Winchester Town Meeting votes down Forest Ridge, says yes to new literacy program
Citizen petitions: Transfer station committee approved, snow bylaw sent for further study, anticoagulant rodenticides banned
Chris Stevens | Correspondent
Muraco School feasibility funding back on the table for Winchester’s Town Meeting
School Committee takes a third vote on funding question
Winchester’s new elementary literacy program decided, but funding still up in the air
The long wait is over. Almost. After two plus years and a nearly two hour presentation, the Winchester School Committee voted on March 26 to adopt a new literacy program, Arts & Letters, for the elementary grades. “This afternoon we celebrate another milestone,” said Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education Laurie
Winchester gets first look at pared down school budget
The school community and School Committee got a first look at the new pared down budget on April 9 — and it wasn’t pretty. “Tonight we are presenting a first draft, a first round of a 5% budget,” said Superintendent Dr. Frank Hackett. “You’re going to hate most of
Muraco parents outraged over plan to move K-1 kids to Lynch School
At least 100 parents, staffers and a handful of children packed the School Committee meeting to show their displeasure with the plan – even after it was withdrawn – and what they perceive as the poor treatment of the Muraco community
Winchester’s Network for Social Justice celebrates 35 years
A look back on how it started and why it’s important and maybe even more relevant today
Winchester School Committee left with hard choices after failed override, must slash $2.3M from proposed budget
When he took over the reins as School Committee chair on March 26, Tim Matthews said he hoped to be giving a very different speech. “After almost a year of preparation, followed by a sprint to last Saturday’s town wide vote, the disappointing result we face today has far
Winchester High School students and Jenks Center seniors meet up for some Mandarin one-on-one
It was Mandarin lessons, lunch and ping pong when Xuemei Li’s students met their Chinese speaking pen pals for the first time. Natalie Taylor admits she was feeling nervous when she first walked into the Jenks Center to meet one-on-one with a new friend, but it didn’t take
Oh, what a trivial night! WFEE bee was a load of fun!
I feel the need to apologize to the Teletub-bees seated at our table during WFEE’s recent Trivia Bee. I was one of the Winchester Newshounds, Round 5, losers. Reporter Will Dowd and editor Nell Escobar Coakley were my teammates and Will taunted those poor high school girls like it
Ambrose regains ‘School of Recognition’ title, principal credits school community for academic success
Everyone likes to be recognized for their efforts and the Ambrose School is no different. The school recently received an A from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), being named a School of Recognition. “It’s very exciting,” said Ambrose Principal Andrea Phelan. A School of Recognition
Science abounds at Winchester’s Ambrose School during first in a generation fair
You could blame the Muraco School for the fact that the Ambrose cafeteria became the site of a raucously rambunctious science fair on March 5. “They were the inspiration,” said parent volunteer Karen Kinnaman, who spearheaded the event. “They put on a huge science fair every year.” Kinnaman said it’
Winchester teacher contract settled
After a somewhat lengthy negotiation session that, at times, saw teachers marching with signs, the School Committee and the Winchester Education Association settled the teachers’ contract. Superintendent Dr. Frank Hackett said that under the new three-year agreement, teachers will receive what he called a 2-3 split for the current year,
Winchester school officials struggle with unconventional budget season
Every budget season is tricky when it comes to School Department funding, but this year Winchester School Committee’s proposed budget comes with the added twist of a potential override and a will-it-or-won’t-it pass scenario. “This is a very unique budget year, and we spent a lot of time
Winchester School Committee grapples with Muraco feasibility funding question
Amid discussion of budgets, essential services and a possible override, the Winchester School Committee must also decide when is the best time to ask for a little bit more. The Muraco School project is fully in the jetstream of the Massachusetts School Building Authority funding program, but Superintendent Dr. Frank
Winchester School Committee honing FY27 budget
The Winchester School Committee is still honing its fiscal year 2027 budget, but with a number of deadlines looming, the window for tweaking is just about closed. During the Jan. 22 School Committee meeting, member Michelle Berstrom presented a revised budget timeline that includes: • Jan. 28, 2026 – Budget Summit with
What do you know about Winchester’s school councils?
Parents show up to School Committee to support school councils Erica Walsh was a Vinson-Owen Elementary School parent for four years before she realized there was a school council. “It wasn’t until last year that a fellow parent mentioned to me and explained that we can attend,” she said.