Knightly News

Dear North Andover Families,

With the first days of fall upon us, it feels like we are officially in the full swing of school. The cooler mornings and changing leaves remind us that a new season of learning and growth has begun. Over these past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of visiting each of our schools, greeting students, and connecting with staff. The excitement and energy across the district has been inspiring.

This year, our theme is “Rooted in Purpose, Growing in Practice.” Already, I see this reflected in so many ways across our schools—whether it’s teachers welcoming students with care, students diving into new learning, or families showing patience and cooperation as we worked through early transportation challenges. Like many districts, we continue to face a shortage of bus drivers, and ongoing town construction has required us to make a few adjustments to routes. Our transportation team is working closely with the bus company to improve reliability, and I am grateful for your support as we stay rooted in our purpose of keeping students safe and connected to school each day.

It was wonderful to see so many of you at our elementary and high school Open Houses. These events remind us of the strength of our community and the importance of growing in practice together. I am grateful to our School Committee members who joined us and to the many families who helped make these evenings such a success.

Already this fall, I’ve had the joy of cheering on our students at a JV and Varsity Girls Soccer game, and I look forward to attending many more performances, competitions and events in the months ahead. Beyond the day-to-day activities of school, this will be an important year for our district as we begin work on our new Strategic Plan. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing more information about opportunities for families and community members to get involved. Your voices will help us stay rooted in our shared purpose while we grow in practice to meet the future.

Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support. Together, we are Rooted in Purpose, Growing in Practice—and building a great year for our students.

Warmly,
Pamela Lathrop
Superintendent of Schools

Greetings North Andover Families,

I can’t believe that it is already the end of September and that Fall is upon us. Apple picking season is here, and I’m on a quest for some Honeycrisp. My mom taught me that the secret to making a good apple pie was to use 3 different varieties of apples.

In our first 2 meetings of the year, the School Committee approved the Student Handbook for the 2025-2026 school year. It included some important updates to ensure that we are aligned to current regulations from the Federal Government and the Supreme Court. We also heard a presentation from Lyn O’Neil about Special Education and some of our specialized programs. One significant shift is that the district is no longer participating in the TOPS Program with Andover Public Schools. Instead, our 18-22 year old students are now enrolled in our LAUNCH program. While it is currently utilizing space at NAMS, the plan is to have LAUNCH move into the former Senior Center behind Town Hall.

Also, the School Committee has been approving overnight field trips requests. I’m excited that our students will have the opportunity to travel and explore some far off places, including Spain and Germany.

Our budget season is about to begin. While a formal presentation of the budget for FY27 is still a ways off, Superintendent Lathrop is starting to meet with her team to begin this planning. The first official step in this process is the creation of the Budget Directives in October by the School Committee. These directives outline the broad budgetary goals of the committee that guide the planning of the Superintendent and her team.

John Mullen, our Director of Maintenance & Custodians, is retiring after 31 years of service with North Andover Public Schools. Congratulations and thank you for all that you have done for our schools.

Lastly, School Committee meetings will now start at 6:30pm. There is a lot of important work to be done and we want to make sure that the committee and the public are able to participate fully.

I hope you have a wonderful month.

Warmly,

Joe Hicks

Chair - North Andover School Committee

Transportation Update for Families

The first few weeks of school often bring challenges with traffic flow, and it does take patience from both the schools and the wider community. These are difficulties that all districts experience to some degree, but please know that our Transportation Coordinator, Lucy McCarthy, is actively monitoring and evaluating routes to make adjustments that improve efficiency and reliability throughout the year. Recent adjustments were made to some middle and high school morning pick-up times—a temporary 10-minute earlier pick-up. This change is directly related to construction on Stevens Street. Once the project is completed in the coming weeks, we anticipate being able to return to the regular schedule. Thank you all so much for your patience and cooperation.

MeVa Option for Middle Schoolers

We are excited to share that students will be able to take the #3 MeVa bus from NAMS to the Youth Center. NAPS and NAYRS have partnered with MeVa Transit to provide free public transportation from NAMS to the Youth Center whenever school is in session.

The MeVa bus will pick up along Main Street around 2:33 p.m. and 3:03 p.m. each weekday, dropping off on Andover Street near the rotary about 5 minutes later. Youth leaders will meet the students on Andover Street and guide them safely to the Center. MeVa Transit drivers are professional CDL drivers with active CORI certificates, and all buses are equipped with interior cameras that record video and audio. Many MeVa drivers start as school bus drivers before completing the additional certification to drive MeVa routes. In addition, MeVa has professional road supervisors on staff who are available any time a MeVa bus is in service.

