SUBSCRIBE TO THE ADVOCATE
SEE PAGE 10 ECRWSS PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT #67
Peabody, MA POSTAL CUSTOMER
Vol. 3, No. 18
-FREE-
www.advocatenews.net
Info@advocatenews.net
Peabody Pride Cleans Up
978-777-6397
School Dept. looking at $6.4M deficit for FY19 By Christopher Roberson
cuit Breaker this year, which would give Peabody $200,000. espite the proposal of a Levine also said the district has level-service budget of applied for a $100,000 kinder$71.8 million, the Peabody garten grant. Therefore, Levine presentPublic Schools still face a $6.4 million shortfall for fiscal year ed the possibility of having a 2019. “We have to make that full-time assistant principal at up, we have to get to zero,” Brown Elementary School for said Interim Superintendent $65,000. He said it has become of Schools Dr. Herbert Levine necessary to switch the posiduring the School Committee’s tion from part-time to full-time first budget hearing on May 1. given Brown’s growing numHe said costs have increased in ber of special needs students. special education, transporta- “This is the most complex tion and the district’s Technol- school in our district,” he said. School Committee Memogy Plan. In an effort to close the fund- ber Jarrod Hochman asked ing gap, Levine proposed elim- how much money the district inating two professional devel- spends on copy paper each opment days next year for a year. Although an exact figsavings of $550,000. “No one ure was not available, School wants to do that, we grind- Business Manager Jared Staned about that,” he said; yet ton said it costs approximately that amount would save nine “$200,000 to $300,000” to supply the district with copy paper teaching positions. He also suggested reduc- during the school year. Therefore, Hochman said ing the technology budget by $130,000, meaning that documents should be digitized Chromebook carts would whenever possible. “There are not be available to kinder- certain areas where we can garten and first-grade stu- grab a little bit of money,” he dents. Regarding personnel, said. School Committee Member Levine proposed cutting 10 teaching positions; howev- Beverley Ann Griffin Dunne er, five of them are openings said the cost of the Superinthat would not be filled. In tendent Mentoring Program addition, he suggested elim- for Cara Murtagh could be paid inating three paraprofession- out over three years. Therefore, al positions, adding that the only one-third of the total cost district has 213 paraprofes- would need to be included in sionals right now. “I believe this year’s budget. Mayor Edward Bettencourt that we can afford to combine some of the services that we acknowledged Levine’s request for a $1.8 million mayhave,” he said. Levine said other positions oral contribution. “That was a that could be in jeopardy in- little more than I was intendclude the housemaster at Hig- ing to give,” he said. Bettencourt said the city still gins Middle School and the dean at Peabody Veterans Me- owes $2 million from the threemorial High School. Levine said alarm fire that destroyed the there are now 450 fewer stu- Coolidge Avenue Water Treatdents at the high school than ment Plant on March 13, 2017. there were in 2011. “I believe at “The biggest concern this year this point, they can afford the has been water,” he said, addreduction of the high school ing that the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority has prodean,” he said. Regarding income, Levine vided water service to Peabody said the district could receive for the past year. Bettencourt also said health $300,000 in additional revenue. “I am optimistically pro- insurance has climbed by $2 jecting that we’ll receive that,” million and retirement obligations are up by $400,000. he said. He said state officials have In addition, he said all union agreed to provide a 72 per- contracts are due to expire on cent reimbursement for Cir- June 30.
D
DOING THEIR PART: Peabody residents Luke, Sarah and Erin Buckley are shown during the the Peabody Pride Clean Up on May 5 picking up trash around Church Street. See page 3. (Advocate photos by Christopher Roberson)
PVMHS seminar warns parents of growing social media dangers By Christopher Roberson
J
ulie McGrath, a former social worker at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, recently spoke to parents about the evolving dangers posed by social media. During her April 25 presentation, Having A Teenager Is Challenging Enough Now Add Social Media, McGrath said that contrary to popular belief, children are not growing up that quickly anymore.
MCGRATH | SEE PAGE 4
Julie McGrath recently spoke to parents at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School about the increasing risks spawned by social media platforms. (Photo Courtesy of PAT)
Friday, May 11, 2018