Horace Mann School Principal Update 9/18/23

Horace Mann School Principal Update 9/18/23 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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School Photos Reminder - We will have School Photos tomorrow - Tuesday, September 19th. Back to School/Curriculum Night - Wednesday, September 20th from 4:00-6:00 PM Please review the NEW TIMING and the NEW FORMAT of our event. FORMAT 4:00-4:45 - OPEN HOUSE Walk the School, Visit Classrooms and Meet OUR STAFF! PARENT/CAREGIVERS and CHILDREN WELCOME 4:45-5:30 - PRINCIPAL/PTO PRESENTATION In the Gym 30 minute presentation Parents/Caregivers ONLY HM and DAD Staff will provide CHILDCARE out on the playground. 5:30-6:00 - K - 5 CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS Parent/Caregivers can attend ONE classroom/grade level presentation of their choice. Individual classrooms or grade levels will share a 30 minute presentation, Q and A session. HM and DAD Staff will provide CHILDCARE out on the playground. 6:00 - END of EVENT Staff on the playground will be assigned a grade level/classroom and will transition students back to their MORNING ARRIVAL LINE SPOT. Parents will meet children at their normal MORNING ARRIVAL LINE SPOT before heading home. Dias Memorial Garden Whimsical. Creative. Dedicated. Fun These are just a few of the attributes that Heather Dias brought to her fourth and fifth-grade classrooms at the Horace Mann Elementary School for twelve years. Students who had the opportunity to work and learn under her tutelage benefited from her belief that every child is entitled to a public education which ignites their curiosity and propels them into a lifelong pursuit of learning. Effective teaching is a craft built on talent, devotion and love. Through her relentless advocacy and student-centered instruction, Heather Dias repeatedly modeled what good teaching looks and feels like. We are grateful to share the new area that was created in honor of Heather Dias, former Horace Mann teacher and special educator, who worked at Horace Mann beginning in 2010. We aren’t quite done with the garden, but our hope is that students can use this space to read, write, draw, or simply dream…all of which are favorite activities of Ms. Dias. In the coming weeks, we will be adding additional plants and flowers and a gorgeous and whimsical spinner. A huge thank you to the entire HM community for the generous donations that made this project possible. Thanks also to the HM PTO, to LoriAnn Akdag, and to Rose Mariano, for their efforts to pull this project together. We are continuing to work on the design of our renovation project. As you can see below, we meet every other week to fine tune and improve upon the design. Our next big step is to bring the most recent design drawings to the entire Horace Mann staff. This will take place later in September. All City Orchestra Newton's All-City Orchestra (ACO) is back! Auditions will take place throughout the month of October. The ACO is an afterschool group that rehearses once a week and works on challenging and fun repertoire. Any students in grades 4-8 looking for a higher-level orchestra experience should consider auditioning! See attached flyer to sign up for an audition slot, and for more information, please read the ACO's season announcement. Mark Nardelli Mark is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Horace Mann Principal Update 9/8/2023

