BACK TO SCHOOL 2011: Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School

A wide range of new exploratory courses and a way for parents to access their children's student records and schedule highlight some of the changes at the middle school this year.

Click here to return to the main Back to School 2011 article. Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School students shouldn't be bored with the curriculum this year, because a new initiative should offer something for everybody. In lieu of an MCAS Prep block, Principal Tom Brow said that this year the middle school will offer 36 new exploratory courses in English, math, science and history. Each teacher in those subject areas will see three different groups of students throughout the course of the year. "For example, Mr. Whittier’s teaching a course in English in the sixth grade called ‘Film as Literature,’" Brow said. "In the seventh grade, Mr. Mayers is teaching an exploratory English 7 course, which is 'Introduction to the Theater.' Mrs. …

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BACK TO SCHOOL 2011: Horace Mann School

Individual goal-setting; expansion of reading structure program; and reaching out to parents in new ways highlight new initiatives at the Horace Mann this year.

Click here to return to the main Back to School 2011 article. Like the other Melrose elementary schools, the Horace Mann has had SMART Board interactive whiteboards installed and every classroom and will see full implementation of the FOSS science kits this year. Those initiatives aside, Principal Jeff Stransnick said this year the Horace Mann will focus on goal-setting for students: creating specific, measurable targets for students to strive for. "We’ve always worked with kids to set goals. This year, we’re going to expand on that and actually look into doing 'smart' goals, which are more specific," Strasnick said. "They're measurable. There’s actually numbers and a timeline built into that. It's more concrete. We’re also doing that with…

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PHOTOS: First Day of School in Melrose

Melrose students in Grades 1 through 9 returned from summer break on Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday morning, Melrose Public School students in Grades 1 through 9 returned to class. Click through the photo gallery above to see pictures from just before the ringing of the first school bell of the year at Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School. Parents: Did you take photos before sending your kids off the school? Upload your own first day of school photos to this gallery. It's easy—just sign into your Melrose Patch account (or sign into Melrose Patch using your Facebook account). Click the "Add your photos & videos" link below the photos and follow the directions.

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VIDEO: Principals Welcome Melrose Students Back

It's the first day of school and the principals from Melrose Public Schools welcome their students back to the classroom.

It's the first day of school for the Melrose Public Schools 2011-2012 school year, and each of the Melrose principals has a welcome back message for their studemts.

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Five Things You Need to Know Today

5 Things You Need To Know Today—Monday, Aug. 29

Hurricane Irene took over the weekend in Melrose. A brief look back and a look ahead.

Today is Monday, Aug. 29—six years ago today, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana, as a Category 4 hurricane—and here are Melrose's five fast facts for the day: 1) ... it'll be like no one even knew we was ever here: Today's blue skies belie the tempestuous weather we saw yesterday. It'll be sunny with a high near 78, west wind between 10 and 13 mph. Tonight, mostly clear, with a low around 61. West wind between 6 and 8 mph. (Forecast by the National Weather Service). 2) I'm still standing: That's what I hope you're singing after Tropical Storm Irene (earlier Hurricane Irene) landed in Massachusetts. Despite some talk of "what hurricane?" early on in the day—and eastern Mass. certainly didn't get hit as hard as …

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Daniel DeMaina

9:14 am on Monday, August 29, 2011

Happy belated birthday!   more ›

BACK TO SCHOOL 2011: Roosevelt School

Students at the Roosevelt will see iPads, SMART Boards and a new engineering curriculum this year.

Click here to return to the main Back to School 2011 article. SMART Board interactive whiteboards are the order of the day for Melrose's elementary schools this upcoming school year, but the Roosevelt School is going one step further: iPads. Through a donation from the Zinck family, which holds a fundraiser each year for their daughter's cause, Principal Kerry Clery purchased a cart with 10 iPads. Clery said like the SMART Boards, the iPads bring an interactivity to the classroom, but also a more personalized experience that's natural for kids due to the touchscreen interface. "If you were to give a 2-year-old a laptop or a desktop computer and sit them in front of it, they wouldn’t be able to do much—navigate the mouse, press a couple of …

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BACK TO SCHOOL 2011: Winthrop School

New principal Mary Alise Herrera, SMART Boards in every classroom and a pilot health and wellness program come to the Winthrop this year.

Click here to return to the main Back to School 2011 article. Like Melrose High School, the Winthrop School has a new principal, Mary Alise Herrera, who replaces the departing Bryna Davis. Since arriving in Melrose, Herrera said she's been busy figuring out what programs are in place at the Winthrop and how the school will move forward this coming year. "It’s been completely a learning process this summer and I’m certainly not done learning," she said. "It’s difficult to be the only one in the building and trying to get information, because no one’s really here to give it to you." Herrera said she has met with Melrose central administrators, the other principal, teachers, parents, the PTO and community members with one central question in …

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