Woburn High Schoolers Raise Over $2,000 To Put On JMS Musical

WOBURN, MA — Three Woburn Memorial High School students have raised over $2,000 for a production of the musical Annie Jr. at Joyce Middle School, they told the Woburn School Committee Tuesday. Meaghan Dever, Melissa Murphy, and Tara Metters, all Joyce alumni, are involved in musical theater at the high school, and said they wanted Joyce graduates like them to be more prepared; Kennedy Middle School already has musicals. After getting Joyce seventh grade history teacher Brian Harnden as their advisor, they raised over $2,000, including $1,890 so far from a GoFundMe, for the rights to the musical as well as sets and costumes.

The committee also heard from Superintendent Matt Crowley that the district has received a $9,000 grant from the state for a "teacher diversification pilot program," and that Kennedy Middle School Assistant Principal Kevin Battle was published on the blog of the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Elementary Curriculum Coordinator Courtney Young updated the committee on recent work by the new "content specialists," who lead "professional learning communities" for teachers and help organize "WIN Blocks," periods where groups of students are given support or enrichment.

The committee also voted to ask the city council to create a procedure for dealing with ties in general elections; two re-elected members were separated by just one vote in last month's election.

The committee decided to cancel its Dec. 17 meeting, so the meeting was the final one for two members, Joseph Demers and Rick Metters, who decided not to seek re-election. They will be replaced at the next meeting by Andrew Lipsett and Colleen Cormier.

The Joyce Middle School musical fundraiser is available here. Battle's blog post, on building relationships between students and administrators, is here.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.