Horace Mann Principal Update Thank you for a great start! ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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Despite the heat and humidity, we've had a seamless and positive start to the school year, welcoming a new Kindergarten class as well as new students across grade levels. We've been busy this week getting to know one another, establishing routines, and beginning to foster a sense of community in each classroom. Personally, my wife and I moved two of our children into college. Julia moved into Northeastern and Eliana moved into Lesley. Eliana definitely got the better deal with a larger dorm room and air conditioning. So far, the girls seems to be settling into their new environments. At home, we are all adjusting to having a different vibe around the house...Alora visibly misses her sisters the most, but I think we all feel the same. This week's notes are brief...please look at the two items below: Back to School Picnic - Tuesday, September 12th from 5:00-7:00 PM. This is a chance for families to get together as a community. Unfortunately, staff will not be present at the event this year. Back to School/Curriculum Night - Wednesday, September 20th from 4:00-6:00 PM Please review the NEW TIMING and the NEW FORMAT of our event. FORMAT 4:00-4:45 - OPEN HOUSE Walk the School, Visit Classrooms and Meet OUR STAFF! PARENT/CAREGIVERS and CHILDREN WELCOME 4:45-5:30 - PRINCIPAL/PTO PRESENTATION In the Gym 30 minute presentation Parents/Caregivers ONLY HM and DAD Staff will provide CHILDCARE out on the playground. 5:30-6:00 - K - 5 CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS Parent/Caregivers can attend ONE classroom/grade level presentation of their choice. Individual classrooms or grade levels will share a 30 minute presentation, Q and A session. HM and DAD Staff will provide CHILDCARE out on the playground. 6:00 - END of EVENT Staff on the playground will be assigned a grade level/classroom and will transition students back to their MORNING ARRIVAL LINE SPOT. Parents will meet children at their normal MORNING ARRIVAL LINE SPOT before heading home. If you would like more information/background on this format change, please continue reading. RATIONALE for this PLAN At the Open House families get to meet ALL of our staff and see ALL of our programming (Art, Music, Library, PE, Special Ed, ELL, etc.). It is important for us to offer child care for this event. To do that, we had to move the event earlier so we still have daylight and avoid the limitations of minimal indoor space. Also, because DAD is still open, this timing allows us to have extra support on hand to supervise students. The timing of the event, although earlier, allows parents some choice. They can attend the Open House (or not), can bring children (or not). Classroom presentations are still late enough to think about people who need to get out of work. An important part of this evening is the chance for families to learn about the values of our school, get an overview of the curriculum, learn classroom expectations, and hear about developmental milestones at each grade level. We felt this could best be achieved via the traditional principal and classroom presentation format. The open house, combined with the presentations, gives parents with multiple children the chance to SEE more than one classroom, even if they only hear ONE presentation. Allows for staff and families to get home early on a school night! We look forward to see you all there! Mark Mark Nardelli Mark is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Horace Mann Quick Tips for Tuesday

Horace Mann Quick Tips for Tuesday September 4th, 2023 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

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Parking TIPS Please review the images below for places to park. There is also parking along Linwood Ave or down the block on Nevada St. You can easily park and walk. Drop Off Locations Teachers will be waiting outside at the designated locations below. Doors will officially open at 8:10 AM, and teachers will escort students into the building around that time. Please see the image below for Drop Off (and Pickup Locations) Health Office Nurse Lilah Byers is on maternity leave for the first few months of the year. We will have a nurse rotation to start the year. This week, the cafeteria will be open to parents who need to drop off medical forms, Epi-pens, prescriptions, etc. Please stop by after Drop Off. Walking Routes Recommend Walking Routes for Various Neighborhoods Mark Nardelli Mark is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Welcome Back Letter to Families 2023-24 School Year

August 21st, 2023



Dear Horace Mann Families,



I hope that this letter finds you in good health and a renewed spirit as we head into the waning weeks of summer. The Nardelli family had quite the adventure in July, traveling to Italy for two weeks. The six of us visited Venice, Florence, Ischia (an island off of Naples), and ended in Rome before flying back to Boston. We saw all of the major tourist sites, ate a lot of pizza and pasta, sat through a train strike, endured the sweltering temps, and mostly got along (gelato was a big help). The kids were generally appreciative, and got a chance to see how another culture lives.


We have now turned our attention to the fall, where we have some big transitions coming up. Eliana (20) will be heading back to Lesley to give the Threshold Program another try, where she will work on life skills like cooking, budgeting, and internet safety as well as exploring job internships and again living resident life. Julia (18) will be attending Northeastern, where she will study criminal justice, psychology, and forensics. She’s nervous and excited at the same time. Julia moves in on Labor Day, and Eliana moves in the following day (Sept. 5th). Alora (almost 13) will be in 7th grade this year. She spent time with friends and cousins this summer, got her giants on bars at the gym, and is in full blown teenager mode with any and all boundaries. Vincent will turn 8 in October and will soon start second grade. He attended soccer camp, played some summer hockey, and practiced reading short books to keep one toe in his schoolwork. We also watched the Women’s World Cup on many early summer mornings. September promises to be a busy and hectic month for us.


I also want to congratulate a few staff on their big news from the summer. Congratulations to Lilah Byers on the birth of Sol (Solomon) in late June. Congratulations also to Alex Salvatore and Caolinn McSwiggan (Sara’s daughter) on their wedding nuptials.

