Vol. 4, No. 3

A P U B L I C A T I O N O F L Y N N P U B L I C S C H O O L S

Winter 2008

Superwoman: Latham to lead Lynn

BY JESSICA BENSON

After a 38-year career that has spanned thegamut of jobs in education � teacher, coach,principal, superintendent � Nick Kostan isready for the next chapter in his life.

Kostan is retiring as superintendent ofLynn Public Schools, effective January 9, theweek he turns 60. He took time to reflect onhis long career.

�I�m very lucky to have been able toexperience a lot of different positions at a

lot of different schools,� he said.�It�s been very

rewarding.�Kostan began his career as a teacher, and

still remembers his first day in the classroom.He chuckles when he recalls how intimidatingthe experience was for a 22-year-old rookie.

�The first year teaching is always tough,�he said.

Kostan moved into an administrativeposition when he was named vice principal atBreed Middle School. That eventually ledto a post as principal atClassical High

School, which he held for seven years.While at Classical, Kostan made

improvements in academic achievement andhelped plan the construction of the new

school building. Kostan was nameddeputy superintendent in1999, just before Classicalmoved into

the new building.Around the same time, the school was

named one of the country�s top 100 urbanschools by U.S. News and World Report.Kostan said it was a great way to cap anenjoyable seven-year run as principal atClassical. �That was the highlight of mycareer,� he said.

Kostan went on to accumulate otherhighlights as superintendent, a position hewas given after three years as deputy

SSeeee KKOOSSTTAANN PPaaggee 22

Retiring Superintendent of SchoolsNick Kostan, center, is greeted by LynnTech students and their teacher, Fausto

Ricciardi, front, second from left.

Nick knackhad a

Kostan closes book on 38-year career in Lynn

Inside this edition: If you believe you will achieve � Project Summit , Pages 6-7

Dr. Catherine Latham was chosensuperintendent of schools by the LynnSchool Committee on Dec. 22. Lathamhad served as a deputy superintendentunder Nick Kostan since 2006.

�I�m pleased and excited and nervousall at once,� Latham said, adding that,although becoming a superintendent wasnot necessarily among her long-term

goals, she is thrilled to serve in that rolein her hometown.

�I wouldn�t have gone anywhere else,�she said. �Those of us who are fromLynn have a love and loyalty for the city.There are great people in the system.�

A lifelong Lynn resident and graduateof Lynn English, Latham taught inPeabody before returning to Lynn to

teach at Breed Middle School in 1992.She went on to serve as math departmenthead at Lynn English. From 2002-06,she served as school support specialist,working with leadership teams at eachschool to write school improvementplans. She was named deputysuperintendent in 2006.

Latham�s goals are focused on

strengthening parent involvement, dataanalysis and alternative programs.

A recipient of the Milken FamilyFoundation Educator Award forexcellence in education, Latham holdsher bachelor�s and master�s degrees fromSalem State College and a doctoratefrom the University of MassachusettsBoston.

Dr. Catherine Latham

2 � The Lynn Educator Winter 22008

CCiittyy ooff LLyynnnn

Edward J. Clancy Jr., Mayor

LLyynnnn SScchhooooll CCoommmmiitttteeee

Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr.Chairman

Patricia CapanoVice Chair

Maria O. CarrascoDonna M. CoppolaJohn M. Ford Jr.

Jeffrey T. NewhallVincent J. Spirito

Published by:

LLyynnnn PPuubblliicc SScchhoooollssNicholas P. Kostan

Superintendent

Dr. Catherine LathamDeputy Superintendent

Dr. Jaye WarryDeputy Superintendent

SSuubbmmiitt ssttoorryy iiddeeaass ttoo::Thomas P. Iarrobino

Secretary to the School Committee 90 Commercial St.

Lynn, MA 01905Tel: (781) 477-7220 x157

Fax: (781) 477-7487iarrobinot@lynnschools.org

Produced by:

GGRRAANNTT CCOOMMMMUUNNIICCAATTIIOONNSS

CCOONNSSUULLTTIINNGG GGRROOUUPP

Lynn, MA � New York, NY

(781) 598-8200gccg@grantgroup.com

Super’s style will be missed

Edward J.Clancy Jr.

For the last seven years, students,teachers, administrators and anyone elseassociated with Lynn Public Schools havebeen the beneficiaries of SuperintendentNick Kostan�s style: understated,compassionate and focused.

In education, everyone talks about puttingstudents first, which would seem like anobvious mantra. With Nick Kostan, that wasa philosophy with which he approached

every decision he made, not only assuperintendent, but also in his distinguishedcareer as a teacher and principal.

As Nick prepares to close the book on hisstoried 38-year career in Lynn PublicSchools, I wish him well on behalf of allresidents of the City, as well as all thosestudents and families whose lives heimpacted in a positive manner.

Lynn students have been fortunate to

have Nick Kostan on their side for the lastfour decades. The City of Lynn and theschool system will no doubt be poorer in hisabsence. We wish him a long, happy andhealthy retirement.

I also wish you a Merry Christmas and aHappy New Year.

Edward J. �Chip� Clancy Jr. is mayor ofLynn.

It is often difficult to leave behindsomething that has been a very large partof your life for many years. However, atthe beginning of the new year there will bea change in the leadership of the LynnPublic Schools. I have thoroughly enjoyedmy 38 years of service in Lynn and wishthe system nothing but the very best as wemove into a potentially perilous financialperiod.

Tough budgets have been nothing newto the City�s municipal and schoolleadership teams. However, the extremelydifficult national economic outlookpresents more challenging times ahead forall school districts in the Commonwealth.During the past few years Lynn PublicSchools has attempted to move forward inspite of depleted budgets.

Improved student achievement, the

reinstitution of all-day kindergarten andexcellent staff development programs forteachers have contributed to the growth ofour district. At the heart of the district areour outstanding and dedicated classroomteachers who provide a caring andsupportive learning environment for ourstudents.

We have a diverse group of studentswho represent many world cultures, withlinguistic differences challenging oursystem. Our goal as a public schooldistrict is to educate every student to thebest of our ability and to provide the verybest education our resources allow.

