APS Libraries Receive Endowment of $150,000, New Books

Articles, Community, Education
December 5, 2023
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STAFF WRITER
Julia Rodenberger

The AHS Library will host indigenous author Angeline Boulley for a series of educational events in March of 2024.

This initiative was made possible by the Cummings Foundation based in eastern Massachusetts. As recipients of the 2023 Cummings Grant, APS libraries recieved $150,000 to host Boulley for authorship workshops and to fund other educational endeavors over a three year period.

Boulley belongs to the Chippewa Tribe in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan, and primarily writes fantasy novels rooted in her culture. In preparation for Boulley’s arrival, AHS librarian Mary Coombs encouraged students to read Boulley’s latest release: The Firekeepers Daughter. “It’s gotten all kinds of awards, and it’s a pretty action-packed mystery,” Coombs stated. Interested readers can find the novel on display at the check-out desk in the library.

Boulley’s visit will consist of a presentation in the Collin Center with multiple opportunities for students to speak with her via writing workshops and a luncheon discussion. “I think it’ll be refreshing, new, and hopefully a good learning experience,” said Coombs.

The Cummings Grant coincides with an initiative to update the AHS book collection for Fall of 2023. Increased cultural representation is a common theme in 400 books selected for the library. “The collection and the programming and the space really needs to reflect students,” Coombs added. Currently, the displays highlight indigenous stories for Native American Heritage Month.

Coombs elaborated, “All the [APS] libraries are suffering from the same problem and that their collections are kind of old, a little outdated. We can run a report, we can see how old the average age of some of the books are.” Outdated and inaccurate material was “weeded” out at the end of the 2022-2023 school year to make room for the incoming books.

AHS librarians worked alongside teachers across departments in order to select books that mesh well with academic curricula. Coombs hopes that more teachers will be able to take advantage of the library resources.

Senior Anusheh Hashmi added, “Once my teachers in sophomore grades introduced me to the catalogs and resources, I became a lot more adept at using them more frequently, sometimes even outside of class.”

While classes will benefit from multiple copies of research-based books, individual students may enjoy the increased presence of fiction. “I think reading for pleasure is really, really important,” Coombs said. “So we really beefed up on fantasy, a lot of realistic fiction, a lot of graphic novels, and we just started a manga collection.”

Hashmir stated, “I have found that I can always recognize some of the books on display, as they tend to be on the popular side of social media.”

The AHS Library is open to students before and after school and during H-block with opportunities to come during class with teacher permission. A librarian is always present to assist students who wish to check out or renew books.

Coombs stated, “I definitely have seen an uptick in new people that I haven’t seen in the library before borrowing things. That’s the idea, right? If you build it, they will come.”

Hashmir added, “I think the reason people don’t use the library as often is simply because they don’t know.”

Andoverview

Articles

NEASC Visit Highlights AHS Goals

April 3, 2026

Anushka Dole || ONLINE EDITOR

Andover High School hosted a re-accreditation visit from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) from March 16-18, as part of a decennial review process designed to evaluate how well AHS supports student learning and identify areas of improvement.

According to Assistant Principal Alicia Linsey, the process started during the 2023-2024 school year with a visit from the Collaborative Conference team, a group of visiting educators from across the New England area. In preparation for the visit, a team of AHS faculty members and administrators was formed.

“We picked out priority areas and presented those to this visiting NEASC committee … and they agreed with [our priority areas],” said biology teacher Lindsey L’Ecuyer, the AHS committee’s science department representative.

There were five priority areas that AHS pledged to work on starting in the 2023-2024 school year: developing the Vision of a Graduate, implementing consistent curricula throughout all departments, vertical/horizontal alignment across departments and throughout grades, promotion of school pride, and building infrastructure.

The Vision of a Graduate outlines the skills and values that the school hopes to instill in every student by the time they graduate.

Vertical alignment refers to improving coordination between teachers across grade levels to ensure student skills build progressively, while horizontal alignment emphasizes greater collaboration between teachers across departments.

“[The committee is] working on … finding time in the school day for teachers to collaborate more,” L’Ecuyer said, adding that AHS has begun standardizing curricula to support this effort.

“There are committees in the school that have been working on documenting curriculum in a consistent format for our core classes … freshman English, for example, [and] biology,” L’Ecuyer said.

Linsey mentioned that students and parents also play a role in the accreditation process. A team of visiting evaluators—distinct from the Collaborative Conference team—conduct interviews to gather student perspectives on the school climate and learning experiences.

Although the committee leads the reflection process, administrators are then responsible for implementing action plans based on their findings. In accordance with these plans, faculty members must provide evidence of integration of the district goals.

L’Ecuyer emphasized that NEASC accreditation is more about reflecting on and improving school processes than it is about recognition.

“It’s less of a badge as it is opening yourself up to reflecting on and documenting what you do well and what it’s like setting goals for your school,” L’Ecuyer said.

Beyond internal reflection and planning, the “badge” that the reaccreditation process provides does carry additional, tangible benefits for students. It reassures families and colleges that AHS maintains a rigorous academic program, and that it’s constantly working towards improving learning.

“My understanding is that colleges know Andover High School—they know what our programs are like,” L’Ecuyer said. “[Because] of [accreditation] … they know the kinds of students that graduate from here, and what skills that [they] have.”

Accreditation also plays a role in the school’s ability to receive funding.

“NEASC accreditation is required for eligibility to receive some private, state, and federal grants, loans, and other federal funds,” Linsey noted in an email.

Pink Floyd’s Atom Heart Mother Poor On Release, Rich in the Present

April 3, 2026

Michael A. Catino || CORRESPONDENT

You might look at this album and think there is nothing special about it. What’s so innovative about a cow’s photograph plastered on a cover? But once you look past this spotted bovine, you’ll be enthralled and entertained by its genius mix of sound and music. The name of this unique album is Atom Heart Mother by the Floyd that is Pink, simply known as “Pink Floyd.”

Two songs come to mind that truly represent the nature of the progressive rock band’s predecessor to the “dark side of the mooooon.” Let’s begin with the relaxed and free spirited “Summer ‘68.” When you first lend your ears to this particular song, there is a moment reminiscent of a movie character running and frolicking through a field: free from the burdens of life. Starting off with its slow piano, strumming of the guitar, and the simple question “How do you feel?”.

Now let’s listen to the second and more outlandish song, “Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast.” This 12-minute instrumental puts you in a state of mind akin to waking up in your home or a grand hotel enjoying a well-prepared meal. Emphasis given by its long piano solos and use of real-life sounds of people talking and sizzling bacon. I celebrate this album for the achievements it’s made in taking Pink Floyd into new fields away from their usual bass, drums, and electric guitars, as well as creating touching, realistic lyrics ubiquitous in the band’s future work.

But like all great things, there are some moments that can feel a little lackluster. Like the album’s opening song of the same name, Atom Heart Mother. It seems to drag on with a random assortment of sounds that make you wish the song to end. Sounds in this instrumental include trumpets, synthesized keyboards, a choir, and warped organ pipes. It also doesn’t work in its favor that the track is over 23 minutes long, and maybe if it were cut down to half its run time, it would align better with its neighboring melodies.

All in all, what I have mentioned to you is only half of what gives Atom Heart Mother its majestic tone. The other half is up to your interpretation.

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APS Libraries Receive Endowment of $150,000, New Books

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