I also wanted to acknowledge some uncertainty about what the year will look like, given the ongoing contract negotiations between the teachers’ union and the city of Newton. The calendar of events is listed at the bottom of this introductory letter, and I don’t know what the guidance will be for staff participation on any of them. I will update families as I know more.




*********CLASS PLACEMENT GOES OUT THIS FRIDAY, AUGUST 25th around 12 NOON*********

LOG IN TO YOUR ASPEN ACCOUNT TO SEE YOUR CHILD’s CLASS PLACEMENT. You should receive instructions on how to do this. If you need help with seeing placement, please email me at nardellimv@newton.k12.ma.us






Grade Level Teaching Assignment Changes - I sent a version of this info out in June, but this version has a few new changes that have been made during the summer.



Kindergarten - Bonzey, Ferland, McSwiggan

• Our teaching team will stay the same, but we will no longer have three K aides in place. Jessie Whalen and Hemo Rao will stay on as K aides, working 5 days each week across three classrooms. Vin Lahey will move into a special education paraprofessional role.

1st Grade - Gower, Rose, Sandison

• Melissa Chatfield will be moving out of a classroom teaching role and into the role of interventionist. She will work .5 and will provide intervention support for students in math and literacy.
• Karen Sandison is moving from 2nd grade to 1st grade.

2nd Grade - Bartley, Thorne, Mann

• After teaching 3rd and 4th grade in Boston for serial years, Amanda Mann came to HM and taught 5th grade last year alongside Anna Cox in our 5th grade co-taught classroom. For next year, Amanda will join our 2nd grade team.

3rd Grade - Bard, Cox/Deehan, Rosen

• Anna Cox and Katie Deehan will team up to form our co-taught classroom in 3rd grade for next year. Anna will officially serve as the special education teacher in the classroom and Katie will be the regular ed teacher, with both teachers bringing a wide range of skills to the model.

4th Grade - Berardi, Bruno, Lewis

• Alex Bruno filled in as a long term sub in 4th grade for Melissa Lewis this winter, and then filled in for Daniela Gentile as our SEL interventionist. We were impressed with her willingness to take initiative, her efforts to collaborate with colleagues and her growing confidence with the 4th grade curriculum. This year, Alex will have her own 4th grade classroom.
• Maureen Berardi will move from the 3rd grade co-taught into her own classroom in 4th grade.
• We will NOT have a traditional co-taught classroom in grade 4. Veronica Burker and Allison Hutchinson will service all academic service delivery needs across two of the three 4th grade classrooms.

5th Grade - Akdag/Salvatore, Derubeis (Moore), Oldmixon

• The Akdag/Salvatore co-taught team will move up to 5th grade for the year. Please note that this doesn’t change how we will be doing placement. We will regroup students into the three 5th grade classrooms.
• Lauren Fischer will return from a leave of absence to be a .5 special educator, providing services to students in partnership with Lisa DeRubeis (Moore).

Special Education

• Our new Team Specialist will be Rebecca Comiskey. Rebecca has worked as a special educator at Oak Hill Middle School and at Newton North High School. She has also been a special education administrator in Newton and most recently in the Natick Public Schools.
• Lauren Fischer will return from a leave of absence to be a .5 special educator, providing services to students alongside Lisa DeRubeis (Moore). She will work Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
• Allison Hutchinson will be moving from our team specialist position into a special education teaching position for next year.
• Veronica Burke will take on the role of special educator, after spending a year working in our 3rd grade co-taught classroom.

Other Staffing Changes

Library

• Monique Arasian will take on some added time at HM for this year (1.5 days total). We also welcome a new librarian, Suzanne Coppola, who will work another 1.5 days. Susanne brings an incredible wealth of experience to this position. Over the years, Susanne has been a long-term sub in several NPS schools including: Mason-Rice, Angier, Countryside, and Franklin. Prior to becoming a Library Teacher, Susanne was a classroom teacher in New York City - Bronx - teaching grades 1, 2, 3 along with being a science teacher and Reading Intervention Specialist.