I strongly believe that the opportunitiesfor our students to be successful and toimprove their lives through highereducation are validated by the excellenceof our schools. Every year students from

Lynn schools are admitted to the finestcolleges and universities in the country.

Both English and Classical high schoolshave been recognized by U.S. News andWorld Report as outstanding U.S. highschools. Our graduates continue to besuccessful in the fields of business,education, law and medicine. I havealways been a believer in the strength ofour schools and I know our schools willbecome stronger and more vibrant in thefuture.

Please know that it has been a privilegeand an honor to serve as the superintendentof Lynn Public Schools for the past sevenyears. I wish for nothing but the best forour school system in the years ahead.

Nicholas P. Kostan is superintendent ofschools.

Nicholas P.Kostan

PEACE POETS

Reflections on a 38-year career in Lynn

As part of Anti-Violence Week in Lynn, youth and community leaders gathered at the Ford School tomarch to City Hall, equipped with signs emphasizing peace and unity. Mayor Edward �Chip� Clancycommenced the peace address with an inspiring message for young people,while representatives fromcommunity organizations spoke about the importance of after-school programs and keeping kids offthe street. A few youth leaders closed the ceremony with remarks about how they experiencedviolence. Breed Middle School students April Fana, left, and Manuela Rosa were both recognizedfor their anti-violence poems.

Kostan retires after

38 years in LPS

superintendent. Under his leadership, testscores throughout the district improved,and all-day kindergarten was restored.Kostan is also proud that he was able tomaintain extracurricular activities withoutthe user fees that most other schoolsdistricts have imposed on students.

�A lot of our kids simply can�t afford topay $200-$300 to be in the band or playsports,� he explained.

Over the years, Kostan has earned areputation as someone who genuinelycares about students. When he announcedhis plans to retire a few months ago, theSchool Committee gave him a standingovation, praising his compassion andintegrity.

Kostan has offered to help in any wayhe can with the transition in leadership,noting that the next superintendent willlikely be grappling with difficultchallenges, including another potentialbudget crunch. Plus, the district�s older

school buildings will be needingimprovements in coming years.

Overall, Kostan feels he is leaving theschool system in good shape. The buildingproblems at Classical are close to beingresolved, and test scores are improving.

�We�ve made a lot of progress over thelast seven years,� he said. �It�s really timefor somebody else to come in with somenew ideas.�

As for Kostan, he is looking forward tospending time with his family and friendsand is hoping to do some reading. Playingmore golf is also in his future.

�I just need some time to relax,� he said.After 38 years, Kostan has earned a

little downtime. He is proud to have servedfor 10 years in the central office, whenmost school superintendents inMassachusetts last less than three years.

As he begins his retirement, Kostanfeels good about the work he has done. �Itreally has been an honor and a privilege toserve as superintendent,� he said. �I haveno regrets.�

KOSTAN: from Page 1

BY MEGHAN WEBER

This fall, the students ofWelcoming Elementary School �an alternative learning program forstudents in grades 2-6 who strugglewith emotional and behavioralchallenges � were granted asignificant upgrade in theirlearning environment by relocatingfrom the O�Keefe building onFranklin Street, where the programhad been sited since 1996.

Welcoming Elementary Schoolmoved to the second floor of thebuilding on Blossom Street thatformerly housed the WashingtonCommunity Magnet School. TheWashington Community buildingbecame available last June whenthe school was closed due todeclining enrollment.

According to the school�seducational director, Nancy Takis-Conway, students have benefitedfrom the enhanced learningenvironment.

�The children have reallyappreciated the new location,� saidTakis-Conway, who is certified asa principal. �They are excited andresponsive about having a beautifulbuilding. In addition to otherimprovements, the classrooms here are atleast twice the size as those at O�Keefe.�

While Welcoming Elementary took thesecond floor, Connery Annex, an alternativeschool for pre-K- grade 1 students moved

into the first floor of thebuilding. Together, the twoschools are known asWashington Elementary schooland cater to students with thesame needs.

�With this new building wecan get more creative andprovide more room for studentsto access the curriculum,� saidTakis-Conway. �The benefitsof a newly painted, larger,more modern school buildinghave made a difference.�

Washington Elementary�sfacilities represent a significantchange for its students, whohad previously attended classesin a more limited settingwithout some of the spatialbenefits available to students atmost traditional elementaryschools such as a gym,playground and cafeteria. Thenew school has two libraries,

expanded computer labs, a renovated gym,a cafeteria, and an extensive playgroundnewly surfaced with wood chips, courtesyof Girls Inc.

�This new building allows students tomirror the activities of traditional

elementary schools, such as eatinglunch in the cafeteria and going togym and releasing excess energy,�said Takis-Conway. �With dailyaccess to traditional facilities, ourstudents will be able to reintegratewhen they are ready more easilyback into the routine and activitiesof traditional school life.�

With eventual reintegration intotraditional grammar school thegoal, Washington ElementarySchool students require somespecial facilities while they learncoping mechanisms that will allowthem to succeed. The school has anew art room for art therapy and anew music room to help studentswith self-expression. In addition,the school has retrofitted tworooms in the building into �settlingrooms� stocked with mats, ballsand soft objects, as designatedareas where a monitored studentcan be safe if in an agitated state.

�The staff loves the kids here,�said Takis-Conway. �We all sharea commitment to do whatever ittakes to make it right for thestudents and help them groweducationally, behaviorally andemotionally. We work to teach

students the tools they need to succeed andfoster their self esteem. When we canachieve that, the kids will want to do welland will persevere when faced withadversity in the future.�

The Lynn Educator Winter 22008 � 3

Welcome to WashingtonStudents in alternative programs enjoy new surroundings

Washington School students James Barber, left and Sheldon Camell enjoy the newplayground.

Washington School teacher Elizabeth Peters andstudent Matthew Torres in the new music room.

Washington Elementary School aide Chris Pedro speaks with sixth-grader Peoko Nawa.

4 � The Lynn Educator Winter 22008

BY RICH FAHEY

In today�s world, there is a great need forinterpreters who can help non-English speakersnavigate the worlds of health care, governmentand education. People who can speak two oreven three languages are expected to play anever-growing role as U.S. trade expands withcountries throughout the world.

