Paula Giaquinto calls it a career – Assistant Superintendent spent 46 years helping city’s students

At the end of the month, Fitchburg Public Schools will lose a brilliant, motivated, passionate, caring and highly successful administrator.

With the school year winding down, Fitchburg Public Schools’ Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Title I Paula Giaquinto will officially retire and call it a career.

“What can you say?” said Giaquinto, while looking back on her service to the school district. “Thank you. Thank you to everybody. It’s been great.”

And what a sparkling 46-year career it has been for the 1968 graduate of Fitchburg High School.

Giaquinto, 68, started to make her mark in Fitchburg as an art teacher at Memorial Middle School in the early 1970s, eventually working her way up to assistant principal at Fitchburg High for five years through 1989.

She was then named assistant principal at South Street Elementary until 1997 and later at Reingold Elementary through 1998. Giaquinto became a principal from 1998-2002 at Crocker Elementary, before becoming an administrator in Central Office as an assistant superintendent until her retirement.

Read more here.

Schools team up for North Central Massachusetts Early College Academy

Fitchburg State University, Mount Wachusett Community College, Fitchburg High School, Leominster High School, Sizer School and Gardner High School will launch a new early college high school program this fall that will give students an opportunity to earn 12 college credits while still in high school.

The Early College Designation was among several announced Thursday, June 13 by Gov. Charlie Baker during an event at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston.

Students from Fitchburg High School, Leominster High School, Gardner High School and the Sizer School will have the option to take courses at both campuses.

Students in ninth and 10th grade will take career exploration and college preparation courses before they officially enroll in the North Central Massachusetts Early College Academy at the end of 10th grade.

The academy’s curriculum pathways will initially include liberal arts, health care, business/computer information, biology, industrial technology/engineering, and environmental and earth science. Through the academy, students will be able to attain college credits and credentials prior to graduation, moving them towards a certificate, associate’s and/or bachelor’s degrees. This work will ultimately result in a cohesive public education strategy that bridges high school and higher education for youth in North Central Massachusetts, and will serve as a framework for expansion across the region.

Read more here.

2019 Fitchburg High School Junior Book Awards

THE HARVARD BOOK PRIZE OF BOSTON
Recipient: Elise Pierce

DARTMOUTH COLLEGE BOOK AWARD OF CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS
Recipient: Nevin Arsenault

ST. ANSLEM’S BOOK AWARD
Recipient: Devin LeBlanc

SMITH COLLEGE BOOK AWARD ($100)
Recipient: Alejandra Zambrano

SALEM STATE BOOK AWARD ($1,000)
Recipient: Erin Donelan

ST. MICHAEL’S COLLEGE BOOK AWARD ($15k to full tuition)
Recipient: Elle Scott

ST. MICHAEL’S COLLEGE BOOK AWARD ($15k to full tuition)
Recipient: Brian Sweeney

WELLS COLLEGE 21ST CENTURY LEADERSHIP AWARD ($40k)
Recipient: Geena Duval

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP ($28k)
Recipient: Luis Aldarondo Jr.

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CREATIVITY AWARD ($28k)
Recipient: Alejandra Gonzalez

ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY CREATIVITY AWARD($28k)
Recipient: Bao Ngo

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER XEROX AWARD FOR INNOVATION (up to $40k)
Recipient: Ethan Chandler

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER GEORGE EASTMAN YOUNG LEADER’S AWARD (up to $40k)
Recipient: Wonuola Ashaju

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER BAUSCH AND LOMB SCIENCE AWARD (up to $40k)
Recipient: George Love

UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER FREDRICK DOUGLASS AND SUSAN B. ANTHONY AWARD (up to $40k)
Recipient: Natasha Ussrey

Students learn recycling as part of ‘Green Team’

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Crocker Elementary School custodian Rondy Becker, with Crocker Elementary School students, introduced the recycling club “Green Team” at the school as part of 21st Century After-School activities.

Children learned about the economic impact of recycling different kinds of material, as well as honing their math skills by doing mental math addition and multiplication, as they gathered items for the bins.

“It has been a great learning experience for the kids involved,” said Becker, who has worked at Crocker for the last seven years. “I have taught them about the many benefits of recycling and how it can not only benefit the school and community, but themselves and their families as well. It has been a huge success.”

The Recycling Club decided to donate the funds they raised to Be PAWSitive Therapy Pets and Community Education.

Director Sally Cragin, with therapy cat Mr. Wuffles, visited the children to receive the check.

