Save the Date!
-
Board of Selectmen
Town Hall, Room 14
1st and 3rd Mondays each month, 7 p.m.
School Committee
Middle School Library
7 p.m. on alternate Mondays
Town Meeting
June 7, 2010 at 7 p.m.
NRHS Auditorium
Go to the "Meetings" tab for important details.
It is critical for citizens to stay involved and exercise their vote in the direction and decisions that affect education in North Reading.
- Note: For more details go to meetings menu
Please Donate Today!
Two years ago on a budget of just
$1,300, NRUE's advocacy convinced town leaders to recommend a budget that returned more than $700,000 directly to North
Reading Public Schools, restoring valuable programs.
We need to continue our advocacy, but we cannot do so without financial support from parents and education supporters in North Reading. Please help us with a minimum suggested donation of $25 made payable to: North Reading United for Education
and send to Pete Kaepplinger, 9 Fieldstone Way, North Reading, 01864
Important News
What's all this talk about health insurance? North Reading's health insurance budget will increase 11 percent
next year, eating into a large portion of any revenues available for contractual and expense increases to keep the
town and schools at level services. Read about the problem and solutions here, and tell leaders on Beacon Hill we need a solution NOW!
Key Links
NR Public Schools
NR Town Web Site
Stand for Children
Rep. Brad Jones
Dept. of Education
Dept. of Revenue
Governor Deval Patrick
Notable Quote:
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
- Margaret Mead
Stay Informed!
View the School Committee report from April 5 Town Meeting. This report is an excellent synopsis that shows the "bang for the buck" North Reading Schools
provide when spending is compared to results.
Sign up for email about relevant events and initiatives. Use the form below or email us at info@nrue.org
Privacy Policy in brief is that your email will only be used by NRUE for
NRUE related notifications and not be sold or distributed to any other organization.
Attend Town Meeting
Monday, June 7 at 7 p.m.
NRHS High School
150 Quorum Required
Free onsite childcare provided by NRHS Student Council and Interact Club members
Registration is not required, but is helpful
For details
click here
To register or for questions, e-mail
Barbara Thorstad
Sure, it's a school night, but just one night out at Town Meeting can mean an adequate school budget next year and the opportunity for North Reading to receive
state reimbursement to explore plans to update its inadequate aging secondary schools (Middle School/High School). Print this informative flyer and share it with your friends!
The Massachusetts School Building Assistance Bureau has identified North Reading's need to improve its Secondary Schools among the top 15 in the
state. North Reading is guaranteed 45 percent reimbursement on the $1 million feasibility study up for vote. The process differs from prior school projects,
as the state now works with towns to develop projects and guarantees reimbursement once a project is approved. See all the details here.
This is not an override, but a two-thirds majority is required at Town Meeting for passage. If this feasibility study is not approved, North Reading loses the opportunity and moves to the end of the line for state reimbursement.
The Need for Continued Advocacy
NRUE was created a few years ago out of necessity. Prior to that, a few
concerned parents initiated communication with our legislators, town
leaders, and school officials by creating a letter writing campaign to Sen.
Tarr and Rep. Jones under the name Chapter 70 Committee.
When budget constraints left gaping holes in the school budget and parents
were distracted with everyday life, our town leaders put education funding
out to an override making that funding optional, and citizens were left to
decide if in fact education was a priority for them.
The override failed and a dreadful year followed, with teacher and
specialist layoffs, elementary and Middle School students going home at
lunchtime every Wednesday, lots of study halls for Middle School students,
and increased class sizes at the High School.
So you see, NRUE was born out of necessity and has worked tirelessly to let
leaders, citizens, students, families and teachers know that education is a
priority in North Reading, and budgets cannot be balanced by cutting
education in a school system that already has one of the lowest per pupil
expenditures in Massachusetts. NRUE's mission continues to focus on ensuring
adequate education funding that maintains a solid core five-day per week
education, with reasonable class sizes and program offerings that leave
North Reading students ready to meet the challenges of competitive college
admission and job markets. Education may seem stable this year, after
federal stimulus dollars and tireless work by NRUE, Stand for Children, and
our town leaders managed to stem the bleeding for this year. While we do not
wish to cry wolf for next year, rest assured the budget looks very tight and
our students continue to need concerned parents and citizens to advocate for
a stable, sound education EACH and EVERY YEAR.
So while things are "okay" in our schools this year, every year it is
necessary to ramp up our visibility and communication to protect precious
funding resources that will preserve our children's education quality for
the upcoming school year.
If you'd like to join NRUE in our ongoing advocacy, please send us an e-mail.
Help NRUE Support Balance, Focus on Teachers and Curriculum, and Affordable Contracts and Benefits
At public meetings and in communications with elected leaders at the state and local levels, your involvement helps NRUE promote:
1) A fair and equitable budget that shares the responsibility for meeting the challenges of these tough financial times equally among all citizens and employees of North Reading.
2) A school budget directing funds toward maintaining basic education during the school day, including managing class size, programs, and curriculum to give all students the best education possible.
3) Affordable contracts and health-care agreements across the schools and the town to manage budgets for the long-term.
4) Ongoing evaluation of revenue sources, cost savings, and efficiencies that bring stability and balance to budgets in the near and long term.
Please bookmark this website and check back regularly for important news and updates on
issues surrounding education in North Reading.
Take Action
We need you now. Please
join/email NRUE. Click (here)
Tell us in an email how you would like to help or find out from the NRUE team how you can help.