Because Lynn Classical High has manystudents who speak a second or third language,students from that school have become soughtafter for their language skills, includingserving as interpreters for open houses at Lynnelementary schools.

They serve as vital links between teachersand parents who are non-English speaking,wearing name tags with the other languagethey speak.

Tracy School Principal Mary Dill said about

20 Classical students helpedout at the school�s open housein October. Classical studentKarla Bermudez translatedwhat Dill was saying intoSpanish at a meeting aboutthe Title I program, andstudents later assisted non-English speakers at a meetingof the school council.

When parents went back tothe classrooms, eachclassroom had two studentinterpreters on duty.

�The students were unbelievable,� said Dill.�For 53 percent of our students, English is nottheir first language and many of their parentsdon�t speak English at all.�

Sean Elbousty, chairman of the Foreign

Languages Department atClassical High, said he often getscall from principals or otherschool officials asking forassistance from one of hisstudents. �They are also findingways to use their skills in thecommunity,� Elbousty said.

Many of Classical�s English asa Second Language (ESL)students are bilingual or in somecases trilingual students whospeak a variety of languages,

including Spanish, French, Greek, Creole,Swahili, Persian, Arabic, Khmer, Portuguese,Russian and Vietnamese.

Students have realized the importance ofknowing two or more languages.

�Writing in one language can help your

writing in a second language,� said PollyannaQ. da Silva, who speaks Portuguese andEnglish.

Basant Badr, who speaks Arabic, is helpinghis parents learn English.

Students participating in the interpreterprogram and their additional languagesinclude: Pollyana Q. da Silva (Portugese);Lovely De Los Santos, Louis Diaz, NancyFigueroa and Arlene Subero (Spanish andFrench); Ivanna Solano, Maria Nunez,Jhoselyn Caldamez, Xiomara DeLeon, KeilaSeverino, Irayda Natos, Jasmin Natos, KarlaBermudez, Louis Cruz, Cesar Castro, SaraiZelada, Vladimir Genao and Brayan De laCruz (Spanish); Bria Mazige (Swahili);Daveth Clzeth (Khmer); Basant Badr, EsraaAhmad, Samur Yousif and Marven Abdah(Arabic).

Alternative program gettinggood results at Fecteau-Leary

Classical students’ interpreting skills benefit other schools

For 53 percent of our students, English

is not their firstlanguage and many

of their parents don�tspeak English at all.

Principal Mary DillTracy School

“

BY JESSICA BENSON

These students � nearly 100 of them � werestruggling in a traditional classroom setting.

Now, they are thriving, thanks to a simpleformula being applied at the new Fecteau-Leary Junior-Senior High School.

The school is using small class sizes,individual attention and hands-on learning toreach these students, who otherwise werehaving trouble doing well in school.

Just a few months into the new program,Principal Maureen Horgan says she canalready see the difference; many students havedramatically improved their attendance. Theprogram is really just a collection ofalternative programs, which were discontinuedlast year and merged into one new school.

�It was several programs coming togetherinto one program,� Horgan said.

Housed in the Fecteau-Leary building onNorth Common Street, the school opened thisfall and currently has 95 students in grades 7-12. Fecteau-Leary Junior-Senior High Schoolis not a special education program, nor is it avocational school, though students do takeshop classes. Courses in culinary arts, paintingand decorating, carpentry and graphic designallow students to try out different skills andpractice hands-on learning.

The idea is to give students an alternativeway of learning when they have trouble in atraditional school.

�Some people are overwhelmed by the sizeof a high school,� Horgan said. �Kids thathave had pretty significant attendance issues

can be referred up here.�To attend the program, students must

express a desire to be in school. The goal is tohelp students who want to finish high schoolearn their diplomas.

Teachers also must want to be there; theychoose to be assigned to the school, Horgannoted. As a result, the teachers areexperienced, know what to expect fromalternative education, and have a passion forthe work.

�It�s eithersomething you like,or something youdon�t like,� Horganexplained.

The teachers arehelped along byunusually small classsizes � usually nomore than 10 or 12students per class. Thisway, teachers are able to get to know studentsbetter, and are more in tune with potentialproblems at home which could threaten theirsuccess in the classroom. Fewer students aregetting lost in the shuffle as a result.

�You get to know the kids quite well, andwhat�s going on with them,� Horgan said.�The students become very familiar with theirteachers.�

The formula is working so well that Horganhopes to see it expand in the future.

�I just think it provides kids with a greatopportunity to finish their diploma,� she said. Fecteau-Leary High School teacher Rosemarie Thistle works with Steven Murray.

Different approach

Maureen Horgan

The Lynn Educator Winter 22008 � 5

On a missionEnglish alumnus is taking the fight to the enemy in war on terror

BY RICH FAHEY

He�s no longer flying a desk. As befitting a former starathlete, he�s back where the action is.

Navy Commander Mark �Lumpy� McManus, 40, isin the South Pacific, his mission part of the Global Waron Terror.

The Lynn English graduate, a basketball and soccerplayer at the school and the 1987 winner of an AgganisFoundation Scholarship, graduated from Mass. MaritimeAcademy in 1991, majoring in nuclear powermanagement. While at Mass. Maritime, he won theaward as best military cadet and student-athlete of theyear.

He graduated from Mass. Maritime as an ensign in theU.S. Navy, and it has been his career ever since. Afterleaving Buzzards Bay, he went to flight school inPensacola, Fla., and eventually began flying helicopters.He has logged 2,500 flight hours in the SH-60F/HH-60H combat helicopter. He has served in both theBosnian and Iraqi conflicts, helped victims of HurricaneKatrina in the Gulf states and, at the age of only 36,served as director of security for the Asian Games inQuatar. His personal decorations include the DefenseMeritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medaland Navy Achievement Medal.

McManus now serves as officer-in-charge of ExpeditionarySea Combat Unit One, a two aircraft HH-60H Seahawkhelicopter detachment on the USNS Gunnery Sgt. Fred W.Stockham. He is in charge of the day-to-day operation of thetwo helicopters and commands five other officers and 24enlisted personnel.

