In The News

Ryan Duggan, who completed his hockey career at Lynn Classical as the school’s all-time leading point scorer, has signed a contract to play for the Salem Ice Dogs in the Empire Junior Hockey League.
Duggan was a two-time Northeastern Conference All-Star at Classical under coaches Jim Dakin and E.J. Breen.
Duggan scored 101 goals and had 76 assists at Classical. He and former linemates Chad Johnson and Tommy Adams combined for 230 points in the 2004-5 season.
“I believe Junior Hockey is my best option at this point in my hockey career,” said Duggan. “I hope to move on from the Empire League to play collegiate hockey.”
The Ice Dogs play their home games at Salem State College.
Duggan is working this summer for the North Shore Spirit grounds crew.
He is the son of Gary and Nancy Duggan.
“I want to thank my mom and dad for their support over the past 18 years,” said Ryan. “My sister, Danielle, was also out there supporting me at Classical games.”

LYNN - After threats of a drive-by shooting at Marshall Middle School Monday and a brutal assault outside the school three weeks ago, police Thursday said they have stepped up patrols at the school and parents should feel confident their children are safe.

Trying to quell the rumors that have been circulating throughout the school community, Police Chief John Suslak reiterated that police are working with the School Department to ensure student safety.

“Some of this stuff has certainly taken on a life of its own,” Suslak said in reference to the rumors. “We did get some information Sunday night about a drive-by and we immediately met to see how much of it was accurate. There were a number of different people involved trying to track down if this was legitimate. Obviously, we decided to put resources in place and we had a lot of folks down there (Monday). We were not going to assume this was not credible and we wanted to err on the side of caution.”

Suslak said police were later able to determine there was no real threat.

“This was a rumor that got started among students and it turned out there was nothing really there, but there probably are some issues that we need to continue to work on and I don’t think we’re alone in that,” he said. “These matters are being dealt with at the highest levels. It’s not like we’re sticking our head in the sand. I understand, as a parent, that parents have concerns about safety.”

Marshall School Resource Officer Lawrence Wentzell said he believes the police and schools have taken every step to ensure students’ safety.

“Even when we got the report (of a possible drive-by) we had no names, no times and no reason, but you have to take the right action,” he said. “I am satisfied that from the administration’s standpoint, they addressed this thing appropriately. I don’t think anyone’s hiding anything here.”

Wentzell also said police have charged the students accused of badly beating a girl earlier this month approximately a block away from the school.

“All the girls have criminal complaints pending n felony charges n and they are no longer part of the school climate,” Wentzell said. “After their hearings, if they are found guilty, they are subject to expulsion and if they are not guilty they will be allowed back in school.”

Wentzell discounted any rumors of stabbings inside the school.

“I’m not aware of any stabbings,” he said. “I have not been notified of any stabbings and I have never taken any complaints involving a stabbing. We have our issues, but the corridors are not chaos.”

But Wentzell confirmed some teachers have brought up concerns about their safety. “I can’t speak for the faculty, but I have taken complaints from the faculty in that kids made threats and I don’t know that we’re alone in that. I think you’ll find that at (other schools as well.)”

Finally, Wentzell disagreed there is a need for an additional school resource officer at the school.

“It’s not a place where we need more than one officer,” he said. “My role as an SRO has never been to be there as a police officer and arrest kids. I’m there to work with the kids and create a working relationship with the staff and give kids a role model and someone they can talk to.”

Officer Robert Ferrari, the newly appointed Lynn Police liaison for school security and emergency planning, said there are 25-30 students who are responsible for the recent violence.

“The majority of the kids are good kids and the faculty is dedicated, but there are a handful that have the ability to wreak havoc and Larry deals with them on a daily basis.”

Ferrari said improved technology has allowed the police to better combat any problems that arise.

“We’ll deal with this better than we would have in the past,” he said. “Remember, we’re just a Nextel call away.”

Suslak said if parents receive any information regarding incidents at the school, they are encouraged to contact the police.

