LPS Connector

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ដើម្បីបកប្រែព្រឹត្តិប័ត្រព័ត៌មាន សូមមើលលើផ្នែកខាងស្តាំខាងលើនៃព្រឹត្តិប័ត្រ ព័ត៌មាននេះនូវមធ្យោបាយ ហើយសូមចុចលើជម្រើស" បកប្រែព្រឹត្តិប័ត្រព័ត៌មាន ។

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community Members,

With the new school year beginning next week , I want to extend a warm welcome back to all of our students and families. The first days of school always bring a sense of excitement and possibility. This year that is especially so as we launch our district’s new Strategic Plan, Lowell 2030: Transforming Learning, Empowering Learners.

This plan was shaped with input from students, families, educators, and community partners, representing our shared vision for the future of our schools. At its heart, the plan is about ensuring every child receives an excellent education in a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment. The plan is built around four bold priorities:

Rigor and Relevance in Every Classroom - ensuring that every student experiences deep, meaningful learning every day.

Safe and Welcoming Schools - creating environments where every child feels known, valued, and ready to learn, and where their family is comfortable being a part of the process.

Highly Skilled and Innovative Talent – attracting, retaining, supporting, and developing the high-quality, mission-driven staff our students deserve.

Supportive and Efficient Systems - aligning our systems and resources to best support teaching, learning, and school communities.

This year, you will see the first steps of this plan come to life in our schools - from new, high quality curriculum in classrooms, to refined coaching support for staff, to continued efforts to create welcoming school communities for every child and family.

Your role as parents and caregivers is central to this work. Please remain engaged and involved with your child’s school. Together, we will build on the progress we’ve made and ensure that all students have the opportunities they need to thrive.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. I look forward to all we will accomplish in the year ahead.

With gratitude,

Liam Skinner, Superintendent of Schools

PS. You may be surprised to hear of all the wonderful activities throughout LPS over the summer. Check them out below!

The Morey Elementary School had a problem. Their recess yard was a mess. The asphalt was worn out and cracked; the lines for games like Four Square were no longer visible; the area was overgrown in places and had become a dumping ground for trash; and they just did not have sufficient equipment to keep their high-energy students busy during recess.

A group of teachers and staff took that problematic bull by its horns and launched a 9-month strategic operation with the goal of having the best recess yard in the city. On July 29, the new playground was unveiled to the students attending the school’s summer program. They were amazed.

The project was led by teachers Chris and Lizette Crowley, who were joined by teachers Amy Vogel, Julie Roberge, Kate Spelling, and Diana Galeano, along with Morey students, staff, and the community at large.

They took this on as a Project Based Learning (PBL) unit through their 21st Century After School program. Students worked all year on redesign plans for the play area, creating posters and models of their work, then came together to imagine the final product – a recess yard that not only looked better, but included something for everyone and was organized into zones so every group has their space to play games or try out activities.

“We wanted to create a place that promoted kindness and promoted friendship,” said Lizette Crowley. “We wanted to show all of the things we are at the Morey School – kind, friendly, responsible, and most of all loving.”

Chris Crowley explained that the Morey PTO contributed $1,000 to sealcoat the yard. On July 4 at 5:30 a.m., the Crowleys, paraprofessional Heather Kelleher, and a couple of other volunteers sealcoated the space. The PTO also donated paint to paint the lines for Four Square, Hopscotch, and other popular games.

Funds from the 21st Century grant, provided by Lowell Public Schools Coordinator of Special Programs Rebecca Duda, allowed them to purchase Four Square balls, soccer balls, jump ropes, a new sandbox, and other important recess items.

Home Depot generously donated a picnic table that Morey custodian Ray O’Brien assembled and Chris Crowley painted.

A wish list created on Amazon and fulfilled by parents, teachers, staff, and community members filled the rest of the needs.

This summer, interns from the Lowell High School Education Pathway worked with Morey School students to create video tutorials explaining how to play different playground games.

“The whole community got involved,” Chris Crowley said.

Before unveiling the new space to the students, the Crowleys emphasized the importance of caring for the space and the items.

“You have to be responsible and take ownership of the new equipment because if you don’t, it will be gone,” Chris Crowley said.

“We believe in you,” added Lizette Crowley, adding that Morey kids are known for being kind and responsible.

Once the kids were released onto the recess yard, the possibilities were endless. A rolling cart held a dozen bins of activities from which to choose – play chef set, play doctor set, friendship bracelet making, word games, board games, Etch-a-Sketch, pickleball, bubbles, and more.

