christmas walk schedule
BY JOE MCCONNELL
This was more like it.
After the 35-0 loss to host Grafton in a Division 4 Round of 8 playoff game, the Marblehead Football Magicians (8-3) returned to form to dominate Thanksgiving rival Swampscott on Thanksgiving eve at Fenway Park, 42-6. It was the program’s 14th straight win over the Big Blue.
The Magicians dropped their first two games of the season to Bishop Fenwick and King Philip, but then they rattled off six in a row to catapult them to the sixth seed in the playoffs. The Marblehead boys not only won those six games, but they also throttled those opponents collectively to the tune of 257-44. Altogether, counting the first two games of the season and the playoff games against Norwood and Grafton, those statistics are even more spectacular. In 11 total games, they outscored the opposition, 360-191.
Coincidentally, the team’s last two wins against Norwood and Swampscott were by the exact same score. With so many highlights this
fall, the Fenway Park experience last week definitely goes to the head of the class, before all others. From touring the Red Sox clubhouse to the team coming out of the Sox first base dugout accompanied by a red light show to start the game to additional light shows after each of their six touchdowns, coaches and players alike will never forget the entire production.
Added into it, the postgame celebration on the Fenway grass that included taking simulated swings with the silver bat they got for being the winning team. Nobody wanted this night to end, which also featured thousands of Marblehead and Swampscott fans filling the seats along the first base sidelines. Senior running back Yandel Garcia was credited with the
first touchdown of the game on a five-yard run to the endzone after the offense chewed up most of the first quarter clock. Garcia’s score came with just 3:13 left in the opening stanza.
Captain Brady Selvais hooked up with junior quarterback Finn Gallup for a 48-yard scoring strike in the second quarter after senior running back Bernardo Bannis scored from
the five. Selvais scored another touchdown in the third quarter, this time on the ground from three yards out.
Gallup found captain Crew Monaco for another 42-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter that extended Marblehead’s lead to 28-0. But Swampscott’s Gabe Tripp
Students return to school after 11-day strike
BY LEIGH BLANDER
Marblehead students and educators are back in school this week, after a tumultuous 11-day strike that included community rallies and marches, late-night bargaining sessions and tense moments between frustrated parents and School Committee members. The strike ended Nov. 26 around 7 p.m. as hundreds of educators filed into the Marblehead High School auditorium to ratify a new contract. The School Committee then ratified the deal in an
n h
I
e s t w o w o r f i l i f i b e be k y o u f o r t h e s t r i k e
executive (private) session. Just about 12 hours later, students arrived for their first day of school since Nov. 8.
Fifth-grader Brian Ceplikas
was glad to be back at the Village School Wednesday morning.
“I’m just happy being here,” he said.
Fourth-grader Penelope
Borthwick said waking up early
was a bit of a challenge after such a long break from school.
“It’s a big change,” she said.
“I did not want to get up this
morning.”
Still, Borthwick was looking forward to seeing her teacher, Ms. Welsh.
“I love her,” she said.
Crossing guard Tom Adams greeted students on Village Street with a big smile.
“It’s good to be back at work, trying to get back to normal. I love welcoming back the kids,” he said.
Educator and parent Angela Graziano, who has a student at Marblehead High School, was excited to be back at work.
“It’s great. We’re so glad. We worked so hard for our schools,” Graziano said.
Interim Superintendent John Robidoux said Wednesday the district was ready to welcome back kids.
“(Assistant Superintendent)
Marblehead senior captain Crew Monaco gets by the last Swampscott defender enroute to the endzone during the annual Thanksgiving game against Swampscott on Thanksgiving eve at Fenway Park. FOOTBALL,
As mass deportation looms, chief recommits to bias-free policing
BY KRIS OLSON
As the incoming Trump administration prepares to fulfill its pledge to embark on a mass deportation campaign, the Marblehead Police Department will remain committed to protecting anyone who lives or visits the town regardless of immigration status, Police Chief Dennis King said.
Just how aggressive the deportation campaign will become remains to be seen.
Trump has indicated on social media that he plans to use military assets to aid the effort, while his border czar nominee, Tom Homan, described the day one approach as “shock and awe” on Donald Trump Jr.’s podcast.
However, in other media interviews, Homan, who served as the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the first Trump administration, has also described a “targeted enforcement operation” prioritizing the deportation of unauthorized immigrants with criminal histories, which would not involve massive raids or neighborhood sweeps.
King said that there is no one answer to the question of whether the Marblehead Police would protect someone in the United States illegally against a federal agency that was taking legal action against them.
“It would be on a case-by-case basis,” he said.
But King added, “I want MPD to be a place where anyone is comfortable, without fear of prosecution, to come forward if they are a victim of a crime.”
That would include helping with an application for a “U” (crime victim) or “V” (human trafficking victim) visa after consultation with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, the chief said.
King noted that in the 2017 case Lunn v. Commonwealth, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that there was no authority under state law for Massachusetts court officers — or, by extension, local law enforcement — to arrest and hold an individual solely
Julia Ferreira and I visited all of the schools today, and the students and staff were overwhelmingly positive and glad to be back in the classrooms,” Robidoux wrote in an email to the Current. “There were a lot of smiles and student engagement, which was extremely heartening. We are all working together to focus on moving forward as an educational community.”
Marblehead Education Association Co-president Jonathan Heller spoke about the new contract at a press conference Nov. 26.
“We ratified a contract that begins to correct systematic problems that have been decades in the making,” Heller said.
“While we did not fully achieve every goal we were pursuing, we have made significant progress on the issues that matter most to our educators and our community: significant increases in pay for educators that bring us closer to regional standards, safety in our classrooms and progress toward modern parental leave.”
According to Heller, the contract includes a 10.5-16% wage increase for teachers over four years. Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer characterized it as a 10.5-18% increase. The pact also includes 15 days of paid parental leave (educators can also use banked sick days for a total of 12 weeks off) and the formation of a joint School Safety Committee
on the basis of a federal civil immigration detainer beyond the time that the individual would otherwise be entitled to be released from custody.
During the first Trump administration, King said his department incorporated the lessons from the Lunn decision into a training bulletin about compliance with immigration detainers, which the department would continue to follow.
“In essence — and there is a lot to this — if the person hasn’t committed a new crime, we would not detain an individual on a civil detainment order alone or warrant of removal unless it was issued by a judge,” King said.
“There would need to be probable cause for a new crime to arrest.”
When a federal agency such as ICE asks for assistance, the Marblehead Police Department follows its policies and identifies whether the individual in question is wanted for a violent act or committing certain felonies that put the community at significant risk.
“When this criteria is met, in the interest of the public’s safety, we would work to take that individual into custody and charge them with any violations of state law,” he said.
King added that the MPD is committed to bias-free policing.
“That means we do not stop, detain, question, frisk [or] search based on a generalized belief that a person of a particular race, ethnicity or national origin is more likely to commit certain types of crimes,” he said. “To base
our decisions on characteristics such as gender identity, race, ethnicity or immigration status — to name a few — is strictly prohibited.”
Marblehead resident Diann Slavit Baylis, an immigration attorney, said she feels fortunate to live in a town where biasfree policing will be the police department policy.
“This is not the case in all communities, in Massachusetts and elsewhere, as discretion can reflect bias,” she said. “Such a policy looks good on paper, but the fear is whether cities and towns throughout the United States will live up to it.”
Slavit Baylis added that she is glad to live in Massachusetts, where state leaders are trying to not only treat the immigrant population fairly but are extending our resources to help them.
“I hate to guess what would happen in a community unlike Marblehead where bias is rampant and where immigrants will not only have to worry about ICE, whose actions will be dictated by a very targeted attempt to rid our country of immigrants, but also by a biased local community where police actions may reflect that,” she said.
Fellow Marblehead resident and immigration attorney Nancy Norman said that, naturally, the threat of deportation is very scary, especially to those who have lived in the United States for many years and have extensive family ties. However, she noted that the immediate deportations
with staff and the school administration.
According to the School Committee, the new contract raises the average salary of teachers to more than $100,000 and the top salary to $113,300 by the end of four years.
Paraprofessionals, aides, and lunch and bus monitors will receive a 48-69% increase, according to the committee.
“It was a win-win,” said School Committee Chair Jenn Schaeffner. “If you both walk away not too happy and not too sad, it was successful. It was unfortunate that it took this long and that it came to a strike.”
Kezer, who sat on the School Committee’s bargaining team, added, “The school union didn’t get everything they asked for in the dollars, but they got the best package that Marblehead has ever given to its unions.”
According to the committee, the contract will cost $6.4 million over four years. It will leave a $3.17 million shortfall in
can only occur when individuals have already been through the immigration system and have been ordered removed from the country.
“Over the next few months, there will be more information as to how these deportations will be executed,” Norman said. “Based upon the available information from the incoming administration, the priority will be those with removal orders who have criminal backgrounds.”
She noted that the issues highlighted by King — whether local police have the authority to detain persons who have not committed a crime within their jurisdiction and whether local police in Massachusetts have the authority to detain persons simply because they lack documentation of legal status in the U.S. — are likely to be litigated extensively in the federal courts and could evolve rapidly.
Slavit Baylis noted that she had developed a relationship with some immigrants in Marblehead who have temporary protected status, a population that Trump has indicated he will target.
“Like many immigrants, because TPS does not provide a route to citizenship, they have to look at other routes that they have a valid right to pursue,” Slavit Baylis said.
Immigrants that have TPS status received it for a reason, such as flight from countries racked by gang violence or political upheaval, she noted.