Intervention

• Alan Ripp and Joelle Pederson will be returning to their coordinator roles for this year and won’t be supporting our intervention.
• Melissa Chatfield will support both math and literacy. We have yet to determine her schedule.
• Meredith Andrews will be work Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursdays each week (8:30-12:30)
• Lisa McLellan will work Monday - Thursday (8:30-2:00)

Social Worker

• We will welcome a new .5 social worker to our team this fall. Sabryna Eastwood comes to use after interviewing four candidates this summer. Sabryna has been an SEL interventionist in Newton and worked in the ESSP program to support students at multiple Newton schools, and is ready to advance her career as a school social worker. Thanks to Jenna Goldstein and Jesse Krotick for their time this summer supporting this process.

Title 1

• Horace Mann did not qualify for Title 1 Status this year so we will be without additional support.

Health Office

• Lilah Byers will be on maternity leave to start the school year. I will update families when I get confirmation about who will be covering for Lilah during her absence.

Curriculum Update

• As you may know, NPS is adopting a new literacy curriculum, called EL (Expeditionary Learning). This will include major changes to our reading AND writing instruction for grades 1 and 2, and for Kindergarten later in the year. We will have more detailed information about what this change entails as we get further into the school year.
• We are also one of three Newton Schools who will be part of the ST Math grant, which will provide us with full access to the ST Math program, as well as staff professional development.

Facilities

• We had no major changes to our building this summer. A few items to note:Working Group Design meetings have re-started and will take place every other week during the school year. There is also a schedule of evening meetings that are open to anyone who would like to attend. I will add these to the HM calendar.
• Surveying and soil sampling has begun. Crews have been digging holes everywhere, testing for drainage, soil composition, etc.in preparation for the larger work that will go on down the road.
• Rose has been diligently working to clear the bureaucratic obstacles in our plan to install the Heath Dias Memorial Garden. We now have an arrangement with the contractor and the city to move forward with the work (finally), but we still don’t have a firm installation date.

Food Services - The State of Massachusetts confirmed dedicated funding to allow for universally-free meals again this upcoming school year.




School Supplies

• If you PRE-ORDERED school supplies, the materials will be distributed to classrooms sometime this week.
• If you did not PRE-ORDER, and would like to purchase supplies on your own, you can see the list of supplies at the following link: https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Page/2636

SY23-24 Elementary Early Morning Program

The program is designed to provide a needed service giving parents the opportunity to bring their children to school prior to the beginning of the regularly scheduled school day.

Details

• NPS students in Grades K through 5 in each of the elementary schools can attend.
• Starting September 5, 2023
• 7:20 a.m. until 8:10 a.m. (when the school day begins.)
• Sign up for 1-5 days a week for the whole school year
• Drop-ins are not allowed (reach out to Mark if you need support on a given morning)

Registration

• Register your student online through. MySchoolBucks.com or
• Once you have registered, your student’s registration status will not be active until it has been approved by the Business Office. If your registration is approved, you will receive a confirmation email.
• Registration is not guaranteed. The Early Morning Program is offered based upon available space, which is determined by the number of staff available at each school to provide appropriate adult/student ratios.
• Financial Waivers are available but you must be approved for a financial waiver before you select this option when registering. To apply for a financial waiver, please apply through Aspen.
• If you register after Sept. 11, a pro-rated payment will be determined based upon your child’s start date and payment will be coordinated and invoiced through MySchoolBucks.

Visit this website for more information about the program.


Any questions, please contact the business office at 617-559-9025 or feepayments@newton.k12.ma.us.