Please note: NAMS is not a “time point,” so the bus does not wait there. It typically passes around 2:35 p.m. and 3:05 p.m., but we encourage students to be ready a little earlier so they don’t miss it. Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities when parents and students can board a MeVa bus, ask questions, and learn more about this new service. For route information, click here: Route Details. For the schedule, click here: Schedule PDF.

Construction of the new turf baseball and softball complex continues to show progress as we work to add a modern and durable playing surface for student-athletes. The upper turf field is also being outfitted with permanent lighting to allow for evening events and expanded community access. You can see the concrete forms poured for dugouts and batting cages along with the backstop fencing. We expect this project to be completed before Thanksgiving. The tennis courts will be able to be used by the students and community by the middle of October. Big thanks to the town departments for supporting this hugely important project for our campus and town!

Our kitchens have been busy welcoming students back, and it truly makes our day to greet them as they come through the lunch lines.

Over the summer, we worked hard to prepare our kitchens for the new year. New equipment was purchased and installed in most locations, which will help us keep up with the growing demand for both breakfast and lunch. We are also grateful to Governor Healey for continuing to provide universal free meals for all Massachusetts students.

At the elementary schools, our very popular Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program will continue this year, giving students the opportunity to select from a variety of fruits and vegetables daily. We are always impressed by how excited students are to try something new! In addition, Atkinson and Thomson schools were awarded a grant that allows us to deliver a weekly fruit or vegetable directly to classrooms. Each delivery is paired with a “fun fact sheet” that highlights the origin of the item, the nutrients it contains, and how it grows—helping students connect healthy eating with learning.

This fall, both NAHS and NAMS will undergo exciting cafeteria renovations. Students will soon enjoy updated furniture and creative wall graphics that reflect our school spirit, featuring department logos such as RAISE and the Scarlet Knight mascot. This project has been years in the making, and we can’t wait to see and hear student reactions to the transformation. We wish everyone a wonderful start to the school year, and we look forward to serving you in our cafeterias!

The Kindness Collaborative & AT&T have joined forces to help low income individuals in higher income communities (who are often overlooked due to not being located in low income towns/cities) bridge the digital divide through their Digital Bridge Initiative. TKC awarded approximately 40 graduating NAHS seniors last school year with new Chromebooks and certificates for their exemplary actions aligned with the RAISE values. Last week, 75 more Chromebooks were delivered by Alex and McKylie to Brian Varoutsos for low income students, and TKC will be giving at least another 75 to North Andover students this year. Please reach out to your child's school if this is something you would like to explore for your family.

Stevens Bookmobile Van begins visiting North Andover’s Public Schools this month! Our first visits will be during Kids Stop After School Program at multiple schools. Visits also are being planned by teachers for their classes to visit. Visit this link to the bookmobile to read all about it.

The Bookmobile Van and its services are open to all and free, just like the Library itself. It is a mini library on wheels. It brings materials to browse from its book carts that can come out of the van to make an outside room, complete with an awning for shade. You may get a Library Card or renew one; check out, renew, and return materials for all ages; talk to a librarian; and learn about Library programs and other services. Materials borrowed from the Bookmobile Van may be returned to the Bookmobile Van, to the Library, or any library in the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium (MVLC)!

Stevens’ goal is to help every North Andover student (parents, caregivers, and teachers, too) have a Stevens Library Card this year. First-time library cards are always free, replacement cards are free during September and October. Have a Card already but have question or an issue? We can help! Visit the Library’s Circulation Desk, call 978-688-9505 ext. 42017, or email Stevens-Circulation@NorthAndoverMA.gov.

Explore all Stevens and the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium (MVLC) has waiting for you. Your Stevens card works in MVLC’s 35 member libraries, so you have access to hundreds-of- thousands of books, manga and graphic novels, magazines, DVDs, music. Use Interlibrary-loan to bring items to Stevens or visit the libraries. Online? Use OverDrive's Libby for books and magazines: e-books and e-audiobooks. Try TumbleBooks, TumbleMath, and TeenBookCloud, too.

Join us for activities like story times and book groups, craft times and programs like Pokemon or Lego Club, or Technology Help. Dates, times, and places are on the Library Calendar. School papers and projects? Visit Stevens and talk with a librarian. Use Stevens E-Library’s 30+ online resources: encyclopedias & reference; world languages; test preparation & E-learning; history; literature; science. You can search by keyword, subject or name.