“The immigrants I know in Marblehead have applied for asylum and will be allowed to continue to work and stay here until their asylum is decided,” she said. “In the meantime, these very hard-working, law-abiding people have to live with the fear that the Trump Administration may not always provide due process.”
Norman agreed that the clock is ticking.
“This is a very important time for those individuals with no immigration status to consider what paths are available under the immigration laws to adjust their status in the U.S.,” she said.
the school budget and require a Proposition 2 1/2 override that would add $334.60 to the average tax bill — or require layoffs.
Schaeffner addressed the override, which will likely come before voters at the May Town Meeting and June elections.
“A new chapter is opening,” Schaeffner said. “We are going to have some work to do in our community to fund this. The Proposition 2 1/2 override discussions will begin.”
Along with the contract, the two sides signed a return-towork agreement. One provision reads, “The committee agrees not to commence or prosecute any suit, action or administrative proceeding against the MEA or the 18 members of its core bargaining team including its officers as a result of the work stoppage or other MEA collective actions.”
Fox explained that the School Committee agreed not to charge the union for expenses incurred during the strike, which she
estimated to be about $20,000 a day.
“That’s police, that is the cost of producing meals for students as well, the employees who did show up to work, because there were some — various elements like that,” she said. “The court filing fees will be part of that — the court filing for the strike, but not the negotiating attorney fees.”
(The Current has asked for an accounting of those expenses.)
In exchange, the new contract will take effect Nov. 26 and not be retroactive to this summer, when the previous contract expired.
Fox gave a special shout-out to Marblehead High School teacher and coach Mike Giardi, who met with the School Committee bargaining team today to keep negotiations moving forward.
“While Mike Giardi didn’t grow up in Marblehead, he made himself an honorary Marbleheader today,” Fox said.
She added, “Every parent, every student owes him a debt of gratitude.”
COURTESY PHOTO
Marblehead attorney Diann Slavit Baylis speaks at an immigration event at The House of Seven Gables.
CURRENT PHOTO / GREY COLLINS
Marblehead Education Association Co-president Jonathan Heller signs the new four-year union contract along with Ali Carey, left, and Hannah Hood.
CURRENT PHOTO / LEIGH BLANDER Penelope Borthwick and her mom., Shannon, walk toward the Village School Wednesday morning after the end of the teacher strike.
Marblehead prepares for its 53rd Christmas Walk
BY LEIGH BLANDER
It’s beginning to look a lot like … the Christmas Walk! Two of Santa’s helpers from landscape company Cuzner W.H.I.P., started decorating the town last week. The Cuzner team hung about 150 wreaths and garlands along Atlantic Avenue and Washington Street.
“This year, I’m looking forward to the energy of the Christmas Walk,” said Katherine Koch, executive director of the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce.
“Marching in the parade, seeing smiling, happy people along the streets, everyone coming together and just really loving our wonderful little town of Marblehead.”
Check out the full Christmas Walk schedule on pages 4-5.
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Support our sponsors! Shop local Schedule
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5th
5-7:30pm: Tory’s Jewelry, open house preview and wish list.
5-7pm: All Chic At 152, Ladies Night Out, Sip, Shop And Save!
5-8pm: Marblehead Mercantile, Adult Hot Cocoa featuring Rumson's Coffee Rum.
5-7pm: Katie Ring Photography, free Locket workshop with your own photo.
5-7pm: Hestia Creations, Annual Ornament Unveiling and Special Shopping Discount.
FRIDAY DECEMBER 6th
TREE LIGHTING!
Festivities start at 5:30pm; tree lighting is at 7pm. Join us for music and entertainment at the National Grand Bank parking lot on Essex Street, across from 91 Pleasant Street!
7pm: Annual Lobster Trap Christmas Tree Lighting, featuring Glover’s Regiment, at Mud Puddle Toys. Hot drinks provided.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7th
9:30am: Santa's Landing! Don't miss the magic of Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving by lobster boat.
Free trolley service from 10am-5pm (parking at Marblehead High School) sponsored by Bartlett & Steadman.
8:30am: Free hot chocolate for the kids while they wait for Santa’s arrival by Lobster Boat at e Landing Restaurant.
9am: Living Swell, West Shore Baking Pop-Up & Design-An-Ornament.
9am-3pm: Our Lady Star of the Sea Annual Christmas Fair.
9am-3pm: Heart of Christmas Fair at St. Michael’s Church.
9am-3pm: Red Bow Fair at the Unitarian Universalist Church.
10am-4pm: Gingerbread Festival at the Jeremiah Lee Mansion.
10am-4pm: Holiday Gi Expo at
10am-5pm: Winter Artisan & Cra Association at 8 Hooper St.
10am-6pm: Holiday Artisan's Marketplace
11:45am: Christmas Walk Parade
12-2pm: All Chic At 152, Meet Santa, 12-4pm: HND Cabinets, Build your for kids.
1-3pm: Living Nativity at Our Lady
1-3pm: Marblehead Bank, Gingerbread pony rides, face painting, gingerbread decorating, and more.
1-4pm: Flores Mantilla, hot apple
of Events
1-5pm: Make Your Own Fairy House at HND Cabinets. By appointment: Katie Ring Photography, mini holiday portraits in studio. katiering.com/reserve
8pm: 44th annual Old North Festival Holiday Concert at the Old North Church.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8th
Free trolley service from 11am-3pm (parking at Marblehead High School) sponsored by Bartlett & Steadman.
10am-5pm: Holiday Artisans Marketplace at Abbot Hall.
11am-3pm: Gingerbread Festival at the Jeremiah Lee Mansion.
11am-3pm: Holiday Gi Expo at the Masonic Lodge.
11am-4pm: Winter Artisan & Cra Fair at Marblehead Arts Association at 8 Hooper St.
at the Masonic Lodge. Cra Fair at Marblehead Arts Marketplace at Abbot Hall. Parade steps off from Front St. Santa, Photos with Santa. your own Fairy House, perfect Lady Star of the Sea.
Gingerbread House Party with gingerbread toss, ornament apple cider and live violin.
12-4pm: Hestia Creations, create a unique gi in our PYOP Studio.
12-1pm: All Chic At 152, Meet Santa, Photos with Santa.
12-4pm: Annual Open House & Studio at Little Harbor Studios & Gallery.
1-4pm: Flores Mantilla, hot apple cider and live violin.
7:30pm: 44th annual Old North Festival Holiday Concert at the Old North Church Meeting House.
Hosted by the Marblehead Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Marblehead’s business community. Don’t miss the family fun, shopping, entertainment, dining, and more!
Opinion
eDITOrIAL
Comfort
and joy, walking the walk
Marblehead’s 53rd annual Christmas Walk and Holiday Stroll kicks off Thursday evening, a four-day celebration marking the quasi-official launch of a holiday season that we hope brings a measure of comfort and joy to all our readers, particularly after a year when comfort and joy often seemed in short supply amid sharp divisions, political and otherwise.
In the spirit of the season, and because Marblehead knows how to put on a blockbuster show, walkers and strollers will find a sleigh load of goodies from which to choose, beginning with Thursday’s Holiday Shopping Preview Night. Local merchants traditionally greet shoppers with free treats and enticing bargains, a practice that began years ago as a service to working adults squeezed for holiday shopping time.
Not only do shoppers benefit, but so do scores of local businesses that contribute richly to Marblehead’s commercial and cultural vibrancy. A town without chain stores and other cookie-cutter establishments thrives on, and justifiably takes pride in, its hometown merchants. We encourage readers to support them as generously as possible.
“Our businesses really drive our ability to do something like this,” Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Katherine Koch told us during a recent conversation about this year’s Christmas Walk lineup. Chamber members number more than 200 and include nonprofits, seasonal businesses and enterprises large and small, she pointed out.
“This is very much a beloved town event,” Koch added, noting that Christmas Day coincides with the first night of Hanukkah, making this year’s festivities even more inclusive. “It’s a time to shop local while celebrating family and community. A time for family and friends to come together, put any disagreements aside, and celebrate the holidays. It’s magical, actually.”
The magic continues Friday with a tree lighting ceremony at National Grand Bank, featuring live musical performances and Marblehead veterans’ agent David Rodgers, the Chamber’s Person of the Year, being honored as ceremonial lighter in chief.
No Walk weekend would be worth its roasted chestnuts without the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus, by lobster boat, followed by a colorful parade. Like its Fourth of July counterpart, this public display of holiday spirit never fails to delight participants and onlookers, young and old alike, adding up to what one Current letter writer described as “the ultimate spreader of holiday cheer in Marblehead.”
We could not have said it better ourselves.
There is more — much more — to Walk weekend, from arts and crafts shows and caroling concerts to the many holiday-themed programs held at houses of worship throughout our community. At Marblehead Museum’s Wonderland of Wreaths Auction and the Lee Mansion’s Gingerbread Festival, you’ll see awesome displays of local creativity, a cherished town trademark. While we’re feeling festive, though, let us remember the less fortunate among us — and resolve to make their holidays a little brighter, too.
Organizations worth supporting include the Marblehead Food Pantry, the Making Ends Meet program and its Adopt a Family initiative (adoptafamilymhd@gmail.com), the Edith Dodge Fund and the annual toy drive sponsored by the Beacon Restaurant and Warwick Cinema. The latter honors the memory of Michael Havens, who ran the toy drive for many years in partnership with the Marblehead Fire Department and Gerry No. 5 Veteran Firemen’s Association.
Unwrapped toys can be dropped off at collection boxes throughout town, including Shubie’s, Mud Puddle Toys and the VFW on West Shore Drive. The goal is to collect 500 toys and games between now and mid-December.
