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41°
Friday, apr 19
Schools
School District In New England Causes Controversy By Removing 2 Scheduled Holidays
A Connecticut school board's decision to remove two holidays that have traditionally given students a day off has sparked debate amongst community members, according to a report by ABC 7 New York. The controversy began in Fairfield County following the Stamford School Board's decision to remove Veterans Day and Columbus Day from their calendar, which means students will not have them off for the next two years, according to an ABC7 report from Friday, Jan. 26. Board members, who passed the decision in a 5-3 motion, have defended the decision by saying students should remain in s…
Schools
Harvard University President Resigns Amid Controversy: Reports
Claudine Gay is set to resign as Harvard University president after facing plagiarism accusations over her academic work and heavy criticism during a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism. Gay is stepping down on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 2, after just six months and two days since being appointed president of the university, according to the Harvard Crimson. Her tenure is the shortest ever for a Harvard president, the newspaper reported. Related: Harvard President Claudine Gay Gets Support From Faculty Her resignation comes after mounting allegations of plagiarism of her…
Schools
Harvard President Requests More Changes To Her Work As Congress Digs Into Her Writing: Reports
As the US House of Representatives is digging deeper into Harvard University President Claudine Gay’s academic work, the university said it had found more issues in connection to the matter. The Harvard Corporation, which oversees the university, said on Wednesday, Dec. 20 that Gay would request three corrections to her 1997 Ph.D. dissertation, the Harvard Crimson reported. The corrections follow an independent review by the corporation, which found that Gay had not properly attributed some of her sources but the incidents didn't rise to the level of serious wrongdoing, the Crimson reported…
Schools
Harvard President Faces Plagiarism Allegations Amid Calls For Resignation
Harvard University president Claudine Gay faces new allegations while some are calling for her resignation after they took issue with recent comments she made to Congress about anti-Semitism. A report claims that Gay had plagiarized portions of her doctoral thesis. However, the prestigious university said it had looked into the matter and determined that she had not violated any of the school's research standards. Officials said two of her articles will receive corrections for "inadequate citation." The Harvard Corporation, which supervises the university, announced in a statement on …
Schools
Harvard Faculty Backs President Gay Amid Calls For Resignation Over Congressional Testimony
Harvard President Claudine Gay is facing calls to resign after her congressional hearing on antisemitism went viral last week, but hundreds of university faculty are rallying behind her in support. An open letter, addressed to the Harvard Corporation, has reached 686 signatures from faculty members, according to the Harvard Crimson. Related: Gay Denies Plagiarism Claims As University Lends Its Support Faculty members wrote: “We, the undersigned faculty, urge you in the strongest possible terms to defend the independence of the university and to resist political pressures that are at odds …
Schools
UPenn President Resigns After Backlash Over Congressional Testimony
Moments after it was announced that University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill was resigning, Board of Trustees Chairman Scott Bok followed suit. Magill, whose testimony to Congress on antisemitism earlier this week sparked widespread outrage, resigned on Saturday, Dec. 9. Bok later announced his resignation, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Magill remains a faculty member at Penn Carey Law and will stay on as president until an interim president is appointment, UPenn Board of Trustees Chairman Scott Bok said in announcing the news Saturday evening. And Liz Magill has resig…
Schools
College In CT Shows Support For Palestinian Student Shot In VT In Apparent Hate Crime
A college community in Connecticut, alongside many nationwide, has been left reeling after a student of Palestinian descent was one of three shot in what appears to be a hate crime. Tahseen Ali Ahmad, age 20, who attends Trinity College in Hartford, was one of three men of the same age shot outside of a house in Burlington, Vermont on Sunday, Nov. 26, the school announced. Ali Ahmad and the two other men — Kinnan Abdalhamid and Hisham Awartani, also of Palestinian descent — were lifelong friends visiting a relative’s house near the University of Vermont's campus for the Thanksgiving holid…
Schools
21-Year-Old Accused Of Threatening To Shoot, Stab, Rape Jewish Students On Campus At Cornell