There were also hula hoops, the sandbox, jump ropes, soccer balls, footballs, basketballs, and of course Four Square, Hopscotch, cornhole, swings, and more.

There is truly something for everyone and every mood at recess at the Morey.

On July 31, Lowell High School Education Pathway students who interned in three LPS elementary schools for the summer session, wrapped up their internships by presenting final projects showcasing the use of technology in the classroom. Read about it here: https://lpsnotebook.wordpress.com/2025/08/07/lhs-interns-leave-an-impact/

On Tuesday June 17, Project LEARN, Inc. and the Middlesex 3 Coalition brought leaders in government, education, and industry together for “Pathways to Possibility: From Classroom to Career,” a discussion at Middlesex Community College about the current climate and what the future holds. Read about it here: https://lpsnotebook.wordpress.com/2025/07/17/pathways-to-possibility/

There was a flurry of activity at the Lincoln Elementary School on the last day of the summer session, with students finishing up the projects they worked on, eager to share them with students and teachers from other grade levels.

The older students learned how to play a wide variety of games this summer - and then created their own board games with great themes like "Escape from the Aliens," "Chicken Nugget World," and "Candy Smash."

Making their own games not only unleashed the students' artistic creativity and focus, but also sharpened their writing skills, as they had to create clear instructions that any player could follow.

After testing out their games with their classmates, the older students invited the younger kids to check out and play their games. Everyone followed the rules and were great sports whether they won or lost.

Fourth graders Ariana and Bobby said they both really enjoyed learning how to play games that were new to them this summer, with Ariana favoring Mancala, an ancient strategy game played with marbles and Bobby becoming a fan of Dominoes.

Meanwhile down the hall, the younger kids spent their summer traveling the country. They researched several cities including New York, Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Springfield, Mass. They then planned travel itineraries that included where to stay, attractions to visit, souvenirs to bring home, and of course food to eat!

Maia said her favorite city was Springfield because of the Dr. Seuss Museum. Several students displayed their fancy tastes, opting for food options like oysters in Seattle and sushi in Los Angeles.

They also created items from some of these cities like Mardi Gras masks, stars from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the torch from the Statue of Liberty.

After having seen these extensive projects, it is safe to say these kids are ready to work as travel agents!

If there is a better way to spend a steamy morning in the city than visiting the O'Donnell Park splash pad, we don't know one. The Bartlett Community Partnership School summer school crew visited on July 25.

The district's preschool summer program, under the direction of preschool teacher Lisa Tenczar, wrapped up their 6-week session on August 1. Lots of big smiles and excitement about the pending school year. These kids are ready for anything!

In July, through a program run by Project Learn, 25 Lowell High School students dove into externships, working with professional mentors to explore the worlds of cybersecurity, engineering, education, communications, and business/entrepreneurship. Read about their experience here: https://lpsnotebook.wordpress.com/2025/08/07/hands-on-summer-learning/

Students at five district schools will notice something a little different, a little more colorful that is sure to put a pep in their step as they stroll to school in time for the first bell next week.

In a whirlwind of paint and sweat, a group of exceptionally talented young Lowell artists designed and painted murals on crosswalks at the Greenhalge Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, Shaughnessy Elementary School, Robinson Middle School, and STEM Academy over a five-day period earlier this month.

The project, “Wavemakers: Vibrant Pathways to Walkability and Healthy Communities in Lowell,” is part of a collaborative project involving Raw Art Works in Lynn, La House in Lawrence and Aaron’s Presents in Lowell, funded by MassDevelopment’s Creative Catalyst Grant.

All three projects will create or enhance pathways in each of the three cities that promote community health by encouraging foot traffic, bringing community together, encouraging healthy activities, and supporting local businesses.

In Lowell, the artists were Kayla Pinales, Mya Woodson, Serena Nam, Mariana Zuluaga, Yazmin De Los Santos, and Gabriel Pereira. They worked under the mentorship of Lowell teaching artist Matthew Wolterding of My Beautiful Mind

(https://www.mymindisbeautiful.org/). The murals are meant to inspire and energize younger children to embrace their ideas, agency, physical activity, creativity, and love of school.

Matt is also working with the artists to create informational pieces that will be linked to QR codes and installed next to the crosswalks to further educate and inspire the public to take pride in their schools and neighborhoods.

Aaron’s Presents is a nonprofit based in Lowell whose mission is to empower youth to create and lead positive change in their communities, while developing empathy and self-worth within themselves. The organization hires adult mentors to carry out the planning and execution of youth-driven projects that offer leadership opportunities and experiences for the kids, while building community and supporting other local nonprofits, schools and businesses. For more information about Aaron’s Presents: https://www.aaronspresents.org/

Special thanks to James Ostis (LHS ’02) for the drone photos and video.