Food Pantry donations (a list of recommended items can be found at marbleheadfoodpantry.org) are accepted Tuesdays at the Masonic Lodge on Pleasant Street and distributed to families on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Star of the Sea Parish Center on Atlantic Avenue. Please help fill up those pantry shelves and grocery bags. Meanwhile, the Edith Dodge Fund will be gathering next week to wrap and then deliver gifts of cookies or clementines to residents aged 80 and over. To lend a hand, email lead elf Joan Cutler at joanhoop@gmail. com, and to help replenish the fund for next year’s gift giving, mail donations to Edith Dodge Fund, P.O. Box 1402, Marblehead, MA 01945. There will also be donation boxes at Marblehead Bank and National Grand Bank.
We urge Current readers to open their hearts — and wallets — to those in need while counting their own blessings this holiday season. To walk the walk, in other words, in more ways than one.
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A rbLeHe AD c A reS
Learning more about the schools’ new social-emotional curriculum
Marblehead Public Schools are in the process of rolling out a new system-wide social-emotional learning curriculum called Wayfinder for grades PreK-12. Susan Stelk, a member of the Marblehead Mental Health Task Force, interviewed Julia Ferreira, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, who is overseeing the curriculum implementation to learn more about this initiative.
Can you explain what social emotional learning is all about and why it is so important to be integrated into the course work of all grades?
As a district, we work together to ensure all students meet or exceed academic and socialemotional learning expectations within our multi-tiered system of supports framework. Research shows that when students feel connected to their school, they achieve better academically. Integrating a curriculum designed to help teach students social-emotional skills will help positively impact students’ academic, behavior and social-emotional development.
Social-emotional learning is when students engage in lessons that help them develop skills to build relationships and collaborate with others, as well as set goals, manage emotions and build confidence. Social-emotional learning is similar to character education, but SEL focuses more on skills to navigate social environments. Although we have integrated an SEL curriculum in our district for many years now in grades K through 5, this is the first time we have adopted an SEL curriculum for all students in grades PreK-12.
How and why did Marblehead Public Schools decide to go with this particular curriculum?
This past summer, a large team of MPS educators, administrators, mental health clinicians, and school counselors gathered for many hours over many days for a comprehensive curriculum review process. I helped co-facilitate the SEL Curriculum Committee alongside an Instructional Coach and together with the Committee members we dedicated ourselves to researching and finding the best curriculum program available for our students based on criteria we established together. As a Committee, we selected Wayfinder and gained the School Committee’s approval to add Wayfinder as our newly adopted SEL Curriculum. Wayfinder was designed to provide all students grades PreK12 with authentic learning experiences to help develop their sense of purpose and belonging. Wayfinder’s research-backed social-emotional and purpose learning curriculum aligns with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Educational Vision and grade level standards as outlined in the comprehensive health framework.
We joined the 20+ school districts in Massachusetts who are already using Wayfinder to support their students’ social-emotional development. We used remaining Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds to purchase Wayfinder, which aligns perfectly with the guidelines for use of the pandemic funding to support students’ social, emotional and mental health needs post-COVID.
How is this being rolled out?
We carefully crafted an implementation plan designed to effectively integrate Wayfinder into our classes for students in all grade levels. To ensure our staff are prepared to do so, we are utilizing professional development time with our educators to train them on the curriculum and Wayfinder’s online platform. Because Wayfinder is a comprehensive multi-tiered system of support solution, we also integrated professional development for our school counselors, school psychologists, and adjustment counselors so they are able to utilize lessons for our students who need additional support beyond the classroom lessons.
We created a few stipend positions for educators to help support the work at each of our five schools this year. The dedicated teachers who took on the role as “SEL lead” have been working very hard to help support their colleagues and lead professional development to support their learning. In the latest Office of Teaching and Learning online newsletter I sent to all families in October, I shared the links to a family letter for each grade level which outlines the topic of the unit and includes activities to do
Integrating a curriculum designed to help teach students social-emotional skills will help positively impact students’ academic, behavior and social-emotional development.
at home.
Our students are already engaging in Wayfinder lessons and creating connections to foster their sense of belonging. In grades K-5, students are engaging in lessons focused on foundational skills, which include caring for themselves and others, building confidence, and creating connections. One lesson the fifth graders just completed, focused on leadership and what it means to be a leader. For students in grades 6-9, their lessons are focused on belonging and what it means to belong to a community and a classroom of learners. For our students in grades 10-12, their lessons are focused on identifying their purpose and how their purpose will help them achieve their goals during high school and after they graduate. Our middle and high school students just completed grade-level lessons designed to develop and deepen relationships with their peers to build community.
What are the core skills you are hoping to focus on and develop?
Wayfinder is part of the Collaborative for Academic Social, Emotional Learning’s “SELect programming,” which includes a rigorous research evaluation process to be included. Wayfinder’s curriculum helps guide young people to access the skills and tools they need to thrive. Wayfinder’s curricular themes support students to meaningfully connect with their inner selves, their local communities and the wider world. Wayfinder’s research-backed six core skills (self-awareness, adaptability, empathy, collaboration, agency and purpose) go beyond typical SEL competencies to incorporate meaning-making, life readiness and critical thinking skills in order to connect classroom learning to the real world. For example, for our 10th-grade students there is a lesson called “Love it, leave it, live for it,” which is designed to help students identify their passions as they start to identify their purpose so that they can navigate their lives with purpose.
How does this tie in with the need to have a school-wide bullying prevention program?
Wayfinder integrates bullying prevention lessons into the core curriculum for our students. The program promotes empathy, respect and connections which in turn can reduce incidents of bullying. The Wayfinder lessons and activities are designed to help students build a supportive, connected community.
Will you be collecting information to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and the impact on student skill development ?
Wayfinder has a skill inventory assessment that will help us measure students’ development of the six core skills: self-awareness, adaptability, empathy, collaboration, agency and purpose.
As part of our implementation plan, we will begin professional development for rolling out the assessment tool later this school year with the goal of it being fully operational at the start of next school year. The data from the skills inventory will help us evaluate the effectiveness and impact on students. A recent study conducted by Stanford University found that students who participated in the Wayfinder SEL curriculum in other school districts were positively impacted, so we are hopeful for the same results here in Marblehead. Since implementing Wayfinder, we have received positive feedback from both students and staff, which is very encouraging.
This column is part of a Marblehead Current and Marblehead Mental Health Task Force partnership.
Navigating holidays when we’ve lost someone
BY LISA SUGARMAN
Warning: This column mentions suicide and may be triggering for some readers.
Losing someone we love changes us. To our core. It changes everything from our perspective on life and our relationships to our sense of purpose and our priorities. It can also have a profound impact on our ability to find joy when the person we’ve lost isn’t there to experience that joy alongside us. And one of the times we feel that loss most acutely is when we’re celebrating milestones and holidays.
Speaking as a three-time suicide loss survivor who’s lost three people I love, including my father, I can tell you that one of the hardest things I’ve had to navigate about those losses is sitting around the holiday table knowing that the person who’s usually sitting across from me isn’t there anymore. Because whether you’ve just lost someone or you’ve been grieving them for decades like me, the holiday season still stings when we can’t share it with our people. And now that it’s December,
Town needed the big win at Fenway
To the editor: OK, I’m just going to come out and say it — I was initially skeptical of having the annual Thanksgiving Day game at Fenway. Sure, Fenway is the hallowed cathedral of Boston sports. And they have long since transitioned to everything from NHL games to concerts. But maybe the reminder of a thenstruggling 1960s-era Patriots calling Fenway their home field bothered me .Or it doesn’t have football style stadium seating. The drive, expensive parking. Or it is not Piper or Blocksidge on Thursday morning. Well, here is my verdict. It was awesome! From the start of the game with highlight reels of both teams on the big screen to seeing the 42-6 score on the iconic leftfield scoreboard. Watching those numbers add up six at a time. Both bands playing the national nnthem together. It was wonderful. And what could be a better way to get a pre-Thanksgiving cholesterol spike than slamming down a couple of Fenway Franks? Just what the doctor ordered. This town needed a big win and the Magicians delivered. Happy Thanksgiving. There, I said it.
Jim Zisson Mound Road
Schools, teachers come through for families in need this Thanksgiving
To the editor:
It wasn’t too long after I joined the community of the Marblehead Food Pantry in the mid-90s that I discovered a soon-to-be momentous annual event in the life of the pantry. A big distribution of turkeys (then supplied by the Community Store and many years beyond) with fixings was being planned by some of the town’s public schools to enable everyone and their families in Marblehead who used our Food Pantry to get the makings of a full Thanksgiving
we’re approaching them fast. So, let’s talk about why it hurts so much and what we can do to help soften that pain.
In my case, I lost my father to suicide over 45 years ago, so I’ve missed over four decades worth of holidays and milestones with my dad. And I wish I could say it gets easier, but then I’d be lying. And I hate liars. What I can say with confidence, though, is that we do learn how to find joy and celebrate those special times alongside our grief. And while I know that probably doesn’t sound super comforting or ideal, it’s the truth. Grief and joy can co-exist. But how do we make that happen? Like how’s it even possible to have two such conflicting emotions flowing through us at the same time?
Well, the first thing we do is to acknowledge that we’re in pain. Because without recognizing that we’re hurting, we’re avoiding the thing we need to connect with in order to allow us to start to heal. So, we let ourselves sit in the suck for as long as we need to until it passes. And that might mean just letting our emotions flow through us in whatever ways they come. Like maybe it means we need to cry it out or talk it out or run it out or journal it
dinner to take home. Students provided all the fixings including fresh produce, along with pies provided by the teachers and staff.
