan Lipkind Secretary

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday January 23, 2023 at 7:30 PM on the request of Kevin R. Walker to vary the application of the present Zoning By-law by allowing a Special Permit to construct a new accessory building to replace an existing as accessory an existing single-family dwelling on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required lot area, lot width, frontage, front, open area, rear and side and rear yard setbacks and exceeds height located at 5 Kimball St in the Shoreline Expanded Single Residence District. The new construction will be located within the front and side yard setback. This hearing is held in accordance with the provi sions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, § 18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06wcb.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmdHE3cy92SklTU1 BTUT09 Dial in + 1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead. org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record.

Alan Lipkind Secretary

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS

The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday January 23, 2023 at 8:00 PM on the request of Jerome and Holly O'Neil to vary the application of the present Zoning By-law by allowing a Special Permit to construct a new single family dwelling which will replace an existing single-family dwelling on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required lot area, lot width, frontage, rear and side yard setbacks and exceeds the height maximum located at 84 Harbor Ave in the Shoreline Expanded Single Residence District. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker's Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, § 18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xmdHE3cy92SklTUlBTUT09 Dial in+ 1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting, but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead.org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyons1@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record.

Alan Lipkind, Secretary

committed themselves by playing hard every day.”

The Magicians went on to beat Danvers, 46-32; Ipswich, 38-29; and Essex Tech, 46-32 that extended the winning streak to five. They will be back on the court Jan. 3 against host Saugus and its coach Joe Lowe, who was Moran’s first captain, when he took over the Sachems boys basketball program in 2010. The game is set for 6 p.m.

They will be at Peabody Monday night to face the Tanners at 7 p.m.

Boys hoop perfect after two The boys basketball team, coached by Mike Giardi, has only played two games, and they won them both, including a 68-44 triumph over nonleague Salem Academy at home on Dec. 19. The host Magicians led at halftime, 45-28.

Ryan Commoss and Nick Lemmond paced the offensive attack with 16 and 15 points, respectively.

Scott Campbell (8), Cam Quigley (7) and Sam Thompson (6) also contributed to the offense.

The Marblehead boys edged Beverly in the home opener, 65-63. They will resume the regular season schedule Jan. 3,

when Saugus comes to town for a 7 p.m. game, before visiting Peabody is scheduled to play the local quintet Monday night at the same time.

Boys hockey struggling with close losses The boys hockey team began the season with six straight losses, but five of the six defeats were by only a slim goal. On Dec. 14, they lost to visiting Gloucester, 3-2. Two nights later, they dropped a 6-5 decision to Masco.

They then fell to North Andover, 1-0. After losing to Essex Tech, 7-0, they dropped a 2-1 decision to Barrington, Rhode Island, in the opening game of the Cape Ann Savings Bank Tournament on Dec. 26.

The Marblehead boys then fell victim to Medford the next night, 4-3.

Coach Mark Marfione’s team was slated to host nonleague Melrose at Salem State on Dec. 30, before hoping to avenge the loss to Medford Jan. 3, at Medford’s LoConte Rink, beginning at 7 p.m.

The veteran Marblehead coach would love to see a reversal of fortune as the calendar flips to 2024 in order to turn those close losses into victories.

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD BOARD OF APPEALS

The Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday January 23, 2023 at 8:15 PM on the request of Christopher Franklin and Michelle Pliskin to vary the application of the present Zoning By-law by allowing a Special Permit to construct an addition to an existing single family dwelling on a preexisting non-conforming property with less than the required lot area, lot width, frontage, front and side yard set backs and exceeds the height maximum located at 16 Pilgrim Road in the Single Residence District. The new construction will be within the front and side yard set back and exceed the maximum height. This hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw, and Chapter 40A of the General Laws as amended and Pursuant to Governor Baker ‘s Order allowing suspension of Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, § 18, this public hearing of the Board is being conducted via remote participation. The public can attend this meeting via the remote participation platform through the following ways: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06wcb.zoom.us/j/87878347282?pwd=enlwRXd3V2xtndHE3cy92SklTUl BTUT09 Dial in + 1 646 558 8656 Meeting ID: 878 7834 7282 Passcode: 404568 Those only dialing in will not have access to the visual presentation at the meeting , but can follow along with the project materials available for download at https://www.marblehead. org under the zoning board of appeals page and the date of meeting. Members of the public attending this meeting virtually will be allowed to make comments if they wish to do so, during the portion of the hearing designated for public comment. Interested persons may also submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead.org and the comments, will be included in the record.

