The Somerville School Committee decided in a 5 to 3 vote on Monday, June 21, 2010 to unify the Healey School and charge the School Improvement Council with creating a school redesign plan. This plan will use the Choice program educational practices and governing document as a starting point for discussion. In a second action, the members of the School Committee voted 6 to 2 to define a set of guiding principles to help the School Improvement Council with their Fall 2010 planning work.

[ June 27, 2010; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Come share your ideas for the blog. We’re meeting Sunday, 6 to 8, at the Somerville Visiting Nurses assisted living building, 259 Lowell Street.

[ June 18, 2010; 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm. June 19, 2010; 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm. 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm. ] A new dance performance choreographed by a wonderful Somerville choreographer (who just happens to be my daughter) will premiere Friday, June 18, at 8 pm, and Saturday, June 19, at 3 and 8 pm, at the BU Dance Theater at 915 Commonwealth Ave.  (enter from Buick Street).

Tickets: $25, $20 Student/Senior/BDA, $10 Children under 12.
Available at 617-358-2500 and www.akhra.org/tix.html

Here’s [...]

This SCAT program grew out of a sister city link between Somerville and Tiznit, Morocco. Three people from Somerville tell about their trip to Morocco, and a Moroccan school teacher talks about his trip here.

[ May 30, 2010; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Somerville Voices will hold an open meeting Sunday, May 28, at the Visiting Nurses assisted living facility, 259 Lowell St., from 6 to 8 pm. Come and bring your ideas!

[ May 2, 2010; 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. ] Come share your ideas for our community blog.

Sunday, May 2, 6 to 7:30 pm at the Somerville Visiting Nurses assisted living facility, 259 Lowell Street.

I just finished The Things They Carried, the book by Tim O’Brien that “Somerville Reads” is trying to get as many people as possible in Somerville to read and discuss. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. Excellent choice. But I didn’t fight in the war. I’m wondering what the people who did [...]

[ March 7, 2010; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Come with your ideas for our community blog.

Somerville Visiting Nurses assisted living facility, 259 Lowell Street.

[ February 7, 2010; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Come talk about our blog and how to make better.

Sunday, Feb. 7, 6 to 8 pm, Visiting Nurses assisted living facility, 259 Lowell St., small dining room.

New people are always welcome!

The House version of the education bill that’s headed for conference committee could open the door to a second charter school in Somerville.
Under current law, no more than 9 percent of a school district’s funds (state and local) can go to charter schools. Prospect Hill Academy gets close to 7 percent, so there’s not much [...]

[ January 10, 2010; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Come share your ideas for our blog.

Sunday, Jan. 10, 6 to 8 pm.

Visiting Nurses assisted living facility, 259 Lowell St.

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A new video on SCAT: Host Janet Cormier and guest De Ama Battle discuss the history and traditions of Kwanzaa.
When did it start?
What’s it for?
Why does it have two a’s?
Find out.

[ December 6, 2009; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Come talk about our blog:

What’s good?

What’s not?

What’s next?

At the Visiting Nurses assisted living facility small dining room, 259 Lowell Street.

[ November 15, 2009; 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm. ] Somerville Voices will sponsor a public forum on Sunday, Nov 15th, 7-9:30 pm about our city’s changing parking regulations and how they will affect residents, visitors, businesses, and the city budget.

Courtney Koslow, director of the Somerville Parking Advocacy and Reform Coalition (SPARC) and member of the City’s Parking Solutions Task Force will address your questions [...]

A new documentary by Wendy Blom, SCAT Executive Director, looks at how Somerville residents take advantage of Massachusetts farms and backyard gardens.

From Bill Barrell at SCAT: In an effort to cut through all the media hype the “Somerville Producers Group” created a show about the facts of H1N1 and the seasonal flu.

The Somerville Producers Group is based right here at SCATV and has the longest continuously running cable access program in the country (35 plus [...]

The city elections are Nov. 3.
Here are the three SCAT-sponsored televised debates of the School Committee and Ward Alderman races.
Ward 6 Aldermen’s race:

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Ward 4 School Committee race:

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Ward 5 School Committee race:

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What’s the biggest problem facing our city?
Compare your answer with what the five candidates for alderman-at-large said they’re hearing door-to-door. They all took part at a Somerville Community Access Television candidates’ forum to make their cases for our votes. See what you think.

Here’s an issue to unite all the factions of our diverse city–double-pole utility poles! The Globe says we have 192 of them in Somerville. And there may be something we can do about it. In fact, two things.
First thing: There’s a state law that says utility companies have to replace them within 90 days. But apparently [...]

Chicago didn’t get the Olympics but Somerville got HONK! with 30 bands from around the world, Friday afternoon through Sunday–here’s an article that describes the schedule. HONK! provided us with this great video!:

[ October 4, 2009; 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. ] At the Visiting Nurses Association assisted living facility, 259 Lowell Street. (Wheelchair accessible.)