As each day evolved into next during the two weeks before Thanksgiving, schools still remained closed and teachers continued to strike and negotiate. Some of us at the pantry began to be getting concerned whether over 100 people signed up for this feast were going to be able to get enough food in their bags to take home to their families for a Thanksgiving dinner. We needn’t have worried. There were stalwart and dedicated teachers at the three schools involved who had done this long enough and cared enough about the pantry folks that they decided they were not going to let the pantry down. This was the 24th year that the high school has been involved with this. The Village School had been doing this through their Neighbors to Neighbors program for 17 years, and the Brown School has been involved for the three years they’ve been here.
Village School teachers and staff reached out to their colleagues and the wider community asking them to donate needed items or contribute money. The Food Pantry received a check from a Venmo fundraiser for nearly $2,800. The Brown School also reached out and spread the word that more pies were needed, and within a short time 40 pies were collected. The high school bought more food to bring their produce totals to enough to feed everybody.
A local family lost a beloved son this past year, and a dear friend of theirs helped to raise money for a foundation for them. They decided they wanted to donate part of that money to pay for all the turkeys for the Food Pantry’s Thanksgiving. This was unrelated to the strike and school closures, but was another example of what wondrous things are being done for others in this community.
I have not yet publicly thanked all of you who responded so generously to our “The
Grief isn’t linear, especially over the holidays, and we need to give ourselves the time and the space to process it in our own unique way(s).
out. Because when we don’t open that emotional valve and let our feelings out, they’re just going to build and build until the pressure becomes too much and we suffocate.
That’s why, going into the holidays, we need to recognize that these important celebrations are just going to hit differently without our person, and that it’s totally normal for our grief to intensify during these extra-emotional times.
Then, we plan ahead and really give some thought to how we want to spend the holidays. We give ourselves the ability to be flexible about our plans to ensure that what we do feels comfortable. And we give ourselves grace to step back and change things up if what we’ve planned feels too hard in the moment.
Next, we give ourselves permission to say ‘no’ to the traditions or activities or gatherings that we feel our heart just can’t handle. And we do that by paying attention to what our heart and headspace are telling
Cupboard is Bare” letter this past summer. We raised about $15,000, and our food donations have increased. I’m noticing an increase in some of our holiday donations this season. This is all good, and we are grateful, but please don’t let down your guard. The number of our clients has also increased.
Folks will come into our Masonic warehouse area and say, “You still don’t have any food!” That’s true. Donations come in Tuesday and immediately are whisked off by volunteers to the pantry and gone there by the following week. We still want to find a way to give you more access to our warehouse storage area than two hours a week. We do want to make it easier for you to donate.
I don’t want this letter to end on a “Please give us more” note. This letter is to express our gratitude for what has been given to us, especially exemplified these past weeks. It’s been said before, but Marblehead is indeed a community that cares.
Janet Fitch Parker Director, Marblehead Food Pantry Arthur Avenue
Our teachers will leave
To the editor:
If you have spent any real time in our schools or really spoken to your kids’ teachers, you know our schools are in crisis; there is no denying that, and they have been for a while. So, while some are focusing their attention to “This is a coordinated effort!”, “The strike is illegal!” — that’s just noise to me. Instead, we should be looking at it from a macro perspective of, “Maybe this is what happens when towns continuously defund education.” The argument that the teachers just “need to go back in the classroom and teach” does nothing to actually solve the problem that got us here! Any system out of balance will implode, and that is what we are seeing in Beverly, Marblehead and Gloucester — the results of financial mishandlings and our educators and students bearing the consequences.What does it say about our school system when we can’t retain teachers?
Any business owner knows that
us about how we’re feeling. We lean on the people we know we can trust when we’re feeling overwhelmed by our grief. And we talk about the way we’re feeling as a way of offloading the heavy feelings that play on a loop in our heads. And that might mean seeking out a close friend or a therapist to talk to about how you’re feeling. Or, maybe consider a support group where you can connect with other people who may be dealing with the same heavy feelings. And we make sure to set boundaries that allow us to make time for ourselves, even if it means taking a break from some (or all) of the celebrations on our calendars. That can also mean taking breaks from the holiday crowd when we’re feeling a little too overwhelmed by doing something as simple as just stepping away for a little air or taking a walk to recalibrate our heart space. Or maybe it means forsaking the big events for a smaller, more intimate one at home.
in order to keep your employees, they need to be incentivized to stay. What incentivizes them? Proper pay, positive morale, safe working environment, humane treatment and modern benefits to name a few — these are the things our educators are asking for. So, as a parent of a child at Village School, to hear that they lost 11 special educators, one has to take a step back and ask the question, “Why?” The answer: They lost their incentive to stay. This loss — and many more like this — is devastating and so I have to ask another question: When is Marblehead going to realize that we need to prioritize funding education? I understand the argument is that the town can’t financially support these asks without an override, but this is the time where we need to shift the narrative around overrides so the tide can change. There can be methodical and tailored approaches to an override, so before you blindly and vocally object, I ask those opposed to first be open minded.
I was once told by a sitting School Committee member, “Well, you’re just a parent and there’s a lot you don’t understand.” OK, condescending but fair. However, I also take the time to educate myself when things go awry. I know that overrides have failed in the past because taxpayers are tired of bearing the financial burden when the town can’t support what is being asked of it. I also know that the most recent override didn’t pass, mostly because of the above and poor choices with its timeline, conception and execution. (Similarly, it’s kind of hard to pass an override sponsored by the School Committee when even they aren’t fully aligned on it passing.) I also know that this comes down to the need for our town to embrace making calculated decisions on new ways to generate more revenue (so taxpayers don’t have to bail the town out everytime). The answers are there but we need to put our swords down and our elected parties need to come together and work congruently; there’s a lot of low hanging fruit out there, but we need action to make it happen. We can’t better our community if we don’t embrace change.
But the reminder that I think may be the most powerful of all to keep tucked away in our heart is that, as humans, we are capable of feeling joy and lightness at the same time that we’re grieving. Because contrary to how it may feel, our emotional infrastructure is designed to carry the weight of both things at once without collapsing. Even when we don’t think we can.
Lisa Sugarman is an author, nationally syndicated columnist, three-time survivor of suicide loss, mental health advocate and crisis counselor with The Trevor Project. She’s also a storyteller with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the host of The Suicide Survivor Series on YouTube. Sugarman is also a Survivor of Suicide Loss Grief Group facilitator for Samaritans. Visit her online at lisasugarman. com.
Just remember that grief isn’t linear, especially over the holidays, and we need to give ourselves the time and the space to process it in our own unique way(s). And the important caveat to that is that we need to allow ourselves to experience our grief in our own personal way, even if it feels and looks different from how others around us are experiencing theirs.
If our teachers do not get a fair and funded contract they will leave, starting now. So if an override is the fix that will allow our public education to heal, I expect our elected School Committee to stand behind this. Until Marblehead catches up to its financial demands by embracing and prioritizing the urgent need to generate new streams of revenue, I fully support an override to get us there; we cannot settle for the status quo.
Bit Coppola Beverly Road Marblehead should be a sanctuary town
To the editor: I am writing to express my strong support for declaring Marblehead a sanctuary town. In light of the harsh deportation policies enacted under the Trump administration, it is vital that we stand in solidarity with our immigrant community. By becoming a sanctuary town, we affirm our commitment to compassion, inclusivity and human rights. This declaration will not only protect vulnerable individuals but also enhance the rich diversity that makes Marblehead a vibrant place to live. I urge you to take a stand for justice and community.
Sincerely,
Bruce Ettenberg Elbridge Lane
‘Symbolic’ ending to contentious teacher contract talks
To the editor: How symbolic of an unnecessarily divided and sundered negotiation that the two parties cannot even appear together in the same place to announce this infinitely painful and now mightily welcome agreement. As a longstanding media practitioner, the optics could not be worse. I cannot but ascribe this intransigence to the members of the subcommittee which purports to represent my best interests as a Marblehead
Wild turkeys thrive in Marblehead
BY WILL DOWD
From near extinction to neighborhood fixtures, wild turkeys have made a remarkable comeback in Massachusetts coastal communities, with Marblehead and Swampscott residents increasingly sharing their streets with these bold birds.
The transformation stems from a successful 1970s conservation effort when Massachusetts wildlife officials relocated 37 turkeys from New York to the Berkshires. By 1978, that small group had grown to 1,000 birds. Today, the state’s turkey population exceeds 30,000.
In Marblehead, the birds have become such regular fixtures that
residents name them. A solitary turkey dubbed “Eloise” frequents Circle Street, while others gather near Redd’s Pond and along Pleasant Street. They’re often spotted outside medical offices on Widger Road and in residential neighborhoods.
The birds display complex urban adaptation behaviors. They roost in trees at night to avoid predators but spend daylight hours foraging in parks and gardens. During breeding season, from February through March, male turkeys can become
territorial. Female turkeys rarely show aggression, even when protecting their young.
Their diet in urban areas consists primarily of insects, leaves and seeds found in gardens and bird feeders. The birds have learned that densely packed neighborhoods offer ideal grazing opportunities with fewer natural predators than rural areas.
While some residents express frustration over traffic disruptions and occasional aggressive behavior, others appreciate the birds’ resilience and adaptation to urban life. State law protects the turkeys, limiting how animal control officers can interact with them unless the birds are injured or ill. The turkeys’ successful return represents one of Massachusetts’ most notable wildlife conservation achievements.