“Even if they reach out anonymously to pass on information, we would benefit from the active engagement of parents.”

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LYNN - Superintendent of Schools Nicholas Kostan said the School Department is actively working to deter violence and improve conditions at Marshall Middle School in the wake of violence at the school.

“We’re going to meet with the faculty, identify and resolve the concerns and the issues the staff has at Marshall,” he said. “If it means eliminating the 20-25 kids out of 800 that are causing problems, we will do that. But we’re not going to let 20-25 kids turn a school upside down. All of our schools in Lynn are extremely safe and we are going to continue to pursue the issue.”

Police on Monday increased their presence at the school after receiving reports that a drive-by shooting was going to occur. That incident was in addition to a student being badly beaten a block away from the school three weeks ago, along with reports of a massive food fight and small fires being set in student bathrooms.

“The action taken Monday was appropriate, especially in the light of everything going on nationally (with the Virginia Tech shootings),” Kostan said, adding that the students involved in the after school beating have also been disciplined and charged with felonies. “The kids involved were removed from school and are still removed from school. As a result (of the beating), other things have come up and there are concerns with safety issues in and around the school.”

To combat the violence, Kostan said the School Department several months ago began planning a pilot program with General Electric to equip the schools with tighter security. At the time, Marshall was one of three schools selected to take part in the program.

“We’re going to bring in some high-tech security equipment, institute some improved lighting, do some mentoring with the kids, as well as sprucing up the school,” he said.

Kostan said he would also like to explore opening an alternative middle school for students with behavioral problems.

“There’s just simply some kids who can’t succeed in a traditional school setting, but are extremely successful in an alternative school setting,” he said, adding that the success if the Career Development Center for high school students has proven to be a model. “I think we need to replicate that at the middle-school level and we’ll make an attempt to do that.”

The roadblock, he said, would be coming up with the $500,000 to $600,000 needed to fund the school and finding the space to house it.

Kostan said he has held several meetings with police officials, Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. and members of the City Council to come up with other solutions for the school.

“We are being proactive with this,” he said. “We have an unbelievable relationship with the Police Department, who have been working hand in glove with the School Department.”

Kostan said the district must also solicit more parental involvement. “We need some help from the parents with their own kids,” he said. “That’s a key element.”

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LYNN - With two girls reportedly attacked in separate incidents and a massive food fight that left a custodian injured, at least one Marshall Middle School staff member feels the school is unsafe.

“The kids are running the school,” said the woman, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing her job. “There are all kinds of gangs in the school. It’s scary going there. People are frightened. It’s a dangerous school right now.”

Superintendent of Schools Nicholas Kostan said the administration has addressed the issues and are working with police to curb any criminal activity at the Porter Street School.

“We are doing our best to address the issues down there,” he said. “We will be meeting with the principal and the staff to determine what needs to be done. We’re doing all we can do as a School Department.”

The Marshall staff member said violent incidents at the school have continued to escalate as the school year has progressed.

“There is graffiti all over the place, there have been fires set. They should have armed guards in there,” she said. “If my kid was going there I would want to know these things (were going on).”

Leigh Natola, whose daughter is a sixth-grader at Marshall, pulled her daughter out of school last week after she said she was beat up repeatedly after school for no reason.

“There are fights in there daily,” she said. “There is no control in that school. I refuse to send her to that school. My child’s life is in their hands and I feel it can be taken at any time. When you put your child in a public school, the assumption is your child is safe. I threw her in with the sharks and they are eating her alive.”

Natola said she has spoken with numerous school officials who assured her the school was safe.

“I’ve been in and out of there numerous times asking, ‘What’s going on here,’” she said. “The vice principal said to my face, ‘This is a safe school.’ I said, ‘Bull crap.’ That school is unsafe, period, and neither is a mile perimeter around it after school. It’s mayhem.”

Since the food fight, which, according to the staff member, involved students throwing buckets of salad dressing on each other and throwing milk and fruit, she said one cluster of students have been forced to eat lunch in their classrooms.