His job is to conduct Expanded Maritime InterdictionOperations (EMIO) in support of the Global War on Terror. Inaddition to that, his unit can support pretty much any missionyou could imagine a helicopter doing in the Pacific Commandarea of responsibility.

�Basically we are in the South Pacific supporting the UnitedStates and our allies in GWOT issues,� he said via e-mail.�Right now, I love my job. I�m flying and I get to help make adifference. Also, for this job, I�m in charge out here, so I get todo things the way I think they should be done.�

McManus and wife, Gage, a native of Jacksonville, and theirtwo children, Anna, born Dec. 8, and Mary, 19 months, arebased in San Diego. When the mission is over, he expects to beassigned to the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., teachingofficers the intricacies of Joint Military Operations andPlanning. Earlier in his career, he graduated from the school.

He admitted that being away from his family is hard,especially missing the birth of Anna, and said when hereturns to instructing, he will be happy to be able to gohome to his family every night.

Mark McManus� father, Art McManus, is the former girlsand boys soccer coach at Lynnfield High and the formerdirector of the Agganis All-Star Women�s Soccer Classic.

He said he keeps in close contact with his son and knowsthat he his work often puts him in harm�s way.

�As Mark has told me, they do shoot back,� ArtMcManus said.

Mark McManus earned the nickname �Lumpy� from hiscolleagues at his first squadron, flying HS-3 TridentAntisubmarine Helicopters in Jacksonville, Fla. He took agreat amount of ribbing over his alleged lack of �seatime,� and a roommate started called him �Lumpy�because he took so many lumps from his squadron mates.When he revealed he didn�t like the nickname, thatcemented it; it followed him to his next assignment as aninstructor in San Diego, where he trained crews on the H-60 helicopter.

�Today there are many pilots and naval officers who donot know that my first name is really Mark,� he said. �I�msimply �Lumpy.� The commodore I work for out here calls

me that; I have 4-star admirals who call me �Lumpy.�� McManus said he is grateful his wife has allowed him to live

his dream of being a pilot. �My wife has been strong throughthis because she realizes that I�m living my boyhood dream ofbeing a pilot,� he said. �She also realizes that my flying daysare coming to a close soon, so she doesn�t want to stop me fromdoing what I love to do for the few years I have remaining.�

He has 17 years in the Navy and can retire after 20 years.After his service time is over, he isn�t sure what he�ll do: teach,work at a federal agency such as FEMA, or a civilian firm. Hisdream job would be to return to Mass. Maritime ascommandant of cadets.

Mark �Lumpy� McManus on his helicopter in the South Pacific.

Navy Commander Mark McManus, far left, and the Navy Seals in his group are making a difference.

ALUMNI

PROFILE

The Lynn Educator WWiinntteerr 220000886 � The Lynn Educator WWiinntteerr 22000088 � 7

BY RICH FAHEY

Might the next Georgia O�Keeffe,Claude Monet or Vincent van Gogh beliving right under our noses?

Could be. If the work of 72 talentedfifth-graders from across the city is anyindication, there will be an artist or twoheard from along the way.

The fifth-graders, part of Lynn PublicSchools� Project Summit for gifted andtalented students, have been studying theabstract art of O�Keeffe, Frenchimpressionist Monet and van Gogh�s post-impressionism at the Drewicz School inwhat Project Summit teacher Kathy Ryancalls �Masters in the Making.�

O�Keeffe (1887-1986) was associatedwith the American Southwest, where shefound artistic inspiration, and was chieflyknown for paintings in which shesynthesized abstraction and representationin paintings of flowers, rocks, shells,animal bones and landscapes.

Monet (1840-1926) was a founder ofFrench Impressionist painting and the mostconsistent and prolific practitioner of themovement�s philosophy of expressing one�sperceptions before nature, especially asapplied to plein-air landscape painting. Theterm Impressionism is derived from thetitle of his painting �Impression, Sunrise.�

van Gogh (1853-1890) was a DutchPost-Impressionist artist. Some of hispaintings are among the world�s bestknown, most popular and expensive worksof art. He produced more than 2,000 works,

including around 900 paintings and 1,100drawings and sketches, during the last 10years of his life. Most of his best-knownworks were produced in the final two yearsof his life, which were marked by bouts ofmental illness that led to his suicide.

The students have been studying thelives of the artists and their styles ofpainting and, as part of the exercise, havebeen replicating the styles of the masters intheir own ways using acrylics or watercolors. �It�s an exercise in both creativityand critical thinking,� said Ryan.

The fruits of their labors � each child

contributed two works to the exhibit � willbe on display in the LynnArts� Children�sGallery through Jan. 5.

Project Summit students have also beenmaking headlines in other ways. Apartnership with the Peabody EssexMuseum resulted in the students makingthree visits, each inspiring a different areaof study.

On their first visit, students learned aboutpast trade between Salem and China, partof the museum�s Asian Export Wing. In1984, the China Trade Museum mergedwith the Peabody Museum (now the

Peabody Essex Museum) in Salem, givingthe museum vast resources in the area.

On a second visit, they explored the YinYu Tang House, the Qing dynasty homepainstakingly transported fromSoutheastern China to Salem, a buildingthat was the home of the Hwang family for200 years. They also visited the Gardner-Pingree Home, built in 1805 by JohnGardner during Salem�s most prosperousera.

Students compared and contrasted thehomes and lifestyles of the people wholived in those homes with the students� ownlives today. Students kept journals andsketchbooks and designed postcards aboutthe homes.

In their third visit, students viewed theexhibit �To the Ends of the Earth, Paintingthe Polar Landscape,� a collection of 50works done by artists-explorers of polarvistas they encountered in the 19th- andearly 20th centuries. The works depict thedrama and magnificence of setting out tosea in the Arctic and Antarctic regions andare especially poignant today, given theeffect climate changes have had on thepolar ice caps. Students designed pastellandscapes of some of the things they hadseen.

The work of Project Summit studentswas also featured in the Fun Pages of theBoston Globe on Dec. 21, pages created forkids by kids. The theme of the Decemberedition of the Fun Pages was �ChristmasAround the World.�

Gifted LPS students get politicalProject Summit students traveled to the State House Dec. 15.

