Between a humpback whale on the coast and the teachers standing their ground, Marblehead has seen quite an array of news in 2024. Below are four of the top stories read by all of you, the beloved readers of the Daily Item and Marblehead Weekly News.
Closeout 2024 by remembering some of the most talked-about stories and gear up for another year full of fun, wild, and crazy in the town of Marblehead.
Marblehead Teachers Strike
In 2024, teachers in Marblehead went on strike after months of unsuccessful contract negotiations with the school committee. The strike began in early November, disrupting the start of the school year for approximately 2,300 students in the town’s public schools.
The primary issues at the center of the dispute were wages, working conditions, and overall support for teachers safety. Teachers argued that the district’s offer did not meet the rising cost of living or address the strain placed on educators by large class sizes and insufficient resources for special education services.
The Marblehead Education Association (MEA), which represents the striking teachers, demanded better pay, better safety protocols, and more support staff to assist in meeting the diverse needs of students. The school district, on the other hand, maintained that its proposals were fair and within budgetary constraints.
After two weeks of negotiations and widespread community support for the teachers, the strike ended with a tentative agreement. The new contract included salary increases, improvements in student support services, and a commitment to address the other needs for the teachers.
Marblehead Student Services director, associate director resigns
Paula Donnelly, director of student services, and Emily Dean, associate director, resigned from their positions in Marblehead Public Schools following criticism from the Marblehead Education Association (MEA) and the district’s staff. Their resignations came after an incident involving the physical restraint of dysregulated students at Glover Elementary, leading to the placement of four educators on leave. The MEA had called for their removal, and nearly 97% of its members expressed a lack of confidence in their leadership.
The district had initiated a third-party investigation into student support processes, but it is unclear if the investigation’s findings contributed to their resignations. At a December School Committee meeting, educators voiced concerns about insufficient resources and training to handle challenging student behaviors, often pointing to Donnelly and Dean’s leadership as a key issue.
Interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness announced plans to search for an interim Director of Student Services and established a Student Services Steering Committee to guide the transition. In addition, two behavior analysts were hired to support the district. McGuinness thanked Donnelly and Dean for their service, and the MEA emphasized the need for correcting past leadership missteps, particularly addressing injustices related to staff disciplinary actions.
A whale of a spectacle
A dead 41.7-foot-long female humpback whale was discovered floating near Preston Beach on Thursday evening. The National Marine Fisheries Service responded by sending Marine Mammal Rescue (MMR) to conduct an external exam, measure the whale, and take photos. Crowds gathered on Friday to observe the whale.
The initial examination found no obvious cause of death, though linear impressions on the whale’s body suggested possible past entanglement wounds. However, MMR Director Ashley Stokes did not believe entanglement was the cause of death. She noted that the current mortality rate among humpback whales is higher than usual, with diseases like morbillivirus and incidental human interactions (e.g., ship strikes) as potential causes. Stokes mentioned that a combination of factors could contribute to a whale’s death, such as being sick before being struck by a ship.
DNA samples were taken to help identify the whale and determine whether it had been sick prior to death. Humpback whales can be identified by markings on the underside of their tails, similar to human fingerprints. Stokes hoped the whale could be removed for a full necropsy. Local authorities, including police and animal control, were on site, and Stokes advised the public to keep their distance from the whale.
No more bumps in the road in Marblehead
In 2020, the Highway Department installed seasonal speed bumps on Peach Highlands to curb “hill jumping” on the road. After being removed for winter, the bumps were reinstalled on Tuesday morning. However, a nearby resident, Tom Peach, took matters into his own hands and removed them just hours later. Peach, who owns First Harbor Company with his wife, expressed frustration with the bumps’ impact on his vehicles, as his business requires frequent trips over the road.
Peach contended that local residents were not consulted before the speed bumps were installed in 2020. He had repeatedly approached the Select Board seeking their removal, but was told he needed to gather signatures from other concerned neighbors. Instead of going through this lengthy process, Peach decided to remove the bumps himself when he saw them being reinstalled.
Peach argued that the decision to install the bumps was made by a few individuals without broader community input. He believes the installation process was unfair and that the decision should have involved more consultation with the neighborhood. His actions have sparked further debate over the speed bumps and the process behind their installation.