Morning, Neighbor!

It’s no secret we live in an area with abundant wildlife. And generally, the wildlife does whatever it wants, regardless of your feelings about it. Yesterday, while I was having a virtual meeting and minding my own business, I looked out the window to see my sweet hen, Isy, fighting for her life against a hawk. No joke, I thought she was a goner. After about five minutes, though, she just got up and walked away. She seems to be doing okay today, but just a PSA to our neighbors: keep en eye on your small animals! Isy is the biggest and baddest of our hens, but that hawk almost took her out.

Shawsheen Tech recently celebrated a group of exemplary students. Out of 1320 students at our regional technical school, 109 of them were selected for Citizenship Awards. Students were nominated who exemplified the school’s recently-adopted core values of Respect, Integrity, and Accountability. In a ceremony that spanned two days, the school honored these students as role models who adhere to high standards of behavior.

Several students from Burlington are on the list! I bolded their names so they’d be easier to find—check out the story and see if you recognize any names!

Community Information

Annual Citizenship Award Ceremonies Honors 109 Students at Shawsheen Tech

Nicci Kadilak • Feb 2, 2024

Shawsheen Valley Technical High School is delighted to announce the successful conclusion of its annual Citizenship Award ceremonies, a distinguished two-night tradition dedicated to honoring exemplary students from each grade in the school community. This year, Shawsheen celebrated 109 exceptional individuals among …

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School Building Committees Take Next Steps

The Fox Hill School Building Committee met this week to discuss design planning. In order to make the school’s layout make more sense, the designers have flipped it, positioning the academic wing closest to the bus entrance and moving the community spaces like the cafetorium to the other side.

A few questions came up, like where receiving will be located with respect to the different departments that need to receive deliveries, but otherwise the group seems confident the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) will look favorably on the plan that was submitted in December. The MSBA board will vote on that plan later this month, and, assuming that’s approved, the Committee will continue working with the designers and project managers to refine the design.

The financial aspect of this project is still far from a done deal, as Town Meeting will need to vote to approve the borrowing, and the Select Board will need to vote with a 2/3 majority to place a debt exclusion (an addition to residential taxes to cover the cost of the project until it’s paid for) on the town’s ballot. And then, a majority town-wide would be needed to approve it.

Another Building Committee met this week: the High School Building Committee met to interview the designers who expressed interest in conducting the feasibility study on the site.

Tappé Architects, as well as Jonathan Levi Architects (in collaboration with DLR Group), told the Committee about their plans for meeting sustainability goals, their ideas for rebuilding or renovating the building, and how they plan to make the building functional for the community.

Tappé’s team showed how FEMA’s new flood plain maps will likely change the area (making the site less restricted, if you can believe it) and laid the footprint of some of their previous projects over the current BHS property to show how they might fit. They gave an overview of how the district might meet their goals with a new building or by building an addition and/or renovating the school, and outlined how long each kind of project might take and how duration might affect cost.

The team also referenced district resources such as the Planning for Success document and the core values of Learning, Equity, and Thriving. According to Tappé, their goal is to create a future-ready building that meets the district’s goals and leverages community spaces for the benefit of residents and, potentially, as a revenue generator for the district.

Mr. Levi and his team, who are currently working with Boston Public Schools to “imagine their 10-year future,” had some interactive modeling activities that were intended to help the Committee get an idea of how each option (a new building, an addition/renovation, multiple different concepts) might look. They also emphasized their desire for “community co-creation” and outlined their approach to working with the community to create engagement and buy-in in the process.

Levi + DLR demonstrated some ideas they have implemented to keep costs down while still creating an attractive and functional building. They did mention accessibility is a big question mark when thinking about renovating the current BHS building.

Both groups emphasized the importance of natural light and indoor air quality for student performance and well-being. They also stated the importance of creating a building that will work into the future and ensuring to the extent possible that it won’t become outdated.

The next BHS School Building Committee is scheduled for February 8.

Today in Burlington

The pink and red hearts lining drugstore and supermarket aisles send a clear signal: Valentine’s Day is coming! This weekend brings some opportunities to make or buy gifts for your loved one this year. Don’t wait until the 14th and bring home whatever’s left at Shaw’s. This is your chance to be thoughtful and involve young ones in the gifting.

Also, don’t miss a unique show this Saturday by Lincoln Public Schools’ Step Team!

Municipal Meetings and Community Events

Friday, February 2

• 12:00-1:00 PM - Cookbook Book Club - Hopefully you’ve already stopped by the library prior to coming to this event. Bring the dish you made, and try the recipes others made! Yum! Tag #BurlingtonBuzz on social media and share your favorite dish. (Library; No Registration Required)
• 7:00 PM - BHS Production Presents : A.R. Gurney's The Dining Room. Experience the passage of time from the perspective of a single room. Get your tickets now! (BHS Fogelberg Performing Arts Center)

Saturday, February 3

• 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM - Love is in the Air Vendor Fair  - support small businesses and local artisans and find a unique and perfect gift for your loved one. Cash bar, too! (Chelmsford/Lowell Elks, Chelmsford, MA)
• 2:00 PM - BHS Production Presents : A.R. Gurney's The Dining Room. Experience the passage of time from the perspective of a single room. Get your tickets now! (BHS Fogelberg Performing Arts Center)
• 2:00 PM - Lincoln Public School Step Team performance. From the Discovery Museum website: “Step is an artform that involves making acapella-style beats with your body, to create an experience that brings together dance, music, and community. The LPS Step Team is a diverse group of students, who are committed to standing together against all forms of discrimination, and who work together as a team, while honoring each unique individual. Since the team was formed as a pilot program in the spring of 2022, it has grown to include steppers from multiple communities, ranging from 1^st – 8^th grades, coming together to learn a new artform.”  (Acton Discovery Museum; free with admission)

Sunday, February 4

• 12:00-4:00 PM - Paint Your Own Pottery Gift - From handprint/footprint crafts for very young ones to self-painted gifts for older kids, these gifts are sure to please this Valentine’s Day. (Tin Bucket Shop, Reading)
• 1:00 PM - BFF Valentine’s Bracelet Class - create two bracelets, one for you and one for your best friend or loved one. (Made in Burlington; Tickets)
• 2:00-3:00 PM - Get Better Sleep Workshop - great sleep tips and tricks presented in a humorous and informational way. Sleep is key to a good day, come learn how to improve your sleep habits. Tag #BurlingtonBuzz and let us know which ones work for you. (Library; No Registration Required)

Sports and Activities

Our basketball teams play Melrose today. Games are as follows:

• JV (at MSMS): Boys play at 4:15 and girls play at 5:15.
• Varsity (at BHS): Boys play at 5:30; girls play at 7:00.
• Freshman boys play at Melrose Middle School at 5:45.

A wrestling meet kicks off tomorrow’s sports schedule, with the Red Devils hosting Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School and Bishop Fenwick. That’s followed by hockey in Stoneham: Boys at 4:00 and girls at 6:00.

Sunday brings a JV hockey game versus Belmont at the Ice Palace.

Friday Funny

It’s definitely been 21 years since I set foot inside a Blockbuster—and the last one I went to was surely the one in the Town Center. Have you ever been?

That’s all for today. I’ll see you back here on Sunday—or tomorrow, if you’re a Hive member!

Nicci

Share this Buzz with the neighbor who just asked you what ever happened with the school buildings.