Marty Green

Just as the school year was ending for Harvard students, the school district's leadership went through several major changes. At the Bromfield Middle School, Principal Stephen Greene unexpectedly resigned. At the Bromfield High School, Julie Horton, a longtime teacher and dean of students, moved up to assistant principal. And in the district office, Dana Labb was hired to be assistant superintendent.

An unsecured door on a truck led to a major collision with an SUV on Poor Farm Road earlier this week. The truck, belonging to Chestnut Tree and Landscape, was carrying a dumpster and going east up Poor Farm from Ayer Road a little after 3 p.m. Tuesday.

People in Massachusetts have a long history of filling in wetlands—think of the Back Bay, the Fenway, much of South Boston, and Logan Airport. Only recently have people begun trying to preserve and even recreate wetlands.

A bumper crop—pardon the pun—of antique cars rolled through town center in this year's Fourth of July parade, to the delight of young and old alike. Pat Jennings and Theresa Ledoux, who organize the antique car brigade each year, both said this year's number of cars was exceptional. “I think this is the most we've ever had,” Jennings said. Ledoux agreed, “This year's turnout was amazing.”

At its July 2 meeting, the Select Board unanimously approved two separate conservation restrictions on lands near Littleton County Road. Both properties are owned by the Harvard Conservation Trust. One is a 39-acre parcel called Three Brothers Farm, which the trust bought from the Carlson family. The second is a long, narrow strip of land formerly held by New England Power; it parallels Interstate 495 and is a northern part of the Eastern Greenway.

With just days to go before the new school year starts Aug. 28, preparations are in high gear at both the Bromfield School and Hildreth Elementary School. At HES, a new fence along the south side of the playground field will keep balls from rolling into the parking lot—and children from running after them. At Bromfield, new hallway floors are getting their final touches.

Bromfield has a new look, new faces in 2024–25 school year

The abrupt closure of the Nashoba Valley Medical Center has triggered expressions of alarm from Harvard's Select Board, Board of Health, and Council on Aging. Many of the concerns that these groups have raised are focused on emergency medical care. What should a Harvard resident do in a medical emergency, now that NVMC has closed?

The Hildreth Elementary School has two new specialists joining the faculty for the 2024-25 academic year. Elizabeth Bala is taking on the role of board certified behavior analyst. Haley Lowney will serve as a special education teacher concentrating on grade 4.

Just under a quarter of Harvard's registered voters cast ballots in this year's state primary election. And only a third of those who did vote cast their ballots in person last Tuesday at the new location in the Hildreth Elementary School gymnasium. Fully two-thirds of the primary votes were mailed in or cast early at Town Hall.