Young photojournalists from theProject Summit program for gifted andtalented fifth-graders celebratedfreedom and got a good look atgovernment in action.

Under the direction of teacher KathyRyan, the students got out their camerasand entered the MassachusettsNewspapers in Education Council�ssecond annual Five FreedomsPhotojournalism Contest for students ingrades 5-8.

Twenty-one Project Summit studentssent photographs depicting a freedom oftheir choosing to the Newspaper inEducation program at The Daily Item.Five of the photos, one for eachfreedom, were put forward to theMassachusetts NIE Council for statejudging.

The finalists whose photos were

entered in the state competition wereEmily Bucklin for �Seeing Is Believing�in the Freedom of Religion category;Ariana Oliveira for �Waving forFreedom� in the Freedom of Speechcategory; Rachel Fisher for �What�s Inthe News� in the Freedom of the Presscategory; Haylee Denham for �Rootedin Strength� in the Freedom ofAssembly category; and Betty Louis for�Will You Sign My Petition� in theFreedom of Petition category.

The state winners and local finalistswere honored with their teachers andfamilies on Bill of Rights Day, Dec. 15,in the Great Hall of the State House inBoston. Prior to the ceremony, allphotos were shown in a streaming slideshow.

Other photos entered into the contestby Project Summit students included:

�The Cross of Religion� by MiaKennedy; �Mi Angelito� by JosueLemus-Paz; �Vote Obama!� by NadiaHealy; �Put Your Best Foot Forward�by Tayla Mills; �Arise Together inChrist� by Jordan Corbishley; �SingingPraises� by Kelsey McGovern; �Battleof the Balloons� by Casey Kurpiel; �MyToys and I Together� by Krystal Veras;�Just Dance� by Stephanie Bryson;�Waltz Turns� by Kerriann Molea; �GoObama!� by Patrick Gibb; �Let�s GoRams!� by Shea Dunnigan; and �TeeShirt� by Gage McManus. Photos werealso submitted by Julianna Rivera,Brandon Baker, and JaNathan Ayala.

The Massachusetts NIE Counciloriginated the photojournalism contestas a way for teachers to observe thefederal mandate to celebrate U.S.Constitution Day in their classrooms.

Stephanie Bryson displays her version of van Gogh�s �Irises.�

Art is alivefor Lynn’s talented fifth-graders

Kelly Osborne of Marblehead looks at a painting byAriana Oliveira at LynnArts.

Asia Curtis� re-creation of van Gogh's �StarryNight.�

Teacher Kathy Ryan, left, views student artwork withSwampscott teacher Pat Gorham.

Project Summit student Nadia Healy works on her paintings.

8 �The Lynn Educator Winter 2008

Lynn Classical students Marven Abdah, left, and Saif Yousif came to the United States from Iraq less than a year ago.

BY RICH FAHEY

Once a refugee from death and violence and a stranger in a strangeland, Lynn Classical High senior Zuruf Musa Tongo, 17, has adaptedquite well since he arrived in the United States three years ago.

In fact, Tongo has adjusted to his new country so well that on Dec. 8he won the Lynn Lions Club speech contest, speaking on the theme�How Modern Media Affects Us.� He advances to a regionalcompetition in Woburn in January. Tim Cullinane, an English teacherat Classical, was one of several teachers who have helped coach him.

For someone who came to this country knowing only a smatteringof English and who has worked his way through ESL classes to thepoint where all of his classes � except for one � are completely inEnglish, it is an impressive achievement.

Tongo is a native of the Sudan but also spent seven years in Ethiopiabefore coming to the U.S. Both countries have experienced internalstrife. Ethnic and tribal conflicts in Darfur in the Sudan began in 2003,and there has been resistance to international attempts to stop thekillings. There has been a protracted civil war in Ethiopia, although ithas not attracted the international attention Sudan has.

Tongo entered the U.S. as a refugee but has since gained permanentresidency. His goal is to become a U.S. citizen as quickly as possible.

�I miss my home countries � both of them,� said Tongo. �After Igraduate from high school I would like to visit Ethiopia. But I havebeen told I cannot visit the Sudan until I am a U.S. citizen.�

He tries to keep tabs on what ishappening in both the Sudan andEthiopia via CNN, the Internet andthe BBC�s worldwide service.

�I understand I have a good lifehere now and that other people aremiserable and need help,� he said.�When I was living in the refugeecamps, we talked often about what agreat country, a rich country theUnited States is and of somedaygoing there.�

Tongo�s brother, Joseph, graduatedfrom Classical last year. They areliving here with a stepmother and ahalf-brother. Joseph attends NorthShore Community College. Theirparents, Musa and Miel Tongo, also spent time in Ethiopia but havesince been repatriated to the Sudan; other family members are still inEthiopia.

Zuruf is a member of the Sudanese People Liberation Society inBoston. He was elected vice president, but has since taken a lesser postbecause vice president would have required too much time.

Julie Cushing, chairperson of the English as a Second Languageprogram at Classical, said both Zuruf and his brother are �remarkableyoung men.�

Cushing said when it came to English, Zuruf �learned very fast, hereally did.�

Both brothers read the book, �A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of aBoy Soldier,� Ishmael Beah�s harrowing story of his experience as achild soldier from Sierra Leone, and said the book spoke to them, sinceboth had similar experiences while in Africa.� �This is what it was like in my country,� � Cushing said the brotherstold her. �They�ve gone through war and displacement.�

Zuruf enjoys studying American government and history, chemistry,politics, and psychology. He would like to attend college and has beenspeaking with teachers and other students about possible choices.

He said his father was very pleased and excited when he told himabout winning the speech contest. �He dreams about me enteringpolitics or becoming a doctor,� Zuruf said. �In college, I think I wouldlike to run for the student government.�

A world away

BY RICH FAHEY

Once a rarity � even in the mini-United Nations that isLynn Public Schools � the number of students with Arabicbackgrounds is growing steadily. Among those are refugeesfrom the conflict in Iraq.

At Lynn Classical High, three students from Iraq, each ofwhom has been in the U.S. for a year or less, are adjustingwell with the help of a faculty memberwho speaks Arabic.

