Former Mayor Patrick McManus is being recognized for his tremendous strides within Lynn’s public school system.
During McManus’ tenure, he drove the construction of the new Lynn Classical High School, a large extension of Lynn Vocational and Technical Institute, and a major renovation of Lynn English.
These initiatives helped lead to “dramatically increased” student achievement and test scores across every school in the city, according to former Lynn Public Schools superintendent Jim Mazareas.
“He really believed we needed to improve the quality of education in Lynn if the city was to prosper. He knew that the schools were overcrowded and underfunded, and they weren’t going to attract young families to stay,” Mazareas told The Daily Item.
“With Pat’s leadership, the city aggressively pursued the construction of the schools. He was a tremendous leader for education in the city. It couldn’t have been done without him,” Mazareas added.
Now, McManus’s efforts will be permanently remembered at the Lynn Public Library. A bronze plaque bearing his name will be affixed to the front entrance of the Lynn Public Library on Thursday, Sept 18. The public is invited.
The celebration will begin at 5 p.m., followed by a reception inside the library at 5 North Common St.
“The library was especially close to Pat. It’s quite a fitting tribute,” Mazareas said.
Mazareas also described McManus as a “realist” when it came to his strategies with his educational projects.
“He knew that there would be some opposition, so he got teachers and PTA members to really push it. Without him, there’s no way we would have gotten that construction,” he said.
Mazareas specifically applauded McManus’ passion when it came to the improvement of teacher morale, teacher training, instruction quality, raises for teachers, and reduced class sizes at Lynn Public Schools.
“It was a truly opportune time for the city of Lynn. It was a golden education when he was mayor. He was truly an education mayor,” he said.
