Tewksbury Schools Get Furniture From Shuttered Bank Branch

TEWKSBURY, MA — Tewksbury schools are receiving $7,500 worth of furniture from a shuttered bank branch, after the school committee accepted the donation at their Wednesday meeting. The branch, consisting of desks, chairs, tables and cubicles, comes from Arthur Costa, the branch manager of the Eastern Bank of Tewksbury. Committee members quickly approved the donation.

The committee also heard updates on various school events and business, and recognized a group of students on a recent success. A group of fifth and sixth grade students at John Ryan Elementary participated in a state STEM challenge, and a group earned third place in the energy waste challenge. The committee also accepted a correspondence of an article in the Town Crier covering the challenge.

Leaders of the Tewksbury Special Education Parent Advisory Council introduced themselves, and noted that November is SEPAC awareness month. They invited parents of children with disabilities looking for support or to get involved in advocacy to join the council, which currently has a couple of open board seats.

Among other updates, Assistant Superintendent Brenda Theriault-Regan told the committee that the district's schools saw a slight increase in Title 1 funds, based on a slight increase in the number of economically disadvantaged students. These funds provide after school and summer programs.

Superintendent Chris Malone spoke about recent camera and key card reader additions, a "significant investment in the safety and security of our students."

They also heard details on the 2019 results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam, which showed "the eighth consecutive time [Massachusetts] students scored first or statistically tied for first."