School Emergency Response Plan Being Reviewed After Newtown Shooting

For more than a decade the Stoneham Public Schools have had a district-wide emergency response plan in place, said Superintendent Les Olson in response to the recent Newtown, Conn. shooting.

For more than a decade the Stoneham Public Schools have had a district-wide emergency response plan in place, said Superintendent Les Olson in response to the recent Newtown, Conn. shooting. "Security and emergency procedures are reviewed annually with school administrators and local Fire and Police Departments, and they are again being reviewed in light of the recent tragedy in Connecticut," Olson said in an email to Stoneham Patch. "The plan covers both district-wide procedures and specific building-level responses. In the event of an emergency, the district or school cooperates with the appropriate public safety responders, whether they be our local fire and police departments or regional/state authorities. "In such an event, the …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

Celia Jones

10:33 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Tom, the local paper did carry the report of the criminal stealing from employees at the South Elementary School. No comment from Olson nor anyone on how the individual entered freely into the building, that was kept hush hush. Nor was the employee reprimanded for this action. The local paper also reported the first sexual allegation against Orloff however has not yet mentioned the additional two…   more ›

Patch Facts

Five Things: Stoneham Schools Employee Arrested, Donate Toys & More

Check out the Five Things column for Thursday, Dec. 13 for Stoneham.

1. In case you missed it: A Stoneham Public Schools employee was recently charged with posing a child in the nude after he allegedly pretended to be a 14-year-old boy and solicited indecent images from a 15-year-old girl in Maine. 2. Meeting time: A pair of meetings (agendas are hyperlinked as the board name) in Stoneham are on the docket for Thursday, according to the town website, including: 3. Holiday homes: Have you decorated your home with lights and other festive decorations? If so, make sure to enter Patch's "Deck the House" holiday contest! 4. Help the kids: The Toys For Local Children drive is underway for those who would like to donate a new, unwrapped toy. They will be accepting toy donations until Dec. 20, and all donations …

• Photos (1)

Stoneham Public Schools Canceled Monday Ahead of Hurricane Sandy

Stoneham Public Schools have canceled school on Monday.

Stoneham Public Schools will be closed Monday as the town encourages people to stay indoors as Hurricane Sandy hits the commonwealth.  On Saturday afternoon, Gov. Deval Patrick declared a state of emergency. Mayor Tom Menino has asked all non-essential city personnel to stay home on Monday. 

• Photos (1)

Patch Facts

World Teachers' Day 2012: Who is Your Favorite Teacher in Stoneham?

Check out the Five Things column for Friday, Oct. 5.

1. Special day: Friday, Oct. 5 is World Teachers' Day 2012, so with that in mind we'd like to know: Who is your favorite teacher in Stoneham? Let us know by posting a comment below. 2. Pose a question: Got questions for State Rep. candidates George Georgountzos and Jason Lewis? Ask them in the comments section of this post. 3. Volunteers among us: Do you know someone in the community doing good deeds on a regular basis? Let us know by posting a comment here with the person's name, their organization, if applicable, and what they are doing to make Stoneham a better place. 4. Pie to the mug: We're currently at 682 Facebook "likers," but our goal is to get to 1,000 likers before 2013 arrives. So, as an incentive (of sorts), Stoneham Patch …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

TELL US: Who Makes a Difference in Stoneham?

Help showcase people who are doing great things in your community with our new feature, Count Us In.

Your neighbor who volunteers at the library, civic-minded scouts and the Little League coach in your community may not seem to have much in common at first glance. But Patch’s new initiative, Count Us In, aspires to bring together all Good Samaritans by highlighting residents who are exemplary at making your community a more positive place. Stoneham is a giving community, as is evident by the many dedicated volunteers in town, as well as the charitible groups, organizations and centers that can be found in town. The Stoneham Board of Health Food Pantry, Stoneham Senior Center, Stoneham Alliance Against Violence, several churches and other nonprofit organizations in town are at the heart of this charitable community. The schools, public and…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Bob Lee

10:54 pm on Monday, October 1, 2012

Randy Perillo is the go-to person in Stoneham who willingly goes out of his way to help the town's residents. He's a co-owner of the Knowourtown.com video network. I am personally aware of his ongoing and continued work with youth soccer, the Stoneham Rotary Club, and the Stoneham Chamber of Commerce, He cares about the community, enjoys what he does and is passionate about helping others. Kind …   more ›

A Look At Stoneham's 2012 MCAS Results

School district generally outperformed state average.

Students in Stoneham generally outperformed the state average in the multiple MCAS categories, according to MCAS data recently released by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Tenth grade students went from 47 to 56 percent in advanced mathematics, and from 60 to 61 percent in advanced English language arts. Science also showed slight improvement for the 10th graders, with 32 percent scoring in the "advanced" category compared to 31 percent last year. However, the number in the “needs improvement” category slightly increased in the past year from 17 to 18 percent among 10th graders. Eighth grade students improved in the "proficient" category for English language arts, scoring 67 percent this year compared to …

• Photos (1)

AccuWeather Forecasts More Snow Days for Stoneham Students this School Year

AccuWeather.com long-range meteorologists are projecting a weak to moderate El Niño by late summer, which could mean more snow this winter.

It's not even winter yet - in fact fall doesn't begin until Sept. 22, but Accuweather.com reports that unlike last winter, students (and teachers) can expect more snow days this winter. Despite a rare snowstorm last October, the winter of 2011-2012 was mild and relatively snowless. There were no snow days in Stoneham. It was a stark contrast from the winter of 2010-2011 where the area saw one big snowstorm after another and Stoneham. The 2012-2013 school year in Stoneham started Sept. 6. Based on the Accuweather.com report, school may get out closer to that June 28th date this year.  While Accuweather does not release its full winter forecast until October, Accuweather meteorologist Meghan Evans writes, "Following a snow drought during …

• Photos (1)

SHARE: Upload Your First Day of School Photos in Stoneham

Upload your photos, add a full-sentence caption and in the credit field note the photographer's name

Thursday marked the first day of school for students of Stoneham Public Schools and with that in mind we'd love to see all your photos of your kids readying for the big day. Did you have a little one going to school for the first time? Or a high schooler dressed up for the start of their senior year? Whatever the case may be, upload your photos to this post and we'll create a photo gallery. Before you start trying to upload photos, make sure you've created a Stoneham Patch user account (if you don't already have one), then log in. Once logged in, click the "Upload Photos and Videos" button found above or below the photo gallery. After yor image has uploaded to the site, mae sure to include a full-sentence caption and type in the …

• Photos (8)

LAST CHANCE: Young Company to Perform Three Shows at Stoneham Theatre

Find out when the young company will perform "Legally Blonde," "Zanna, Don't!" and "Prom" at Stoneham Theatre.

Plenty of events are posted on Stoneham Patch each week, but how often does one pass you by that you wish you hadn't missed? Each week Stoneham Patch will give you a quick reminder about an event, an important sign-up, or a looming deadline you won't want to forget. The young company's Summer Festival concludes this week with three productions at Stoneham Theatre, according to the theatre's website. "Throughout the summer, students participate in workshops and rehearsals designed to develop important skills like teamwork and self-confidence, and conclude in public performances on our Mainstage," reads the theatre's website. "The shows this year feature stories perfect for a fun-filled summer." The Summer Festival kicked off with three …

• Photos (1)