COURTESY PHOTO / GENE RECORD A wild turkey flaunts its feathers at Peach’s Point.
COURTESY PHOTO / LLOYD THOMPSON A close-up of a wild turkey’s vibrant blue and red head on Whittier Road.
A game and night like no other
COURTESY PHOTOS / EYAL OREN, WEDNESDAYS IN MARBLEHEAD
Marblehead senior Bernardo Bannis gets ready to celebrate his touchdown during the annual Thanksgiving game against Swampscott on Thanksgiving Eve at Fenway Park.
Coming out of the Red Sox dugout to start the game, the Magicians were surrounded by a red light show emblematic of their red and black colors.
Marblehead junior Rylan Golden gets ready to celebrate with running back Yandel Garcia after Garcia scored a touchdown.
Marblehead senior captain Colt Wales stretches to score a touchdown.
Marblehead senior Gunther Fehrenbach tackles the Swampscott quarterback as junior Declan Gibson closes in to help out.
Marblehead senior captain Brady Selvais gets up after scoring one of his two touchdowns.
There was a large contingent of Marblehead and Swampscott football fans who showed up to fill the Fenway Park stands on the first base side at Fenway Park.
Marblehead seniors Drew Goldman and Cam Quigley brings down Swampscott’s Henry Beuttler with help from captains Crew Monaco and Brady Selvais.
Marblehead football captains Wales, Monaco relive the Fenway experience fondly
BY JOE MCCONNELL
It was a moment that will indelibly be etched in the minds of everybody associated with the 2024 Marblehead High football program. Coaches, players, cheerleaders, trainers, administrators and most of all the loyal fans will never forget this year. The team battled through adversity on and off the gridiron to end up with an 8-3 winning record and an invitation to play the annual Thanksgiving Day game against Swampscott on Thanksgiving eve at Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox. In a normal year, this year’s game would have been played at Piper Field. But this was no normal year.
Colt Wales, Crew Monaco, Bodie Smith, Justin Gonzalez and Brady Selvais were the captains, who kept their teammates grounded and determined in order to catapult them to be among one of the top 8 teams in Division 4.
The Magicians started the playoffs as the sixth seed in a division that was comprised of 39 statewide teams that qualified for the postseason, according to the power rankings. They defeated visiting Norwood (11th seed) in a Round of 16 game, before facing host Grafton (third seed) in an Elite 8 game.
The Marblehead boys started that game without two of their coaches, because of the teachers strike, and the final score certainly did not reflect the previous seven, where they simply dominated the opposition.
The game plan was in place
spoiled the shutout bid with a 70-yard kickoff return for a touchdown with no time left on the first half clock. Swampscott’s extra point, however, was blocked by junior Julius Galante. With 3:20 left in the game, quarterback Colt Wales scored the last Fenway touchdown of the game from the three.
Gallup led all Marblehead rushers with 59 yards on eight carries. Wales rushed four times for 51 yards. Selvais chipped in with 37 yards on the 11 carries. Garcia carried the ball six times for 34 yards. Bannis had 33 yards on four carries. Monaco picked up 11 yards on three carries. Keiran Moss factored into the rushing attack with two carries for three yards.
From the air, Gallup was a perfect seven-for-seven for 123 yards. Wales had two completions for 47 yards. On the receiving end of their passes, Monaco caught two for 51. Selvais had one for 48 yards, followed by Sam Thompson with one reception of his own for 47 yards. Rylan Golden hauled in three passes for 26 yards. Carter Sahagian came through with one 10-yard reception, and Moss also accounted for one for seven yards. But beyond the offense, it was the Fenway aesthetics that stood out, even for coach Jim Rudloff. “(Fenway) was really a great experience,” he said. “We had the Red Sox locker room, went into the tunnel and out into the Red Sox dugout, before going on the field (for the red-light show).” The Fenway experience certainly softened the blow of that Round of 8 loss to host Grafton. “It took our kids a couple of days to reenergize after the Grafton game,” Rudloff added. “We were fortunate enough to have that time to allow for that to happen between games. And I think every time
for the Grafton game, thanks to head coach Jim Rudloff’s diligence to prepare for every game several days in advance. They followed his notes closely in practice, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to beat a club that was perfect at that point of the season. But the following week, the Gators also suffered defeat in the state semifinal game against Scituate, the second seed, 14-3.
Wales and Monaco spoke from the heart with the Marblehead Current in a video interview after the Fenway Thanksgiving game against Swampscott on Thanksgiving Eve. And their thoughts were enlightening.
“I don’t think any (high school football) team in Massachusetts this year went through the ups and downs that we went through,” said Monaco. “We had to endure the teachers strike, and many other things this season, and (through it all) we
did everything the right way. I’m proud of all my boys (for that).”
Wales added his thoughts on the season with the same type of genuineness. “We played our hardest every single moment this year,” he said. “We practiced hard, and watched film everyday for the past six months. We then finally saw everything pay off (tonight) at Fenway Park.”
The Red Sox awarded the Magicians with the silver bat trophy for winning the game, and then they let out all their emotions from a long season with a prolonged postgame celebration at “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark.”
“This was an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Wales. “(What more can you say), we’re here playing at Fenway Park. It’s just insane.
“I was just hucking (the football) up there as if it was a baseball, and I was throwing it to the
centerfielder,” Wales added, while pointing in that direction. He threw one long ball of 47 yards to classmate Sam Thompson, who caught it to keep one of six scoring drives alive.
The Magicians ended up defeating the Big Blue, 42-6 to extend the winning streak over their longtime Thanksgiving rivals to 14 games. Five seniors factored into all six touchdowns, and sophomore placekicker Finbar Bresnahan successfully tacked on all six extra points to account for the 42 points.
Selvais led the way with two touchdowns, one in the air and one on the ground. Wales closed out the scoring late in the fourth quarter with a running touchdown. Monaco caught a 48-yard scoring strike from junior quarterback Finn Gallup.
Yandel Garcia scored the first touchdown of the game on a five-yard run to the endzone, which completed a long first quarter drive that consumed almost nine minutes.
Bernardo Bannis also scored from the five in the second quarter.
“I couldn’t ask for a better ending to the season,” said Monaco. “When the lights shine the brightest, we have to perform, and I feel like we did that. We performed like a team today.”
Every time Crew comes to Fenway from now on, he’ll remember scoring a touchdown in the endzone near the third base dugout, and the interception he had at the other end of the field. He was proudly pointing in those directions
we play Swampscott, the kids are up for it, (especially this year at Fenway).”
Rudloff didn’t really notice the game highlights on the Fenway Jumbotron, but it was a different story for him before the kickoff. “I’ll be honest I didn’t really notice much of what was going on during the game. However, that moment when the hype video came on as we were about to come out of the dugout was pretty wild,” he said.
Believe it or not, despite the blowout win over the Big Blue, the Marblehead boys were somewhat banged up, especially most of the senior captains, with Rudloff adding: “Both Crew Monaco and Justin Gonzalez were injured against Grafton. Neither practiced the day before the (Fenway) game, but credit our trainer Maddie Rowe for getting them ready. And Bodie Smith played the game in a cast with a broken hand, while
when describing those two plays. Colt recalls playing with his teammates since the earliest days in youth football. “It was just a pleasure to be on the same teams with them over the years,” he said.
And now to be playing with them at Fenway made it extra special for him, and he was certainly not alone with those thoughts.
“The whole experience with the light shows at the beginning of the game and after each touchdown, and the Red Sox clubhouse is one that I’ll never forget. I’m so grateful for this opportunity,” said Crew.
“It was hard not to look at the (Jumbotron), especially after we scored a touchdown. It was truly amazing, and I’m still shocked that we got to play here.”
Colt elaborated further on this special night. “The light show was incredible after each touchdown,” he said. “We saw a video one time of a Leominster game, and they did the same thing with their lights. We thought it was so cool.
“When they started this game with a red light show as we were being introduced, it was the most insane thing that I had ever seen. I wasn’t too focused on it in the moment, but afterwards I realized how cool it was,” Wales added. “And the Red Sox clubhouse is so spiffy and clean, and the TVs were cool too.”
The Marblehead senior quarterback summed up the entire Fenway experience perfectly for his teammates. “It was the best night of my life, honestly,” he said.
to hear me say this, but yes after every play I looked up at the Jumbotron to see the play before. It was so incredible. That was definitely one of my favorite parts of the night,” he said. But Wales then added: “Overall, it was the best night of my life, honestly.”
Brady Selvais has been held together with tape. But this is an incredibly tough group of kids that lead by example.”
Rudloff also referenced captain Colt Wales, who he says “is an absolute beast, considering he has not missed a practice in two years.”
While Rudloff didn’t pay attention to the Jumbotron during the game, Wales admitted he couldn’t keep his eyes off it. “Coach Rudloff won’t like
But with the 2024 football season now in the rearview mirror for Marblehead, the talk might shift soon to next year. “I haven’t really thought about next year that much,” Rudloff said. “But most notable is the fact that we are losing 27 seniors, which is half the varsity team. This is the largest group of seniors we have ever had by a long shot. We will return only two starting players on defense, and 2.5 on offense.
“(But one thing is for sure), that will make it very easy to schedule games or scrimmages next year, because most of the coaches in the area will smell blood,” added the veteran Marblehead coach.
CURRENT PHOTO / JOE MCCONNELL
Marblehead football captains Crew Monaco and Colt Wales, from left, pose together for a photo after they and their teammates defeated Thanksgiving rival Swampscott, 42-6 at Fenway Park on Thanksgiving eve.
Marblehead junior quarterback Finn Gallup looks to get around Swampscott’s Nakeylen Davis.