Esraa Ahmed, 15, Samur Yousif, 19,and Marven Abdah, 16, are all nativesof Baghdad. Ahmed has been in thiscountry for just a month, Yousif for ninemonths and Abdah for just over a year.Abdah�s brother, Saif, is a student at theninth-grade Classical Academy; the twoarrived in this country a few monthsapart from a refugee camp in Jordan.

Sean Elbousty, chairman of theForeign Language Department atClassical, is of Moroccan and Frenchdescent and speaks several dialects of Arabic, including thatspoken by the three students.

He said language is the first and most obvious barrierthe students have faced in adjusting to their new lives.Arabic has 28 letters, compared to the 26 of English, andthe language is read from right to left, instead of left toright.

�It�s totally, totally different,� said Elbousty.Yousif said making new friends and adjusting to his new

home have been difficult.�The first month was very hard,� he said, speaking

through Elbousty, who translated for the students.Abdah said he struggled introducing himself to people,

explaining that in the Iraqi culture people are very close and

very welcoming and he felt he couldn�t be that way at anew school where he didn�t know many people.

Ahmed said she had trouble making herself understoodat a hospital, especially when it came to medical terms.Another time, when she left a phone message, she repeatedit five times, trying to make sure she was understood.

The students said they are sometimes mistaken forHispanic-Americans and that people come upto them on the street and start speakingSpanish.

All three students credited the Classicalfaculty with making the extra effort to explaina concept over and over to overcome thelanguage gap. That and the diversity of theschool and the Lynn community have madethem feel more at home.

�It helped a lot to hear so many differentlanguages being spoken,� said Abdah. �I didn�tfeel bad about speaking my own language.�

As representatives of the Arab community,they feel they have been accepted and have not

experienced a lot of animosity, even when telling peoplewhere they are from.

�I�m proud to say I�m from Iraq,� said Abdah.There are about 40 families of Arabic descent living in

Lynn, according to Abdah, who said his family was one ofthe first to arrive in the area.

Judy Taylor, vice principal at the ninth-grade ClassicalAcademy, said both Marven and Yusuf Abdah did well atthe school last year, but Marven had progressed more inlearning English and, having been placed in mainstreamclasses, he moved on to 10th grade while Yusuf hasremained at the academy for another year.

All of the Iraqi students have similar goals: go on tocollege, get a good job, and contribute to the community.

From Iraq to Lynn ClassicalStudents adjusting well with help of Arabic-speaking teacher

It helped a lot to hear so many

different languagesbeing spoken. I didn�t feel bad

about speaking my own language.

Marven Abdah

“Zuruf Musa Tongo

Former refugee achieving great things at Classical

The Lynn Educator Winter 22008 � 9

No-nonsense guy says goodbye

BY MEAGHAN CASEY

Almost 50 years ago, Andy Fila walkedout of Lynn English High School, equippedwith a diploma and dreams of playinghockey at Boston University. In August, Filawill exit the building one last time, as heconcludes his 10-year reign as principal.

�I have the best job in the city,� said Fila.�The next person who takes over for me willfind that out.�

Fila assumed leadership of English duringthe 1999-2000 school year, in the midst ofschool construction. He immediately set outto change the culture of the school andexpectation levels of students.

�I believe in discipline,� said Fila, a 1959English graduate. �That was a focal pointwhen I came here. No tolerance, nononsense; it works. If you have a safeschool and an environment where kids feelcomfortable coming to class each day,they�ll do well.�

Recent academic achievements byEnglish students reveal that Fila�smethodology is working. For the secondstraight year, English has been selected byU.S. News & World Report as one top

public high schools in the country,�performing better than statisticallyexpected for the average student in thestate.� English was also named aCommonwealth Compass School in 2007 �a designation designed to recognize,celebrate and support significant andcontinuous improvement in public schoolsacross Massachusetts.

�Our test scores are the best in thecountry and we were named one of the besthigh schools two years in a row,� said Fila.�There�s a lot of great progress. It�s a goodfeeling when you put hard work intosomething and it shows.�

In 2008, 97 percent of the class of 2010passed the English Language Arts portion ofthe MCAS exam and 95 percent passed the

mathematics portion. Since 2004, thepercentage of students passing the MCAShas risen by 18 points in ELA and 15 pointsin math. Fila attributes the success to theteamwork among students and staff and thecommitment to education andsupplementary programs such as the RetiredTeachers MCAS Program.

Prior to coming to English, Fila served asprincipal at Eastern Junior High School,now Marshall Middle School. He began hiscareer at the junior high as a teacher in 1967and went on to become assistant principal in1972 and principal in 1981.

�If you don�t like kids, this isn�t thebusiness for you,� said Fila. �I�ve had morethan 40,000 in the 42 years I�ve been doingthis.�

During the early part of his career, Filaalso served as an assistant coach of footballand hockey at English, as well as hockeyand baseball at BU. He coached hockey atBU from 1967-81, working with threenational championship teams. A highlightfor him was attending the 1980 WinterOlympics and watching the U.S. hockeyteam, which included four BU players, winthe gold medal.

Andy Fila has been principalat Lynn English since 2000.

Every year Andy Fila takes his current and former secretaries out to lunch to say thank you.

After leading English turnaround, veteran principal Fila to retire

Elementary schoolsAborn Anne Graul, Principal409 Eastern Ave., Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 477-7320

Brickett Debra Ruggiero, Principal123 Lewis St., Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 477-7333

Julia F. Callahan Edward Turmenne, Principal200 O’Callaghan Way, Lynn, MA 01905 (781) 477-7340

Cobbet Brian Fay, Principal40 Franklin St., Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 477-7341

William P. Connery Patricia Riley, Principal50 Elm St., Lynn, MA 01905 (781) 477-7344

Drewicz Bernadette Stamm, Principal34 Hood St., Lynn, MA 01905 (781) 477-7350

Robert L. Ford Claire Crane, Principal49 Hollingsworth St., Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 477-7375

E. J. Harrington Michael Molnar, Principal21 Dexter St., Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 477-7380

Hood Joseph Cole, Principal24 Oakwood Ave., Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 477-7390

Ingalls Kimberlee Powers, Principal1 Collins Street Terr., Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 477-7400

