Father, Son to be Recognized for Helping Save a Life

John Perry and his 5-year-old son, Jack, were planning to play some catch on Christmas Eve, and Jack insisted they use the high school football field. When John parked behind Brookside Elementary, he noticed a woman was in danger in another car.

They could have played catch with the football in another field. Two fields were closer to their home. But Jack Perry, 5, insisted on playing at the new Milford High School field. And so on Christmas Eve, his father pulled into the adjoining Brookside Elementary School, and parked the Jeep in the back, near the athletic field fence. As he did, John Perry said he noticed another car, parked tight up against the back of the building. Something wasn't right and he looked longer at it, long enough so his son asked him what he was looking at. Perry was vague with the child but what he saw was a garden hose connected to the exhaust, then fed through a window. He could hear the car running and knew someone was trying to commit suicide, or maybe …

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Lisa Firth Named Principal for Brookside Elementary

Lisa Firth, the assistant to the principal at Memorial Elementary School, was named the new principal for Brookside Elementary School Thursday.

Lisa Firth, the assistant principal at Memorial Elementary School, will become the new principal at Brookside Elementary School at the end of the school year. She replaces Kathy Kay, who is leaving the Milford school system for a position with the Medford public schools. Superintendent Robert Tremblay announced his choice Thursday, in a press release. He cited her experience and commitment as an educator. “After a thorough screening process, initial candidate interviews, and following a series of forum events with each of the principal finalists, I selected Ms. Firth to succeed Kathleen Kay as principal of Brookside Elementary School,” Tremblay wrote, in the release. “She is a very capable leader with many years of dedicated service to our…

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Meet the Brookside Principal Finalists

Three career educators who are finalists for the principal position at Brookside Elementary School answered questions from parents Tuesday.

Three finalists for the principal position at Brookside Elementary School answered questions from staff and parents on Tuesday, in interviews observed by Superintendent Robert Tremblay and Special Education Director Meg Belsito. Tremblay is expected to make a decision within the next few weeks. Current principal Kathleen Kay has accepted a position with the Medford public schools and will leave her position at the end of the school year. A new principal will be selected and in place beginning July 1. The candidates for Brookside principal are: Lisa Firth, now assistant principal at Memorial Elementary School; Donna Hennessy, assistant principal at Brookside; and James Kottmeier, the assistant principal and third grade inclusion teacher at …

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Principal Finalists for Brookside Elementary

Three assistant principals, at Milford and at other school systems, are finalists for the open position of principal at Brookside Elementary School.

Milford Schools Superintendent Robert Tremblay named three finalists Thursday afternoon for the open position of principal at Brookside Elementary School. Each of the three candidates will be available at a public forum from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Brookside Elementary. They are: Lisa Firth, now the assistant principal at Memorial Elementary School. She has held that position for five years and previously was a physical education teacher in Milford. She earned a bachelor's degree in education from Bridgewater State University and a master's degree in educational leadership from Framingham State University. She is certified as well as a principal/assistant principal. Donna Hennessy, now assistant principal at Brookside Elementary …

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Mary MacDonald

10:12 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012

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Brookside Bus of the Month

The Brookside Elementary Bus of the Month for November was Bus 3, driven by Karen Hartnett.

Brookside Elementary School has recognized children and driver of Bus 3 as the November Bus of the Month. All students were recognized for having great behavior while riding to and from school.

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Few Takers on Brookside Transfers

Just six families have indicated they want to move their children from Brookside to Memorial Elementary, under a transfer option triggered by the No Child Left Behind Act. Notifications went out after the new school year started.

Just six families have indicated they want their children to transfer out of Brookside Elementary School, under a school choice option triggered by a federal education reform law. The parents of Brookside students received a notice that they had the option of transferring their children to Memorial Elementary more than a week after Milford public schools reopened on Aug. 31. Under the state requirements, school systems are supposed to notify parents of their rights to a transfer 15 days before schools open, to give them time to think about the option. The missed deadline was a mistake, said Superintendent Robert Tremblay, who took the blame. "It was honestly a mistake," he said. He contacted state education officials about the missed …

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IMAGE GALLERY: New Kindergarteners

Parents of children entering kindergarten brought the new students to a get-together at the schools this week.

Milford families with children entering kindergarten had the chance to meet prior to the start of the school year at Kindergarten Playground Night at Brookside and Memorial elementary schools Tuesday. The children had a chance to become acclimated to their new schools and to meet new friends. They enjoyed free ice cream donated by the PTOs. The playground received a good workout by the children as they climbed the spiral stairs and slid down the sliding board with newly discovered classmates. Students in Milford, including these newly minted kindergarteners, return to school on Aug. 31.

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VIDEO: Memorial Day Celebration at Brookside Elementary

Brookside Elementary School held an early Memorial Day celebration Wednesday, featuring veterans, town officials and patriotic songs.

Brookside Elementary School held an early Memorial Day celebration Wednesday, which drew several hundred parents. The event included a recognition of several veterans, many of them parents or uncles of children attending the school. The children also sang patriotic songs.

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