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Your community. Your news. Your paper. Vol. 50 | No. 12 | March 22, 2024
Shrewsbury · Westborough · Northborough · Southborough · Marlborough · Hudson · Grafton
1974 - 20
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Shirley LeMay is Shrewsbury’s longest-tenured educator By Evan Walsh, Reporter
Northborough draft budget projects increase of $626 to average single-family tax bill northborough| 6
Project property tax increase sits at $853 per average household westborough| 21
SHREWSBURY – Shirley LeMay has been teaching for nearly four decades, but for her, it has seemed like no time at all. After 38 years with the district, LeMay, who is tied as the district’s longest-tenured educator, is retiring in June. A ‘crooked little path’ to SHS Inspired by her brother — who recently retired after 30-plus years of teaching in Auburn — LeMay wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember. Her brother was doing his student teaching when she was in middle school, and LeMay gained first-hand experience in the classroom. “I would go with him to school. On school vacation weeks, I went to his classroom with him and helped him set things up and do things. I knew for sure, at that point, that teaching is what I wanted to do. I kind of idolized my brother, and he was an excellent teacher, so I felt like I had to do really well to be like him,” LeMay told the Community Advocate from her classroom at Shrewsbury High School. After graduating from Worcester State University, LeMay briefly worked for Worcester Public Schools. Soon after, she was hired in Shrewsbury, where she’d spend the next 38 years. For the first 25 years, LeMay taught elementary-age students at Coolidge Elementary School. While teaching, she earned her master’s in health education. The choice to study health education instead of other more-common postgraduate degrees set in motion LeMay | 15
Shirley LeMay will be retiring in June. (Photo/Evan Walsh)
Westborough to close on community center for $8.8M By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor WESTBOROUGH – The town can now call 1500 Union St. its own. In a brief meeting on Wednesday, March 13, the Select Board voted 5-0 to purchase the building — the site of the now-former Boston Sports Clubs — to convert into a multigenerational com-
The onetime home of Boston Sports Club has been sold to the town of Westborough. (Photo/ Maureen Sullivan)
munity center. The town was scheduled to close the deal with the buyer, BSC RE Owner LLC, on Tuesday, March 19. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Select Board member Ian Johnson. “Yes, it’s costing money, but it’s an opportunity we take advantage of.” According to Town Manager Kristi Community center | 4
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