“All the lunch aides were so upset they wanted to shut down the cafeteria, but they told them they weren’t allowed to do that,” she said.

Kostan said he is unsure what motivated the incidents, but said there are a manageable number of students in the building.

“I don’t know why these things are happening now,” he said. “We’ve got (a school resource officer) and two vice principals down there, and the numbers (of students) are certainly not as high as they were in the past. I remember working there years ago in the ’80s and, at one time, there were 1,400 kids. It’s probably down to 800 (students) now.”

Although she said the staff and School Resource Officer Lawrence Wentzell work hard to prevent violence, the Marshall employee said it is not enough.

“(Wentzell) does the best he can, but they need more (police),” she said. “There is only one of him.”

Two teenage boys were arraigned Friday on disorderly conduct charges in connection with the assault of a Marshall student Thursday that took place shortly after 3 p.m., approximately a block away from the school.

Kostan said the victim, who was knocked unconscious and suffered bruises to her face, returned to the school and reported the assault to Principal Anita Rassias and Wentzell.

“(Wentzell) took a full report the day it happened and the police are investigating,” Kostan said. “(The victim’s family) called Channel 5 and that generated a flap and that has been addressed. Five girls have been indefinitely suspended from school. The police were actively involved and continue to be actively involved. ”

Lynn Police Capt. Mark O’Toole could not be reached for comment.

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Lynn's Field of Dreams
By Joyce Erekson, The Daily Item of Lynn, Wednesday, October 4, 2006

LYNN - The Lynn Tech football team will make history Friday when it plays Chelsea in the first game at the new Manning Field.

One of the things that must be done before the field is ready for night games is a light burn, which entails running the lights for 100 hours to make sure everything is working properly. Donovan said that might be done over the weekend.

Powell a Class Act at Classical
By Matthew Roy / The Daily Item of Lynn, Monday, June 26, 2006

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the sixth in a series of profiles on the local recipients of the Agganis Foundation scholarship award.
     Ask anyone who the greatest athlete to ever play in Lynn was, and chances are that the name of Harry Agganis might be the first one that rolls off many people's tongues.
     And when you put that question to anyone who called Lynn Classical home for four years, that answer is nearly automatic.
     Whenever you walk through the doors at Lynn Classical, the presence of Harry Agganis is quite noticeable, from the statue that sits in the main foyer of the school to all the awards that his teams at Classical won which sit in the school's trophy case outside the gymnasium. It's those familiar sights that John Powell will always remember.
     Powell, who was selected as one of 16 local recipients of an Agganis Scholarship, will head to the college that Agganis helped put on the map -- Boston University -- this September.
     Powell, who graduated second in his class at Classical, balanced schoolwork and sports very well.
     "It was really tough. There are some very competitive classes at Classical and with swimming and playing baseball, I considered every day work," Powell said.
     Powell jumped right into the Classical sports scene as a freshman, joining the swimming team, coached by Denise Silva. In his four years in the pool, Powell helped turn the Rams into one of the top teams in the Northeastern Conference.
     He then took his talents to the diamond for coach Jim Tgettis' baseball team, where he was a part of two state tournament teams and started in left field this season.
     Powell is quick to give both of his coaches at Classical a great deal of credit for keeping him on the road to a successful high school career.
     "Coach Tgettis and Coach Silva were great coaches. They taught me that always working hard pays off," Powell said.
     The BU-bound senior also was recognized by the Northeastern Conference as one of its top scholar-athletes, joining players like Chris Carroll of English and Danvers' Alex Perry, among others.
     Powell will major in pre-med and biology at BU this fall, something he said occurred in an interesting way.
     "I decided that I liked hands-on kinds of things like sciences," Powell said. "BU is a very competitive school, especially with the underclassmen. I'm really going to have to manage all my classes."
     The Agganis Foundation was established in 1955 and is now in its 51st year. Since that time, it has awarded $1,126,525 in scholarships to 764 student-athletes.