IDEA Camp wrapped up on Friday June 27 with a great showcase, giving families the opportunity to check out what the middle and high school kids had been working on all week.

IDEA Camp is a partnership between UMass Lowell, Lowell Public Schools, and Project Learn that provides hands-on STEAM experiences for students in grades 5-12, giving students an opportunity to learn more about something they are interested in, try something new, or explore career possibilities.

Courses offered included: STEM MashUp, Architecture, Gamemakers, Crime Science, Battlebots, and Harvard MedScience.

The Summer School crew at the Greenhalge Elementary School showed off what they learned over the session by presenting their final projects on July 31.

One class learned all about different types of bugs: flies, butterflies, praying mantises, lady bugs, and beetles; the second class was immersed in our solar system, learning about all of the planets and the moon; and the third class looked inside - literally. They learned all about the human body and what each organ does to keep things going.

Creativity was unleashed at the Bartlett Community Partnership School's summer school paint party! Students painted creatures they had previously made out of clay, as well as creating scenes on personal canvases.

On July 25, a group of students from the Moody Elementary School had the opportunity to visit Mill City Grows' Big Urban Farm in the city's Pawtucketville neighborhood. They got to tour the farm; taste orange, yellow, and white carrots, as well as a freshly harvested cucumber; participate in a scavenger hunt; and build "hotels" for bugs out of materials used on the farm. Special thanks to Daphnne and Savannah from Mill City Grows' Education Team for everything you do for Lowell kids year round!

Ironworker Tim Collins, who is working on the Lowell High School construction project, posted this photo of the amazing new equipment being installed for the LHS Culinary Program.

Head of School Michael Fiato and College and Career Counselor Heather Brunner recently attended the Community Breakfast and Final Presentation of UMass Lowell’s UPRISE Program—Understanding Power, Resisting Injustice Summer Experience.

The event marked the culmination of a powerful three-week program that gave high school students the tools to become informed and effective agents of social change—while also earning college credit. Read more here: https://lpsnotebook.wordpress.com/2025/08/07/uprise-2025/

On August 6, Sullivan Middle School Community School Program Manager Gayl Hurley, with help from community partners, distributed dozens of backpacks stuffed with school supplies to Sullivan students and their siblings.

Backpacks were provided by Catie's Closet and the Diamond Girlz Motorcycle Club, and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell provided insulated lunch bags for students.

This is the second year the Diamond Girlz, who also made sure the Kona Ice truck was on campus to provide free frosty treats to families, have helped Sullivan families with back-to-school needs.

Established in 2008 by Courtney Bouchard (biker name Mz. Pink), the Club is a group of women from Greater Boston who are passionate about motorcycles and community service.

Mz. Pink and Mrs. Movez were in attendance to watch as boys and girls perused the plethora of backpacks looking for the one that fit their personality best.

Our Family Resource Center staff held a fantastic backpack giveaway on August 18, distributing hundreds of backpacks full of school supplies to families. Enjoy your last few days of vacation! School starts Tuesday August 26 for grades 1-12 and Wednesday September 3 for preschool and kindergarten.

Students in the Lincoln Elementary School's summer program had a special opportunity this year.

Frankie Margaglione, a rising sophomore at Lowell Catholic High School, volunteered at the school this summer and offered to teach a dance class to any students interested.

A dozen kids signed up and over six sessions Miss Frankie choreographed and helped them learn a dance. After their performance, each dancer received a rose, a certificate, and a lollipop. Bravo!

Special thanks to the McAvinnue Summer Crew for sending these photos!

The students and staff in the McAvinnue Elementary School summer program spent some quality time in the school garden. After working on a scavenger hunt looking for things like worms and a bird bath, the students and staff got their hands dirty harvesting a large crop of carrots and the first batch of cucumbers of the season.

Site Manager Ms. Gervais chopped up the fresh vegetables for the kids as a healthy snack when they got back into the school.

With the carrots harvested, Ms. Gervais and her husband have planted beets so when the students return in the fall they will have more fresh vegetables to harvest.

Special shout out to Mill City Grows for helping with the garden as well!

Summer is a super busy time at Lowell Public Schools as we prepare for the upcoming school year – a task that would be monumentally more difficult without our Lowell High School summer technology interns.

For four weeks, a group of eight talented and dedicated LHS students toiled away for 10 hours a week, fixing busted screens, stuck keyboards, and trying to figure out what exactly got jammed into the charging port of this Chromebook . . .