Come talk about our community blog and how we can make it better.

[ September 13, 2009; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Come talk about our blog and ways to improve it. 

At the Visiting Nurses Association assisted living facility, 259 Lowell Street, in the small dining room.

The Prospect Hill Academy Charter School enrolls much smaller percentages of special education and limited English proficient students than the two districts where it is based.

The Globe has a story today about the evolution of Davis Square and my son Nick’s project of finding out what happened to the kids who made the beautiful T station tiles when they were in elementary school.

Here’s a link to a map that shows 99 foreclosed properties in our city. Are we surprised that they are concentrated in the east and northeast?
Here’s a link to a somewhat shorter list without a map.
The fact that they’re not the same raises the question of whether either one of them is complete.
Do any real [...]

This week, Craig Leach’s media class at Somerville High broke into four groups to discuss their use of social media. In this class, Facebook reigns supreme. MySpace is losing out. YouTube is very big. Twitter hasn’t caught on except for a few. Even Facebook seems on the decline—not as exciting as when it first took [...]

[ May 17, 2009; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Help us come up with ideas for great Somerville stories for our community-funded journalism experiment. We will post the ideas and ask for donations to get them researched and written. We’ll explain more at the meeting. You can also read more about it here and here.

We’ll meet in the Visiting Nurses Association assisted living facility [...]

Somerville Voices invites you to a brainstorming meeting to come up with great story ideas about our city.
We are about to start a new experiment in community journalism, and we want to use the ideas generated at the meeting.
In the year or so that Somerville Voices has been active, we have made an important discovery: [...]

[ May 3, 2009; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Help us plan a May 17 community brainstorming meeting at which we will come up with story ideas for our new community-funded journalism experiment.

We’ll meet in the small dining room of the Visiting Nurses Association assisted living facility, 259 Lowell St.

The facility is accessible to all. We will not be providing child care or translation [...]

[ April 16, 2009; 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. ] April 16th is the date of the Somerville High School Spring Concert, hosted beginning at 7:00 PM at Somerville High School (81 Highland Avenue). Student musicians will be showing off their accomplishments in ensemble performances led by the high school Music staff including Richard Saunders, Rick Romanoff, Rosemary Sears and Donna Daley.

If you could change Somerville High, what would you do? Craig Leach’s SHS media class opens a debate this week:
“The kid” hates the lunches but loves the wide variety of teachers. “AB1334” loves SHS but not the “busy work” and says there should be more useful courses. Jeff Wairi wants school to start later in [...]

[ April 3, 2009; 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. ] In the community room of the Visiting Nurses Association assisted living facility, 259 Lowell St.

Come share your ideas for making our blog better!

Craig Leach’s Somerville High School media and TV production students this week explained what they’re learning and why the class deserves taxpayer support. And they posted “digital books” they created. Take a look!
“Jerry617″ takes his driver’s license test with a state policeman who’s a jokester.  Haley’s friend knocks over a vase in the White House.   [...]

[ March 20, 2009; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Come tell us what you think of the blog so far, and what you’d like to see going forward.

At the Community Room of the Visiting Nurses Association assisted living facility, 259 Lowell Street.

[ March 1, 2009; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Come talk about what you read on our blog—and what you’d like to read but don’t!

At the Somerville Visiting Nurses Assisted Living Facility (we meet in the small dining room), 259 Lowell Street.

[ February 15, 2009; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] At the Visiting Nurses assisted living facility, small dining room, 259 Lowell St. Come talk about the blog–what’s good, what’s not so good, how we can improve it.

[ January 19, 2009; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Got ideas for improving and expanding Somerville Voices? Come talk about them. 6 to 8 pm at the Somerville Visiting Nurses assisted living facility, 259 Lowell Street, in the small dining room.

[Posted for Union Square Neighbors] Union Square Neighbors (USN) is a group of area residents who are concerned with the future of Union Square. We believe that careful planning and a cohesive community vision are critical to the future of the square.

[ December 7, 2008; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] At the Visiting Nurse Association assisted living community at 259 Lowell Street, in the private dining room. We’ll review what’s been happening on the blog and make new plans. You’re invited!

Rev. Molly Baskette, Senior Minister of First Church Somerville UCC, asked us to post this for her:
On November 4, you will be making one of the most important political decisions of your life. It’s not McCain vs. Obama. It’s the decision about whether or not to repeal the state income tax in Massachusetts.
The last time [...]

Workshops on Friday.
Free music by 25 bands on Saturday.
And the Honk! parade on Sunday.
It’s a big event this weekend posted a month ago by Columbine. I thought it should get more than just a calendar listing.  Also–they’re looking for volunteers.

[ October 11, 2008; 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. November 8, 2008; 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. ] At the Department of Public Works, 1 Franey Road (behind Trum Field).

Do bring: paints, thinners, cleaners, motor oil, antifreeze, mercury thermometers, car batteries, and fluorescent bulbs/tubes.

