By John Wilson & Janet Tice Split in two by the railroad tracks, the downtown Shirley “village” area faces many challenges. And things got even more challenging in 2021 when the state passed the “MBTA Communities Act” that required Shirley (and all communities with commuter rail) to allow multi-family housing “by right” within a half-mile of the train station. At Special Town Meeting in November 2024, Shirley complied with the act by voting to create a new “multifamily housing overlay district” in Shirley village. As a reward for compliance, the town became eligible for generous planning grants to help it prepare for the expected population growth in the area. The first of these opportunities came to fruition last fall when Shirley was awarded $306K from the Community Catalyst Fund (CCF). The intent of the grant is to identify roadway improvements needed to ensure safety for vehicles and pedestrians in the village area. Since the MBTA communities vision emphasizes “walkability,” with residents able to safely access the commuter rail station without a car, the focus will be on pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. That means ADA-compliant safe passage for school children, rail users, and others navigating their way along heavily-travelled commuter routes, through busy intersections, and across the railroad tracks. Winning the grant was exciting – but it was only the first step in a lengthy process. The next step was to create a steering committee under Town Administrator Bryan Sawyer’s leadership which helped to craft the “Request for Proposal” and chose engineering consulting firm Howard Stein Hudson as the winning bidder. In addition to the TA, the committee consists of Town Planner Mark Archambault, DPW Director David Schwartz, and two members of the Transportation Action Committee. Beginning with the project kick-off meeting on April 9, the committee will provide the consultants from Howard Stein Hudson with direction and Shirley-centric input throughout the project. The project timeline extends from the April kick-off until July 2027, with the data collection phase to be completed by mid-summer. There will be ample opportunity for community input throughout the early stages of the project, with two “pop-up” outreach sessions planned for May and June and follow-up public meetings in July and October. The conceptual design phase runs from June through January 2027 and will identify specific safety improvement projects for future implementation. In consultation with the steering committee, one of these projects (or possibly two, depending on complexity) will be chosen for further development to the “preliminary design” stage, with an expected completion date of July 2027. There will be many opportunities to share your ideas and concerns about traffic, trains, and the challenges faced by vulnerable road users in Shirley village. Watch this space and the Shirley website for information about pop-up meetings, public forums, and questionnaires. Your input is valuable and will help shape Shirley’s future – so be sure to participate!   John Wilson is a recent transplant to Shirley, having lived here 2.5 years. He likes life near Mulpus Brook, and the rural character of the town. He is a member of the Transportation Action Committee.

By Katie Aponte Our town’s youth soccer program is thriving like never before, with enrollment numbers steadily climbing across all age groups. Since Fall 2022, overall participation has grown by more than 50%, reflecting the community’s passion for youth sports and the dedication of our volunteer coaches and organizers. The boys’ program has seen particularly strong growth, with enrollment increasing from 96 players in 2022 to 146 in 2025—a 52% rise. The largest jump is in the Grades 3–4 division, which grew by 87%, adding 32 new players. Middle school boys also showed solid increases, with the Grades 7–8 group growing by 50%. The girls’ program is also expanding steadily, with a 25% increase in enrollment from 69 players in 2022 to 92 in 2025. The Grades 5–6 girls division led this growth, increasing by 43%. While the youngest girls’ division peaked in 2023 and slightly declined, it remains strong, and the middle school group shows some variability but continues to engage players. This exciting expansion brings new opportunities and challenges, including the need for more coaches, additional field space, and thoughtful scheduling to ensure every child has a chance to play and grow. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, fun, and supportive environment where all players can develop their skills, build friendships, and enjoy the beautiful game. Our soccer program’s remarkable growth brings exciting opportunities and new challenges, including the need for more coaches and additional field space. We are committed to fostering a fun, inclusive environment where every child can play, develop their skills, and build lasting friendships. To keep our soccer program thriving as a vibrant cornerstone of youth sports in our town, we invite families and community members to join us—whether as coaches, volunteers, or supporters. If you’d like to help sustain this positive momentum, please contact recreation@shirley-ma.gov.