The Library’s hours after Labor Day are: Monday through Thursday 10 am – 9 pm, Friday 10 am – 6 pm, Saturday 10 am – 5 pm, Sunday 1-5 pm.

Excitement is building in North Andover as the high school marching band prepares to host the annual NESBA Marching Band Competition on Saturday, October 11, at Walsh Stadium. The event will feature fourteen marching bands from across New England, each showcasing months of practice, precision, and passion.

Hosted by the North Andover High School Scarlet Knights Marching Band, the competition is expected to draw more than 1,500 spectators and participants. Awards will be presented in categories such as Best Music, Best Visual, and Best Overall Effect. This year’s lineup promises a variety of creative themes, from cinematic soundtracks to cultural tributes. The Scarlet Knights will debut their new show, “Lift-Off,” for the hometown crowd.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and free for children under five. Concessions, including Lucky Pig BBQ and Los 3 Garcia food trucks, will be available on-site, with proceeds benefiting the North Andover Music Association, a volunteer parent-run organization that supports music programs in the North Andover Public Schools.

Gates open at 3:00 p.m. Parking is limited, but overflow parking with shuttle service will be available from the Middle School. For more information about the North Andover Music Association, visit www.northandovermusic.org.

Please join us for the exciting programming and events that the North Andover Historical Society has lined up for October!

• Friday October 10th - Join us at 5:30pm for a wool crafting program where we will needle-felt little ghosts. Then, afterward at 7pm we will be showing the great Halloween movie, Monster House; the story of three friends trying to solve the mystery of their neighborhood's haunted house.
• Saturday October 18th - In honor of Native American Heritage Day, we hope you will join us at 2pm for an afternoon lecture and discussion with Thomas Spirit Tree Green, the tribal council leader, Native American cultural educator and direct descendent of the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag. He will be teaching us about the daily life and leadership of the Massachusett Tribe before, during, and after European colonization.

Throughout October, come learn about North Andover’s intriguing connections to the witch trials of 1692 with speakers and feature films. Please visit NorthAndoverHistoricalSociety.org/events for our events calendar and to get your tickets. We hope to see you at The Society!

Middle School Program Update from the Youth Center

Our fall programs for middle schoolers are underway at the Youth Center! We want to make parents aware of an event we're holding on Social Media Safety on Monday 10/6. There is an afternoon session at 3:00 for middle school members, and an evening session at 7:00 for parents/guardians of middle schoolers. There is more information at nayouth.com/fall, along with the link to our online registration portal.

5th Grade Saturdays at the Youth Center starting Saturday, October 25th

The 5th Grade Saturday program is a chance for 5th graders to see what the Youth Center is all about! 5th Graders get to hang out and participate in activities run by our staff members inside and outside the Youth Center. The program is only open to 5th Grade North Andover Residents. The program will be starting Saturday, October 25th from 1-4pm. It is a drop-in program but parents/guardians of interested 5th graders will need to fill out the Google Form registration in advance at nayouth.com/saturdays. More information about the program will be emailed to those who fill out the form closer to our first Saturday on 10/25!

Each year, community members gather at Newburyport’s Waterfront Park to walk a scenic 3-mile route in honor of victims and survivors of domestic violence. We also gather in celebration of the hope and healing found by survivors through our collective support. The annual Walk Against Domestic Violence is one of the Center’s largest fundraisers of the year. Proceeds from this event allow us to provide free and confidential programs and services to 16 local communities. These services include:

• 24-Hour Emergency Hotline
• Crisis Counseling for Adults and Children
• Advocacy and Safety Planning
• Court Advocacy
• Legal Representation
• Housing Assistance
• Art Therapy

You can register to walk or donate here: https://jeannegeigercrisiscenter.org/events/annual-walk-against-domestic-violence/

Substitute Teaching

The school district is always looking for energetic and caring people to join our pool of substitutes in our seven schools. In 2025, we instituted a new program to make the process as efficient and user-friendly as possible. The Frontline Absence Management platform allows you to get notifications of daily coverage needs via a mobile app, online portal and/or telephone. Subs are able to work in all schools or select one or more preferred locations. Background checks and a new part-time employee packet will need to be completed prior to starting in this important position. More information is on the district HR webpages.

District Substitute Fair RSVP