Knightly News
Rooted in Purpose. Growing in Practice. Thriving Together.
Dear North Andover Families,
As November comes to a close and we approach Thanksgiving, I find myself filled with gratitude for the many ways our community has come together this fall.
Over the past few months, we have gathered to celebrate our students’ achievements, honor our veterans, cheer on our home teams, enjoy inspiring performances at our middle and high school concerts and support neighbors in need through food drives and acts of service. These moments, big and small, remind us that North Andover is more than a school district. We are a community rooted in care, connection and shared purpose.
I am also grateful for the incredible response to our call for participation in the district’s Strategic Planning Committee. We received more than 50 applications from staff, families, students and community members, a true testament to the passion and commitment people have for the future of North Andover Public Schools. From this group, we selected 35 members who represent a broad cross-section of our community. I look forward to working alongside them and our consultants from Teaching Learning Alliance as we shape a plan that will guide our district forward and help us continue growing in practice.
Our strategic plan will focus on three key areas: Finance, Facilities and Operations, Curriculum and Culture. A strong strategic plan allows us to define our guiding principles, set meaningful goals, and map out a clear trajectory for progress, all grounded in data and aligned with our mission, core values and vision for the district. It ensures that as we move forward, we remain rooted in our purpose while intentionally strengthening the practices that support every learner.
In the coming weeks, families and community members will receive an email invitation to participate in a districtwide survey. This survey will be an important way for all voices to be heard and will help guide the work of the committee. In addition, Teaching Learning Alliance will be hosting a series of focus groups to further gather input. Please be on the lookout for more information about these opportunities to engage in this important work.
As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to express my sincere appreciation for the partnership and support of our families and community. I am truly thankful for the students, staff, families and neighbors who make North Andover Public Schools such a special place to belong. Wishing you and your loved ones a restful and joyful Thanksgiving.
With gratitude,
Pamela Lathrop
Superintendent of Schools
Greetings North Andover Families,
My favorite food is pie. I love pie of all sorts → sweet, savory, fruit, cream, ice cream, pudding. All pie is good pie. This past weekend I made my specialty, sweet potato pie. It was divine.
As I indicated in my previous message, we are gearing up for Budget Season. Right now everyone is working hard to build a budget for FY27. Like most of you, I am eagerly waiting to see the first draft of the proposed budget. I do want to take a moment to outline the process, and identify key dates.
The FY27 budget must be developed in partnership with the Town’s Revenue and Fixed Cost Committee. Their recommended budget increase will be shared at the Tri-Board meeting on December 15, 2025.
The Superintendent and School Committee anticipate presenting an FY27 projection on December 18, 2025.
The Superintendent will present the full budget to the School Committee on January 8, 2026.
The School Committee will hold a Public Hearing and discuss the FY27 Budget on January 15, 2026.
The School Committee will discuss the FY27 Budget and vote on the budget on January 29, 2026.
Town Meeting is on May 12, 2026.
Your feedback matters: it is both welcomed and encouraged. The School Committee allows for public comment at both the beginning and end of each of our meetings. We will also hold several Community Chats in January. Finally, you can also share feedback by email. Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday.
Warmly,
Joe Hicks
Chair - North Andover School Committee
Scan this QR code for recent information on the Kittredge Elementary School Building Project. The web address is: https://sites.google.com/northandoverma.gov/kittredge
The Youth Center's Winter Program Registration begins Monday 11/24/25 at 9am. The programs are listed at nayouth.com/winter and include options for our middle school members, high school winter recreational basketball league and more! It's not too late for middle school students to get a drop-in membership, more information can be found at nayouth.com/members.
The Youth Center's Brooks School skating program will be held for 8 weeks this winter on Sundays from 6:30-8:30pm at the Brooks School rink. This is open to all North Andover residents and costs $5/skater. BYOS: Bring your own skates!
North Andover Youth & Recreation Services is pleased to announce the hiring of our incoming Director, Joe Agosto. Joe will be starting on Monday, January 5th, and will be working alongside our current Director, Rick Gorman, until Rick's official retirement date of February 13th. We are excited to welcome Joe to the Youth Center team!
Substitute Teaching
The district is always seeking energetic, caring individuals to join our substitute pool across our seven schools. In 2025, we launched a new program to make the process easier and more efficient for substitutes. Using the Frontline Absence Management platform, substitutes can receive daily coverage notifications via a mobile app, online portal and/or telephone. You can choose to work in all schools or select one or more preferred locations. Before starting, background checks and a new part-time employee packet must be completed. For more details and to get started, please visit the district’s Human Resources webpages.
