Knightly News
Hello Families!
I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable winter break and found some time to connect with friends and family. This winter has certainly reminded us what a true New England season feels like, with more snow and colder temperatures than we have seen in several years. And if the groundhog was right, we may not be done just yet.
Over the past month, I have truly enjoyed being out in our schools, visiting classrooms, and connecting with students and staff. These visits continue to be one of the most meaningful parts of my work. At Franklin School, I had the pleasure of watching our second graders present a Readers Theater as the culmination of their Wit & Wisdom module. Their confidence, expression, and joy in reading were wonderful to see, and it was especially meaningful to watch them share their learning with families and their reading buddies.
I also spent a fun and engaging morning at the ABECC, where our kindergarten students were hard at work expanding their sentences and thoughtfully responding to the texts they were reading. It is always inspiring to see our youngest learners so engaged, curious, and proud of their growth.
At the middle school, I met with student leaders and had the opportunity to see the enormous number of donations collected for the People’s Pantry in North Andover. Their generosity and commitment to helping others are a powerful reminder of the strong sense of community and advocacy that defines our students.
In addition to classroom visits, I have had the opportunity to attend several PTO meetings across the district. I am grateful for these welcoming and thoughtful conversations. These smaller, less formal settings have allowed me to share updates on the FY27 budget, provide information about our Strategic Planning Committee and the work ahead, and answer questions directly from families. More importantly, they have given me the chance to listen, learn, and better understand the unique strengths of each school community.
Next month, I will be offering Superintendent Office Hours, and I hope many of you will stop by. I always value the opportunity to connect, hear your perspectives, and continue strengthening the partnership between our schools and families.
As we (hopefully) begin to look toward spring, we are especially excited about the opportunity for our students to make use of the new high school fields and tennis courts. These improvements will provide enhanced spaces for athletics, wellness, and community events, and we look forward to seeing them fully in use as the weather improves.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support of North Andover Public Schools and for all you do to support our students, staff, and community.
Warmly,
Pamela Lathrop
Greeting North Andover Community.
At the School Committee meeting on February 26, 2026, Select Board Member and Chair of the Kitteredge School Building Committee shared that the MSBA has voted to approve the Kittredge Elementary School Project for the town of North Andover to replace the existing Kittredge Elementary School with a new facility serving students in grades 1 through 5 on the site of the existing school. This is fantastic news for our entire town.
The building budget for the new Kittredge School is $79.8 million. The MSBA has approved a maximum reimbursement of $28.7 million, or 36.6% of the cost of the building.
In late March, our Project Manager from Colliers will present the entire project before the Select Board, the School Committee, and the Finance Committee. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the presentation.
After the approval of the bond at Town Meeting for the construction of the new building, the next step would be the development of construction documents and plans for the building. The project is slated to go out to bid in late spring of 2027, with construction scheduled to begin in September 2027. If everything goes as planned, the new building will be ready for occupancy for the 2029-2030 school year.
At Town Meeting on May 12th, there will be 2 warrant articles that are of paramount importance to the Kitteredge Building Project. We will be asking Town Meeting to:
Approve the bond for the construction of the new Kittredge Elementary School for the full amount of the construction, $79.8 million. The MSBA will reimburse the town 36.5 of the project cost.
Approve the Town’s Capital Improvement Plan Budget. This includes the relocation of the 4 modular classrooms from the current Kittredge building to the Franklin and the relocation of the Kittredge Gym to another Town owned property to be utilized by DPW for storage.
After the approval of the bond at Town Meeting for the construction of the new building, the next step would be the development of construction documents and plans for the building. The project is slated to go out to bid in late spring of 202, with construction scheduled to begin in September 2027. If everything goes as planned, the new building will be ready for occupancy for the 2029-2030 school year.
If the CIP mentioned in #2 above is approved at Town Meeting, those projects will happen this summer.
Please make plans now to attend Town Meeting on May 12th. Your support and vote in favor of these projects is incredibly important. Additionally, we will be asking Town Meeting to approve the Town’s operating budget, which includes the operating budget for the School Department.
Thank you to the Kittredge Building Committee and the work that they have done to create the application and schematic design for the new building that was submitted to the MSBA. Their diligent work made the vote to approve the project by the MSBA possible.
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. Look for some infographics of the project in and around our schools and public buildings. Please reach out with any questions and make sure to come to Town Meeting on May 12. Thanks for your support!
The Greater Lawrence Community Action Council is conducting a Community Needs Assessment and needs your help! The GLCAC has been in operation for over 60 years, and its primary purpose is to encourage and promote the improvement of community life in Greater Lawrence with special emphasis on, but not limited to, the initiation of programs in education, social services, child care, health, housing, youth employment and related fields. This survey is for anyone who lives, works, plays, or goes to school in Greater Lawrence. GLCAC wants to hear from as many voices in the community as possible. Please click on the appropriate survey link below and thank you for helping keep our community strong!
The Youth Center's annual fundraiser, Knight to Shine, will be held on Saturday, March 28th at the Andover Country Club. Funds raised at this event support new programs, upgrades to equipment, and provide full scholarships to over 100 youth each year who cannot afford the annual membership or programs like Summer Fun. More information and the link to purchase tickets can be found at nayouth.com/knighttoshine.
Save the Date: Please save the date for our Summer 2026 program registration! Our summer program registration will be available online beginning Monday, April 6th at 9am. Our summer programs are available for North Andover residents, starting with those currently in Kindergarten this school year. Programs include Summer Fun at 3 sites for current grades K-5, and programs for current grades 6-8, such as Sports & Rec, Girl Got Game, Summer League Basketball, field trips, and more! More information on dates, times, costs, and locations of all programs will be available at nayouth.com/summer in mid-March!
Meet our new Director, Joe Agosto! Our director of 38 years, Rick Gorman, retired on February 13th, and North Andover Youth & Recreation Services would like to welcome our new director, Joe! Joe comes to us with extensive background and experience in non-profit leadership, youth development, camps, sports and recreation programs, health & wellness, and workforce development.
Joe’s leadership journey began as a graduate of St. Lawrence University with a BA in Sociology and four years of student-athlete success. Early on after graduating, he held leadership roles at the JCC in New Jersey, and later on in Boston, where he ran camps, taught sports and leadership programs, and even served as a pre-school physical education teacher. With health and fitness being a passion of his, Joe took on a leadership role at the New Image Camps, where he ran summer sleep-away camps and year round programs for children, teens, and adults who wanted to live healthier lifestyles through exercise and nutrition. As a certified personal trainer and fitness coach, he helped so many along the path to healthy living. Joe and his family came to North Andover in 2014, where he attained leadership roles at the YMCA of Greater Boston and finally at the Merrimack Valley YMCA in Lawrence. It was during his time in Lawrence that he realized he wanted to focus on Youth Development. He thrives in offering programs that serve community needs and provide opportunities for growth and development.
Since beginning at the Youth Center in early January, Joe has been thrilled to meet our members, program participants, and families, and is excited to carry on and evolve the great programs and opportunities that the Youth Center provides for our North Andover youth and teens. Welcome, Joe!
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.