A student at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York has been accused of threatening to shoot, stab, and rape Jewish students at the Ivy League school. Patrick Dai, a 21-year-old junior originally from Pittsford, New York, was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 31 on a federal criminal complaint charging him with posting threats to kill or injure another using interstate communications, according to prosecutors in the Northern District of New York. Dai allegedly posted threatening messages to the Cornell section of an online discussion site, including posts calling for the deaths of Jewish peopl…
Schools
These High Schools Ranked Top 5 In Berkshire County: New Report
The grades are in - these five high schools are the best of the best in Berkshire County, according to ranking website Niche. Evaluated on categories such as academics, administration, and sports, community and school ranking site Niche proclaimed that these public high schools rise to the top in Berkshire County: No. 1 - Mt. Greylock Regional High School No. 2 - Lenox Memorial High School No. 3 - Monument Mountain Regional High School No. 4 - Pittsfield High School No. 5 - Lee Middle/High School All five schools earned a grade of “B” or higher, which is based on dozens of public da…
Schools
New Report Ranks These High Schools As Franklin County’s Best
As the back-to-school season settles into full swing, the community and school ranking site Niche named these Massachusetts schools as the best in the area. The 2023 “Best Public High Schools in Franklin County” list, released by ranking site Niche, evaluated institutions in the area and based on categories such as academics, diversity, and more, declared the following as the best of the best: No. 1 - Frontier Regional School No. 2 - Four Rivers Charter Public School No. 3 - Turners Fall High School No. 4 - Greenfield High School No. 5 - Mohawk Trail Regional High School …
Schools
Top Honors: These Western Mass Schools Recipients Of Prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award
When it comes to overall excellence, these Massachusetts schools are at the top of the class, and they have the hardware to prove it. Seven schools in the Bay State are among just 353 across the country to receive the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award from the US Department of Education. The annual awards recognize high-performing public and non-public schools, as well as those making strides in closing “achievement gaps” among student groups. “Their leaders not only articulate a vision of excellence and hold everyone to high standards, they stay close to the real action of teaching a…
Schools
These 7 Mass Liberal Arts Colleges Rank Among Top 20 In US, New Report Says
The grades are in, and these colleges are a cut above the rest. Of the top 20 liberal arts colleges in the United States, four can be found in Massachusetts, three in New York, and one in Connecticut, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings. They are: No. 1 - Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts No. 2 - Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts No. 4 - Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts (Tied with Pomona College in Claremont, California and Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania) No. 8 - United States Military …
Schools
These School Districts Ranked Top 5 In Hampshire County, Report Says
The grades are in, and these school districts are a cut above the rest, according to the community and school ranking site Niche. After considering several key areas, the following were ranked in the website’s 2023 “Best Public School Districts in Hampshire County” report: No. 1 - Amherst-Pelham Regional School District No. 2 - Northampton Public Schools No. 3 - Hadley Public Schools No. 4 - South Hadley Public Schools No. 5 - Belchertown Public Schools All five districts earned high overall grades, with Amherst-Pelham and Northampton receiving A’s. The remaining districts each hold an ove…
Schools
These High Schools Ranked Top 5 In Worcester County, Report Says
The grades are in, and these high schools are a cut above the rest, according to the community and school ranking site Niche. After considering several key areas, the following schools were ranked in the website’s 2023 “Best Public High Schools in Worcester County” report: No. 1 - Massachusetts Academy of Math & Science in Worcester No. 2 - Westborough High School No. 3 - The Bromfield School in Harvard No. 4 - Shrewsbury Senior High School No. 5 - Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough All five high schools earned an overall grade of A+, receiving top marks in the academics, t…
Schools
These School Districts Rank Best In Massachusetts, Report Says
Top-performing students are not the only ones getting A+ grades after a report ranked Massachusetts school districts to find out who is best in class. Massachusetts school districts were graded on criteria that include academics, diversity, and administration, and 26 Massachusetts received an A+ grade, according to the community and school ranking site Niche. The Weston Public School District, in Middlesex County, received the highest rating in the state, coming in at the number one position in Massachusetts. It received perfect scores for academics, college prep, and resources and fac…
Schools
Western Mass School Staffer On Leave Over Misconduct Allegations
