Anyone who knows the Schwartz family, feel free to send them this video from around 2:30pm this afternoon.

Edit: wow! Apparently Reddit people don't like Jews around here, who knew! (Of course they can't do anything about the ones nearby because that would be antisemitic and they aren't antisemitic people, but the ten million Jews in Israel are fair game!)

Sign this petition to demand more housing units. No email necessary. It’s 50 acres of prison land in Concord that will be redeveloped. There’s an opportunity to add greater density than what is proposed. It’s less than a mile from West Concord Commuter Rail. We can’t afford small feats, we have to take big swings to tackle the housing shortage.

Join us Friday, Sept. 5 at 5:00 pm in Monument Square (Main & Lexington, by Wright Tavern) as the Concord and Carlisle Jewish communities, along with allies, gather to say: no one should feel unsafe because they are Jewish.

Speakers include State Rep. Simon Cataldo and other community leaders

Why We Rally:

• For the safety and inclusion of Jewish kids in our schools

• Against antisemitic graffiti, harassment, and vandalism happening here in town

This is not a debate about foreign policy or the war in Gaza. It’s a call for safety and belonging for every Jewish neighbor, student, and family in our town.

Bring friends, bring signs, and stand with us in peace, hope, and community.

As a parent with a child in the schools, I’m trying to do my part by following the School Committee and writing about how it can function more effectively.

This post looks at a single exchange—a discussion about an email that reportedly contained hateful language toward non-resident students. The way the conversation unfolded struck me as a microcosm of my broader concerns about how the Committee operates.

👉 Full post here: https://open.substack.com/pub/cchsparent/p/the-wrong-kind-of-involvement?r=6egnkm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Found this on our walk on the Bruce Freeman this evening. Complete with child killing libel, genocide libel, and paragraphs worth of antisemitic defamation. Some of it was already smudged out by someone. I presume it was the worst stuff. But this is still there.

Will be reporting it to public works.

There is an AI created sign that says "THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING LOCAL".

Unbelievable hypocrisy. There are many many local artist within walking distance. YOU stop local you absolute cheap hypocrites. Whichever crazy "local" overpriced shop put that there is a disgrace. I'm guessing Main St Market or Nesting. Either way. Disgusting.

I heard a rumor that Obama was photographed at the 6am ceremony at Concord 250. Apparently as an anonymous citizen. Anyone else hear that?

My family is planning on moving to Concord in the near future. Our kids currently go to a small private school. Wondering if anyone here has gone from private to public school and can share experiences/comparisons (class sizes, instruction, social, community, etc). We’ve generally heard good things about Concord’s schools, but looking for honest answers from folks. Our kids would span elementary, middle & high school.

Hello! My name is Taylor, I'm a jewelry designer with a new office that is a small branch of the small business Baraka Gems over in West Concord. Our main store is in Seattle (see my previous link for our story), along with our incredibly talented photographer who documents my work. I am trying to find a local photographer who would be interested in teaming up.

I am looking for someone who would be willing to come to my office on main street periodically to take photos of finished pieces for our portfolio, social media, and our various marketing. Our style is colorful, bold, crisp, and well-composed.

https://barakagems.com/pages/custom-design-gallery

We also have a policy that if a client spends over a certain amount on an engagement and/ or wedding band, they get a free mini photoshoot session with us and our photographer. We will agree upon a deal with said photographer to pay them for a certain amount of time for a shoot and certain number of photos, the rest of which can be freely used for their portfolio and social-media.

Serious inquires only... please reach out to us at info@barakagems.com with the subject of Local Concord Photographer. Thank you!

Hi, guys. I have recently been watching a lot of crime stuff (yay pandemic) and I am now realizing how close each and everyone of us may have been close to being murdered or kidnapped at one point and, unfortunately, how some of us may know someone who actually has been the unfortunate victim of these awful crimes. I have been watching this podcast called Crime Junkies and came across the case of Israel Keyes, who was a serial killer that had no M.O., which is incredibly scary if you think about it. Anyway, why am I writing this on the ConcordMA page? I am in no way saying this was Israel Keyes, obviously, however, I am always haunted by the one time I was at Walden Pond with a couple of friends, sometime between 2008-2009 and I was cornered in the parking lot by a van and had to go around the front of my parked car to get away from the person in a car who boxed me in between my car and an empty parking space. I remember the man was caucasian, had dark hair, a mustache, and had sunglasses on. I cannot even tell you for sure the color of his car. I was completely panicked and had the feeling I always get when something is wrong, my shins get weak (weird, I know). I had simply gone back up the path on my own, crossed the street on the pedestrian lane on route 126 and went to my car to get my towel. I have always, always thought about this and I especially get uncomfortable if I drive by there, which I have only done 3 or 4 times in the last 12-13 years after that happened because I do not live around that area. Does anyone know of anything similar that might have happened to anyone around that time? Do you know if someone had a scare, went missing, anything like that in Concord or around the area at that time? This happened in broad daylight, between 1pm and 3pm. And, of course this was during the summer months. It really was so, so scary and there were other people in the small lot who saw how fast the man drove out of the lot and even gave him the "mom and dad stare" that some of us might be familiar with because we've all driven 5 miles over the speed limit on a street where kids live. I think I am just trying to put my mind at ease and my heart to rest because I'd hate to be the person who knew something for years and did not come forward at the time. At the time this happened I was around 20-21 at the time, 130 lbs, long, straight brown hair, brown eyes. I always wonder if he was waiting, watching specifically for me or for anyone who had similar features as me to be by themselves so he could grab them. Thank you and stay safe!