Marblehead senior captain Crew Monaco protects the football as he runs through the Swampscott defense.
Marblehead senior running back Yandel Garcia (1) tries to escape the grasp of Swampscott’s Brian Giarla.
COURTESY PHOTOS / EYAL OREN, WEDNESDAYS IN MARBLEHEAD
Members of the Marblehead High football team pose for a photo after beating Swampscott handily, 42-6, on Thanksgiving eve at Fenway Park.
NAME: Drew Goldman
AGE: 18
FAMILY: Parents: Jay, Liza; sisters: Maya, 24; Lily, 22
SCHOOL YEAR: Senior
SPORTS YOU PLAY: Football, basketball
FAVORITE SPORT, AND WHY: Football is my favorite sport, because it’s the ultimate team game. There’s no other sport like it. Eleven versus 11. Each of those 22 players on the field has a specific duty. If they don’t fulfill that duty, everything can go wrong. I love that, because it forces you to create bonds within teams that are so strong, teammates start to feel like brothers. That sense of camaraderie within a team is what made me come back to the field every fall.
MOST MEMORABLE GAME FOR YOU, AND WHY: The most memorable game for me is without a doubt my last game as a Magician — Thanksgiving this year at Fenway Park. Playing at Fenway was something I never could’ve dreamed of. A game of football at “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark” doesn’t even
feel feasible, yet my team and I did it. Not only was this game so memorable, because of the venue, but also because of the outcome, beating Swampscott, 42-6. Beating our biggest rival at Fenway felt like a fever dream. I’ll never forget the multitude of memories that were made in that one day, and the
feeling of winning on the field at the oldest (major league baseball) ballpark with my brothers.
PLANS AFTER MHS: Non-football colleges: The Ohio State University, University of Illinois, University of Georgia, University of Florida, University of Missouri, Indiana University, University of Wisconsin and UMass Amherst; Football schools: Carleton
College in Northfield, Minnesota, (verbal offer already in place), Washington University in St Louis and Wesleyan.
MAJOR: Business/ finance DO YOU WANT TO PLAY SPORTS IN COLLEGE: Yes. I would love the opportunity to play football on the collegiate level. DESIRED CAREER: Wealth management
Wednesday, Dec. 4
6 p.m., girls hockey, St. Mary’s, Lynn (scrimmage), Connery Rink, Lynn
Saturday, Dec. 7
8 a.m., wrestling, multiple schools (scrimmage), Marblehead High gym
9 a.m. girls basketball, Essex Tech (scrimmage), Essex Technical High noon, boys hockey, Lynnfield (scrimmage), McVann-O’Keefe Memorial Rink, Peabody Sunday, Dec. 8
10:30 a.m., boys hockey, Dover-Sherborn, Salem State University
2:20 p.m., girls hockey (jamboree), Cambridge Rindge & Latin, New England Sports Center, Marlborough Monday, Dec. 9
5 p.m., girls basketball, Lynn English (scrimmage), Marblehead High gym
7 p.m., boys basketball, Bishop Fenwick (scrimmage), Marblehead High gym
Wednesday, Dec. 11
6 p.m., boys basketball, Manchester-Essex (scrimmage), Manchester-Essex Regional High
Lunch menu available Wednesday -Sunday 11:30-3pm -Every Tuesday -$2Oysters!Delicious Homemade Authentic Greek Cuisine 261 Washington St, Marblehead 781-499-5006 Online ordering eliamarblehead@gmail.com or through DoorDash and UberEats
Hobbs brings kids, nannies together
BY CHRISTINE MCCARRISTON
It’s common to hear children say they want to go to the park to play with their friends, but at Hobbs Playground you’ll also find many adults who echo those sentiments. They look forward to going to the park to meet up with their friends, too. The newly built, inclusive playground is a haven for children of all ages but also brings many adults together, especially members of the local nanny community.
“Oh, yes I love to go to Hobbs to meet up with my friends, too,” nanny Jill Thomas said. “It’s a great place of socialization for me as well as the kids.”
Thomas cares for Annie and Bailey Kanter, 21-month-old twins and their brother Hayes, 5. The Hobbs adventures don’t stop for the children who make lots of friends while climbing, sliding and swinging on the new equipment, but a bonus the park offers is what it brings for the adults, too.
Thomas called the playground a “lifeline.” There she met Melissa Mahoney, a fellow nanny, who says Hobbs is a “blessing.” Hobbs Playground was rebuilt in 2022 thanks to fundraising by Marblehead Family Fund members who saw the antiquated playground equipment and believed the community deserved more. When former
MFF chair Laney Dowling joined the group in 2017, the design for the park was all set and it was time for fundraising. Events like the Gingerbread Festival and Pumpkin Illumination helped get the campaign rolling, but then the pandemic hit, and MFF members grappled with how they could continue fundraising.
“We started a capital campaign, and that really brought us to the Hobbs we have today,” Dowling said. Watching the funds increase during that time thanks to community donors was special to see, Dowling added.
“We got to hear stories from donors who had kids who are now in their 20s. They had such wonderful memories of the park; they wanted to give back.”
Dowling’s heart is in Hobbs
entitlement and yes, a grave negligence of your duties
taxpayer, and deeply, deeply regret it.
Rhoderick Sharp Franklin Street
To the School Committee:
You ‘failed your Marblehead residents’
To the editor: My father always told me, “When someone does something wrong, you need to tell them they’re doing something wrong. They may continue to do it but the truth is where it needs to be.”
The truth is this. You all have failed your Marblehead residents.
The actions over these past couple of weeks are nothing but additional gas to the flames of arrogance,
When you continuously lie, deflect, mislead, you leave people no choice but to question why? And I can’t keep coming back to any other reason other than you have things to hide.
As representatives of our town, you are supposed to be our heart beat, and our voice, but instead you have made us all heartless and mute. You have turned the governance of this town into a joke. Except it’s on all of us, because you all use, and have been greatly using your positions to your benefits for years.
Where else could you ask questions regarding a town budget, a file every citizen is entitled to see, only to be met with half-answers, lies and silence. And where else could you want to ask questions about public properties being sold to private developers, but nope! Don’t even dare ask
and calls the project she led a labor of love.
“It feels really good that the community is enjoying it,” Dowling said. “When the kids are that young and you’re looking for an activity, people can pop into Hobbs and meet someone they know or make a new friend.”
That’s exactly what many local nannies do on a daily basis. Dowling made friends with some nannies when she brought her own children to play on the new equipment and still exchanges Christmas cards with some of them.
Mahoney brings Henrik Demerle, 18 months, for some playground fun and understands the bond Dowling made with the nannies she met at Hobbs. As a nanny for 30 years, she said
questions in this town!
No truly. Because anytime someone asks any of you a question you refuse to answer or hide behind an overpriced attorney
Most other municipalities at this point would want to save face. Or at the least during the holiday season give some sort of sign or indication that its members truly do care about performing the duties their positions charge them to.
But I do not expect that here.
No. Until collectively we all stand up and tell you ‘no more’ at the voting booth, you will continue to squander our taxpayers money, believing you have no obligation to the actual taxpayers themselves.
And the most nauseating thing of all? I think you truly believe that.
Jeremy Spiegel May Street
there are still some things she needs to talk out, like changing nap times from two-a-day to one. “Sometimes you change ages, and you need reminders,” she said, adding the nanny community is always there with sage advice that works.
Mahoney knows the playground well from when she took her own children and neighbors’ children there over the years. She walks her dogs by the park daily and watched the old park go and the new one grow into what it is today. She even became nostalgic when she saw the old rocking horses taken out and had a moment thinking she wanted one to keep in her yard for old time’s sake. She is grateful for the changes despite the nostalgia.
Thomas was a nanny in New Jersey for many years before moving back to the area. Being away for a while meant she wasn’t aware of the many children’s programs in the area and didn’t know any other local nannies until she brought Annie, Bailey, and Hayes to Hobbs.
“I used to put the twins backto-back in one swing,” she recalled. Of course, that got many adults commenting on how cute they were, and she started to make friends herself.
“It can be lonely being a nanny as the young kids don’t talk.”
Thomas and Mahoney both said the best thing their fellow
BY WILL DOWD
The Current welcomes submissions (150-200 words) to the news in brief. Send yours to wdowd@ marbleheadnews.org.
Edith Dodge Foundation to deliver gifts to seniors
The Edith Dodge Foundation is hard at work preparing special holiday gifts for every Marblehead over 80 years old. The foundation needs volunteers Dec. 9-13 to package and deliver gifts. Deliveries include clementines and cookies. Seniors living in local care residences and former Marbleheaders living in extended care and assisted living residences around the North Shore will receive fleece blankets.
The operation is based this year at the VFW, 123 West Shore Drive.
nannies provide is support and advice on activities going on in Marblehead. “What to do when it rains and we can’t go to Hobbs,” Mahoney mentioned. Both noted story time with Miss Debbie at Abbot Library (10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays) as one of the events they learned about from other nannies and now attend regularly.
The children make friends, too, of course, while running from the we-go-round, a fully wheelchair-accessible component that replaced the rusty, old merry-go-round, to the climbing structures, slides and various swings. For the nannies, the grassy area next to the playground provides a perfect lunch spot. Come around noon, and you’ll likely see the nannies spreading their blankets while the older kids help their younger friends set up their little chairs with trays. There they enjoy lunch while talking about their day. All the children help clean up when lunch is over.
The recent run of great weather was a gift to the nannies who spent many of those sunny days at Hobbs, but even in cold weather, Hobbs is bustling with activity.
