All Around APS
Friday, February 27, 2026
From the desk of Mr. Taverna
Dear APS families and staff,
In my first message to the community as interim superintendent, I expected to thank the School Committee for their trust in me to provide support and leadership for our students and staff as we finish the 2025–26 school year and to introduce myself to the community.
However, I first want to take the opportunity to thank our staff for their tireless efforts during this week’s winter storm. With their hard work, and the collaboration with the town’s Department of Public Works, Andover Police Department, and Andover Fire Rescue, our schools were cleared, prepared, and ready to safely welcome students and staff back into our buildings as quickly as possible.
Snow removal is never a small task, especially in New England, and I am grateful for the dedication of our custodial teams, transportation staff, and Andover’s public safety teams who worked long hours in challenging conditions. Their commitment ensured that walkways, parking lots, and school grounds were safe and accessible for the safety of our students and staff.
Thank you to everyone who played a role in keeping our schools safe and supporting our students during this winter weather. Spring is just 21 days away!
Keith Taverna
Interim Superintendent
Unveiling the Logo- APS Vision of a Graduate
Over the past several years, Andover Public Schools has worked with educators, students, families, and community partners to develop the APS Vision of a Graduate. Through community input and district collaboration, we identified priority skills and built a coherent K–12 pathway to support this shared vision.
This year, the Vision of a Graduate Design Team became a “Community Client” for Andover High School’s Graphic Design classes, led by AHS Arts teacher Meghan Michaud. More than 45 students participated in a design challenge to visually represent the VoG’s key tenets: Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Inclusivity & Belonging, Self-Other Awareness, and Adaptability.
After a thoughtful selection and revision process, the final logo reflects combined student contributions:
- Main arrangement: Anastasia Tretiakova (Class of 2027)
- Fonts: Gordon Hornbrook (Class of 2027)
- Icons: Ben Bergeron (Class of 2027), Deyana Mercedat (Class of 2028), and Hannah Trahan (Class of 2027)
In speaking with Gordon, Ben, Deyana, and Hannah, they shared that the project felt bigger than a typical class assignment. They understood they were designing a visual representation of shared goals across the district, meant to represent all students, across all grades. Their work inspired them to think about inclusivity, shared identity, and creating a common thread that would resonate throughout the district.
The students emphasized that collaboration was key. Through feedback and revision, they learned how to balance individual creativity with a collective purpose. For them, this was not just a project for a grade. It was meaningful work that will have a lasting impact on the APS community.
The students were featured at the February 26th School Committee meeting, where they presented their process to the Committee and unveiled the final Vision of a Graduate logo.
Thank you to our student designers, Ms. Michaud, and everyone who helped bring the Vision of a Graduate to life.
Andover Robotics Team Lightning shines in D.C.
The Andover Robotics Club’s (ARC) Team Lightning spent last weekend competing in the first-ever Governor’s Cup Robotics Challenge to showcase their skills and learn from students from around the country. At this exhibition and scrimmage style competition, Team Lightning was honored to host Governor Maura Healey and highlighted the benefits of participating in the First Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics program! There were teams from all 50 states, and our ARC Lightning Team did an amazing job, placing 2nd nationally!
ARC Lightning: Jeff Zhang, Zorawar Thind, Sairam Kumaran, Justin Wang, Michael Faulise, Jeremiah Chou, Rohit Perugupalli, Oscar Ye, Matthew Wang, Adhitya Vasudevan, Vignesha Jayakumar, Raahil Parikh, Zachery Pan, and Greyson Altaffer
The Preliminary FY27 Budget Book is available for review on our website.
Let's Talk! FY27 Budget
APS Interim Superintendent Keith Taverna will host a virtual Let’s Talk! on the FY27 Budget on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 from 6-7 p.m. to discuss the FY27 Budget process and answer questions.
Registration for this session is required and can be done at any time. Once you register at this link, you will receive a Zoom link to the meeting via email.
Key APS dates for the FY27 Budget Process (details are available on the APS website)
- Thursday, March 5th – FY27 Budget public hearing and School Committee vote
- Saturday, March 14th - School Committee FY27 Budget presentation to Tri-Board
Key Town of Andover dates for the FY27 Budget Process (details are available on the Town of Andover’s website)
- Saturday, March 14th – Tri-Board meeting for department operating budget presentations
- Tuesday, April 28th – First night of Andover Annual Town Meeting
Andover School Committee hosts an Informal Forum on the AHS Improvement Project – March 3rd
Looking for an update and an opportunity to share your input on the AHS Improvement Project?
The Andover School Committee will host the community at an informal forum focused on the Andover High School Improvement Project on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. in the School Committee Room, 30 Whittier Court, 2nd floor. The community is welcome to share their perspectives and speak with two members of the School Committee related to the project.
At the February 26 School Committee workshop, town and school officials shared updated information on the project. Presenters reviewed the three proposed options, outlining estimated costs, potential financial impacts, and anticipated educational benefits.
To watch the full discussion, visit AndoverTV’s recording.
School Committee Informal Forums are attended by only two School Committee members, which allows for an interactive dialogue outside of the Open Meeting Law legal parameters. Conversations with the community at this forum will be discussed during a regular business meeting with the entire School Committee.