Lynn Police Student Academy Signing up New Candidates
By Jill Gadsby, The Daily Item of Lynn, Monday, May 8, 2006

LYNN -- Aspiring law enforcement officials within the Lynn Public Schools will have a chance to learn more about the field beginning today.
     Applications for the Lynn Police Student Academy (LPSA) are now available throughout Lynn's middle and high schools after it was announced last week that funding had been found for the program.
     "We have four School Resource Officers assigned to the academy, which will allow us to take 50 students," Breed SRO Bob Ferrari said. "Applications will be in all the middle and high schools beginning (today) and we encourage Lynn residents, ages 13-17, to apply if they think they would be interested."
     The free, six-week program is in its third year and will run July 10 - Aug. 17.
     Students attend the program Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., learning about constitutional law, criminal law, drug and alcohol laws, Lynn's city ordinances, gangs and domestic violence.
     The students also participate in hands-on demonstrations about motor vehicle laws, teen violence, search and seizure and concealed weapons.
     Special Agents from the government agencies such as the DEA, FBI and ATF lead informational sessions about their organizations and career opportunities within their agencies.
     Finally, the students learn about criminal investigation, crime scene investigation, fingerprinting, C.P.R, health and fitness, Internet safety, water safety and importance of report writing.
     On Wednesdays, students participate in field trips, which in the past have included a Massachusetts State Police Marine Unit tour of Boston Harbor, an Essex County Sheriff's Department K-9 demonstration, and visits to the Lynn courts, the Middleton House of Corrections and the State House.
     Last summer, the Student Academy also partnered with the National Guard, who sponsored a wall climbing event, as well as a trip to New England Patriots Training Camp.
     Breed Middle School eighth-graders Chris Ellis and Shakeylia Harris graduated from last year's LPSA. Both said they wish they could participate again this year.
     "It was pretty cool," Ellis said, explaining why he chose to apply. "I wanted to see what it was like and it was very interesting. I wasn't thinking about (a career in it) but I'm now thinking about going into law enforcement. It depends on where my life goes."
     Harris said she also enjoyed the program.
     "I liked it," she said. "It taught me lots of facts I didn't know about drugs and things like that."
    Ellis agreed the drug curriculum was the most informative.
     "I'd say the drugs and how it can affect you," he said. "Once you get into it, you really can't turn back."
     Harris said she wasn't interested in LPSA at first, but her views quickly changed.
    "At first, no," she said. "It's hard for me to wake up that early in the summer, but it was worth it. My mom asked me if I wanted to do it and I thought it would be good to try new things. I want to be a lawyer when I grow up, so it was good."
     Ellis said he was willing to sacrifice part of his summer for the program.
     "I was sort of willing to get up to do this and it was definitely worth it," he said. "It was definitely a great experience. If you are thinking about it, the officers will definitely teach you what it is like."
     Harris said she learned a lot more than just law enforcement from the program.
    "It taught me I could change things in my community and where I live," she said. "I learned that you can help people that you know."
     Ferrari said students often spread the knowledge they gain at LPSA.
     "We've always told them, 'What you learn here, share with people that you care about the most - tell them about the reality of how the law really works,'" he said.
     Ferrari said the program can also change the outlook the students' have on life.
     "What we've heard from parents, they've told us their (kids') lives have changed," he said. "Their kids have become more responsible and their attitude around the home as changed. And the schools have told us that the students are very different school citizens. They are working in a positive way in their school. That, to us, is the success."

