Marty Green

The fiscal 2026 budget request that School Committee members voted to approve last Monday was about $465,000 smaller than the budget the committee had discussed just a week before. The new school budget, while it would still require a Proposition 2½ override from voters, shows a 5.9% increase over fiscal 2025, rather than the 8.8% increase in the earlier version. The revised budget will now go to the Finance Committee for its consideration.

The Bromfield School put on its fall theater production Friday, Nov 22, and Saturday, Nov 23, in the Cronin Auditorium. Student thespians confused and amused the audience with “Just Another High School Play,” written by Bryan Starchman and directed by Bromfield school psychologist Madeline Price, music teacher Emily Trainor, and chorus director Sarah Rutkiewicz.

At its Nov. 21 meeting, the Capital Planning and Investment Committee considered requests totaling $662,000 from the schools. But less than a quarter of that amount was for new projects. Almost 80% was either for the continuation of an ongoing project (redoing the Bromfield School floors) or for requests that had not been funded in past years (new auditorium seats, new lockers).

This fall has seen a flurry of changes at the Harvard Police Department—from the retirement of its current sergeant, to the return of a former officer, to the first addition of a new position in 21 years.

Harvard's town center will be a hive of holiday activities this weekend. The Congregational Church, Fivesparks, and the General Store have all geared up to celebrate December Fest on Saturday. And Sunday brings the annual Ecumenical Christmas Pageant and traditional celebrations on the Common.

Citing a districtwide need for a curriculum that will better support students with disabilities and special education needs, the Harvard schools will implement a new literacy program at the start of the 2025-2026 academic year.

With a new year approaching, the Park and Recreation Commission faced the need for someone to carry out the duties of harbormaster while the longtime incumbent, Bob O'Shea, remains ill. At the commission's Dec. 9 meeting, Recreation Director Anne McWaters said Ben Baron had volunteered for the position of interim harbormaster. She explained Baron had worked with O'Shea in the past and had also helped this fall with the end-of-season work at the waterfront.

In the recent election, voters rejected requiring a passing score on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) for high school graduation. In the wake of that change, Harvard school administrators are updating graduation requirements for the Bromfield High School.

In the recent election, voters rejected requiring a passing score on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) for high school graduation. In the wake of that change, Harvard school administrators are updating graduation requirements for the Bromfield High School.

At the Harvard Police Department's Dec. 23 Christmas party, officers celebrated not only the holiday but also the heroism and leadership shown by department members during the past year. Officers Edward Coffin and Aaron Cavanaugh and Detective Charles Genetti received Lifesaving Awards for their actions in 2024. Cavanaugh also received his promotion to sergeant at the celebration.