A staff member at Four Rivers Charter Public School in Greenfield was placed on administrative leave last week after being accused of misconduct, a letter from administrators said. Four Rivers Principal Jenni Manfredi sent a letter to parents on Friday, June 16, to alert them to the investigation. She noted that everyone affected had been notified, but Manfredi stopped short of detailing the allegations against the staffer. We recently received a report regarding alleged misconduct involving a Four Rivers staff member. Upon receiving the report, impacted families were contacted,…
Schools
Razor Blade: 12-Year-Old Slashes 11-Year-Old Boy's Hand In Fight At Central Mass Middle School
An 11-year-old middle school student in Worcester County needed stitches after a classmate slashed his hand open with a razor blade during a fight at the school on Thursday morning, May 25. Blackstone police said the fight broke out at Frederick W. Hartnett Middle School between the 11-year-old boy and a 12-year-old boy around 8:30 a.m. It's unclear what sparked the disagreement. When the school resource officer arrived, they learned the older boy had snuck a razor blade to school and used it during the fight to slice open his opponent's hand, Blackstone police said. The bo…
Schools
Fitchburg High Students Return To Class After Threat Investigation (
Update
)
UPDATE: Fitchburg high officials say the police and fire firefighters cleared students to return to class after investigating threats made at the school. pic.twitter.com/4AX4RPdTrC — Fitchburg Schools (@FitchburgPS) May 17, 2023 --------------- Officials began evacuating Fitchburg High School on Wednesday afternoon, May 17, after they received threats to the school, authorities said in a social media post. Related: Fitchburg High Put On Lockdown Over Fake Gun In April They did not describe the nature of the threat or when it came in. Calls for information were not immediately retur…
Schools
Lockdown Lifted At Central Mass High School After Fake Gun Threat: Officials
An unfounded weapons threat sent a Central Massachusetts high school into lockdown on Wednesday morning, April 5, according to the school district. Fitchburg High School was placed on lockdown around 11 a.m. after staff learned that someone had possibly brought a gun to school, the Fitchburg Public Schools said on Facebook. Fitchburg High School is currently in lockdown due to the potential threat of a weapon in school. School and police... Posted by Fitchburg Public Schools on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 First responders were called to the building, located at 140 Arnhow Farm Road in …
Schools
Gum Spicier Than Pepper Spray Sends 6 Western Mass Students To Hospitals
Six elementary school students from Western Massachusetts were taken to local hospitals after ingesting or coming in contact with a spicy gum product this week, according to officials. A student who bought the gum online shared it with other students during recess at Dexter Park School in Orange on Tuesday, April 4, Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Teahan-Zielinski reports. "The product contained levels of pepper, which, when some students ingested it, caused digestive issues, including burning in the mouth and esophagus," she said. "Additionally, students who accepted the product but did n…
Schools
Threatening School Shooting: Western Mass Man Held Without Bail After Causing Lockdown, DA Says
A 46-year-old Northfield man is being held without bail after he allegedly threatened a school shooting on Friday, March 24, authorities said. The threat caused administrators at Northfield Elementary School to lock down the building and order students and teachers to shelter in place. Theodore R. Sweeney Jr. is charged with threatening to commit a school shooting, two counts of threatening to commit a crime, and disturbing the peace, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. Sweeney pleaded not guilty to the charges. Officials did not say how the threat w…
Schools
Tom Hanks Named Harvard University's Class Of 2023 Commencement Speaker
Known for countless on-screen appearances, Tom Hanks will soon take the stage to address Harvard University's graduating class of 2023, the school announced on Tuesday, March 21. The Oscar-winning actor will be the principal speaker at Harvard’s 372nd Commencement on Thursday, May 25, the Harvard Gazette reports. “A true master of his craft, Tom Hanks has given life to some of the most compelling, beloved, and iconic characters on the screen,” said Harvard President Larry Bacow. "He has contributed to our national culture and expanded our ability to appreciate stories and histories that …
Schools
'Borgs' At Early St Paddy's Day Party At UMass Amherst Send 28 To Hospital
More than two dozen students were hospitalized following early St. Patrick's Day celebrations at a university in Western Massachusetts that featured a dangerous drinking trend that is sweeping the nation. University of Massachusetts Amherst said Amherst Fire handled 28 transports for alcohol intoxication during off-campus gatherings on Saturday, March 4, the school said in a statement. Authorities said many students were carrying plastic gallon containers, believed to be "borgs." Borg stands for "black out rage gallons," and contain a mix of alcohol, electrolytes and water. The purpose…
Schools
Body Found Outside Central Massachusetts High School: Police