Alan Lipkind Secretary

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Marblehead Current Wednesday, January 3, 2024 A11

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Select Board chair takes leave while daughter is treated for cancer To my town, It is with a heavy heart that I share some difficult news regarding my personal life and recent absence from Select Board duties. About a month ago, my husband and I received the stunning news that our daughter Caroline has been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. She has started an aggressive regimen of chemotherapy treatment that we expect to take place over the next six months. Our family is confident in the world-class medical team that is caring for her. Her doctors and nurses in the Pediatric Oncology Department of MGH have been phenomenal. She is positive, strong and has managed to keep her sense of humor through all of this. Caroline is a fighter, and we know she will get through this, but she does have a long road ahead of her.

For the time being, I have

shifted my primary focus to be on her medical treatment and taken a leave from both my job and typical involvement in town government. I am so grateful for the way that the Select Board has come together to enable me to do this. I have every confidence in my colleagues on the board to continue to successfully conduct the business of the town and work together to address the short and long-term planning needs. I care immensely about our town and my responsibilities as Select Board chair, but for the moment I am taking things day by day and week by week. I hope to be able to re-engage in the New Year.

On behalf of my family, I want to share our sincere gratitude for all the love and support shown to us by our friends, neighbors and community.

We love Marblehead for all its beauty, history and coastline, but it is the people here that are the heart of this town.

Marblehead is at an important juncture in history. We have challenging issues to navigate, but also, we have genuinely promising opportunities ahead of us. My wish for the New Year is that, as a town, we see the

thoughtful and unifying spirit of community and solidarity that my family has enjoyed this past month throughout 2024. May residents and elected officials work collaboratively, with fresh resolve to bring diverse ideas together to achieve the best for Marblehead.

Erin Noonan Beverly Avenue

Making a point on ‘The Bluest Eye’ To the editor: In regards to Leigh Blander’s article on Dec. 13 about a parent who challenged the inclusion of “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison as an option for an eighth-grade assignment, I’d like to clarify one point. The novel is not “told from the perspective of a pedophile” as the mother asserts. It’s told from the point of view of an elementary school child. At the same time, I’m not sure I would offer this novel by the Nobel Prize winner to an eighth grader. It’s for mature readers, and it’s a treasure.

Claire Keyes, Ph.D Intrepid Circle

‘It’s all about the budget’ To the editor: The good people of Marblehead, 1. First of all, I support the teachers and staff. Parents need to work with them to create a safe area for all concerned.

That starts with making your children accountable for their actions. Today’s children hear and see teasing/bullying around them too often. Staff need to call parents sooner than later to formulate a quick solution so it does not escalate.

2. You can fire all the personnel you want.You can say you have “no confidence” all you want. It comes from the top. It’s all about the budget.

The problem with the Student Services Department is that it does not and will not have money for all the teachers to get what they want and need!

3. The METCO program is not the problem. There are children that need services that are in this town and attend from outside Marblehead. The directors of Student Services throughout many cities and towns are experiencing the same

thing we are.

4. The federal government is reviewing all cities’ and towns’ Student Services Departments concerning special education services within towns and outside placement. We need to wait for the report.

5. What we are experiencing I dealt with 30 years ago. It comes down to funding. One answer is to not keep children with serious issues who create safety issues in district.

I suggested having all parents be fingerprinted and CORI’d.

If your child is acting out, have the parent come in and attend school for the day. We have room parents already. We used this years ago in a nearby city. Trust me, after two warnings that your parents are coming into school will stop most children from misbehaving.

6. The answer is an override or more federal and state support.

To get an override we must get all stakeholders on board. The problem will be convincing them after a significant tax increase last May and another one coming this year.

Good luck & happy New Year!

Mary McCarriston Pinecliff Drive

REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS Buyer(s)

Seller(s)

Address

Date

Price

Marblehead 10 William Road NT and David Gradus

Shaw Mark Est and Susan M. Rolli

10 William Road

Dec. 8

$625,000

Emil Paige RET and Althea R. Bertrand

17 Risley Road

Dec. 8

$158,000

Thomas J. Dejoy

20 Shetland Road

Dec. 8

$1,150,000

James A. and Kristina L. Hubbard

Robert A. Dunn Jr. RET and Robert A. Dunn Jr.

