Knightly News

Dear NAPS Community,

As I reflect on this year’s Annual Town Meeting, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the North Andover community for your engagement, thoughtful participation, and continued support of our schools.

Town Meeting is one of the clearest examples of local democracy in action. Residents came prepared, asked important questions, listened thoughtfully, and participated in decisions that will shape the future of our schools and our town. As both Superintendent and a North Andover resident, I was proud to stand alongside community members throughout the process and witness the strong commitment our town continues to show toward public education.

I was especially grateful for the support of the Fiscal Year 2027 school budget. This budget allows North Andover Public Schools to preserve the essential services, programs, and supports our students rely on every day, while also making thoughtful investments in key areas across the district.

The approved budget will:

• Maintain all current essential student services and programs
• Preserve current class sizes, with a slight reduction targeted at the Middle School
• Prioritize special education supports and programming
• Reduce crowding on school buses and improve transportation efficiency
• Continue investments in early learning initiatives to strengthen foundational skills
• Increase overall school spending in support of district goals and continued improvement

In addition to the operating budget, the community supported several important capital improvement projects that will directly benefit students and staff across the district. These include the relocation of the Kittredge modular classrooms to the Franklin School, improvements to the Atkinson School gymnasium, technology upgrades, the purchase of a small bus to support specialized student transportation needs, and an additional vehicle to assist with school maintenance and plowing operations.

I also want to thank the community for supporting Community Preservation Act funding for projects that enhance student experiences beyond the classroom. The approval of $350,000 toward the North Andover High School fields project and $80,000 for the new sensory playground at the Franklin School reflects a shared understanding that learning, wellness, recreation, and inclusion are all connected.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the overwhelming support for the Kittredge School project. This was a significant moment for our district and our community. The approval of this project represents more than a new building. It reflects a long-term investment in students, staff, and the future of North Andover. The new Kittredge School will provide safe, accessible, and modern learning spaces designed to support high-quality instruction, inclusive practices, and the evolving needs of our students for generations to come.

Projects of this scale do not happen without tremendous effort. I am deeply appreciative of the work of the Kittredge School Building Committee, town leadership, school leaders, families, staff, and community members who dedicated countless hours to planning, presenting information, answering questions, and engaging in thoughtful dialogue throughout the process.

North Andover Public Schools continues to move forward because of the strong partnership between our schools and our community. Thank you for your support, your trust, and your continued investment in our students and schools.

Sincerely,
Pam Lathrop

Superintendent of Schools

Greetings North Andover Community,

I am thrilled to share that Town Meeting was an enormous success. As Chair of the School Committee, I am elated that the operating budget, capital improvement plan and the Kittredge School building project were all approved with near-unanimous support.

The question we have wrestled with for the past few years—and will continue to address—is: What do we want for our school system, and are we ready to make the financial investment to realize that vision? Town Meeting stated clearly and resoundingly that our children’s education and our school facilities are worthy of that substantial investment.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Over the last two years, the School Committee has worked alongside the Superintendent and her team to rebuild our financial systems and procedures with a foundation of transparency.

While the road to securing funding for a new Kittredge Elementary School has been long, I deeply appreciate the work of the KESBC and am confident they will continue to guide the project wisely. We will continue to keep the public informed about progress on the new Kittredge School. This summer the modular classrooms and the playground equipment will be relocated to the Franklin School and the gymnasium will be relocated for use by the DPW.

I excited to see these projects get underway.

Warmly,

Joe Hicks

Chair, North Andover School Committee