Don’t bring: asbestos, photo chemicals, heating oil.

Also bring proof that you live in Somerville, and no more waste than can fit in a car trunk, or any large quantity of [...]

There’s an interesting story in the Sunday Globe’s City Edition about Somerville residents (several of whom are part of the Somerville Voices group), who have taken down fences and built stronger ties with their neighbors.
My wife and I have fences, but maybe we shouldn’t. Many years ago in a different house, we did take down [...]

[ August 9, 2008; 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. ] At the Dept. of Public Works yard, 1 Franey Road. You must be able to show you’re a Somerville resident. No businesses or property owners who don’t live in Somerville. Here’s a list of what they take.

The OPENAIR Circus is an amazing phenomenon with an improbable history. If you’ve got kids, take them this weekend and think about joining. After this weekend, the next major performance will be in Boston’s First Night parade.
The remaining performances this summer are today at 2 and 7 and Sunday at 2, at Nunziato Field near [...]

This Friday, July 25, at 7 pm, the Extraterrestrial Circus Experiment, a traveling troupe from Ohio, presents their show Quantanime at the VFW Dilboy Post, 371 Summer Street in Davis Sq. All proceeds support Somerville’s OPENAIR Circus.

Note: We’re planning to run a range of views on the rezoning of Union Square.
This one is from Matt McLaughlin, president of Save Our Somerville.

The Green Line is coming through, which is a great step forward for Somerville. I look forward to jumping on the Green Line and going into Boston. But where am I going to live? ……

[ July 12, 2008; 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. July 23, 2008; 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. August 13, 2008; 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. August 16, 2008; 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. ] The Welcome Project is helping gardeners at the Mystic Community Garden get their gardens set up. The garden, recently rebuilt by the Somerville Housing Authority, has 21 plots and includes Vietnamese, Chinese, Latino and Haitian gardeners who live at the Mystic Housing Development.

They are also creating garden plots for a Kids Garden and a demonstration…

I’m passing on a message from Welcome Project at the Mystic Housing Development. They’re asking for volunteers to help rebuild the community garden over there. They’ve already put in two days of work, and the next is this Saturday, July 12, 9 to 3. After that, Wednesday, July 23, 5 to 8.…

When can I drop off hazardous household waste? When does school start? Now you can find out on Somerville Voices.…

[ July 12, 2008; 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. ] Second Saturday of the month, April through November.

Time: 9 to noon.

Place: DPW yard, 1 Franey Road.

Who: Residents with proof. No businesses or property owners who don’t live in Somerville.

What: Read the list of what they take. (Note: It includes rechargeable batteries, but non-rechargeable batteries should be put in regular trash.)…

[ September 8, 2008; ]

[ September 3, 2008; ]

What would you like to know that could help you live better in Somerville?

So far, we’ve put together on this web site information about summer activities for kids, and property tax breaks available to many residents.

We’d like to do more along those lines—offering useful information in an easy-to-use format. What shall we work on…

When school’s out, it can be hard to find enough good things for your kids to do. Here’s a local guide that several of us have put together.…

Take a look at the strong article by Somerville veteran Matt McLaughlin in the Somerville News. It’s about the controversy over Sen. James Webb’s bill to restore the GI Bill to what it was when FDR signed it during World War II: a ticket to college for American veterans.…

If the Red Line at Davis Square is any indication, Green Line trolleys will transform our city in the near future.…

It’s great that people have been responding to Linda Conte’s post proposing a parent-made directory of summer camps and other summer educational activities.…

This speech about Somerville young people killed by drugs, made the front page of the Globe’s City section. But publicity’s not enough. What should Somerville do about it?…

Gentrification—when wealthy people push less wealthy people out of a neighborhood. It’s about to get worse when the Green Line arrives. Here’s a provocative film about it.…

Here’s a fascinating forum on MCAS and what it really means on the ground level, inside our schools.
Last fall, Adam Sweeting, who was running for School Committee in Ward 3, got together with Alex Pirie and the Welcome Project to organize this forum.
We’ve posted the audio file and transcribed some of the most interesting excerpts.
Listen [...]

Is high-stakes testing “the civil rights issue of our time” or a strategy for avoid the hard steps we need to take to improve education? See what you think.
Continued from MCAS and Somerville kids: Adam Sweeting’s forum
In this excerpt from Adam Sweeting’s MCAS forum, the debaters are Greg Nadeau and Jim Kaplan, and they agree–sort [...]

Somerville Teachers Association President Linda Vitiello (an elementary school teacher) tells a story about a child, a mural, and what paper-and-pencil tests don’t measure.
Continued from MCAS and Somerville kids, Part 2 and original post MCAS and Somerville kids: Adam Sweeting’s forum
Listen to the third part of the discussion from Adam Sweeting’s MCAS forum link
Linda Vitiello:
For [...]