This is the second year for this program, a partnership between Lowell Public Schools and Project Learn, the brainchild of Technology Department Director Greg Limperis, who had a mountain of Chromebooks to repair in time for the new school year, but not enough hands to complete all of the work. Project Learn came up with funding to pay the students. Problem solved.

The program is a win-win, helping the district eliminate some of the repair backlog, while providing hands-on computer repair experience for the students.

This year’s crew includes: Daivik Patel, Khamla Maharath, Hazel Portillo, Anel Sanchez, Victoria Omale, Akosua Ampene, Patrick Ly, and Johnny Heng.

Elevate New England held a graduation party for 81 recent Lowell High School and Career Academy grads who participated in their program at Shedd Park on June 20. Several graduates earned scholarships, including three who received full four-year scholarships to Gordon College. Read more here: https://lpsnotebook.wordpress.com/2025/07/17/graduates-elevated/

Heading off to kindergarten is an exciting time in every kid and family's life, but it can also come with some anxiety and fear both for the kid and, let's be honest, mostly for the parents and guardians. This is especially true if the soon-to-be student did not attend preschool.

This summer, 20 rising kindergarteners who will be attending schools throughout the district have been preparing for that transition at Kindergarten Boot Camp!

Housed in two classrooms at the Murkland Elementary School, and overseen by Murkland kindergarten teacher Brianne Lemay, the program gives the kids an opportunity to practice important skills like playing with others, taking turns, sharing, listening and following directions, and being kind and respectful in a classroom. It also gives them the opportunity to familiarize themselves with or strengthen their knowledge around important concepts like the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make, as well as complete art projects, build with Legos, and so much more.

Lemay said it has been amazing to see the students grow in their skills and knowledge even in just a short time. The program, she added, does wonders for alleviating the anxiety of parents/guardians and students before the first day of school and gives staff an opportunity to assess the students and pass information along to their classroom teachers if, for instance, the student may need extra help or attention around a particular skill.

Congratulations to all of our Lowell High School students who completed a CNA course sponsored by Greater Lowell MassHire Young Adult Center.

These students worked tirelessly for six months attending classes every Tuesday and Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Greater Lowell Technical High School, completing clinical hours at local sites, and sitting for the licensing exam to achieve their CNA License.

We are so proud of their dedication to this program and are so grateful for our relationship with MassHire who helps support the career development of our LHS Students.

Thank you to Cassidy Peinert at MassHire Young Adult for working so tirelessly with our LHS College and Career team to bring these programs to us, and for supporting our students on the path to success!

Who is ready for preschool and kindergarten? These kids! On the morning of August 21, the Lowell Public Schools Early Childhood Department held the party of the summer - the preschool and kindergarten transition celebration!

Families received information, played games, made art, sang and danced at Boarding House Park, then took a trolley ride up to Dutton Street and paraded back to the park, being cheered on by Superintendent of Schools Liam Skinner and other Central Office staff who came down to see our newest friends. Preschool and kindergarten start on Wednesday September 3. Have an amazing school year everyone!

Classroom Quarterback, a partnership between Lowell Public Schools, Inside Lowell, and Wellpoint aims to showcase and honor one LPS teacher each month who goes above and beyond for their students. The most recent honoree is Wang Middle School Music teacher David Grenier. Mr. Grenier received a $250 gift card courtesy of Wellpoint. Read about him here: https://insidelowell.com/classroom-quarterback-david-grenier/

Gina Martel, Director of McDonough Freshman Academy at LHS

Gina has more than 13 years of experience as a social worker at the Freshman Academy, which has given her a deep understanding of Lowell High School and the community.

Gina takes on this role following the departure of Andrea Gobbi, who has been named Principal of the Wang Middle School.

James Callahan, E House Assistant Principal, LHS

Longtime Lowell High School Social Studies & Sociology Teacher James Callahan was recently selected as the next E House Assistant Principal. James has been teaching at Lowell High School since 2004 and has worked as an adjunct faculty member at UMass Lowell, teaching sociology courses there since 2017.

Michael Neagle, Assistant Principal, Wang Middle School

Wang Middle School's leadership team welcomes longtime Lowell teacher Mike Neagle back to LPS as Assistant Principal. Mike taught at the Pyne Arts Magnet School for 10 years and was honored as the MA History Teacher of the Year in 2019 and a top 10 finalist as the National History Teacher of the Year. Mike has worked as a History Lead Teacher in Sudbury for the past two years while continuing his longtime role as the area coordinator for Project 351.