6 Colonial Court

Dec. 14

$599,000

Emily D. and Thomas J. Dejoy

Elaine Marie Dunham T and Elaine M. Dunham

7 Riverside Drive

Dec. 15

$1,100,000

Elizabeth B. Weinstein

9 Rowland St.

Dec. 15

$755,000

Lisa S. Suydam

14 Corinthian Lane

Dec. 15

$3,700,000

Cort T. Harriet and Laurie A. Erhard

30 Auburndale Road

Dec. 14

$790,000

Matthew and Meredith Carter

49 Harbor Ave.

Dec. 12

$1,850,000

Carrie B. and Michael L. Rosenman

3 Williams Terrace

Dec. 14

$1,475,000

Caroline and Patrick J. Malone

6 Thorndike Terrace

Dec. 12

$760,000

Michael A. Rusinak and Ana M. Sanchez-Rusinak Monica A. Economou-Frasca and Robert O. Frasca

7 Tip Top Road

Dec. 15

$1,875,000

29-31 Suffolk Ave. RT and Stefanos Bouboulis Donald J. Warnock and Mortgage Assets Mgmt LLC

29-31 Suffolk Ave.

Dec. 15

$572,000

Timothy Costello and Colby Hough

73 Magnolia Road

Dec. 11

$690,000

Boathouse RT and Peter W. Noyes Kyle and Brittany Halks

Aimee Hague 14 Corinthian Lane LLC Cathryn S. and Daniel C. Owens Thomas J. Mulroy Swampscott Chaula Patel T and Chaula Patel Angel C. Brito

Estate of Patricia A. Corcoran and Tracy Brawley

POLICE LOGS Excerpts from the Marblehead police log Dec. 6-13. Consistent with state law, Marblehead police have adopted a policy of not providing media outlets reports related to incidents involving domestic violence, juveniles and matters that remain under investigation.

Dec. 6 10 a.m. — Officer Adam Mastrangelo responded to a report from a local daycare employee who said she saw a suspicious man loitering near the facility entrance the prior day. The worker told Mastrangelo an unidentified male approached her asking for access to the adjoining church before rapidly leaving the area after being informed no staff were available to assist him.

3:27 p.m. — Officer Douglas Mills met with a Marblehead resident claiming to be the victim of identity fraud. The man said he was contacted by an Illinois car dealership about an attempted vehicle purchase application

submitted using his personal details without permission. Police in Illinois are investigating.

8:15 p.m. — Officer Dean Peralta interviewed an elderly homeowner on Harding Lane who reported falling victim to a potential scam earlier in the day. The man claimed he provided his banking information and Social Security number to a suspicious male who came to his residence posing as a cable and internet sales agent.

Dec. 7 10:34 a.m. — Officer Charles Sweeney spoke with a woman frustrated by ongoing accessibility issues regarding the availability of handicapped parking spots at a local elementary school. She told Sweeney that pickup has become difficult due to school buses routinely blocking designated handicapped parking areas near dismissal time each afternoon.

2:50 p.m. — Officer

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD CONSERVATION COMMISSION The Marblehead Conservation Commission will hold a VIRTUAL (zoom) public hearing beginning at or after 7:00 PM on January 11, 2024 on an application filed by Scott Patrowicz, P.E., Patrowicz Land Development Engineering (applicant) on behalf of Glover Landing Condominium Trust (owner) for a new emergency second means of egress for each unit in Building #21 and associated site work at Zero Brackett Place (Map 131, Parcel 1) in an area subject to the Wetlands Protection Act and the Marblehead Wetlands Protection Bylaw.

This hearing will be held remotely in accordance with Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Order Superseding Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c.30A, section 18 and the Governor’s March 15, 2020 Order imposing strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place. Request to make an appointment to review plans and information by E-mailing: engineers@marblehead.org For any questions, please call (781) 631-1529. Details on how to access the hearing remotely via the internet will be posted on the meeting agenda at least 48-hours prior to the hearing.

The link to the agenda is: https://www.marblehead.org/conservation-commission David VanHoven, Chairman Marblehead Conservation Commission

BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

Charles Sweeney went to an Ocean Avenue home after a female resident reported a strange man knocked on her door and quickly left the property before she could answer. A patrol of the neighborhood resulted in the location of a male matching the woman’s description who claimed he was soliciting residents about solar panel installation. The man did not have a permit.

Dec. 8 1:15 p.m. — Officer Douglas Mills met with

a woman who said contractors recently demanded immediate cash payments after finishing chimney work on her home, refusing to leave while claiming her husband had hired them directly. Mills suggested contacting police if the workers return and cause further disturbance.

Dec. 12 10:40 a.m. — Officer Douglas Mills interviewed a landlord who said his Front Street tenant recently conducted

unauthorized construction projects inside his rental unit causing considerable damage and violating signed lease agreements.

The landlord sought to officially log the incident but understood the dispute was civil in nature.