Summary of Classroom Teaching Assignments for the 2023-24 School Year

Kindergarten - Bonzey, Ferland, McSwiggan

Grade 1 - Gower, Rose, Sandison

Grade 2 - Bartley, Mann, Thorne

Grade 3 - Bard, Cox/Deehan, Rosen

Grade 4 - Berardi, Bruno, Lewis

Grade 5 - Akdag/Salvatore, Oldmixon, DeRubeis




Staff List

Rosemary Mariano - Executive Assistant

Lilah Byers - Nurse

Kathy Hylander - Head Custodian

Mike Hinds - Custodian

David Tynes - PE

Mike Dailey - Art

Monique Arasian/Suzanne Coppola - Library

Alex King - Music

Ann Baseggio - ELL

Barbara Kwan - ELL

Rebecca Comiskey - Team Chair

Allison Hutchinson - Special Educator

Lauren Atkinson - Special Educator

Veronica Burke - Special Educator

Lauren Fischer - Special Educator

Nicole Levasseur - BCBA

Daniela Gentile - Behavior Intervention

Sabryna Eastwood - Social Worker

Michelle Reddick - Metco Social Worker

Jenna Goldstein - School Psychologist

Kristyn Stem - Speech

Melanie Chan - OT

Georgia McGinnis - Math Coach

Lauren Dietz - IT Specialist

Louise Martin - Literacy Specialist

Toni Duncan Brown - Literacy Intervention

Meredith Andrews - Literacy Intervention

Lisa McLellan - Literacy Intervention

Melissa Chatfield - Math/Literacy Intervention

Mackenzie Beatrice - Special Education Paraprofessional

Alethia Matthews - Special Education Paraprofessional

Dina Tedford - Special Education Paraprofessional

Justin Walker - Special Education Paraprofessional

Amira Elamri - Special Education Paraprofessional

Michael McGonigle - Special Education Paraprofessional

Vin Lahey - Special Education Paraprofessional

Stacy Louissaint - Behavior Therapist

Eleanor Beatrice - Building Aide

Hema Rao - Kindergarten Aide

Jessica Whalen - Kindergarten Aide

Linette Castro - Food Services

Darlene Atkins - ISS

Billy Young - ISS

Elena Boyington - Co-taught Intern (Akdag/Salvatore)



Important Dates

The school calendar has been integrated into our website and will be updated regularly. You can access the calendar at this link: http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/horacemann.



August 2023



29 Kindergarten Play Date (families only)



September 2023

5 First Day for Students

12 Back to School Picnic 5-7pm

19 School Photos

20 Curriculum/Back to School Night

25 Yom Kippur

28 Early Release 12:10pm



I'll be back with more details about the opening of school next week. Please reach out with any questions



Mark Nardelli

Principal

Message to HM Community in Light of Tragic Events

Dear HM Families,

It has been an upsetting and unsettling week as we learned the news of the horrible events that took place in the early morning on Tuesday, only a few feet away from our school. This is the neighborhood where I grew up and where my parents still live, just a short distance away, on Brooks Ave. For each of the families involved in this unimaginable tragedy, there are connections to Horace Mann, to our staff, and to former students, and it is scary to know that something like this could take place so close to home. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends who have been directly affected by this tragic event. As always, I know that we will come together as a community to mourn and to show our strength and support for one another.

I am writing today to share a message about an upcoming meeting, as well as some background from the District Attorney and Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s office. There are also resources available in the text below. As always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns at nardellimv@newton.k12.ma.us



Sincerely,

Mark Nardelli

Principal

COMMUNITY MEETING

WHEN: WEDNESDAY JUNE 28th, 2023

TIME: 7:00-8:30 PM

WHERE: HORACE MANN CAFETERIA, 225 NEVADA ST.

Message From Mayor Fuller:

To the family of Jill & Bruno D’Amore and Jill's mother, Lucia Arpino, I extend my deepest condolences on the tragic death of your loved ones. I have heard from so many neighbors and friends about how much these three people meant to their tight-knit neighborhood. I speak for the people of Newton when I say our hearts and prayers are with you.

This is such a difficult time in our community. The loss of these three individuals and the loss of our sense of safety has been deeply upsetting. Join us on Wednesday evening at the Horace Mann Elementary School auditorium (225 Nevada St.) from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. as we come together during this tragedy.

I will be joined by members of the Newton Police Department and District Attorney Marian Ryan. Importantly, a counselor from the Riverside Trauma Center will give a brief presentation and help lead a community conversation about how people typically respond to traumatic events like the one we are experiencing in our community. Additional counselors will share ideas about how we might cope in the days and weeks ahead as well as how to talk to our families and children about this tragedy.