By Sherry Anders Shirley is a special place – we hear owls calling from our back yards, drive by herons fishing in streams on our way through town, and find traffic jams more often caused by wild turkeys crossing the road than by rush hour commuters. At any given moment, we are within minutes of several hiking trailheads and canoe launches. The thirteen miles that comprise our eastern border are formed entirely by the Nashua and Squannacook Rivers, which have earned prestigious federal designation as Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers. The water in our homes comes from aquifers protected by the natural green infrastructure of our forests and floodplains. We have a town community garden, drive-by farm stands, and neighbors who offer us fresh eggs. We have a lot to be grateful for, and as the natural world faces rising challenges from extreme weather events, regional development pressures, and pollution, there is still much we can do here in our little corner to contribute to the health of our town and our planet. This year’s Earth Day Theme is “Our Power, Our Planet.” So much begins right here at home. This Earth Day, take time to reflect on what matters to you and how we can shape our future through collective action. Here are 10 ways you can make a difference: Volunteer: Local groups and organizations welcome volunteers to help plant pollinator gardens, clear trails, monitor water quality, pull water chestnuts on the river, and stuff envelopes. Contact: Shirley Greenway Committee, Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA), North County Land Trust (NCLT), and People of Ayer Concerned About the Environment (PACE) to find out more. Broaden your scope by signing up for “Nature Groupie” to receive a list of regional opportunities. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Focus on repairing items, buying secondhand, and reducing single-use plastics to minimize landfill waste. Sustainable Transport: Walk, bike, carpool, or use public transportation to reduce emissions. Eat Locally and Sustainably: Support local farmers to reduce transportation emissions and reduce consumption of meat and dairy. Composting: Start a compost pile to reduce food waste sent to landfills. Energy Efficiency: Switch to LED lighting, use energy-efficient appliances, and consider renewable energy sources for your home. Water Conservation: Install low-flow showerheads and toilets, and fix leaks. Plant Natives and Reduce Pesticides: Plant natives to support local pollinators and other wildlife that depend on native plants for survival. Reduce or eliminate pesticides that seep into our waterways and harm the beneficial insects that pollinate our food and drive the food web. Advocate Locally: Attend town meetings, join local environmental boards, and encourage local government to invest in green infrastructure. “Lights Out”: Switch to motion sensors, timers, and dimmers for outdoor lights, shield outdoor lights to direct light downward, and use warm-colored LED bulbs (3000K or lower) to reduce the harmful impacts of light pollution on migratory birds, natural ecosystems, and human health.

By M. E. Jones When Jenna Larrenaga started her job as principal of Shirley‘s Lura A. White Elementary School in July, she believed she’d found a perfect fit. Now, she’s sure of it. In a recent interview, she explained why. First, the size of the school—about 350 students in grades K-5—appealed to her, she said. And so did the community. “Everything was exactly what I wanted,” she said. “I inherited a great school. My hope and dream is to keep it going.” Resume A resident of Sudbury, Larrenaga has three children ages 23, 20, and 17. The eldest is a teacher, she said, while the others are students, one at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and the youngest in high school. A graduate of DC’s George Washington University, where she double-majored in French lit and psychology, Larrenaga earned a master‘s degree in elementary education at Boston College. She is licensed as a principal/assistant principal and in special education. Her career in elementary education spans more than two decades and includes teaching and administrative posts in several Massachusetts communities, including Acton, Ashland, Bedford, and Lawrence, where she also taught an after-school enrichment class in French. Larrenaga was assistant principal at C. T. Douglas Elementary School in Acton for ten years and later served as principal at Mindess Elementary School in Ashland before coming to Shirley. When asked to identify the most challenging part of being a principal, Larrenaga observed, “Parent involvement is always key. There’s a nice balance here. Parents are receptive, even when they call with concerns. It’s a relationship we are framing.“ Since starting at LAW, Larrenaga has been reaching out as well as settling in. She hosted fall open house and a parent afternoon. She also assisted with morning car drop-off for three months. “I want to do that again,” she said. Asked if she has any new programs planned for LAW, Larrenega said her aim isn’t to change things but to support students and enhance the learning environment. To that end, she meets with teachers every month to talk about core values, she said. Exciting things are going on at LAW, Larrenaga said, including a program called Drop Everything and Play. A take on a national initiative several years ago called Drop Everything and Read, the DEAP idea is to target a time during the school day when work stops schoolwide, and other activities are set aside for 45 minutes of play, key to healthy development. “Play is so important,” she said. Specifically, the focus is on board games. “It’s a lost art,” she said. It goes something like this: teacher of reading and special ed teachers have board games in their classrooms to use during the designated DEAP period. Uno, for example, providesa simple but engaging card game for all ages as do other games, too. “Whatever the teachers may bring in,” Larrenaga said, “we play.“ Students gather in groups to play the games, with two adults assigned to each group. Asked if play periods might be outside, too, she said it could be a scheduling challenge to include the whole school at once, but she didn’t rule it out. “Outdoor play is good for kids,” she said. Larrenaga also mentioned a special reading initiative called Poem in Your Pocket, rolled out for Read Across America Week. “It’s amazing,” she said as she shared photos showing children with knitted pockets to tuck a poem into and read on the go. In addition, LAW will welcome community readers to the school, she said, revisiting a longstanding tradition when teachers invite local notables and townsfolk to come in and read stories to kids in their classrooms. All things considered, everything is aimed at engaging the kids, she said. “It’s all you hope to do.”