“It is showing that the new generation is coming and they’re going to enjoy the park,” Dowling said. “It’s so wonderful to see it full of people.”
Donations may be made to the Edith Dodge Fund, Box 1402, Marblehead. There are also donation boxes and Marblehead Bank and National Grand. To volunteer, email joanhoop@gmail.com.
2025 Town Meeting warrant open
The Marblehead Select Board unanimously approved opening the warrant for the 2025 annual Town Meeting, scheduled for Monday, May 5, 7 p.m., at Veterans Middle School.
The warrant opening allows registered voters to sponsor warrant articles, also known as citizen petitions, until noon Friday, Jan. 24. Town government boards and commissions have until noon Jan. 31 to submit their own articles. Town Meeting, which serves as the legislative body for Marblehead, enables residents to vote on key matters such as budgets, bylaws, home-rule petitions and resolutions.
To place an article on the warrant, registered voters must submit a petition with signatures from at least 10 registered voters. Articles must fit within the scope of the Town Meeting’s warrant, which outlines the place, date and agenda, as required by local bylaws.
For residents seeking guidance, reach out to Town Moderator Jack Attridge at either jack@allmarblehead. com or 781-883-3200.
Citizens are encouraged
to start early, consult with town officials or legal counsel if needed, and review past town meeting warrants for examples.
Capital Planning volunteers needed
The Marblehead Select Board is seeking three resident volunteers to serve on the town’s Capital Planning Committee, which will oversee major municipal projects valued at over $1 million.
The committee, which was reorganized at last year’s Town Meeting, includes department heads and town employees alongside the resident volunteers. Interested residents can submit letters of interest and resumes to the Select Board at Town Hall, 7 Widger Road or email wylie@marblehead. org. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 5, with interviews tentatively scheduled for the Dec. 11 Select Board meeting.
Translation talk
Elizabeth Blood will present “The Translator’s Tightrope: Balancing Replication and Creation” at Abbot Public Library on Monday, Dec. 16, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Blood will discuss the challenges literary translators face in remaining faithful to original texts while creating engaging translations, sharing examples from her English translations of French historical true crime novels. Topics include translation processes, linguistic and cultural differences, industry practices and the impact of machine translation. Registration is required and limited to 50 attendants at tinyurl.com/ Translators-Tightrope. Leigh Blander contributed to this reporting.
CURRENT PHOTO / CHRISTNE MCCARRISTON
Lunching at Hobbs Playground: From left, nanny Jill Thomas, Bailey, Hayes and Annie Kanter, Henrik Demerl and nanny Melissa Mahoney pause their play at Hobbs Playground to enjoy a midday meal.
COURTESY PHOTO Volunteers with the Edith Dodge Foundation prepare holiday packages for Marblehead’s residents over 80 years old.
Priscilla Landis Moulton, 101
MARBLEHEAD - Priscilla Landis Moulton, ae 101, passed away on Friday, Nov. 29. Priscilla was born in 1923, raised in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from The Packer Collegiate Institute in 1940. In 1944, she received her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and married fellow Cornellian, Lloyd Jackson Moulton. In the mid-50s, the mother and homemaker earned her master of science in library science at Case Western Reserve University.
The Moultons moved to
Grace S. Pulitano, 92
Grace S. Pulitano, 92, a cherished resident for the past three years at the Bertram House in Swampscott, passed away peacefully on Nov. 23. Her children, Gina Pulitano of Marblehead and Joseph Pulitano of Portland, Maine, were at her side.
Marblehead and soon Priscilla was setting up school libraries in neighboring Swampscott. With the unfailing encouragement of her husband, she became director of libraries for the Brookline schools. She pioneered efforts to unite authors, illustrators, publishers,
AL eSTATe Tr ANSFerS
C. Almond
Jason H. and Sarah I. Fenwick
STATe STreeT
Grace was known for her outgoing personality and making friends wherever she was. Born in Cambridge, Grace has lived in Cambridge, Belmont and Marblehead and and for 13 years she and her husband, the late Joseph Pulitano Sr., lived on Sanibel Island while running The Schoolhouse Art Gallery. Grace was the beloved sister of the late James Talarico. Her life was marked by the
booksellers, storytellers and librarians to expand the number, quality and availability of stories to shape the formative years. She partnered with the Library of Congress on catalogingin-publication, helped select Newbery and Caldecott Medal winners, and was president of the Children’s Book Division of the American Library Association.
After her retirement, while nurturing her grandchildren, her love of picture books surfaced anew. Inspired by the life and paintings of John Orne Johnson Frost of Marblehead, Priscilla co-authored “Molly Waldo!” with her daughter Bethe. Dedicated to her deceased husband “Skipper Jack,” the books arrived on Priscilla’s 90th birthday. Next,
M. and Lindsey Serafin
Town eyes heat-pump system
BY WILL DOWD
Nearly seven months after Town Meeting approved year-round operation of the State Street Landing public restrooms, town officials are working to install heating systems that would allow the facilities to remain open through winter.
Logan Casey, Marblehead’s sustainability coordinator, says the heat pump installation project has been designated as one of the priorities for the remaining American Rescue Plan Act funding that must be allocated by year’s end. The Current’s most-recent reporting on the fund’s balance registered at nearly
$600,000.
“We’re putting out a public bid for people to put in a heat pump system into that building to get it heated, which will be the biggest challenge to getting it open yearround,” Casey said. “We’re hoping this will be one of those projects that gets approved when the Select Board programs some of the ARPA funding at their December meetings.”
It’s not clear yet how much the heat pump project will cost.
The restrooms, located on State Street Landing property managed by the Harbors and Waters Department, have historically been closed during winter months due to the risk of pipes freezing. A 1996 Town
deep connections with the arts and choirs she and Joseph Sr. sang in. In honoring Grace’s life, her family invites those who knew her to remember her with the same warmth and kindness she extended to others. Her legacy is one of love, and she will forever remain in the hearts of those she touched. Visiting hours will be held Friday, Dec. 6, 9-11
the mother-daughter team sought to locate and virtually reunite Frost’s paintings in the only comprehensive book about the artist, “The Paintings of J.O.J. Frost: An American Story.”
Priscilla had a special ability to unearth hidden treasures. With loving listening, she guided many to exercise their talents. With selfless energy, she fostered bonds among those she touched to enhance their personal and professional growth. Her family and friends have been blessed with her long and healthy life; her quiet inspiration will live on in each of us.
Predeceased by her sister Janet Landis Alvarez, Priscilla is survived by her brother James Philip Landis; her son Bruce Wright Moulton (and his wife
a.m., at Eustis & Cornell of Marblehead, 142 Elm St., followed by a funeral Mass to be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 85 Atlantic Avenue. Burial will follow in Waterside Cemetery. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com for Grace’s family.
Linda Louise Moulton); her daughter Bethe Lee Moulton (and her husband Oscar Robins); her grandchildren James Philip Moulton (and his wife Alyssa Harvey) and Dr. Julia Nichols LaMonica (and her husband Nicholas James LaMonica); her great grandson Jace Robert Harvey and great granddaughter Emalyn Day Moulton, as well as many nieces and nephews. A private memorial gathering will honor Priscilla. In her remembrance, donations may be made to Marblehead Museum (marbleheadmuseum. org) or the Brooksby Village Scholarship Fund. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at eustisandcornellfuneralhome. com for Priscilla’s family.
for public bathrooms
CURRENT PHOTO / WILL DOWD
State Street Landing public restrooms, which have historically operated only in summer months, could soon be open year-round pending Select Board approval of American Rescue Plan Act funding for a new heating system. The project was green lit at Town Meeting last May.
Meeting vote originally mandated year-round operation, but the facilities reverted to seasonal use after heating equipment failed and was never replaced.
The project faces both technical and operational hurdles. Beyond installing appropriate heating systems, town
officials must determine ongoing maintenance responsibilities.
“After we get the heating system installed, there will have to be another conversation about how we’re going to operate this year-round,” Casey explained. “We’ll need some kind of alarm system because if the doors are
left open in winter, that could cause problems with the heating system.”
The initiative emerged from a citizen petition by Philip Blaisdell that gained approval from both the Harbors and Waters Board and Town Meeting. The board’s endorsement came with the stipulation that implementation would not impact the Harbors and Waters enterprise fund.
“Since it’s one of those things that Town Meeting approved, there’s really no structure to actually implement it. So that’s just happening ad hoc,” Casey noted. “But because we have this opportunity with the ARPA money, we’re able to move forward.”
While Casey expressed confidence in the project’s eventual completion, he
emphasized that nothing is guaranteed until the Select Board officially designates the funding.
“I’m pretty sure it’s going to happen, but nothing is set in stone until the Select Board officially designates that, which will come in December,” he said. The initiative represents one of several sustainability projects currently underway in Marblehead, including energy efficiency improvements at other town properties like the Moses Pickett House,10 Franklin St., where similar heat pump technology is being considered as part of a broader renovation effort. That home is owned by the town and rented to residents.
Nazi machine gun found in Abbot Hall safe
BY WILL DOWD
A World War II-era German machine gun discovered in a basement safe at Abbot Hall has been transferred to the Marblehead Police Department, following its recent discovery by town officials.
The MP40 submachine gun, manufactured in 1942, was found in October when Christopher Butler of the Marblehead Historical Commission was preparing to remove an old safe from the basement of the historic town hall building.
The weapon, which has “southern France, 1944” scratched into its side, was brought back from Europe by Peter McManus, a Lynn police officer and World War II Navy veteran who served on the USS Augusta. After McManus’ death, the weapon was eventually donated to the
Marblehead Maritime Museum’s collection that was funded and overseen by the late Raymond Cole — a longtime local dentist who died in 2010.
