School Administration Anticipates Upcoming School Year

The leadership staff of Marlborough Public Schools are introduced, and details of the coming 2011/12 school year are laid out.

Marlborough Public Schools’ leadership recently announced they are ready to start the 2011/12 school year.   “It’s an exciting time to be a Marlborough schools’ student, parent, staff member or community member” said Superintendent Anthony Pope. “We are taking another huge step toward making Marlborough a world-class school district. We’ve identified core values, focused on our instructional core and reconfigured our buildings to be more developmentally appropriate. We are developing a preK-12 curriculum framework. And we have put in place building leadership that is committed to the district’s vision.  At Richer, a new team of veteran educators will greet students the first day of school. Former Kane Elementary Assistant Principal Maria …

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By the Numbers

Marlborough Public School Contacts

A weekly column providing readers with the numbers that matter most in Marlborough. Whether it be population, city pay rates or a random interesting stat, you'll find it here.

This week we are posting the main contacts for the Marlborough Public Schools. In coming weeks, look for the same information pertaining to the Assabet Valley technical schools and the Advanced Math and Science Academy.  Marlborough Public Schools: Dr. Anthony Pope, Superintendent— apope@mps-edu.org, 508-460-3509 508-460-3502 ext 3761 Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on the latest Marlborough news, or simply hit the "like" button at the top of this page.

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School Committee: Frugality Pays Off in Spending Freeze

Approximately $800K to be returned to the city, upholding a promise by the previous administration.

School Superintendent Anthony Pope told the School Committee on Tuesday, May 24, that the department will return approximately $800,000 to the city, thus keeping a promise that was made by the previous administration. "It's been tough," he admitted, "knowing that we had to return this money to the city." When Pope took over as superintendent last summer, he immediately imposed a spending freeze in school accounts. He said his conservative tactics at the outset were meant "to keep us safe and allow us to return the money." The City Council on May 23 approved a general school budget of $49,514,206. School Committee member Jennifer Hardy told Pope it was nice to see city councilors support your efforts in taking a new direction in education …

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Controversy ends — $9.5m of School Support Stays on City's Books for 1 More Year

Health care, other benefits for Marlborough school employees will again be calculated in city budget; Mayor Stevens wanted these benefits to be borne by schools this year.

With a 5-0 vote, the City Council Finance Subcommittee on Monday, May 16, approved a school support budget of $9,534,751, thus keeping that budget within the city's overall budget, which includes public safety, DPW and other departments. Mayor Nancy E. Stevens, who is also chair of the Marlborough School Committee, last month proposed that school support expenses should be absorbed within the school department budget. At the time, the mayor drew the ire of the majority of school committee members because the board had just adopted its budget. School committee members said they were taken by surprise because they had worked for months on a budget that did not consider school support, and were just doing what had been done in the past. Most …

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Mayor Says Schools Accountable for Support Accounts

Superintendent Pope says accounting transition will definitely affect school budget.

School District Superintendent Anthony Pope is not happy with the mayor's decision to foist $8 million to $9 million of school support accounts upon the already-approved school budget of $49,764,206 this year. Although he said he agrees with the mayor on the concept of shifting school support to the school side, "If I was sitting in your chair, I would have waited a year," he told Mayor Nancy E. Stevens at the school committee meeting on Tuesday, May 10. "We have to have deliberations on this and know how it affects my management. But this will definitely affect our budget." The mayor Monday presented the City Council a budget that eliminated school support accounts, which include heath care and unemployment benefits among others. Those …

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need To Know Today: May 10

Here is a list of things going on in and around Marlborough today.

1. It will be a full 10 degrees cooler today with a high of 59, according to the National Weather Service. There is a chance of rain in the afternoon, and winds could top out in the 30 mph range.  2. Raytheon Company contributed $15,000 towards the Marlborough Economic Development Commission’s economic development mission. The ceremonial check presentation took place on May 9 outside City Hall. Mayor Nancy Stevens received the check on behalf of MEDC from Brian McKeon,Vice President of Integrated Communications Systems and Marlborough Site Executive and General Manager. 3. The Marlborough School Committee meets at 7:30 p.m. this evening at the District Headquarters. Here's the agenda.  4. There's plenty going on at the Marlborough Public …

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New Accounting Proposal for Support Services Riles School Committee

There was a harsh reaction to the mayor's idea to have schools held accountable for $8.5 million.

When a committee holds a public hearing on a school budget proposal that is $49,764,206 and no one comes to comment one way or the other — what can go wrong? Plenty … as the school committee very quickly found out after it unanimously approved the budget for fiscal year 2012 which begins July 1. The process that led to the approval is the real story. Led by new Superintendent Anthony Pope and his vision for accountability and high academic achievement coupled with a realignment of grades that affect elementary, middle and high school levels and a new attitude overall, the school committee studied the plan from all angles for over six months. All of that preparation was swept away by Mayor Nancy E. Stevens, who serves as chair of the school…

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need To Know Today: April 26

Here is a list of things going on in and around Marlborough today.

1. There is a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms both today and this evening. Otherwise there should be periods of fog, and a high reaching the upper 50s.  2. Forekicks here in Marlborough will celebrate their Family Fun Fest this Saturday, April 30 from 12:30-6 p.m. for an afternoon of sports, games and prizes. Admission is $15 per person, and that cost includes sports clinics and skill contests.  3. The Marlborough Enterprise recently reported that Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School will offer a special lunch program for the next five Tuesdays, beginning today. Most of the meals will be $8-9, and will include several courses. See the details here.  4. The Marlborough School Committee will meet this evening at the District …

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Superintendent Pope Moves Forward in "New Culture of Learning"

Houston native beat the odds to excel in education administration, and now handles ambitious plans for the Marlborough public schools.

Accountability. Integrity. High Achievement. Expectations. These are the core concepts and values of first-year School Superintendent Anthony Pope. And make no mistake about it — these tenets are already ingrained in everyone associated with the Marlboroough School District. Raised in a family of six by his mother in Houston, Pope was the only one to attend college, certainly not surprising for inner-city youth in the 1980s. He graduated with bachelor's degrees in history and psychology from Houston Baptist University, a small private school in the city. In 1992 when he was in his mid-20s, he taught U.S. history to sixth-graders and coached the eighth-grade football team. Typical of first-year teachers, he was like a thoroughbred out of …

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Moms Talk Q&A

Are You Happy with Where Our Schools are Headed?

The Marlborough School Committee met last night and Superintendent Pope presented a $50 million budget for 2012. Along with the public schools, Marlborough youth have several other options as well including the Advanced Math and Science Academy and Assabe

Are you happy with where the schools are headed, and what do you see as the best programs/options for Marlborough's young people? The public schools are developing a curriculum and grade reorganization, and have just presented the 2012 budget. Do you have questions for the administration? Or maybe you just want to sound off about what you love about your kids' school. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation. Moms Talk is a feature on Marlborough Patch that is part of a new initiative on our Patch sites to reach out to parents and families in the community. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on the latest Marlborough news.

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Damon Michaels

9:07 am on Monday, April 11, 2011

Who told you that? That's completely false. Quite frankly, I don't believe anonymous people. There is no admission requirement. The workload is manageable.   more ›