Principal George Clement

Superintendent-Director Kathleen Dawson

UPDATED May 19: By unanimous vote supported by resounding praise, the Minuteman School Committee on the evening of Thursday, May 18, chose Kevin Mahoney as acting superintendent of Minuteman Regional Technical Vocational School District.

Mahoney as of Friday morning, May 19, is now filling in for the embattled and now-on-administrative-leave superintendent-director, Kathleen Dawson.

Before the 7-0 vote, Committee Chair Pam Nourse noted that Mahoney had been Minuteman's assistant superintendent and had retired in 2019 but as a consultant had remained a familiar presence at the award-winning, trades-oriented, accredited public school in Lexington, directly northwest of Arlington. 

"I'm really flattered that I have this opportunity to come back," Mahoney said after the vote. He said that he would "try and move forward and offer any support I can."

Clement

UPDATED May 12: In a development capping two weeks of drama in next-door Lexington, the beleaguered superintendent-director of the Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School District, Kathleen Dawson, has been put on administrative leave by that district's school committee, pending an independent investigation.

Some 200 students at that district's high school live in Arlington.

This situation first came to widespread public light when, backing up their ongoing online petition, more than 100 students walked out at Minuteman High School Monday morning May 8, as documented by an aerial television crew. The intent was to reinforce their demand to the administration to “Save Mr. Clement” -- the school's much-admired principal.

But turmoil at the district goes even deeper than Clement's fate, with online petitions garnering many hundreds of signatures, a recent faculty union vote of no confidence in Dawson and a closed-door session of the School Committee held Thursday, May 11, concerning the superintendent. An email about Dawson's on-leave status was sent to Minuteman parents late Friday afternoon, May 12, and was later obtained by YourArlington.

George Clement, at Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School since 2009 and its principal since 2020, faces the end of his three-year contract in June, and it has not been renewed. According to a recent automatic-reply email received by YourArington, Clement is not currently on campus; the email refers questions to the assistant principal.

The May 11 School Committee agenda as posted online shows that committee members planned to discuss the future of Superintendent Kathleen Dawson, who is believed to have refused to extend Clement's employment. Activists in recent days have suggested that several managerial-level district employees have resigned under pressure earlier this year, although this cannot currently be independently confirmed.

From left, Jane Pokress, Arlington; Kaytaki Pathak, Arlington; and Ellie Kolakowski, Lancaster, with collected products to be donated regionally.

Since October, three environmental science and technology majors at Minuteman High School have been organizing a community-service project to increase access to menstrual products at their school, local and global communities.

Two of the students, Jane Pokress '25 and Kaytaki Pathak '25, are from Arlington; the third, Ellie Kolakowski '24, is from Lancaster, a school news release said.

The team is currently running a menstrual product drive to increase access to menstrual products in their local community. On Monday, March 6, they began collecting adult diapers, pads and tampons, which they plan to donate to the Women’s Lunch Place in Boston.

They are also hosting an online fundraiser to collect money to be donated to the organization Days for Girls, which helps raise awareness about menstrual health and distributes sustainable products around the world. So far, the team has raised more than $1,500. The fund-raiser is currently active; contributions may be given at this site.

Students in Minuteman High School’s Interact Community Service Club recently provided donated gloves, coats, hats and mittens to representatives from Open Table, a nonprofit in Concord and Maynard that aims to end food insecurity for people in need.

Open Table provides the winter coats, hats, and gloves to recent immigrants from Brazil who are facing their first New England winter.

Students in the Minuteman High School chapter of the National Honor Society, several of them from Arlington, have collected 183 gifts for children in need this holiday season.

The students are very grateful to everyone who donated, a news release said.

These gifts are to be delivered to deserving children through the Toys for Tots program.