Authorities are investigating after a body was found outside of a high school in Central Massachusetts this weekend. Auburn Fire responded to a report of an unresponsive man located in the driveway of Auburn High School around 6:35 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26, Auburn Police said on Facebook. On Sunday at 6:35 a.m., Fire Personnel responded to the Auburn High School, 99 Auburn Street, for a report of an... Posted by Auburn MA Police Department on Sunday, February 26, 2023 The man was pronounced dead on scene and the area around the school was closed until 10:30 a.m. to deal with the situati…
Schools
'Swatting' Hoax Threats Send Multiple Massachusetts School Into Lockdowns
Multiple Massachusetts schools have been forced into lockdowns because of fake gun and bomb threats, otherwise known as "swatting" incidents, over the past four days. "Swatting" is defined as "the action or practice of making a prank call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address," according to Oxford Language. These incidents have seen an uptick across the Commonwealth in the wake of the deadly shooting at the Michigan State University on Monday, Feb. 13 in which three students perished. T…
Schools
Wesleyan University Student-Athlete Dies In Skiing Accident
A junior at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, has died after a ski accident. Jack Seivwright was studying abroad this semester, the university said in a statement. The accident happened on Sunday, Feb. 12. "Known on campus as a student-athlete who brought people together, he will be sorely missed by many," Wesleyan's statement said. "We offer our condolences to Jack’s family, friends, and loved ones." A native of Elmore, Vermont, Seivwright was a member of the soccer team during his freshman year in 2020-21. “Jack was a ball of energy who loved being active and spending tim…
Schools
School Closings: List Grows As Subzero Temperatures Approach Massachusetts
As dangerous wind chills and subzero temperatures are expected to move through the state, many Massachusetts school districts are closing for the day on Friday, Feb. 3. The National Weather Service predicts the lowest wind chills could be between -15 and -45 degrees Fahrenheit from Friday night into Saturday morning. Isolated power outages and snow squalls are expected and the risk for frostbite will also be high. Dangerous Wind Chills Fri-Sat across southern New England. Isolated power outages possible due to strong winds. A few isolated snow squalls possible late tonight into early …
Schools
Threat Made Against Longmeadow School Causes Friday Closure: Report
Administrators at Glenbrook Middle School in Longmeadow canceled classes on Friday, Jan. 27, after they received a threat against the school, MassLive reported. Related: Threat prompts Longmeadow’s Glenbrook Middle School to close Friday Superintendent of Schools Martin O’Shea said in an email to parents that the threat was written on a bathroom wall and discovered Thursday afternoon. Though he didn't believe it was credible, O'Shea asked for a thorough police investigation before allowing students in the building. “Despite purposeful and tireless efforts by the Longmeadow…
Schools
Bad Teacher: Pre-K Para Fired After Snapping OnlyFan Pics At Longmeadow School, Reports Say
A Longmeadow preschool para who allegedly took nude photos for her OnlyFans account on school grounds has been fired, according to multiple reports. Brenna Percy, who worked at Wolf Swamp Road School, was outed this week by the controversial Twitter account LibsofTikTok, which showed a photo of Percy standing in a bathroom with her breasts exposed. She captioned it: "Naughty at work." The photo is from 2021 when Percy was working as a non-teaching para at the public school. LibsOfTikTok said Percy has an active OnlyFans account, a social media site where users can upload explicit content th…
Schools
Decade After Sandy Hook School Shooting, New Tech Gives Teachers, Students ‘Layer Of Security'
Gun control advocates will tell you that not much has changed since a 20-year-old gunman walked into a Connecticut elementary school and murdered 20 students and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown on Dec. 14, 2012. Since that day, another 279 people have died in 189 different shootings that have occurred at schools across the United States, BBC News reports. Among them are the 19 students and two teachers who were killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in May 2022. What has changed, though, is the technology that’s available to schools to help keep students a…
Schools
Spent Shell Casings Found At Massachusetts High School: Officials
School officials in Middlesex County are investigating after two spent shell casings were found at a high school this week. The casings were found in the boys locker room bathroom at North Middlesex Regional High School around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8, Superintendent Brad Morgan and Townsend Police Chief James Sartell report. Townsend Police took the casings and contacted the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council School Threat Assessment and Response System (STARS) team. A search of the locker room and entire school ensued, officials said. Students were not in…
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