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Reform of class rank proposals in the works
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Harbinger
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The Algonquin
april 2017 vOL. 29 NO. 5
The Student Newspaper of Algonquin Regional High School 79 Bartlett street, Northborough MA 01532 | arhsharbinger.COM
Laughton to retire after 23 years Riya Pujari
Editor-in-Chief After dedicating nearly 23 years to the students and faculty of Algonquin, Assistant Principal Mel Laughton has decided to retire at the end of this school year and due to budgetary constraints, may prove himself to be truly irreplaceable. Laughton started working at Algonquin on February 18, 1994 as an intervention tutor and has continued to serve the student body as one of the three assistant principals. However, Laughton has decided to retire this year because he feels it is time to pass the torch to someone younger and someone who will be equally if not more dedicated than he is. “[I have decided to retire because] I understand that I will be turning sixty-nine in July and that the school can be better served by somebody who can be here every day and be as dedicated as they can possibly be,” Laughton said. However, according to Principal Tom Mead, due to budgetary concerns, there is currently no progress in finding a replacement for Laughton. “...Replacing Mr. Laughton with a successor assistant principal is still pending in the budget,” Mead said. “I am hoping we have enough funding to fully staff us and that includes three assistant principals, but we don’t know that for sure yet.” Laughton has had an impact on Upper School secretary Charlotte Brillhart and senior Mark McWilliams who knows that he’ll be missed for his kindness and even his distinctive vehicle. “He is very down-to-earth and knows the kids really well,” McWilliams said. “If you know him really well then he is not as scary and as hateful as you might
In the first round of searches there were...
25 Candidates applied
4 Photo Rafaela Coelho
Assistant principals Mel Laughton and Michele Tontodonato laugh while monitoring the cafeteria. After sailing out of ARHS, Laughton plans to build a boat from scratch.
think.” apparent and obvious, until years “It is going to be hard to match later when they call, or visit, and it [Laughton’s legacy],” Brillhart tell him they are okay, and figursaid. “Everybody knows that he ing it out, and that he made a difdrives the white car. They know ference,” Mead said. he looks like the snowman. PeoAccording to Laughton, deple know that he spite being deepis going to be ly saddened by here every day, “This [school] in the prospect of and they know parting ways with that if they need many ways is a the school and its someone to talk home to me and members, he has to that he is the many post-retireguy and that they these people are ment plans that can come and see my family.” include building him.” a boat and travelMEL LAUGHTON ing. Mead recogASSISTANT PRINCIPAL nizes that Laugh“Interesting ton’s work has enough, my work had a lasting imcareer started pact. off that I worked in a boat shop “Mr. Laughton’s deep and when I was twelve years old,” abiding interest in helping stu- Laughton said. “I have already dents who experience struggles talked to a place in Maine where in their young lives is not always we used to buy wood from and
I am actually going to buy some wood and I am going to build one of the boats we used to have when I was a kid.” “I’m going to spend time with my family,” Laughton said. “I’m going to take my son to Alaska to go fishing and my wife and I are planning to go to Ireland.” After years of service, Laughton has created a home at Algonquin. According to him, the people of Algonquin are not merely coworkers. “This [school] in many ways is a home to me and these people are my family,” Laughton said. “I just want to thank the communities, the families, the teachers, all of the staff, the students for allowing me to spend a little bit of time in their lives,” Laughton said. “It has been absolute honor.”
Teachers, students react to Laughton’s announcement Tom Alera English Teacher
[I am going to miss] his love for the students, his commitment to this school by all means, and he really works so hard to make sure that those struggling kids really have a place to go in the future.
Progress in finding Mead’s replacement
Emily Philbin English Teacher
He is always very happy to see you. He cares, genuinely cares, about the students and what it means to be a part of this community and to be a part of Algonquin.
Caroline O’Rourke Senior
Jared Giurleo Senior
He is very good at enforcing but in a friendly kind of way. He seems intimidating but at heart he is a really great guy and that’s what makes him awesome.
It is rare these days to have a principal that is fun, caring, and supportive… He is very supportive of our programs, of our students, and that is an important thing in a vice principal.
Were chosen to be interviewed by the search committee
0 Selected for an interview with Superintendent Christine Johnson For the second round of searches..
»» The same search committee with the same application process »» A national search with job posted on Schoolspring and NASSP “We are a phenomenal high school. We will continue our search again to find the right person to lead us forward. It is an exciting opportunity, but it is one we want to be as thorough and thoughtful as always.” -Christine Johnson Superintendent Compiled by Riya pujari from interview with Superintendent Christine Johnson