FINAL-19 CP_MBHC_20230816_1_A01 Mon, Aug 14, 2023 3:26:00 PM
OPINION
IN THIS ISSUE
CUZNER IN NATURE
Marblehead summer, the last word
CONFLICT
Seal population on the rise
Page 6
NONPROFIT ORG PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
Sparks fly at Board of Health meeting
PAID
MARBLEHEAD, MA PERMIT NO. 25
Page 4
Page 8
NEWS FOR PEOPLE, NOT FOR PROFIT.
TM
August 16, 2023
|
VOLUME 1, ISSUE NO. 36
|
MARBLEHEADCURRENT.ORG
|
ON SOCIAL @MHDCURRENT
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
Minutes hint at reasons for departure BY LEIGH BLANDER Late Monday, the School Committee released minutes from two July executive (private) session meetings revealing that the committee took action to remove Superintendent John Buckey over a complaint of bullying on an athletic team, in addition to
“other concerns brought forth to the committee on other matters.” School Committee Chair Sarah Fox declined to comment about what those other concerns were. “The minutes speak for themselves,” she told the Current. “I cannot elaborate any further.” The Current reported last
month about an investigation that found that the now-former coach of the Marblehead High School girls soccer team had engaged in “unintentional bullying” of players. There were no accusations of physical abuse. That coach was not asked to return this fall. Buckey is not mentioned in the report. Buckey’s attorney Mike Long
said last month that the thensuperintendent handled the coach situation responsibly. Buckey met with the player, her parents, then-principal Dan Bauer and Athletic Director Greg Ceglarski in late August. At that point, the player only complained about playing time and alleged favoritism. “As a result of the
SAILING
conversation, a plan was developed for the principal and AD to facilitate a meeting with the coach, the parents and the student-athlete,” Long said. “Principal Bauer’s recollection of the meeting aligns with Dr. Buckey’s and Mr. Bauer has put SUPERINTENDENT, P. A4
TRASH TALK
’Header finishes in top three Transfer Station in Town Class Nationals
updates may start this winter BY LEIGH BLANDER
PHOTO BY BRUCE DURKEE
Marblehead was host to the Town Class Nationals this month with 24 boats on the line over two days of racing. After seven races, first place went to Nick Cann on Tonic with 14 points. Second place went to Rex Atrim on Albatross with 21 points and third place went to Marblehead native David Cooke on Auflitzen. The Town Class awards were given out by the Corinthian Yacht Club.
POETRY WORKSHOPS
Write place, write time State grant funds workshops for young creative minds
The effort to improve Marblehead’s Transfer Station took a major step forward when the Planning Board approved a site plan for the $1.6 million project on Aug. 8. Public Health Director Andrew Petty hopes to put the project out to bid and have construction start before the winter months. “It’s been a long time coming,” Petty told the Current as the meeting ended. “A lot of hard work has gone into this.” The plan includes modifications to upgrade the existing Transfer Station structure, replace its compactor, improve site grading, relocate the existing scale, replace the scale house with a new structure, replace the existing swap shed and add a new personnel transaction shed at the residential drop-off area. The traffic flow will also be changed, with most residents now entering the Transfer Station from Green Street and exiting out Beacon Street. About 6,500 people use the dump each week in the spring, summer and fall, according to Petty. Traffic drops off in the winter months. Many neighbors on Green Street and Arnold Terrace have spoken out against the new traffic configuration. Ellen Epstein of Green Street said she was concerned about safety. “There are two big hills that go down to where the access road is,” she said. “You’ve got trucks and cars going down there with kids whizzing down on bikes and skateboards.”
BY KRIS OLSON TRANSFER, P. A3 When poet and educator Katie Naoum Rogers relocated from New York City to Marblehead, it also marked a move away from the classroom. After several years as a seventhgrade English language arts teacher at South Bronx Preparatory School, Rogers’ professional life took a turn towards curriculum development. But during the pandemic, Rogers realized she was missing being with students. “And I really started to miss my own writing practice,” said the busy mom of two preschoolers, one who will start kindergarten in the fall. A friend suggested that perhaps her void could be filled by leading workshops, the kind Rogers wished had been available to her when she started to write around the age of 13. Rogers made a trial run at the Salem Public Library in the spring of 2022 then found her way to the Salem
BLACK CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SALEM ATHENAEUM
With poet and educator Katie Naoum Rogers, back row, left, are participants in Rogers’ weeklong writing workshop held at the Salem Athenaeum earlier this month. Students are, back row, from left, Abby Corrigan, Alice Girling and Paloma Russel; front row, from left, Finna Walsh, Sherrie Esteves, Evelyn Miller and Ella Wanstall. Walsh, Wanstall, Corrigan and Girling all live in Marblehead.
Athenaeum, which she calls “one of the most beautiful spaces on the North Shore.” The staff of the private library was
eager to expand its offerings to a more youthful audience and opened up the space especially for Rogers and her WRITING, P. A10
Renderings of changes to the pit structure at the Transfer Station