Join Historic Somerville and representatives from the City of Somerville on Veterans Day, November 11, at 2:30 pm, for a Veterans’ Day Remembrance Ceremony at Milk Row Cemetery (next to Market Basket). Local members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts will conduct a ceremony to remember those veterans from Somerville who are buried and memorialized in this hallowed ground.

On Wednesday, November 11, Somerville City Hall and other City offices will be closed for Veterans Day. If your trash day is normally on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, you will have a one-day delay this week. Street sweeping is cancelled for Wednesday and parking meters will not be in effect.

Mayor Curtatone, ward and at-large aldermen, members of the Somerville Police Department, and City staff will discuss issues important to residents and there’s always a lively Q&A where residents can pose questions directly to the Mayor and Aldermen. Topics will range from crime and safety reports by cops on your neighborhood beat, neighborhood improvements such as road and park projects, to a review of citywide issues ranging from Green Line Extension updates to Union Square planning news, and the opioid crisis.

Arrests:
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Melissa Baker, of 83 County Rd., Plympton, November 3, 2:49 p.m., arrested at Middlesex Ave. on warrant charges of common streetwalker and larceny under $250.

Jason Hickey, of 47 Lymon Ave., Medford, November 3, 6:40 p.m., arrested at Middlesex Ave. on a charge of larceny over $250.

This rendering shows the current High School as it is. — Courtesy of City of Somerville

The Somerville High School Project Committee has been busy reviewing options for bringing our 19^th century Somerville High School building into the 21^st century, and we invite you to attend a Community Forum to discuss our work so far. Options being reviewed range from targeted updates to a full renovation to building a new structure. A brief presentation on the discussions to date will be followed by a Q&A. The forum will be held on Thursday, November 19, 2015, in the Somerville High School Library beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The Somerville Allied Council and the City of Somerville invite everyone to the annual Veterans Day Memorial Service at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11 at Dilboy VFW Post on Summer Street in Davis Square. Please consider bringing a used and unneeded cell phone and donating it to Cell Phones for Soldiers. A donation box will be available at the memorial service.

Ward 5 ResiStat community meeting will be held tonight at the Kennedy School at 6:30 p.m.  ResiStat meetings are an opportunity for you to learn more about things happening in your neighborhood – including development in Winter Hill – as well as ask questions and share your ideas with the Mayor, elected and city officials, and your neighbors.

Sen. Jehlen’s bill S.294 would call a three-year moratorium on test score-based sanctions against schools and districts.

A group of legislators recently called for a moratorium on the punitive uses of standardized tests, citing a “perfect storm” that has undermined the credibility of the state’s test-based accountability system.

In Massachusetts, low scores on standardized tests lead to severe sanctions meted out to schools and districts, including school closures and district takeovers. Low scores can keep high school students from getting their diplomas even if they pass all their courses. Student scores are also factored into teacher evaluation.

By Maureen Bastardi

There are so many beautiful things about Thailand. Just ask Chu Race, who is a native of that country and a weekly participant in the Cross Street Center’s English Conversation group. In Thailand, Chu explains, it’s common to see fruits and vegetables beautifully sculpted into flowers and art. People then use the creations decorations for plates, for their home, and in their food.

Crossing Guards provide essential public safety by ensuring safe student crossing at intersections along the routes to school.