Melrose SEPAC Updates Before Summer
Hello Melrose SEPAC families! We have some quick news and information before we take a little break for the summer.
First, we are happy to announce the results of our board elections from our May 19 meeting. The SEPAC co-chairs for the 2025-26 school year are Susan McCartin and Amanda Cormier. SEPAC board members are Christie Charles Byrnes, Mary Sparks, Jen Moriarty, Hilary Jacobson, Sarah Martorano, Erin Natale, and Misha Rosenberg. We are saying thank you and goodbye to board members Adrienne Wood and Leah Fisher. Adrienne is the proud parent of two Melrose High School seniors who just graduated! We are grateful for all of our volunteers and if you want to know how to get more involved, please reach out.
Second, as most of you are aware, Cari Berman, formally the Assistant Superintendent of Pupil Personnel Services, will be the new Acting Superintendent. We will do our best to keep families informed as the new year begins on the best way to direct questions and concerns to the administration . We plan to prepare some helpful documents on special education procedures, timelines, flowcharts, and other ways to help families navigate the (sometimes stressful and complicated) process. We will share this info through this mailing list, on our Facebook page, and on our Substack.
Finally, hopefully many of you already know about the current budget crisis in Melrose. The Mayor has filed an override request and there will be a regular election on November 4, 2025 to decide if we can raise sufficient revenue to fund critical school and city needs. We encourage everyone to stay informed, and if possible, get involved. While the district is legally obligated to provide the services in our students’ IEP and 504 plans, the loss of teachers, increased class sizes, loss of the team model at the middle school, and many other cuts will affect ALL students, including ours. In addition to watching and participating in school committee meetings, you can stay informed by reading summaries on Sandy Dixon’s Substack page and on the Melrose Messenger.
If you want to volunteer your time, you can find more information at Yes for Melrose.
Thank you everyone for your support and we wish you all a happy and healthy summer!
Best,
The Melrose SEPAC Board