“It’s rather small and lightweight, very versatile,” said Butler, describing the weapon that had been stored in a locked safe in a secure basement room.
“The firearms expert told us it’s worth approximately $45,000
if it had been registered prior to 1986 with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.”
The discovery prompted immediate action from town officials. Marblehead Fire Chief Jason Gilliland played a key role in researching options for the weapon’s disposal, ultimately connecting with the Springfield Armory. On Nov.
21, the Historical Commission voted unanimously to donate the weapon to the armory, which is legally authorized to possess and display such firearms. Police Chief Dennis King felt the gun should be stored in the Gerry Street police headquarter’s armory for safekeeping, according to the Historical Commission.
Historical Commissioner Harry Christensen said he helped receive the weapon in the 1990s when McManus’ wife donated it to the town after her husband’s death. Christenson and Randy Bartlett placed it in the Abbot Hall safe.
“The barrel of that gun was inspected by me and Randy Bartlett. It was welded shut,” said Christensen, explaining that the weapon had been modified to prevent it from being fired.
The weapon’s mechanism reflects its deadly efficiency.
“The magazine has a double row. Rather than just a single roll of bullets, they’re actually boom, boom, boom,” Peter Stacey of the Historical Commission explained. “The spring is so tall that they have a hook that they pull down while they’re loading. It’s quite a killing machine.”
According to town officials, previous attempts to register the weapon were unsuccessful due to strict federal regulations requiring registration before 1986. Unregistered machine guns cannot be legally owned or transferred, regardless of their historical significance.
Gilliland’s research confirmed that the Springfield Armory was the most appropriate destination for the historical weapon. The transfer may require additional approvals, including possible review by Marblehead’s Select Board.
COURTESY PHOTO / PETER STACEY
A World War II-era German MP40 submachine gun, photographed before its removal from Abbot Hall, was discovered in October in a basement safe.
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
Festival Chorus Christmas Concert
Saturday, Dec. 7 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
The 44th annual Old North Festival Chorus Christmas Concerts — presented each year as part of Marblehead’s Christmas Walk — will be held at the Old North Church Meeting House, 35 Washington St.
The chorus features more than 70 amateur and professional performers.
Highlights this year include: “Magnificat in D” by Jan Dismas Zelenka, “Vom Himmel Hoch” by Felix Mendelssohn, “International Carol Suites: Carols of the Americas” by Mark Hayes, “Bellringer’s Holiday (including the Ukrainian Bell Carol)” arranged by Randol Bass, “Christmas Day” by Gustav Holst and other seasonal favorites. Maria van Kalken, minister of music at Old North, will lead the orchestra and chorus. Tickets are $35. More info at onchurch.org/festivalchorus.
Holiday Pops
Saturday, Dec. 14, 7 p.m.
Join Marblehead Harbor Rotary for the 2024 Holiday Pops concert at Abbot Hall. The program features Maestro Dirk Hillyer and the Hillyer Festival Orchestra with soloist Andrew Scoglio. A champagne reception begins at 7 p.m., followed by the concert at 8 p.m.
Tickets range from $45-$85. rotaryclubofmheadharbor. org.
Sew a selfie
Tuesday, Dec. 10, 3:30 p.m.
Children in third grade and up can learn how to sew by creating a selfie, a fabric picture of themselves. Kids will sew buttons, add details with two embroidery stitches (straight stitch and back stitch), and addhair with appliqué. Parents are welcome but not required to participate. Register at abbotlibrary.org/events. This event is free.
Follen Angels at MLT
Sunday, Dec. 8, 3 p.m.
International cabaret and jazz recording artists, The Follen Ang els, perform at Marblehead Little Theatre, 12 School St. The show will celebrate the storytelling of legendary composers George Gershwin and Cole Porter, spanning a rich musical history from Ella Fitzgerald to Lady Gaga. Tickets at thefollenangels.com.
The Mike Havens Toy Drive
Thursday, Dec. 12, 6 p.m.
The Beacon Restaurant is hosting the Mike Havens Toy Drive featuring [pictures with Santa and live music with Funbucket at 8 p.m.
The toy drive is in memory of Michael Havens who worked for many years to host a toy drive each holiday season. People are asked to donate an unwrapped toy for local children in need. You can bring the toy the night of the event or you can drop toys at one of the donation locations around Marblehead (Shubie’s, Mud Puddle Toys, Marblehead Children’s Center, COA, VFW, Gerry5, The Beacon, Warwick Cinema). You can also make a monetary donation at thebeaconmarblehead.com.
Gingerbread Festival
Saturday, Dec. 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 8, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Come see more than 100 locally and professionally made gingerbread creations on display at the historic Jeremiah Lee Mansion, 161 Washington St.
A panel of judges will vote on the best gingerbread houses in a number of categories, and the public can vote for the People’s Choice.
Want to enter a house into the contest? Registering a gingerbread house is free, and can be done here: mhdrec.wufoo.com/forms.
Admission to the festival is $5 per person or $20 per family.
No-cook entertaining: charcuterie board
BY LINDA BASSETT
At some point during the holiday season, I will be inspired to gather friends, family, neighbors, coworkers. But I may not want to, you know, cook. I want to enjoy the party. To put on a feast without cooking, I like to build a charcuterie board. Glossy magazine photos and Instagram posts don’t scare me off. It’s just like assembling a puzzle. It only involves some slicing, chopping and stirring before arranging everything in groups and patterns. So rather than recipes, this column compiles lists, suggestions and photos when explanations require more than a thousand words.
Add a festive cocktail menu, wines, some bubbly on ice, maybe hot mulled cider (that’s not cooking, just heating up). If I feel the need to cook, I make a couple of soups a few days ahead to heat up. Add mugs, spoons and a mountain of croutons, serving them right from the stove to keep guests mingling. Any sweets are from the bakery or a chocolate shop. There’s enough food and drink to fill everyone with cheer.
Charcuterie began as methods of preserving with meats — salted, smoked or brined — preserved to last over a winter. Originally, they were made with pork: pigs were the easiest animal to raise. Over centuries, kitchens grew more sophisticated and meats were fancied up into pates and terrines, but I’m not advocating preparing high maintenance items. (Remember, no cooking!)
Both Shubie’s and Crosby’s markets sell excellent pates. Just unwrap and add to the board with a spreader or knife. For the actual board, I pull out my largest wooden cutting board. Everyone has a seldom-used one tucked away somewhere. Augment that with other wooden cutting boards. Soap them up, rinse well, dry and lightly rub with a neutral cooking oil, like canola. Buff with a soft cloth to a mild shine. Then, to the table. I have built charcuterie displays on one or several boards, lining them up along a table. If I want to use the whole surface of a very long table, I roll out a double thickness of parchment paper in place of boards. (Check the aluminum foil aisle.)
So, first, the meat. I choose two or three from this list. I
arrange them in overlapping layers, or curl slices into roses if I have time and patience. I tuck others into small rolls for easyto-pick-up sandwiches.
» Black forest ham
Smithfield ham, on the bone
Sopressata (a type of Italian dry-cured salami) sliced
» Mortadella (a large Italian cooked pork sausage) sliced
» Prosciutto, thinly sliced
» Chorizo, a whole sausage, or sliced rounds
Slices of deli smoked turkey
Now cheeses: I slice some, cut some into cubes and pile them up (toothpicks needed here). Still others I cut in wedges. Or keep them whole, like logs of goat cheese or small wheels of brie, providing a knife or spreader nearby. The cheeses need to come out of the refrigerator early enough to get to room temperature, and best
flavor, by party time. Cheddar, cubed
A wedge of aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, decoratively crumbled
» A round of smoked Gouda, in wax, with a wedge cut out
A whole small wheel of brie (or a large one)
» Swiss, or anything with holes, thinly sliced
» Bleu (French) or gorgonzola (Italian) or Maytag blue (American), wedges
Whole logs of goat cheese
Boursin
Round these out with breads, rolls and crackers:
» Pita triangles or pita chips
» Focaccia
Tiny potato rolls
Baguettes, one sliced, one displayed in its entirety
» Assorted crackers
Embellish with spreads, fresh or dried fruits, fresh and
marinated vegetables. These fill in the spaces and allow a variety of choices for vegetarians and vegans. I purchase all of these already prepared, needing only to empty jars or unwrap packages. I make my own spreads: this is NOT cooking, just mixing. (Skip messy dips). Fill small bowls with spreads and tuck them between larger items.
» Hummus Tapenade, ripe or green olive
Onion jam
» Pimiento cheese
» Grainy mustard
Shop the supermarket produce aisles, and higher reaches of nooks and crannies for dried and marinated vegetables, fruits and nuts. Heap ones that need it into bowls or scatter handfuls of dry ones, like nuts, between larger items.
» Pickles
Marinated roasted red
peppers
Fresh, sliced or marinated
mushrooms
» Pitted green or black olives
» Fresh figs, quartered Berries
Dried cherries, apricots, pineapple
» Orange, grapefruit or fig
marmalade
» Whole cashews
» Whole blanched almonds
Candied walnuts or pecans
Don’t forget fresh herbs and bunches of grapes, all colors, for garnish. But when tempted, remember the motto: No cooking!
Linda Bassett lived in Marblehead for years and has worked as a cook, trained up-andcoming chefs, studied food history and led food tours. Her book, “From Apple Pie to Pad Thai,” is about local cooks and cooking.
CURRENT PHOTO / LINDA BASSETT
