Patrick visits Harrington

LYNN – Gov. Deval Patrick beguiled a group of third-graders as well as a crowd of adults when he stopped by the Harrington Elementary School Wednesday to read to students.”This is a good thing to be celebrating,” he said to Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy as he greeted her with a hug.Patrick came at the invitation of librarian Carole Shutzer to recognize the 10th anniversary of the school’s literacy program and to celebrate Harrington’s exit from Level 4, or underperforming, status. Patrick called the school’s success a tangible example of what he is seeing statewide: increasingly better MCAS scores.Sen. Thomas McGee, representatives Robert Fennell and Lori Ehrlich, Superintendent Catherine Latham, City Councilor Brendan Crighton, School Committee member John Ford, who was also representing Rep. Steven Walsh, School Committee member Patricia Capano and a handful of administrators listened as intently as did students when Patrick sat down in a rocking chair and began to read “Miss Smith’s Incredible Storybook.”When he finished reading and Patrick asked the small gathering of students if they had any questions for him, hands flew into the air.”Why did you want to be governor?” asked Makaila Bing.”Because of you, really,” he said. “I wanted to see if we could do things, as your government, to make things better for you.”Gerber Gomez asked Patrick if he had to work every single day. Patrick said yes, because his term is only four years and “there is so much to do and only a short window of time.””What’s your favorite book?” asked Yasir Romero.Patrick called Mark Twain’s “Life on the Mississippi” a beautiful piece and one of his favorites.”There are others, I like to read,” he said. “I read a lot.”The children gasped audibly when he told them he was a grandfather, and oohed and ahhed when he told them where in the world his job had taken him, such as China, Brazil, Canada, England and Chile.”Have you ever been to Florida?” asked one little girl.Patrick also dropped in on Nancy Doherty’s fourth-graders, who were studying non-fiction works.”I’m so grateful for what you’re doing with these kids,” Patrick whispered to Doherty as he leaned in and shook her hand. “You’re changing lives.”Latham called Patrick’s visit exciting. She said he had many kind words for the Lynn Public Schools and particularly Lynn Vocational Technical Institute, earlier in the morning during a breakfast speech in neighboring Salem.”It makes you beam,” said Capano.Capano said it’s nice to be able to show off the school’s diligence and hard work. Kennedy agreed and said the students made the adults look good.Harrington Principal Debra Ruggiero said the visit also serves as a pat on the back for the teachers, whose hard work paid off when the school was exited from Level 4 status and made a Level 3 school.”Our goal is Level 1, though, and (students) know it,” she said.Ruggiero said the most impressive moment of the entire visit came when Patrick walked into Doherty’s class and although they acknowledged his presence the students kept working.”That’s the culture we’ve built here,” she said. “We tell them they have to keep it together and keep focused, and they did.”