Dec. 13 7:15 p.m. — Officer Nicholas Michaud went to a Weston Road home after the resident complained that new bright exterior lighting installed at his neighbor’s property now directly shines into

his windows. Michaud suggested potential mediation options while noting no laws dictate lighting rules.

9:23 p.m. — On Kimball Street, Officer Nicholas Michaud received a call from a man who claimed security footage showed an unidentified male allegedly entering his driveway late at night before rapidly fleeing once illumination activated. The concerned homeowner forwarded the video to detectives for additional monitoring.

Legal Notice Site Plan Approval Public Hearing Marblehead Planning Board The Marblehead Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the application of Richard Jordan for a site plan approval special permit for the construction of a new single-family structure located at 8 Roydon Road within a Shoreline Single Residence District. This public hearing will be held under Section 200 -37 of the Marblehead Zoning Bylaw on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., and can be attended either in person at Abbot Hall, 188 Washington Street, in the select board’s meeting room, or remotely on Zoom. Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Order Suspending Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, §18, the public can listen and or view this meeting while in progress via the remote participation platform Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85295668870?pwd=TcbA65vuPi2NpaI0FkXPBWLXoR7eaA.1 or Dial in +1 646 558 8656, US Meeting ID: 852 9566 8870, Passcode: 949199. Project materials available for download at Town of Marblehead website planning board page https://www.marblehead.org/planning-board under the date of meeting. Interested persons may attend the meeting or may submit comment in writing electronically and send to lyonsl@marblehead. org or rebeccac@marblehead.org and the comments will be read aloud and entered into the record.

Robert Schaeffner Chairman

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD CONSERVATION COMMISSION The Marblehead Conservation Commission will hold a VIRTUAL (zoom) public hearing beginning at or after 7:00 PM on January 11, 2024 on an application filed by Richard Smyers (applicant) for a stream crossing with pedestrian/bicycle timber bridge(s) 181 Green Street (Map 159, Parcel 20) on Town of Marblehead Land in an area subject to the Wetlands Protection Act and the Marblehead Wetlands Protection Bylaw. This hearing will be held remotely in accordance with Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Order Superseding Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c.30A, section 18 and the Governor’s March 15, 2020 Order imposing strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place. Request to make an appointment to review plans and information by E-mailing: engineers@marblehead.org For any questions, please call (781) 631-1529. Details on how to access the hearing remotely via the internet will be posted on the meeting agenda at least 48-hours prior to the hearing.

The link to the agenda is: https://www.marblehead.org/conservation-commission David VanHoven, Chairman Marblehead Conservation Commissiona

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD CONSERVATION COMMISSION The Marblehead Conservation Commission will hold a VIRTUAL (zoom) public hearing beginning at or after 7:00 PM on January 11, 2024 on a Request for Determination of Applicability application filed

by Julie Fitzgerald (owner) for proposed demolition and reconstruction of an existing single-family house at 170 Jersey Street (Map 122, Parcel 77) in an area subject to the Wetlands Protection Act and the Marblehead Wetlands Protection Bylaw. This hearing will be held remotely in accordance with Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Order Superseding Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c.30A, section 18 and the Governor’s March 15, 2020 Order imposing strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place.

Request to make an appointment to review plans and information by E-mailing: engineers@marblehead.org For any questions, please call (781) 631-1529. Details on how to access the hearing remotely via the internet will be posted on the meeting agenda at least 48-hours prior to the hearing.

The link to the agenda is: https://www.marblehead.org/conservation-commission David VanHoven, Chairman Marblehead Conservation Commission

TOWN OF MARBLEHEAD CONSERVATION COMMISSION The Marblehead Conservation Commission will hold a VIRTUAL (zoom) public hearing beginning at or after 7:00 PM on January 11, 2024 on an application filed by Scott Patrowicz, P.E., Patrowicz Land Development Engineering (applicant) on behalf of Herve Sedky (owner) for proposed building additions to an existing single-family house, site work/landscaping at 172 Front Street (Map 167, Parcel 20) in an area subject to the Wetlands Protection Act and the Marblehead Wetlands Protection Bylaw. This hearing will be held remotely in accordance with Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 Order Superseding Certain Provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c.30A, section 18 and the Governor’s March 15, 2020 Order imposing strict limitation on the number of people that may gather in one place. Request to make an appointment to review plans and information by E-mailing: engineers@marblehead. org For any questions, please call (781) 631-1529. Details on how to access the hearing remotely via the internet will be posted on the meeting agenda at least 48-hours prior to the hearing.