Ridley Named Assistant Basketball Coach at UNH

Lynn resident Helen Ridley has been named as a full-time assistant coach in the University of New Hampshire women’s basketball program.
Ridley served as a graduate assistant coach last season while she pursued her Master’s degree in kinesiology sports studies. When a full-time opening on the staff developed after the season, Ridley was selected from a large field of candidates.
“I’m very excited to have this opportunity,” said Ridley. “It’s a good start in my coaching career. UNH is a Division 1 program that plays in America East. Last year the conference was ranked No. 11 in the RPI in the country.”
Ridley, 23, will see a change in her coaching responsibilities for the 2006-7 season.
“The biggest change in my job is that I’m now able to coach on the floor. NCAA rules only allow four coaches who are coaches on the floor. I’m also able to go off campus and recruit players.”
Ridley was a standout basketball player at Lynn Classical, setting a school record with a 52-point game in her sophomore season. She matriculated at Division 1 Quinnipiac University, where she became a starting guard and a team captain.
Ridley feels that UNH can be a contender in America East, which was represented by Hartford in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
“We’re bringing in six freshmen,” said Ridley. “We have a good, strong junior class coming back. We should be pretty good next year.”
Ridley said she will have to suspend her graduate studies at UNH in order to devote full time to her coaching position. “I’m going to put that on the backburner for now,” said Ridley. “I still have a year to go to get my Master’s.”
Helen Ridley is the daughter of Breed School Principal James Ridley and Anne Ridley

Lynn Students Play Part of Council
By Jill Casey, Daily Item of Lynn, Wednesday, April 26, 2006

LYNN - Contentious, intelligent, frustrated, opinionated, insightful, stubborn, dramatic and fiscally conservative are just a few words to describe the Lynn high school students that played the role of City Councilors Tuesday night as part of Student Government Day.
    "I think violence in the city of Lynn gets more attention than it should," said student Meaghan Reddy as she presented her proposal to establish a task force on violence. Reddy stood in for City Council President James Cowdell and presided over most of the meeting.
     The meeting was essentially a mock council meeting where 11 students from St. Mary's, English, Classical and Lynn Tech partnered with a council member and developed a non-binding agenda of issues ranging from the student driving age to extending library hours on a Friday night.
     The students were anything but shy about challenging their peers' opinions.
     "I think kids should mature more before they get their licenses," said student Claire Price, in response to a proposal to send the state delegation a statement of support or opposition to the age in which a person is eligible to obtain a drivers license.
     "Maturity is individuality," shot back student Yana Ros, who argued the majority of accidents are not caused by teenagers.
     As the argument quickly rolled away from the subject of the motion, student Keith Sonia tried to rein in the argument.
     "I don't want to be a party-pooper here...we are not voting on the driving age here," Sonia said, amid laughter.
     Many of the students debated in the same way many veteran councilors do and quickly adapted the typical body language of a councilor. Such as when student Patrick Reddy rubbed his fingers together in the air to denote cost as one of his peers presented an expensive proposal, while leaning back in his leather swivel chair in frustration.
     "It's a like a council meeting we would have. They're all bantering back and fourth, they are all really intelligent," said Ward 3 City Councilor William Trahant Jr.
     One aspect did separate Tuesday's meeting from a typical Council session. A paparazzi of smiling parents hovered with cameras at the future politicians testing the waters of city government for most of the night.

Lynn High Schools May See Small Shift in Enrollment
By Jill Gadsby, the Daily Item of Lynn, Tuesday, April 25, 2006