Lincoln-Thomson Helen Mihos, Principal115 Gardiner St., Lynn, MA 01905 (781) 477-7460

Lynn Woods Ellen Fritz, Principal31 Trevett Ave, Lynn, MA 01904 (781) 477-7433

Sewell-Anderson Patricia A. Mallett, Principal25 Ontario St., Lynn, MA 01905 (781) 477-7444

Capt William G. Shoemaker Linda Mann, Principal26 Regina Road, Lynn, MA 01904 (781) 477-7450

Edward A. Sisson Jane Franklin, Principal58 Conomo Ave., Lynn, MA 01904 (781) 477-7455

Tracy Mary Dill, Principal35 Walnut St., Lynn, MA 01905 (781) 477-7466

Washington Nancy Takis-Conway, Principal58 Blossom St., Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 477-7401

Middle schoolsBreed Fred Dupuis, Principal90 O’Callaghan Way, Lynn, MA 01905 (781) 477-7330

Thurgood Marshall Richard Cowdell, Principal19 Porter St. Lynn, MA 01902(781) 477-7360

Pickering Robert Murphy, Principal70 Conomo Ave, Lynn, MA 01904(781) 477-7440

High schools/Alternative Lynn Classical Warren White, Principal235 O’Callaghan Way, Lynn, MA 01905 (781) 477-7404

Lynn English Andrew Fila, Principal50 Goodridge Street, Lynn, MA 01902(781) 477-7366

Lynn Vocational Technical Institute James Ridley, Director80 Neptune Blvd, Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 477-7420

Fecteau-Leary Junior-Senior HighMaureen Horgan, Principal33 North Common St. Lynn, MA 01902 (781) 268-3000

LEEP Evening ProgramKaren Twomey, Director50 Goodridge St., Lynn, MA 01902(781) 477-7361

10 �The Lynn Educator Winter 22008

LYNNSCHOOL DIRECTORY

CIVIC DUTY

Lincoln-Thomson students,including fourth-grader, BryannaGigas, held a mock election inNovember. President-electBarack Obama defeated JohnMcCain, 198-47.

BY MEGHAN WEBER

Thanks to a mini-grant from by thePeter and Elizabeth C. TowerFoundation, the student libraries atLynn Woods and Aborn elementaryschools are about to expand. Winningthe grant indicates significantprogress in an ongoing effort byLynn Woods Principal Ellen Fritz andAborn Principal Anne Graul toenhance the quality and array ofbooks available to their students.

�It is always very rewarding to seta goal and accomplish it,� said Fritz, an 18-yearLynn Public Schools veteran currently in her secondyear at Lynn Woods. �Naturally, Anne and I arethrilled about the grant and the benefits it will bringto Lynn Woods and Aborn students.�

The $15,000 grant from the Getzville, N.Y.-basedfoundation will be divided evenly between LynnWoods and Aborn for the purpose of purchasing new,high-quality, age-appropriate, non-fiction books toupdate each school�s library.

�We want to cultivate a love of reading now, soour children grow up to be young adults who lovereading and learning,� said Fritz, who credited LynnWoods faculty and parents such as Dianna Fisher,parent volunteer organizer, for the libraryimprovement effort.

After a suggestion and input fromLynn Public Schools ExecutiveDirector of Curriculum SusanRowe, Fritz and Graul applied forthe book-specific grant in 2008 onbehalf of both schools as a means ofimproving the quality and range ofbooks available to their students.

Fritz and Graul met with schoollibrarian Barbara Camann to providecounsel on identifying quality booksthat could sustain significant use andadd a new dimension to learning.

�The books are well-known andof the best quality,� said Graul. �They will integrateperfectly with classroom work, and will enhance thelearning process for students, bringing topics alive.�

Prior to any book selections, the two principalsalso consulted the Massachusetts State Frameworksto ensure that all books selected for purchase alignedwith grade-level state standards.

�The new books will provide students with aneducational advantage,� said Fritz. �Much of theMCAS includes questions on literature passages inLanguage Arts, Science and Social Studies.Naturally, the more experiences students haveanswering this type of question, the morecomfortable they will be taking the MCAS and thebetter they will do on them.�

Lynn Woods and Aborn receivegrant to expand school libraries

We want to cultivate a love of reading

now, so our childrengrow up to be young

adults who love reading and learning.

Principal Ellen FritzLynn Woods

“

Aborn School Principal Anne Graul, left, joins Lynn Woods Principal Ellen Fritz and students CameronGreenleaf and Jesse Anderson in the Lynn Woods School library.

The Lynn Educator Winter 22008 � 11

Miracle man

BY RICH FAHEY

It is a story about friendship andfamily, the power of love and the giftof life.

The generosity of a family sufferingthe loss of a loved one has given AlMelanson a new lease on life.

On June 17, 2008, Melansonunderwent a heart transplant atBrigham & Women�s Hospital inBoston. The donor was Michael T.Neves, the 22-year-old nephew ofPam Laramie, a kindergarten teacherat Lynn Woods School and a colleagueof Melanson�s wife, Nancy, a fourth-grade teacher at Lynn Woods.

Melanson continues to recover athome, on leave this season as coach ofthe Lynn Jets, the co-op high schoolhockey team that features players fromall three Lynn public high schools.The Jets just missed qualifying for theMIAA tournament last year in theteam�s first year of existence, withplayers from English and Classical.

Joe Conlon has taken over asinterim coach, assisted by formerBeverly head coach Mike Deering,Ron Gaudet and Joe Gunning.Melanson speaks tothe coaches oftenand is optimisticabout the season,which opened witha 6-1 win overLatin Academy. Hehopes to be able toreturn next year.

Melanson, 62,has logged 32 yearsas a hockey coach,including stints atLynn Tech, English(twice),Newburyport andMasconomet, before taking over theJets last year. He is also a retiredMassachusetts State Trooper.

Melanson said coaching the Jets lastyear was a positive experience. TheEnglish locker room was repainted inneutral colors to make all the players

feel comfortable. The 25 players whoturned out played a varsity and JVschedule; 32 players came out thisseason with the addition of skatersfrom Tech, allowing for full varsityand JV teams.