The link to the agenda is: https://www.marblehead.org/conservation-commission David VanHoven, Chairman Marblehead Conservation Commission

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OBSERVER CORPS REPORT

Disabilities Commission frustrated access is afterthought Disabilities Commission

» DATE: Dec. 13 (hybrid) » MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Laurie Blaisdell (chair), Dee Cuffe, Amy Hirschcron (remote), Ed Lang (remote), Andrea Mountain (remote) » MEMBERS ABSENT: Cheryl LaLonde, Brigitte Duffy » GUEST PRESENT: Kyle Wylie » LWVM OBSERVER: Nancy Powell

Collins Center report on ADA Transition Plan In December 2022, the town of Marblehead (in conjunction with the Collins Center for Public Management at UMassBoston) launched an audit of all facilities, programs, services, policies and practices. The audit report (the ADA Transition Plan for Marblehead) identified numerous areas where the town is in violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disability in state and local government activities.

At today’s meeting, commission members agreed on the importance of working with the town administrator and department heads to prioritize action items in the report. It was

suggested that items impacting public safety be given special regard.

The commission will be involved in monitoring deadlines and getting information out to the public. The town will pay for improvements required under the new plan through a combination of grants and tax revenues. The hope is to make “good faith” progress but, given funding limitations, adhering to specific timelines will be challenging.

The ADA Transition Plan calls for the instituting of an ADA coordinator position for the town. Blaisdell noted that Kyle Wylie currently assumes this role but, given the myriad other responsibilities of her position, she could use support. It was suggested the ADA coordinator position could be folded into the Building Department and could be a more active role, as it is in many other cities and towns across the state.

Discussion ensued regarding

the issue of contractors who neglect to address ADA compliance considerations prior to starting a new project. A case in point is the new Riptide that lacks a wheelchair-accessible front entrance, which is required under ADA guidelines unless a variance has been applied for and granted.

Blaisdell met with the owner who suggested the service entrance at the back of the building could work for those with mobility impairments, but a fence was recently constructed by the landlord that blocks wheelchair access to the back door as well.

Blaisdell and others expressed frustration with what they describe as a pattern with new construction projects that get close to completion without being vetted for compliance with regulations and then need to be reworked. She suggested the application for building permits should include a list of criteria for meeting ADA guidelines so compliance is built in at the start rather than being an afterthought. She expressed concern that some recent projects were not compliant despite best efforts to provide guidance.

A question arose with regard

to contracts the town enters into and whether the hired company should be required to guarantee that the project and its outcome will be compliant with ADA regulations.

Change of use at 71 Atlantic Ave. The Architectural Access Board granted a variance for Hilltop Tutoring at 71 Atlantic Ave. to allow use of a neighbor’s accessible bathroom instead of making the existing bathroom ADA compliant.

The commission expressed confusion regarding this variance, noting concern about who the neighbor is, whether that bathroom is accessible and what this variance ruling was based upon, as this alternative had not been mentioned in any prior correspondence that the commission is aware of.

(The Marblehead Building Department had forwarded this case to Blaisdell, and the State Architectural Access Board asked the Disabilities Commission to provide an opinion on this matter.)

Ramp between State Street Landing and harbormaster’s office Blaisdell reached out to the

harbormaster to inform him this new ramp (which replaced a public stairway) presents a safety concern currently. It lacks railings, has a concave curvature in the center and an overall slope that is too steep.

It was suggested the harbormaster might be able to recover the cost of repairs if the contract went out to bid and the contractor failed to abide by ADA guidelines.

Blaisdell will get a professional to recalculate the slope which she measured as having a 15.5% rise. (It should be equal to or less than 8.33%.)

Handicapped signage

Blaisdell recently learned that many of the handicapped parking signs in town are not ADA compliant because they are lower to the ground than mandated and are easily overlooked by drivers when parking. A citizen who recently received a citation for parking in a designated handicapped space challenged the citation on the grounds he never saw the sign from his car while he was parking, and the ticket had to be dismissed. It was noted that if parking restrictions aren’t enforceable, they become meaningless.

TEXT OF DRAFT POLICY It shall be the policy of the Marblehead Public Schools (MPS) to only permit the flying of the American flag or banners, the Massachusetts state flag or banners, and the town of Marblehead flag or banners on school grounds, and/or in school buildings.

Any group/organization or individual wishing to place any sign, banner, or flag on MPS buildings, grounds, transportation vehicles or other property must submit a written request to the School Committee, along with a picture, photo or drawing of the proposed item showing all measurements and colors.