LYNN -- The uncertainty of when Classical High School will close to shore up its sinking foundation is causing a shift in enrollment for the upcoming school year.    Superintendent of Schools Nicholas Kostan said the system is already seeing some higher enrollment at English High School.    "The numbers are holding fairly stable with the exception of Grade 9," he said. "English is picking up a few more kids in the ninth grade and I attribute that to the Classical thing. The number in the other grade levels seems to be holding steady. Tech is about the same, there's not huge changes."
     Classical's first floor slab is slowly sinking into the former landfill underneath the school, creating crumbling walls, two-inch gaps where one part of the building has pulled away from another, buckled ceiling tiles, cracked and lifted floor tiles, shattered trophy case glass, misaligned doors, and jagged floor-to-ceiling cracks in the walls.
     In order to repair the slab, students will have to vacate the building for at least 18 months but, barring an emergency, officials do not plan on closing the building until the end of the 2006-2007 school year.
     Once the building is closed, upperclassmen and underclassmen will be divided between the former Classical High School on North Common Street and the Lynn Tech Annex on Commercial Street.
     Kostan said he estimates an increase of 150-200 freshmen at English, most of whom will be kids who live near the school.
     "Classical's enrollment is 30 percent out of district so what I'm thinking is English will probably keep the district kids (who may have otherwise chosen to go to Classical)."
     English High Principal Andy Fila said September's freshman class has about 520 students, making the total school enrollment jump from 1,526 this year to 1,714 students in September.
     "We were up a couple of hundred the last time I checked," he said. "I'm happy about it. We just have to get the staffing in place. We've asked for 13 (additional teachers) and right now they've allocated nine, so we'll see."
    Kostan agreed.
    "Staffing is based on enrollment so we will increase the number of staff at English to accommodate the number of students."
    In the meantime, Classical High Principal Warren White said his school is doing its best to keep its' numbers strong.
    "We sent guidance out to the middle schools with a number of our students who are leaders in our school academically and athletically to talk to the middle school kids," he said.
     Still, White said Classical is bound to see a decrease in students.
     "I don't have any strong numbers just yet," he said. "I'm sure when this whole thing washes out there is going to be a decrease in our enrollment, but we hope to hold our own."
     Kostan indicated the shift to English is a natural tendency.
    "I think it's obvious, especially with the problems at Classical," he said, recalling a shift in enrollment when English was under construction eight years ago. "The same thing is probably going to happen, but when it gets straightened out the numbers will all level off again."
    If English's enrollment outgrows the building, Kostan said the system would have to follow the student assignment plan to prevent overcrowding.
"If there is room, they can go out of district, but if there is an overcrowding situation, we can cap enrollment and keep the kids in their district," he said. "But I don't think that will happen."

Lynn School Committee Extends Kostan’s Contract
By Jill Gadsby, The Daily Item of Lynn, Thursday, April 13, 2006

LYNN - The School Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to extend the contracts of Superintendent of Schools Nicholas Kostan and School Business Administrator Stephen Upton.
    Kostan’s contract was extended for three years, while Upton’s was extended for 18 months. Both men indicated they might consider retiring before their extensions expire.
     The votes came after the committee members evaluated Kostan’s performance as superintendent – reviews that he said he was pleased with.
    “I’m very pleased with the committee’s evaluations and I’m very humbled by it,” he said. “I hope that I can continue to live up to the expectations of the committee.”
    Kostan said he and the committee still have a lot of work to do.
    “Next year presents a lot of new challenges especially with the budget, but hopefully we’ll be able to maintain the programs and services we have,” he said. “I truly appreciate their support over the last four-and-a-half years and I truly believe, although there have been differences on certain issues, they’ve always held the wellness of the students across the city above all else and I appreciate their efforts in that regard.”
    Committee members, with Kostan’s son-in-law Jeffrey Newhall abstaining, gave Kostan exceptional reviews in seven areas – relationship with the School Committee, educational leadership, general management, budget management, personnel management, communications/public relations, and personal qualities and characteristics.
    Committee members selected whether they felt Kostan failed to meet, met or exceeded their expectations in those areas.
   The six members also gave him an overall rating, five of which fell in the “exceeds” category.
    In fact, Kostan received reviews of “exceeds” in nearly every category from every committee member except Donna Coppola.
     Coppola said Kostan met the requirements for each of the categories and exceeded the requirements for personal qualities and characteristics.
     Vice Chairman Patricia Capano elaborated on her review, saying that achievement is “not close to where we need to be as a district.”
     But Capano said Kostan maintained a great relationship with the School Committee, meets the educational needs of the system, has put together an “outstanding” leadership team and is well respected in the community.
    “You are a well-liked man around this table and throughout the city,” she said. “I have never met a single person that does not like Nick Kostan.”
     Dan Cahill said Lynn is lucky to have success with its superintendent.
     “Superintendents are like an extinct breed these days, especially if you look at the surrounding communities and the struggles they’ve had,” he said. “Nick, I think you’re doing a terrific job and I look forward to inking my name on your contract extension.”
     John Ford also commended Kostan.
     “When I first ran, the committee was in somewhat of turmoil,” he said. “With his personality, he has calmed the waters.”