That Melanson is even around totalk hockey is a bit of a medicalmiracle. He suffered a heart attack inMaine on Feb. 10, 2008, with nowarning. He was in full cardiac arrestwhile being taken to Maine MedicalCenter in Portland. After beingrevived and stabilized, doctors foundhis heart so weakened that a pumpwas inserted into the left ventricle,requiring a restructuring of the areaaround his heart.

Patients aren�t supposed to spendmore than 60 minutes on a heart-lungmachine; Melanson spent more than300 minutes on the machine. Therewas some damage to his eyesight,likely the result of lack of blood beingpumped to the area. He is recoveringthe lost vision slowly but surely.

He spent six weeks at MaineMedical Center, but he was almostnever alone. His wife lived thereduring that time and their three

children � A.J.,Paul and Lauren� were also theremuch of the time.Former NorthShore Spirit ownerNick Lopardo, forwhom Melansonworked for severalyears, spent aweek there whileMelanson was incritical condition.There werehundreds of get-well cards and e-

mails, as well as visits from troopers,hockey players, and Lynn friends suchas Superintendent Nick Kostan,English Principal Andy Fila, AthleticDirector Gary Molea and ClassicalAthletic Director Bill Devin.

On April 1, Melanson was

transferred to Youville Hospital inCambridge where he spent a month.He was in desperate need of atransplant and he was on the list toreceive one. Then came the call.

Laramie�s 22-year-old nephew wasin a tragic accident and had been keptalive on life support. On June 16,Melanson got the call to go toBrigham and Women�s and theoperation was done the next morning.

It was first thought the pump wouldhave to remain in his body while hewas transitioning to the new heart, butthe new heart �jump-started� all byitself and immediately assumed aregular beat, and the pump was nolonger needed. He spent 13 days in thehospital, with a few smallcomplications, before coming home torecuperate.

Laramie said she and her family

had known about Melanson�scondition. She said the decision todonate organs is a very personal one.�Many people in my family havemade the choice to be organ donorsand I have it marked on my license,�she said.

Neves, the donor, loved the Celtics,Red Sox, and the Patriots; he and histwo sisters lived with theirgrandmother from the time he wasthree, and he was very close to hisaunt Pam and his cousins.

When he was on life support, theNew England Organ Bank inquiredabout the possibility of organdonation. In the end, he helped notonly Melanson, but his left kidneywent to a 36-year-old man on dialysisfor many years; an 18-year-old youngman received his right kidney; a six-year-old boy suffering from renal

failure has the liver; a segment of hisliver was also transplanted into a 60-year-old woman. His corneas haverestored sight to two women, one inMaine and one in California.

Laramie said she feels her nephew�absolutely lives on� because of thetransplant and that she feels goodabout the family�s decision every timeshe sees Nancy Melanson.

Al Melanson said the experiencehas changed him in many ways. �Ihave a greater respect for life andwhat�s really important, such asfriendship,� he said.

His thoughts often turn to the heartthat beats strongly within him. �Theysay I�m the miracle man because Isurvived all this,� he said. �Themiracle man was the individual whogave me the heart. I was the recipientof the miracle.�

Al Melanson with his wife, Nancy, left, and Pam Laramie, whose nephew was the donor of his transplanted heart.

They say I�m themiracle man because

I survived all this.The miracle man was

the individual who gave me the heart.

I was the recipient ofthe miracle.

Al Melanson

“

Heart transplant

gives Melanson

new lease on life

12 �The Lynn Educator Winter 22008

BY MEAGHAN CASEY

School resource officers play a unique role in LynnPublic Schools, uniting the district and the Lynn PoliceDepartment in a shared vision of advancing the city�syouth.

The SRO positions were created six years ago, throughfunding from an ongoing federal Community OrientedPolicing grant. Jennifer Cash, school resource officer atLynn Vocational Technical High School, was one of theoriginal officers to be hiredfull-time in the district. Sheworks directly with the LPDand LPS in developingsecurity policies andintervention programs at thehigh school.

�The focus is onpreventing problems,� shesaid. �I don�t want to be asecurity guard, reacting to asituation. I want to get toknow these kids and helpthem contribute to thisschool, contribute to their home life and contribute tosociety. It�s rewarding watching kids succeed when theyleave here.�

To be successful, Cash has adopted a proactiveapproach.

�You have to listen to what�s going on, and use everyresource in the school � the hall monitors, kids, teachersand administrators,� she said. �Once I get wind of

something, even ifit�s just a rumor, I goright to that person tocheck it out.�

Born and raised inLynn, Cash attendedTracy ElementarySchool, St. PiusSchool and St.Mary�s High School.A soccer and softballstandout, shegraduated from St.Mary�s in 1990 andwent on to earn herdegree in sociologyfrom the Universityof New Hampshire,where she alsominored in criminal

justice and psychology. She joined the LPD nearly 12years ago and worked as a patrol officer for six years.When the opportunity arose to work in the schools, shereadily accepted.

�I always wanted to work with kids and help themmake better choices and decisions,� she said. �Thechallenge is getting them to leave their street lives out ofschool.�

In her first year as an SRO, Cash was stationed at theformer Fecteau-Leary Middle School, and later at CobbetK-8. She is in her third year at Lynn Tech.

�Some of these seniors were in middle school when Istarted six years ago, so I�ve already built relationshipswith them,� she said. �I�ve gotten to know so many kids,

and the majority will pass me in the halls and wave or sayhello. There are many days with nothing but positiveinteractions with the students. Those are my favoritedays.�

In addition to Cash, there are school resource officersstationed at Lynn Classical and English high schools, aswell as Marshall and Breed middle schools. Throughanother partnership between the public schools and policedepartment, Lynn was also the recipient of a $100,000federal Secure Our Schools grant in 2004. The districtused the grant funding to make physical securityimprovements, such as replacing exterior doors andupgrading locks.

Officer Cash is a

valuable resource

at Lynn Tech

School Resource Officer Jennifer Cash enjoys interacting with Lynn Tech students, such as sophomore Klaus Alexis.

Jennifer Cash takes a proactiveapproach in dealing with students.

I want to get toknow these kids and help them

contribute to thisschool, contribute to their home life

and contribute to society.

Officer Jennifer Cash

“