Requests will be reviewed and approved or denied on a case-bycase basis based on the following conditions: 1. Items must relate to or be in furtherance of the district’s educational goals, programs, activities or events, and sentiments; and 2. Items are subject to review under 603 CMR 26.00: Access To Equal Educational Opportunity 3. Approved items may be approved for display for a minimum of one day and a maximum of one month.

Such items must be approved in advance as appropriate under the circumstances and in accordance with this policy. No decision by the School Committee will be considered precedent setting for future requests, including the same group/organization or item(s).

Flag

From P. A1 want to keep Black Lives Matter and pride flags displayed at the high school.

“It’s really important that we’re able to continue to hang these flags to help students feel more welcome,” said Weiner. “We’re a predominantly white, straight, CIS-gendered community. These flags really help others feel less alone.”

Maren Potter and Nina Johnson, who are members of both the MHS Dems and Team Harmony, added in a statement, “We believe the flags not only show students that our high school recognizes our identities, but symbolize that the school affirms and values us as individuals who have equal voices in our school. In addition, the flags represent an active support system for students who may feel unseen and underrepresented. The

Traffic From P. A1

uses compiled crash data to target enforcement in high-risk areas.

“We are trying to focus our resources where we know things are happening,” King said, referencing efforts to secure external funding for additional radar speed signs in trouble spots.

Committee member David Kucharsky said updated crash statistics have already guided recommendations for bike and pedestrian upgrades.

“It helps with recommending bike and pedestrian improvements to Lafayette Street and Pleasant Street,” Kucharsky said, citing accident density in that area. “It serves most schools, so it can help our discussions.”

MHS seniors Siena Day, left, and Sophia Weiner planned a rally against a draft policy on flags, banners and signs in schools. They call it “censorship” and want to form a student-led committee to decide the policy.

removal of the flags would send a message that our school no longer chooses to support or value these students.”

The rally was scheduled for 3 p.m. outside the Judy and Gene Jacobi Community Center, next to the high school.

“We want the School Committee to hear our voices

Hebert promised sustained attention to pedestrian safety.

“We’re going to be diving into those issues,” he said.

As members pledged responsiveness, some skeptical residents questioned the impact of suggestions without funding or enforcement authority.

Hebert acknowledged the group cannot single-handedly launch initiatives but said airing concerns is progress.

“We are going to take the information and try to see that we follow up in ways to make things happen,” Hebert said.

In other developments: » The committee unanimously recommended the Select Board install stop signs at three south side neighborhood intersections with safety or line-of-sight issues: Evans and Elm; Arthur

and listen to our concerns and take that into account,” Weiner said. “We want the community to get involved.”

The School Committee’s subcommittee on policy has met during the day, when students are in school, which Weiner called “frustrating.”

“It’s an issue that concerns

and Robert; and Atlantic Avenue and Casino Road. » The group postponed decisions about adding corner parking restrictions at Beach and Orchard streets and Gregory and Hawkes streets.

The guidelines indicate parking should be prohibited within 20 feet of an intersection. » Town Planner Becky Cutting spoke about active grants and designs to extend the 12-foot wide Marblehead Rail Trail from Salem to West Shore Drive. The $1.4 million Lead Mills section under the Lafayette Street bridge includes complicated environmental permitting. The town is bidding work in phases to make funds stretch further.

The next meeting convenes Jan. 22.

students,” she said. “They should be talking to students and asking them how they feel.”

Some students have spoken during public comment at School Committee meetings, expressing their opposition to removing the BLM flag.

More restrictions?

Weiner said students are worried that removing flags may lead to other restrictions.

“We really just don’t want to open the door for there to be more bannings,” she said. “Even if the School Committee says it won’t ban books or speech, we don’t want to set a precedent where this is OK.”

The flag discussion began after a Marblehead mother, Sharman Pollander, took down the Black Lives Matter flag, in an unauthorized move. Pollander admitted to the act, and defended it, to the Marblehead Beacon.

That prompted then-acting Superintendent Michelle Cresta to ask the School Committee about a possible flag policy.

School Committee member Jenn Schaeffner drafted this policy, borrowing language from the Hadley school district. The policy will need three hearings by the School Committee before a vote.

MHS ROOF UPDATE

After student is hit by falling tile, project going out to bid

BY LEIGH BLANDER After a ceiling tile fell at Marblehead High School and hit a student in the head, Assistant Superintendent Michelle Cresta told the Current the district is “working with the town to go out for a bid for a joint project manager which will cover the town and school roofing projects.”

Town Meeting approved nearly $9 million for school and municipal roof repairs in 2022.

“We were in discussions during the spring to move forward with this plan and

then a few other things came up that required my time and attention,” Cresta added.