Lynn Parents: Try on Dress Code for Size
By Jill Gadsby, The Daily Item of Lynn, Wednesday, April 19, 2006

LYNN - A standing-room-only crowd filled the Lynn Police Community Room Tuesday night to weigh in on possible changes to the Lynn Public Schools' dress code.
    School Committee member Daniel Cahill called the meeting, citing concerns over the clothing that students are wearing to school.
     "I think as a community, we've had enough," Cahill said.
     Lynn Police Officer Robert Hogan gave a presentation on gangs, showing approximately 150 parents examples of gang clothing, colors, signs, tattoos and graffiti that can often be seen within the Lynn Public Schools.
     Hogan said the Lynn Police Gang Unit has identified 1,600 gang members within the city who are affiliated with 38 different gangs.
     Before Hogan could complete his presentation, parents began to express frustration with the enforcement of the current school dress code that prohibits gang-related clothing.
     "We're all parents, we all sign the dress code," one woman shouted. "But is there one principal here tonight?"
     Michele Brewster, a mother of students at Classical High School and Lynn Woods Elementary School, agreed.
     "The way some girls are coming to school is horrendous," she said. "Why aren't the principals taking care of this when they are in school? We can't control what our kids do in school because they could have clothes in their backpack and change."
     Bob Ferrari, school resource officer at Breed Middle School, said the schools need the parents' help in enforcing the code.
     "The truth of this is the teachers at Breed are vigilant about it," he said. "There is a big sign when you walk in that deals with the dress code. We have two vice principals that stand in the hall that say, 'tuck in your shirt' and the teachers do it all day long. There is a rule and the kids are not obeying it. It is not my job to be the fashion police. We need parents on board to make decisions on how we're going to enforce it as a community."
     A second parent shouted one solution, which was followed by applause.
     "They should all wear uniforms," he said.
     Cahill said uniforms are a possibility the city could explore.
    "I think a lot of parents feel that way, but we need to get everyone to (get on board)," he said.
     Michele Washington, who has children at the Drewicz and Lincoln-Thomson elementary schools, said she supports uniforms.
     "Gang members lack respect," she said. "If we have the children in uniforms, it says, 'I respect you as a teacher.'"
     Another parent, who said the use of uniforms pushed her to enroll her child at the Ford School, agreed.
    "Uniforms show respect for teachers, for students, for everyone," she said. "I'm going to be right behind you, rallying to implement uniforms."
    Hood School fifth grade teacher Robert Dorson said he does not support the idea of uniforms.
     "I have an eclectic array of kids in my classroom and tucking in their shirts doesn't make someone be respectful," he said. "To try to put all our faith in a dress code is a little bit far fetched."
    Hogan disagreed.
     "I know tucking in clothing is going to help," he said, showing a host of weapons that can be hidden under baggy clothing. "As far as uniforms go, I'll let you guys argue that one."
     Felix Martinez, a father who spoke through a volunteer Spanish interpreter, said he supports uniforms after discovering that his daughters were in a gang.
    "We, the parents, are the last to know what is going on with our kids," he said. "When I found out what my girls were doing, I brought my girls down here to the police station. You might point at me like a monster, but I know what I did. If we address the issue by letting students go to school properly dressed with uniforms, we avoid a lot of problems."
    Cahill said the district would have to find a way to fund uniforms.
     "Let's be honest, we're dealing with such a diverse group economically," he said. "Expense is, of course, the bottom line of it. We'd have to at least purchase the initial two shirts."
     Dorson said uniforms would only cause more crime on the street.
    "Can you see gang members wearing a two button shirt," he asked. "There will just be more of them out in the community causing mayhem."
    A date has not been set for the next dress code meeting, but Cahill said he is aiming to meet during the first week of May. He said parents will be notified through the schools' automated phone messaging system.