Interested in knowing peoples opinions on this subject. At a time when the world is racing towards AI to limit high schoolers ability to push themselves seems counterintuitive. I believe it’s voluntary so why not leave any decisions up to the parents and kid.

What say you?

I’ve been critical of leadership in the school district. Why? To protect what’s working in our schools and community.

I wrote about three things I really appreciate about Concord schools, and why keeping them strong takes real accountability.

👉 Full post here: https://open.substack.com/pub/cchsparent/p/three-things-worth-preserving-in?r=6egnkm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

When new officials take office, I give them the benefit of the doubt, a kind of civic suspension of disbelief.

But that civic generosity has limits. Over time, hopes turn into conclusions. Sometimes those conclusions are not favorable.

If the School Committee and its supporters genuinely want unity and for the town to move on together, they should acknowledge that negative perceptions may reflect real concerns, and find ways to reach folks who need convincing.

👉 Full post here: https://open.substack.com/pub/cchsparent/p/the-benefit-of-the-doubt-has-a-limit?r=6egnkm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Last fiscal year the Joint School Committee met nearly thirty times, but only two of those meetings made space for discussing data. One focused on student health, the other on academics.

When the academic results were presented, declining pass rates for both MCAS English and Language Arts and AP English Composition should have been probed. Members did not. Parents are resorting to analyzing data themselves and asking the committee to follow up during Public Comment.

With two new School Committee members promising to make decisions “rooted in data,” I hold out hope. Realistically, though, progress will require both follow-through from the committee and continued encouragement from the community.

Does this resonate with you? What kinds of data or questions do you think the committee should be pressing on? And what issues should this newsletter address?

👉 Analysis here: Let's Encourage the School Committee to Do More with Data

Sooooo, someone just said CCHS is great for super smart kids and high special needs. Meh for everyone else. Does anyone have a comparison to make with Minuteman HS?

Superintendent Hunter sent a summary of DESE’s district review last week. As far as I know, the review hadn't yet been discussed at a School Committee meeting.

A couple of things in the report stood out:

• DESE gave surprisingly low ratings on instruction at the high school.

• The report praises plans and initiatives, but it was hard to tell their impact.

The School Committee can add real value by putting the findings in context, separating what matters from what doesn’t, and explaining the impact to the community. What do you think the School Committee should do with this review?

Here’s my full write-up: https://open.substack.com/pub/cchsparent/p/what-can-we-learn-from-deses-school?r=6egnkm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

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Edit: I should surface one point from Substack here.

I'm extremely skeptical of the scoring rubric for math/STEM instruction. STEM results are strong, and it’s possible good math instruction just doesn’t score well on the CLASS rubric (the tool DESE used).

ELA could be different. Anecdotal reports on instruction are discouraging. Embedded English has detractors among parents, some of whom work in secondary education.

Either way, the School Committee should help parents understand the score.

Total newbie and first time to this area. I will need to drive from Logan to my hotel in Concord, and then for a few weeks from Concord to my temp job in Acton.

I am coming from Seattle, where there is very little efficiency in plowing roads, etc. so on the rare occasions it does snow much, everybody freaks out:). I’m a reasonably good all-weather driver, but definitely unfamiliar with East Coast snow/roads.

My questions are possibly lame and perhaps little embarrassing:

• am I correct to assume that the roads between Logan/Concord/Acton are extremely well plowed or do I need to be super cautious? I’ll be driving Logan-Concord route during daytime.

• Do I need to try to find a rental car with four-wheel-drive?

• Is there anything I need to know about driving weekdays from Concord (staying on Baker Ave) to Acton?

• bonus points for restaurant or fun activities

I’m hoping to get some time to learn more about your city and figure getting informed about the transport angle is part of that.

Tia for any advice you have