Student Wins National Merit Scholarship

Mystic Valley senior, Sophie Carroll, has recently been informed that she is a 2013 National Merit Scholarship winner.

Kinnon: Decision to Block MVRCS Expansion 'Arbitrary and Capricious'

The Mystic Valley Regional Charter School will formally appeal a decision barring their requested expansion from 1,500 to 1,900 students. What do you think about the move?

Mystic Valley Regional Charter School officials will appeal a decision denying their request to expand the school's enrollment, a board of trustees vote confirmed Monday night.  Chairman Neil Kinnon, also a Malden City Councillor, said the school received "arbitrary and capricious" treatment from state education officials when they imposed conditions on the school's renewed charter this year.  MVRCS serves children in grades K-12 from Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham and Wakefield.  He asked trustees for authorization to "resolve these issues with the [Department of Elementary and Secondary Education], up to determining what the next steps are."  Citing a "clear record of insularity and opaque decision making," Massachusetts …

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State Says Mystic Valley Regional Lacks Transparency, Denies Expansion

Citing a “clear record of insularity and opaque decision making,” officials also placed remedial conditions on the school's charter, the Boston Globe reports. Chairman and Malden City Councillor Neil Kinnon suggests the move is political.

A request to expand Mystic Valley Regional Charter School's student body, which includes students from Melrose, was denied by state education officials last month, according to an article by Boston Globe's Brenda J. Buote. Buote reports: Citing a “clear record of insularity and opaque decision making,” [Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner] Mitchell D. Chester last month placed conditions on the school’s charter and denied Mystic Valley’s request to increase student enrollment. The Globe reports Chester told education officials in a Feb. 8 memo that the school “has not consistently operated with transparency or been accessible to all stakeholders.” He further observed that five school trustees had …

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Does Melrose Need Another Charter School?

Let us know what you think.

Do Melrose children need access to another charter school in the area? It's a pertinent question now that the Pioneer Charter School of Science (PCSS) has reached the final round of the application process to open two new charter public schools—one of which would serve Melrose and five other communities, according to a statement.  The new schools, if approved by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in February, would serve 360 students in grades 7-12 in communities north of Boston, according to the statement. The Mystic Valley Regional Charter School already educates Melrose students, but perhaps families are searching for something different.  What do you think? Tell us in the comments section. 

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Dave Gray

11:32 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012

Once again, I understand the sentiment, but he thought of diluting the public school budget even further with assessments from another charter school is worrying. We already have the Voke and the MV assessments consuming our limited resources. Another charter school can only further damage an already floundering public system, which has yet to bottom out, despite the "everything is good" nonsense…   more ›

Melrose High School Doesn't Crack Top 50 Boston Magazine Schools

The magazine used a variety of statistics to compile its list. See how Melrose fared in a variety of categories.

Boston Magazine recently compiled its list of 222 Boston-area public and charter high schools and also narrowed down the top 50 schools in the area based on a variety of statistics, and Melrose High School and Mystic Valley Regional Charter School found themselves in the middle of the pack in a variety of categories. Melrose High didn't find its way onto the Top 50 list in the magazine. Weston High School took top honors followed by Lexington High, Dover-Sherborn Regional High, Concord-Carlisle High and Wellesley Senior High. Schools in the Melrose region that made the list include Andover High School (No. 27), Reading Memorial High School (No. 38) and Burlington High School at No. 43. According to the sortable list in the article, Melrose…

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Mark Ouellette

12:45 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012

Hi Percy, Thanks for the note. I've included Mystic Valley Regional Charter School data to the story.   more ›

Trash Fee, Charter School and More: Highlights from Mayor's Live Chat

Mayor Rob Dolan took a variety of questions from Melrose residents in Wednesday's monthly live chat.

Yesterday on Melrose Patch, Mayor Rob Dolan joined us for our monthly live chat, taking questions about trash and recycling, charter schools, athletic fields and more. You can read a full transcript of the chat; below are highlights from the Q&A session sorted by subject. Lynn Reznick Parisi: Dear Mayor Dolan, As you transition to a private contractor for trash removal, are you going to use this opportunity to enforce the state recycling regulations (that residents were reminded about in the transition letter)? Will the contractors really check the trash to see if it has recycled items and reject picking up the trash or will this be a lost opportunity increase the amount of recycling by Melrose residents? Mayor Dolan: If it is visible, …

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Mystic Valley Basketball Teams End Season With Victories

The JV Boys' and Varsity Girls' and Varsity Boys' basketball teams at Mystic Valley all ended the season with a win.

JV Boys Win Finale The Mystic Valley Boys JV Team ended their season on a high note yesterday at home with a convincing victory at home against North Shore/Essex Aggie by a score of 48-36. The Eagles had balanced scoring up and down the roster and it was truly a team effort. The Eagles were led by Junior Daniel DiFusco who had 10 points as well as 8th grader Matt O’Connor and Raymond Leung who had 7 a piece. Also chipping in the scoring for the Eagles were Ryan Foley (5 points), Devontae Davis (4 points), Kevin Mudymba (3 points), Jackie Yu (2 points), Yahia Abuhasan (2 points). Defensively, Stephen DiBenedetto, Pat McPherson and Kirby Clerger all turned in fine defensive performances for the Eagles. The win was important to the young …

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Students, Parents & Fox Comment on Hogan Suspension

Allegations Mystic Valley Regional Charter School teacher Kevin Hogan performed in pornographic films as recently as last year has captured international attention, as well as criticisms - and defenses - of the journalist that broke the story.

(For background, see our Tuesday night breaking coverage).  A Fox 25 news report alleging a Malden teacher performed in pornographic films has received international attention, with journalists and readers alike debating newsroom ethics, the responsibilities of teachers and gay rights.  Station reporter Mike Beaudet reported Tuesday that Mystic Valley Regional Charter School English Teacher Kevin Hogan had starred in at least three videos as early as last year, before he was hired to work at the school. Hogan denied involvement when confronted by Beaudet on tape, and was later placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by school officials. According to the Boston Globe, Hogan also taught at St. Clement High School in Medford …

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YOUR TURN: Should a Pornographic Past Bar You From Teaching?

A report alleging a Mystic Valley teacher performed in pornographic films prompts his suspension as school officials investigate.

Update: Fox 25, parents and journalists from around the world weigh in on the suspension of Kevin Hogan.  The head of the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School's English department has been placed on administrative leave this week, after Fox 25 News reported he had performed in pornographic films as recently as last year.  Kevin Hogan was reportedly hired to teach and chair the department last August, after receiving what one school official told Fox 25 were “flawless” recommendations from past employers.  Hogan told the Fox reporter who confronted him outside of the school that he didn't "know what (he) was talking about."  School officials told parents they would investigate the claims.   School releases statement “Recently, a local news…

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Joe Dailey

5:24 pm on Tuesday, December 13, 2011

That's ok. It doesn't really matter, anyways. What matters is that I have an opinion, and that I have the ability and right to share it. I would greatly enjoy any kind of productive response from you. Thanks, dude. :D   more ›

PHOTO: Melrose Mystic Valley Students Celebrate First Day of School Tradition

Melrose Patch reader Jen Crain submitted this photo of Mystic Valley Regional Charter School students celebrating the first day of school.

Melrose Patch reader Jen Crain, whose son attends Mystic Valley Regional Charter School, captured a great photo of a large group of Mystic Valley students from Melrose celebrating their first day back at school on Wednesday, Aug. 24. Crain said the kids enjoyed an annual tradition after school ended for the day: ice cream at Heavenly Licks, and then a walk down to the Lincoln School playground to play.

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