Girls Inc. Names its 2006 Girl Heroes
By Jill Gadsby, The Daily Item of Lynn, Tuesday, April 11, 2006

LYNN -- Although all three of them are immigrants, their work at Girls Incorporated of Lynn has made them heroes in this community.
     Lynn English seniors Francine Makuwa and Marina Tonkonogaya, along with Lynn Vocational Technical Institute senior Grettel Perez, will be named 2006 Girl Heroes at the Girls Inc. Celebration Luncheon on Wednesday.
     "All of us at Girls Inc. are very proud of our girl heroes," said Girls Inc. Associate Executive Director Marsha Billias. "They are confident young woman who have worked diligently throughout the year to achieve their goals. We wish them well as they prepare for college."
    Makawa, a native of Congo, has been a member of Girls Inc. since she arrived in the U.S. in 2000. She has participated in Eureka, Odyssey and Career Path programs.
     Makuwa said her favorite program was Eureka, a science, math, technology and sports summer camp program for middle school girls. She said she enjoyed Eureka because it challenged her physically and gave her the opportunity to explore environmental science and technology.
     Makuwa also explained why she chose to get involved in the Career Paths, a comprehensive career and academic preparation program focused on career and academic skill development, future planning, intern and job placement, as well as workplace support.
    "I was always interested in learning new things and new skills and what the world has to offer," she said. "I wanted to try to find out what I want to do after high school."
     Several years later, she is pretty sure what path she will follow.
    "Fashion merchandising, marketing, designing, modeling - anything with fashion," she said, adding that her mother's talents with a needle and thread inspired her. "I thought maybe I want to do what my mom did."
     Makuwa said she will miss Girls Inc. when she leaves to attend McIntosh College this fall.
     "Girls Inc. gave us the opportunity to get involved and help Lynn to improve the community," she said. "It's a place we use to meet each other and have fun."
     Perez, who emigrated from the Dominican Republic at age 7, also participated in the Career Path program during her four years at Girls Inc.
     She said the program helped her realize she wanted a career in computer technology.
    "When I first came here and started working on the computers, I was very interested in them, so I decided I want to pursue it as a career," she said, adding that she has learned a lot from Girls Inc. "It taught me about careers and it also changed me because before I came here, I was very shy and now I'm not. I think Girls Inc has helped me a lot. Without Girls Inc., I don't think I would be who I am right now. I wouldn't be as well rounded."
    Perez said she will miss the support Girls Inc. offers while she attends either Springfield College or UMass Lowell in the fall.
     "I will miss the staff," she said. "No matter who it is, they are always there for you."
     Tonkonogaya, who emigrated from Russia in 1999, has been a peer leader in the LaVerdad substance prevention program.
    She said working as a peer leader has made her realize she wants to be a social worker.
     "I love working with people and I want to keep staying in the community and working with kids to help them get better homes or back home," she said, adding that she will minor in interior design. "I'm also very artsy and creative and I need to use that for something. I get so excited about decorating."
     In the five years she has been a member, Tonkonogaya said she has learned to work with many diverse and unique people and has gained experience in developing leadership skills and public speaking.
     She said Girls Inc. has also provided her with chances to get involved in things she never would have experienced otherwise.
     "It gives us lots of opportunities, like we went to the Democratic National Convention," she said. "If we weren't in Girls Inc., we wouldn't say, 'Hey, let's go to the Democratic National Convention.'"
     Tonkonogaya said there is a lot she will miss about the organization when she attends Endicott College in the falls.     "It's like a second home - go to school, go to Girls Inc, go home at like 8," she said. "It's going to be like something is missing. I think I'll still come here. They'll be kicking me out."

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