Beverly School Committee ratifies teachers' contract, revises 2021-2022 school calendar

BEVERLY -- July 29, 2021, Beverly School Committee unanimously ratifies teachers' contract and revises school calendar in a brief July 29 session. The committee of the whole, meeting remotely with all seven members present, including Chair Rachel Abel, Mayor Cahill, and members Kimberly Cuello, Kannon McKenzie, Karen Robinson, John Milady, and Lorenda Visnik, voted 7-0 to approve a memorandum of agreement with the Beverly Teachers Association Unit A and 7-0 to adopt a revised 2021-2022 school calendar. Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Charochak explained that contract changes moving professional development hours to after-school time rendered the September 21 professional development day unnecessary, converting it to a regular school day. The change moves the scheduled last day of school, absent snow days, to an early release day on June 17. Charochak noted the district has not yet received state guidance on whether snow days may be conducted remotely, which could push the year-end date as late as June 27.