The ceiling tile fell on Dec. 18 during a rainstorm. The student was taken to the school nurse.

Interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness said Facilities Director Todd Bloodgood told her the roof is safe.

“The tile in question was an area that has not leaked in the past,” McGuinness said.

“With the wind direction and speed during Monday’s intense storm water was driven into other areas.”

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Headlight

Shining a light on the news you care about!

Written by the students of Marblehead High School for our school and community 2023 - 2024 Issue

www.mhsheadlight.com

School and stress: data and coping mechanisms Benji Boyd, Junior, Assistant Editor

With winter break rapidly approaching, many high schoolers feel that school has cranked up in intensity. Between teachers trying to cram one last unit in before the week off, to students desperately trying to make up missing assignments, to illness and burnout running rampant through the school, anyone could get a little stressed. However, is this the most stressful time for students? There seems to be a couple of likely contenders for time periods in which students experience the most stress, and, to figure out what the consensus is, a form was sent out to students of all grades. Freshmen through seniors shared their thoughts on school, stress, and how they cope when the workload gets too heavy.

Judging by the lamentations heard in classrooms and hallways and the general air of anxiety hanging around the school right before winter break, anyone might guess that this is the hardest time of year for students. After all, it's the holiday season, and many students have religious or family commitments to keep up with on top of their school work. For those who are affected by the cold and darkness, it’s quite literally the worst time of the year. However, the weeks leading up to winter break received only the second most votes for most stressful.

Winning the poll with 40% of votes was the end of quarter two, otherwise known as midterm season. According to students, the worst is still ahead of us, unfortunately.

When given the option to select why they find this time of year particularly stressful, almost 70% of poll-takers said that they have a larger workload than usual, or that their extracurriculars ramp up and they have a lot of extra activities on their plate. The increased intensity of sports, performing arts, and clubs in the middle of the year likely account for why no students put down the end of year

and finals season as the most stressful. Students know that instead of winding down during vacation, they must be prepared to come back in full swing for midterms.

However, instead of spending winter break dreading these tests, the goal should be to use it to catch a much needed breath and really get some relaxation in.

Knowing that a busy time might be on the horizon also provides the opportunity to brainstorm how to deal with it so it can go as smoothly as possible. When asked to comment how they deal with stress personally, some polltakers decided to share their coping strategies.

“I just do all the things I’m able to do,” commented one busy performing arts student. “If I don’t have enough time for any assignments I just let my teachers know, they’re usually understanding about tech week since I do theater.” Another student responded, “Make schedules for myself and make sure I'm really checking in with myself. I try to journal and just really pace myself.” Further reinforcing that upkeeping mental health is critical, other students said, “I will make sure to take some time for myself amidst all of the studying and test-taking,” or that they “Try to do something enjoyable every day.”

Common responses mostly revolved around sleeping, procrastinating, or drinking coffee.

The students who kindly took this form and decided to offer their suggestions to their peers prove that students themselves are great sources of coping mechanisms. If anyone is struggling, it's worth asking a friend for support.

Though we might be heading into a typical busy winter, it's always best to look for the light at the end of the tunnel. Afterall, not a single student voted for any time after quarter two for the most stressful. So long as we stay in touch with ourselves and remember to take a breath every once in a while, we can all push through.

Thespian vs. Athlete Sam Jendrysik, Junior

Extracurriculars are a cornerstone of any kid's school experience. They fill afternoons and put a nice little bow on college applications. Some extracurriculars, such as newspaper club or ACG club, can be done with ease, and without too much commitment.

However, some of the bigger ticket extras take up a little more time, and a lot more effort. Sports like track and wrestling, for example,

are physically demanding and would take up 90 percent of my time. Whether it's waking up at 5:30 on a Saturday to make the bus for a wrestling quad, or being at the track at 7 on a day off from school to practice for a meet that I'm not even competing in, all the while putting my body and mind through the ringer, sports are brutal on the body.

That said, almost nothing beats

January 3, 2024

the rush of elation one gets from pinning an opponent or shattering a personal best in the weight room or on the track.

I thought I'd be an athlete throughout my high school career. The schedules are such that sports and acting are mutually exclusive, and the theater remained something to watch, rather than an after school possibility, until a bit of turmoil led to me taking off my athlete hat and donning my thespian hat.

This was when I discovered the one thing that beats the elation felt during sports. The one thing

that brought me more joy than making varsity and winning a race or a match was standing on stage with my friends, taking our bows in front of a packed audience. The theater, though considerably less physically draining, is still one of the tougher things I've done, especially on opening night. The butterflies so often in my stomach right before an event were there again as the curtain rose.