The mission of Ayer-Shirley Regional School District: to create a positive athletic culture that encourages student athletes to develop character and leadership skills that allow them to be contributing members to the school and teams, as well as to their families and communities now and in the future. ASRSD Athletic Department Core Values Hungry Having a growth mindset, always believing there is room for improvement, and actually seeking feedback for growth. Healthy Making choices that have a positive impact on body, mind, spirit, and soul. Humble Never bragging or cocky. Understanding that leadership means helping others achieve their goals as well. Honorable Respecting ourselves, our teammates, our opponents, officials, the fans, and the game. ASRSD Expectations We expect our students to aspire to those values. We expect our staff to live those values. We expect our larger community to support these values. March Sports Schedule March 26  I  Home 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.  I  Junior Varsity Boys Volleyball vs. Shrewsbury 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.  I  Varsity Boys Volleyball vs. Shrewsbury March 27  I  Away  I  North High School  I  140 Harrington Way, Worcester 4 to 4:30 p.m.  I  Junior Varsity Boys Volleyball 5:15 to 6:15 p.m.  I  Varsity Boys Volleyball March 30  I  Away  I  Fitchburg High School  I  140 Arnhow Farm Road, Fitchburg 4:00 to 5:15 p.m.  I  Junior Varsity Boys Volleyball 5:15 to 6:45 p.m.  I  Varsity Boys Volleyball

Shirley Police Chief Samuel Santiago says that the saying holds true, and he appreciates all those people who phone, email, stop by the station, or write letters. Emergency calls to 911 go to the regional dispatch center, physically located at the Ayer Police Station. The dispatcher then contacts officers who are located closest to the situation. For a non-emergency concern, the number to call is 978-425-2642, which will be answered in Shirley from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.Monday through Friday. On March 4, Shirley officers initially responded to a report of a suspicious object in the water at Phoenix Pond. With that incident, Shirley Police called for help from Massachusetts State Police, MSP, and the District Attorney’s office. Upon further investigation, police discovered what appeared to be human remains. The Shirley Police Department, MSP, and Middlesex District Attorney’s Office conducted a joint investigation. They determined that the incident did not pose a threat to Shirley residents, and the investigation remains active and ongoing. Additional information will be released as confirmed and appropriate to share. Key situations where jurisdiction shifts to or is shared with Massachusetts State Police include: •Geographical Boundaries: Local police jurisdiction ends at the town or city line, while MSP has authority statewide. •State Property &Highways: MSP has primary jurisdiction on state-numbered highways, interstates, and state-owned property. •Serious Crimes/Homicides: Outside of Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Pittsfield, State Police Detective Units (assigned to District Attorneys’ offices)generally take lead on homicide investigations. •Request for Assistance: Local departments may request MSP assistance for resources they lack, such as forensics, specialized units (e.g., Gang Unit, Bomb Squad), or to manage critical incidents. •Fresh Pursuit: A police officer of a city or town who is empowered to make arrests with in a city or town may, on fresh and continued pursuit, exercise such authority in any other city ortown for any offense committedin his or her presence within hisor her jurisdiction for which he or she would have the right to arrest within his or her jurisdictionwithout a warrant. Said officer may return any person arrested to the jurisdiction wherein said offense was committed. According to Chief Santiago, Middlesex County Mutual-Aid and Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council Mutual-Aid Agreement also cover Shirley.

Shirley Cub Scout Pack 31 accepts boys and girls from kindergarten through fifth grade. The pack currently has a den for most grade levels. The pack meets as a whole once a month in tandem with Ayer Cub Scout Pack 32.  Pack meetings take place on the second Wednesday of every month, alternating between Page Hilltop and Lura A. White elementary schools. The March meeting will take place at L.A.W. Meetings start at 6:30 and last about an hour. A second meeting a month takes place by grade level at the leaders’ discretion. Shirley scouts participate in hiking, camping, science, service projects, drawing, and sports, and are always looking for more scouts to join!  This year’s much-anticipated Pinewood Derby will be held the weekend of March 14. For more information, contact shirleycubscouts@gmail.com  For older youth, the mission of Scouting America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.  The Scout Oath-“On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”  The Scout Law-“A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent”.  The Value of Scouting  Discovery is at the heart of Scouting. Whether it’s a campout, derby car race, or hike on the trail, Scouters believe every adventure helps each scout to uncover a little more about himself or herself. Scouts build foundations for humility and compassion—strengthening character through actions—to prepare youth for a lifetime of leadership.  Scouting America troops include participants from ages 11 to 18. A person as young as 10 years old can join a Scout troop, if the youth has finished fifth grade or earned the Arrow of Light in Cub Scouts.     Troop 2 is for Ayer and Shirley boys. Meetings take place Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Ayer Gun and Sportsman’s Club, 255 Snake Hill Road, Ayer from September through July. For more information, contact troop2ayer@gmail.com.  Troop 3 is for Ayer and Shirley boys but may eventually become a co-ed/family troop. Troop 3 meets either at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays during the school year at Ayer Fire Station or an outdoor campsite located on Ayer Department of Public Works property on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Contact troop3ayersm@gmail.com.  Troop 123 is a co-ed/family troop. Meetings are held at Shirley Rod and Gun Club, Kittredge Road, Shirley on Mondays from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. during the school year. Contact Troop123shirley@gmail.com  Shirley Local Issue #3 will present local Girl Scout information.