“We are so impressed with the hard work the Recycling Club has done with our kids to improve their school,” Cragin said. “These funds will be shared with Sigrid Warren, Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator, and will be put toward helping pets in shelters that we support. Thank you Recycling Club.”

Read more here.

Antocci steps in – New AD sees bright future for FHS athletics

The late Herb Brooks once said, “Great moments are born from great opportunity.”

For Fitchburg High School science teacher and softball coach Craig Antocci, his great opportunity came back in March, when he saw that the Fitchburg Public Schools’ athletic director job was posted internally. After all, the athletic director job does not open up all that often: Ray Cosenza has been the AD since 2002, the late Doug Grutchfield held it for 18 years prior; and the first AD, the immortal Clarence Amiott, held it for quarter of a century.

After putting in for the position on the first day and after having his final interview last Friday with superintendent Bob Jokela, Antocci hopes that he can hold onto the job for just as long as his predecessors — and even longer.

The Fitchburg resident was named the new athletic director for the city’s school district on Thursday, taking over for the retiring Cosenza when he steps aside in August.

Antocci said he is thrilled to take up the mantle of leadership in Red Raider athletics.

“I’m really excited, to be honest with you. I’m not going to lie,” Antocci said after the close of school Thursday. “I’ve worked in the shadows of Ray for the last couple of years here, so to get the opportunity to carry the torch for someone who has been my mentor, it’s an honor, and I’m super excited.”

Read more here.

Longsjo Middle School students visit the State House

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Yesterday, four Longsjo sixth graders, along with their teacher Rececca Colo, had the chance to present their work on Virtual Reality tours to legislators and educators in the Hall of Flags at the Massachusetts State House.

The day was started with a tour of the State House, then lunch on Boston Common, and the presentation of their work. Students showed off the tours they have created of the Fitchburg Art Museum and the Pinkham Notch region of the White Mountains while explaining their process and the benefits of their work to education.

It was an incredible day and our students made Fitchburg proud as always!

Fitchburg squad places second at MIAA Division 2 Unified State Championships

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What a thrill.

The Fitchburg High School Unified Track team finished off an incredible spring season with a second-place finish last week in the MIAA Division 2 Unified State Championships at Milford High School.

“The athletes and partners worked very hard all season long, and I am extremely proud of each of them,” said Fitchburg Unified Track coach Cindy Donelan. “I came into this season wanting the team to have fun and show improvement in their events. At each practice we laughed, smiled and learned more about track and field. Everyone came to practice ready to work hard.”

Wahconah, of Western Mass., scored 105 points to finish first in the state. Fitchburg tallied 100 points for second overall.

“Division 2 state runner-up was a huge surprise to me,” admitted Donelan. “We had placed second at our sectional meet on May 22, so I wasn’t expecting this at all. All of the athletes were very excited when we learned we had placed second. The team has set a goal to work hard and earn first next year.”

Unified sports brings together student-athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to train and compete on the same team.

This was the ninth season of Unified Track and Field in Massachusetts and the ninth season in which Fitchburg High has competed. The Red Raiders are one of the original six teams, dating back to 2011.

Read more here.

Fitchburg High School Class of 2019

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The graduates of Fitchburg High School’s Class of 2019 said goodbye to high school Friday, May 31st during a ceremony at Crocker Field.

Read more here and view the photo gallery here.

Goodrich Academy Class of 2019

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The 138 graduates of Goodrich Academy’s Class of 2019 said goodbye to high school Thursday, May 30th during a ceremony at the Fitchburg High School Field House.

Read more here.

Patriots coming to Crocker Field

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Are your ready for some football?

In Fitchburg, it’s always time for a little pigskin action.

Boys and girls, ages 9-14, will get the opportunity to participate in a free clinic that stresses leadership, teamwork and commitment when the New England Patriots Alumni – in partnership with the New England Patriots Foundation and the NFL Foundation — host a free and non-contact “Football For You” football clinic on June 5 at historic Crocker Field.

“The community has been great each year I have been a part of the Patriots Alumni camp, especially the parents who are more familiar with the group who come to Fitchburg each year,” said Fitchburg High football coach Tom DiGeronimo. “It’s just a fantastic program for our youth in the city. The players that come are so enthusiastic and do a great job teaching the game of football.”

Registration begins at 3:30 p.m., and the camp starts at 4. A parent information session is slated for 4:30 p.m., and the meal is at 6.

The following Patriots alumni are scheduled to attend: Vernon Crawford, Tully Banta-Cain, Garin Veris, Robert Kratch, Steve King and Pete Brock.

This list, however, is subject to change.

Read more here.