Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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Date of settlement: 1644 Date of incorporation: 1644 Area: 9.9 square miles Population: 24,7474 ZIP code: 01867 Median household income: $99,131 Public schools: A. M. Barrows Elementary School; Birch Meadow Elementary School; Joshua Eaton Elementary School; J.W. Killam Elementary School; Coolidge Middle School; Walter S. Parker Middle School; Wood End Elementary School; Reading Memorial High School Notable residents: Folk musician Mark Erelli; radio and television announcer Fred Foy; professional baseball player and scout Lennie Merullo; basketball legend Bill Russell; KISS 108 DJ Matt Siegel; "This Old House" star Tom Silva; Aerosmith guitarist Brad Whitford 32 nshoremag.com November 2014 Reading ne John F. Doherty, Ed.D., superintendent of Reading public schools and president of the Reading Rotary. And "we try to find a variety of dif- ferent types of activities in our schools to support students not only during the school day but after, too," he adds. Everything from the arts to academics to athletics thrives in Reading schools. The high school drama club is strong and active, with more than 200 members who stage several full-scale productions every year, as well as participate in an improv troupe, Shakespeare society, and playwriting seminars. There's a robotics club; engineering classes for middle and high schoolers; and an athletics program that has, in recent years, produced state champions in football, girls' basketball, and boys' hockey. Reading is also home MEDIAN 141 Grove St., 3 bd., 1.5 ba., 1,834 sq.ft., 0.58 acre Price: $489,900 Agent: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage HIGH END 31 Zachary Ln., 4 bd., 3.4 ba., 4,700 sq. ft., 0.75 acre Price: $959,900 Agent: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Real Estate The Details to the co-ed Catholic day school Austin Preparatory. Doherty believes Reading's suc- cessful schools are determined by "a combination of things. The dedication of our teachers and coaches [and] the support of the parents is huge. We have very engaged parents in our community, involved in a number of ways." That community involvement ex- tends beyond just the schools, though. Reading actually has a group called Read- ing Newcomers and Neighbors, which exists as a kind of welcoming committee for people who are new to town or who want to meet their fellow townspeople. "We are a social organization, and we just exist to help members meet other Reading families and do fun social events," says the group's president, Susan Audley. They organize activities and events like ladies' paint and sip nights, book clubs, and murder mystery dinners for couples. They also pub- lish a helpful guide to Reading, which includes information like how to get a resident parking permit that allows for town perks like free train station parking and access to the town compost center, as well as a month-by-month list of town events and activities. Among Reading's tastiest annual events is Taste of Metro North, which the Reading and North Reading Rotary Clubs produce together. The event, held every year at the end of February, brings dozens of local restaurants to the field house at the town's Birch Meadow Ath- letic Complex, where people can sample dishes from local establishments such as Joe Fish, Sam's Bistro, Reading Butcher, Portland Pie Company, Pamplemousse, and Grumpy's Ale House. It's just one of the many community events and activities that make Reading a great place to live, even if it didn't have an IMAX theater or a new ropes course. "I just think it's a great community to bring your children up in," says Doherty, "not just from a school perspective but from a community perspective."