The fact that pay hasn't kept pace with inflation (or grown much at all) is a disgrace. This country treats people - working class and middle class- like crap.

So.... they're trying to increase the number of charter schools, because the teacher tenure system is too cumbersome and doesn't give the superintendent enough leeway and "leveraging technology and blended learning strategies to achieve student personalization outcomes" (i.e. having students learn on Chromebooks, instead of from teachers at least 1/2 the time). But somehow the teachers' union is "stirring up turmoil"? Sure they won't have "layoffs", but will they have a Reduction in Force when contracts end in June? (spoiler alert: yep, they will).

We did it and were very pleased. They found some drafts, added some weatherstripping and added some insulation to our house.

Many Massachusetts schools use the Wilson Reading System to teach phonics (preK to Grade 2 and then in later grades if needed remedially). Wilson is headquarted in Oxford, MA. Our district also uses Heggerty for phonemic awareness.

And they treat their employees well - so it's all good.

Could it have been Prince William?

This is the best, safest choice. It's lit, you won't be interacting with traffic much, and there should be other people out walking dogs.

Breads n Stuff has breakfast sandwiches.

Stoughton's on the way up. It has a commuter rail station, reasonable driving to Boston (relatively), and is surrounded by upscale towns. The schools will follow suit as the town gentrifies. It's a great investment.

Coffee Exchange on Wickenden has some of the best coffee I've ever had. Nice vibe too - especially now that the indoor seating is back. They used to have wiFi - don't know if they still do, but there's a library down the street.

He tried to throw the election by ruining mail-in voting. I don't understand why treason isn't still a crime.

World's End in Hingham.

I would go over the line into Bellingham for the Coachman's Lodge or into Attleboro to eat at Colonel Blackington Inn, but if I had to stay in RI, I would go to River Falls in Woonsocket.

I have and it's beautiful. They have open houses for people interested in Buddhism on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings.

Thanks for adding this. Turns out, the MFA isn't free even with a library pass - it's $10 each, including kids. I'm 99% that kids were free until recently, but now it's only kids under 7. Inflation, I guess.

The Harvard museums of Natural History - they're free on Sundays. Lots of dinosaur stuff, rocks and minerals, and other cool things.

See the mummies and other Egyptian things at the MFA (use a library pass to get in free or visit on Wednesdays from 4 to 10, when it's pay-what-you-wish).

Go snowboarding at Mt. Wachusett - only 45 minutes from Boston.

Spend a day on the north shore: hike Plum Island and see snowy owls and then have lunch / dinner in Newburyport or Gloucester, visit the maritime museum or the Wenham museum.

Do a behind the scenes tour at Symphony Hall and then the Mapparium at the Mary Baker Eddy / Christian Science Center.

Science museum or NE Aquarium.

Tour Fenway park - it's cheap and you get to go into a lot of parts of the park you don't get to see as a regular patron.

Sledding or skating at Larz Anderson park in Brookline.

See Life of Pi at the ART.

USS Constitution museum / Bunker Hill Monument/ Monument Tavern for lunch.

Drumlin Farm / DeCordova museum.

You might like Mt. Wachusett. Views are spectacular.

I like the Market Basket ones - they're 4.99, but BJ's is probably better, I just don't have a membership. Wright's Farm has baked chicken that's pretty good.

Short drive over the line into MA: https://www.sleighbelltreefarm.com/ Santa is visiting tomorrow. $88 to pick / cut your own.

Thank you for posting this. I had no idea it existed. They're doing a great job of promoting it /s.

Will all the kids be enrolled in their schools?

Sorry. Boston.com has: "Late Monday afternoon, the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office identified the deceased as 65-year-old Kevin Bradley of New Jersey. Bradley was there “supporting recent construction at the store".

Wow, and the construction worker's dead. That's 1st degree murder.

The SUV was travelling fast enough that it shot through the store and ended up in the storage area at the back and the driver was alert and did not need to be taken to a hospital. How could this happen? Road rage? Intentional?

There's a big Oktoberfest in Walpole too.