Reactions to traumatic events can be had by those directly impacted as well as by family and friends, neighbors, first responders, and people learning about this tragedy through the news. Individual reactions vary and may include feelings of sadness, confusion, fear and worry. If you or a loved one needs immediate support in crisis, please contact the following resources:



Riverside Emergency Services 800-529-5077 (available 24/7)

Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line 833-773-2445 (available 24/7 by phone or text)

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7 by phone or text)

If you would like to talk with one of the City's social services staff members, please call the City of Newton Health and Human Services Department (Monday- Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.) at 617-796-1420. Ask to speak with a social worker to learn about resources and referrals to local mental health providers.

I am profoundly grateful for the dedication, expertise and collaboration of District Attorney Marian Ryan and her team and Chief John Carmichael and the team at the Newton Police Department. Police officers, detectives, state troopers, forensic experts, trauma counselors, social workers and attorneys worked tirelessly for the past 33 hours straight to help the bereaved, to identify the suspect and to make an arrest.

I also thank the community. Every step of the way Newtonians helped the police in their painstaking work.

I want to end where I began: To the family and friends of the three people lost, may your memories of them be for a blessing.



Warmly,

Ruthanne



Background from the Middlesex District Attorney:

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Newton Chief of Police John Carmichael have confirmed that Christopher Ferguson, 41 of Newton has been charged with murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and burglary in connection with the deaths of Gilda D’Amore, 73, her husband Bruno D’Amore, 74 and Mrs. D’Amore’s mother, Lucia Arpino, 97 who were attacked inside their Broadway Street home in Newton.

Yesterday at 10:14 a.m., a person known to the victims called 911 to report the victims were dead inside the home. She had gone to check on the victims after they did not arrive at church to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

The preliminary investigation indicated some signs of forced entry including broken glass and missing screens at the basement windows. Forensic specialists from the Massachusetts Crime Scene Section were immediately called to the scene and were able to collect a variety of forensic evidence.

As part of the investigation which began yesterday and continued today, investigators canvassed the neighborhood and were able to locate a video from Albemarle Road that depicted a male walking in that area, which is four-tenths of a mile from the victim’s home, at 5:20 a.m. on June 25.

That man was later identified as Christopher Ferguson.

Today, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death for Gilda D’Amore to be multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma. The autopsies of the other victims are expected to be conducted tomorrow and additional charges are possible.

Late this afternoon the lab was able to positively match a footprint left in the home to Mr. Ferguson. Footprints, like fingerprints, are unique.

His arraignment is expected to be scheduled for tomorrow at Newton District Court.

At this time this continues to appear to be a random act.

This remains an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office, Newton Police and the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Section. The prosecutor assigned to this case is Nicole Allain, the Victim Witness Advocate is Cheri MacDonald.

These charges are allegations and all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

You can watch the press conference here: https://youtu.be/CvLUx7CxJgs

Horace Mann Building Project Update

Good Morning Horace Mann School Community,

You have likely heard the great news, but just in case I wanted to make sure you all know that the Horace Mann Project is moving forward!

Following the unsuccessful outcome of the operating override, Mayor Fuller began working to see what could be done to try and fund this critically important project. In a few short weeks, Mayor Fuller proposed a plan to work with the Newton Retirement Board and the Newton City Council to adjust the retirement funding program as well as several other financial maneuvers to free up the funds needed to allow the Horace Mann Project to move forward.

After several meetings and a ton of hard work by many people, the Retirement Board voted to adjust their funding program, and the City Council approved several items including the annual budget last week. These actions will allow us to move forward with the project as of July 1st with the annual budget cycle.

As we get closer to July, I will send out a meeting invitation to get together and recap the latest design concepts. If you remember, we were in a good place with the interior floor plans and the site plans were also in very good shape. The only sticking point on the site plans was whether to include a full basketball court or a half-court. We have been studying this and will be prepared to present options at our next meeting.

I know many of you advocated for this project for many years now, and I deeply appreciate and share your passion and commitment to the Horace Mann School and community.

We will be transitioning soon to a new project website hosted by our Owner’s Project Manager, NV5, but you can take a look at the basic project information here.

I have also attached the latest floor plans, building elevations, and site plan from last fall for reference.




Regards,




Josh Morse

Public Buildings Commissioner

Public Buildings Department

City of Newton




When responding, please be aware that the Massachusetts Secretary of State has determined that most email is public record and therefore cannot be kept confidential.