Robert Marino, Assistant Principal, Wang Middle School

Wang Middle School's new leadership team also includes Assistant Principal Robert Marino, who has spent the last 10 years as the Associate Principal of the Marsh Upper School in Methuen and also worked in the Lawrence Public Schools prior to his tenure in Methuen.

Kristin Weigold, Assistant Coordinator, Adie Day School

The Adie Day School continues to expand its enrollment and staffing to accommodate a growing population. We welcome Kristin Weigold to the new position of Assistant Coordinator for the Adie Day School. Kristin has been a teacher and ETC in the district since 1997 and has devoted her career to special education.

Elizabeth Borrelli, Assistant Principal, Murkland Elementary School

Elizabeth has a vast teaching experience in Lawrence and Lowell in different special education roles. Liz most recently served as a K-5 special education teacher at the STEM Academy and 21st Century After School Administrator. She is looking forward to joining the Murkland community.

Jennifer Bucher, Assistant Principal, Greenhalge Elementary School

Jennifer comes to Lowell with over a decade of experience in elementary education, most recently serving as Acting Assistant Principal at the A.B. Bruce School in Lawrence. She also previously served as a medic in the Massachusetts Army National Guard.

The bus lookup tool is now live for students who take the big yellow buses to school. If your child takes a smaller bus or van, you will be contacted directly by the transportation company.

https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=3552

Lowell Public Schools is proud to announce we have been awarded a $350,300 STEM Equipment and Professional Development Grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. This grant will support the district’s continued commitment to excellence in science education for students in grades Pre-K to 12.

The grant allows for the purchase of high-quality OpenSciEd instructional materials and science supplies, as well providing professional development to enhance teachers' skills and expertise in science content knowledge.

"We are incredibly grateful to the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center for their support of our efforts to advance science education within Lowell Public Schools,” said Superintendent of Schools Liam Skinner. “This grant will help ensure that our students have access to the resources and learning experiences they need to succeed in an increasingly STEM-driven world.”

This grant was made possible through the persistence and dedication of Title 1 Director Carolyn Rocheleau and Science and Social Studies Coordinator Kaitlin Urban.

“Kaitlin’s dedication and leadership in spearheading this application played a crucial role in securing this award,” said Assistant Superintendent for Academics & Instruction Dr. Oneida Fox Roye. “Her work continues to vertically align and elevate science instruction throughout our elementary, middle, and high school for our students and educators alike.”

Congratulations to Lowell High School Digital Media Producer Anim Osmani, Head of School Mike Fiato, and all of the students and staff who participate in their weekly web show The Week Ahead. The Week Ahead was the winner of the Best Web-Based Programs – Student category at the Alliance for Community Media Hometown Media Awards on June 25.

The Hometown Media Awards is the Foundation of the Alliance for Community Media's (ACM) yearly awards program. It is established to honor and promote community media, community radio, and local cable programs that are distributed on Public, Educational, and Governmental (PEG) access cable television channels.

You can check out past episodes of The Week Ahead on the Raider Media Lowell YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@RaiderMediaLowell

Watch the award announcement below.

On Wednesday September 24 at 6 p.m. at Koto (75 Merrimack St.), Dr. Maria Vejar, retired Lowell High School teacher and Assistant Principal, is holding what is sure to be the party of the year - an evening of fashion, food, and fun to raise money for the M.O.M. Scholarship.

The scholarship honors Vejar's mom, aka M.O.M. - Maria Olimpia Meza, one of Ecuador's first top female postmasters. She gave up her job to come to the United States with her daughter Maria in 1975 so she could follow her dreams. A single mom, Meza valued family, culture, and education.

Don’t miss out on this event that gives back to the community through the Greater Lowell Community Foundation's Lowell High School Scholarships.

To purchase tickets: https://bit.ly/4fw3rKn

The Greater Lowell Community Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, is the fiscal sponsor of the Maria Olimpia Meza Scholarship Fund Event.

There is a wonderful series of workshops for families with children ages 3-5 coming up this school year. To register for one or all sessions, visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFfnxLu40g_1iarQ1fkTi-wUQqXCGcFccgBoAEv5LSdM9OjQ/viewform

Mill City Grows will be hosting their Harvest Day at their big urban farm in Pawtucketville (1001 Pawtucket Blvd) on Saturday September 13. For more information: https://www.millcitygrows.org/harvestday/

There is a lot going on a the YMCA this fall! Registration is now open for their fall programs. To register: https://greaterlowellymca.org/index.php/sports-and-recreation/

To register for the YMCA Youth Basketball League: https://greaterlowellymca.org/index.php/sports-and-recreation/