Maybe I'm biased because the theater is where most of my friends spend their time. But if I could go back in time and start high school over again, I'd walk past the team bus and right into the theater.

Christmas Crossword Charlie Seliger, Sophomore

Across

Down

4. Naughty or ___

1. What one might wear on Christmas morning

5. Like all the best holiday sweaters

2. Cake made with candied/dried fruit, nuts, and spices

8. Bing Crosby sang "Mele Kalikimaka" alongside The ___ Sis- 3. Season's ___ ters 6. Massachusetts's most popular 10. A snowman said to have holiday candy in 2023 come to life 7. December 26 15. Movie known for its uncanny motion-capture animation 9. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000) actor 17. What a Yule log may otherwise be known as 11. Elf on the ___ 19. Christmas abbreviation 20. The Nutcracker's Act 1 closer 22. Misspelling of Claus

12. Leafy rings hung on the front of doors 13. "I Want a ___ for Christmas" 14. Used for lighting/decor, or to fill a room with scent

24. A generally disliked gift 25. Antagonists in Home Alone

16. Buddy the Elf's fourth main food group 18. Type of fir tree typically used for Christmas trees 21. Uncharitable 23. A cider drink which inspired a Christmas carol

Headlight Staff 2023-2024 EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Ila Bumagin and Mona Gelfgatt

ASSISTANT EDITORS: Benji Boyd, Rachael Albert

TECHNOLOGY EDITOR: Kate Twomey

REPORTERS: Cole Barbeau, John Bender, Grey Collins, Tucker Crane, Aislin Freedman, Samuel Jendrysik, Anya Kane, Nina Lees, Georgia Marshall, Charlie Seliger, Livia Weiss FACULTY ADVISOR: Thomas Higgins

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A14 Wednesday, January 3, 2024 Marblehead Current

Sol Y Canto will perform at Me&Thee on Feb. 2.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Heralded by Rolling Stone and Billboard Magazine, Amy Speace’s music has been recorded by Judy Collins and Janis Ian.

ARTS

Me&Thee announces winter season of live music

BY LEIGH BLANDER The Me&Thee series kicks off its winter season on Friday, Feb. 2, with the Pan-Latin sounds of Sol Y Canto, the awardwinning ensemble led by Puerto Rican/Argentine singer and percussionist Rosi Amador and New Mexican guitarist, singer and composer Brian Amador.

Since 1994, Sol y Canto has brought audiences to their feet from the Kennedy Center to the California World Music Festival, Boston’s Symphony Hall, Puerto Rico’s Museo de Arte and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The season continues on Friday, Feb. 16, with contemporary folk and Americana artist Amy Speace who is traveling to Marblehead direct from Nashville. Heralded

by Rolling Stone and Billboard

THE KENNEDYS

New Release!

“You’ll get no resistance from these Headwinds, only pleasure.”

- Marilyn Rea Beyer, Host, WFMT’s The Midnight Special & Folkstage Songwriting duo Pete and Maura Kennedy perform at Me&Thee this spring.

Songwriter and humorist Vance Gilbert returns to Me&Thee on March 1.

Magazine, Speace’s music has been recorded by Judy Collins and Janis Ian among others. Erin Ash Sullivan will open.

On Friday, March 1, songwriter and humorist Vance Gilbert returns to the Me&Thee with Andrew Dunn and Todd

Dennison opening. Richmond Magazine wrote that “If Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens had a love child with Rodney Dangerfield as the midwife, the result might be something close to the great Vance Gilbert.”

Guitarist Abbie Gardner will

be featured on Friday, March www.KennedysMusic.com 15. An original member of the Americana harmony trio Red Molly, Gardner plays impeccable lap-style slide guitar. Her latest recording, “DobroSinger,” hit #11 on the Billboard Blues Chart.

Later in the year, songwriting duo Pete and Maura Kennedy will play selections from their

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BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

latest album “Headwinds” on Friday, April 5.

One of the most famous jazz ensembles in New England, The New Black Eagle Jazz Band, will return to the Me&Thee on Friday, April 19. The Nields will be featured on Friday, May 5, in a concert which was delayed last year due to illness.

No-fee general admission tickets and student tickets are only available at meandthee.org.

Locally, tickets for all concerts are on sale at Arnould’s Gallery, Washington Street. No phone orders are accepted and no other ticket websites are authorized.

Doors open at 7:15pm, and the music begins shortly after 8 p.m.

Me&Thee is an all-volunteer, non-profit arts organization at the UU Church, 28 Mugford Street, Marblehead, now in its 54th Season.