The Board of Health has been notified of a West Nile Virus (WNV) positive mosquito sample in Hanson. The test raised the town’s threat level to moderate, according to Health Agent Gil Amado.
Whitman’s Board of Health Administrative Assistant Dina Amado said that town, as well as neighboring Rockland have also raised their risk levels to moderate.
They join the communities of Halifax, Plympton, Kinston, Middleborough, Carver, Plymouth and Wareham on the moderate risk list for WNV. The rest of the state is low-to-remote risk of EE and only a few at low-risk only for WNV at the moment, according to the ma.gov website.
No mosquitoes have yet tested positive for WNV, Dina Amado said.
“Only a small number of mosquitoes are infected at any given time, so being bitten by a mosquito does not mean you will get sick,” the state Department of Public Health stresses. “However, the best way to avoid both of these illnesses is to prevent mosquito bites.”
West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) are viruses that occur in Massachusetts and can cause illness ranging from a mild fever to more serious disease like encephalitis or meningitis.
While the risk of human infections is low, certain steps should be taken to protect yourself.

• Be prepared: Repair screens, clean up to get rid of mosquito breeding sites, be aware of stagnant water on private property (e.g. unused swimming pools).
• Wear mosquito repellent between dusk and dawn;
• Wear long sleeves and long pants from dusk to dawn;
• Use mosquito netting on baby carriages and playpens.
  — Tracy F. Seelye

WHITMAN – As the town turns attention to the planning process for a proposed new South Shore Technical High School, the Whitman Building Committee’s last meeting on Tuesday, June 11, discussed current vacancies on their own committee.
The committee had authorized its submission of plan documents to the MSBA at it’s previous meeting, a special session held remotely via Zoom, on June 5. Hard copies are at the district office, according to Assistant Superintendent of Schools George Ferro.
Among those leaving the building committee is former W-H School Committee Vice Chair Christopher Scriven, who also submitted his resignation from the WMS Building Committee.
Scriven opted against re-election to the School Committee in the Saturday, June 18 annual Town Election.
“We also are required to have someone from facilities as part of the committee,” said Chair Fred Small, who also serves on the School Committee. “This was a little bit of an omission. … But, as we get moving, we do need a facilities person.”
Assistant Superintendent George Ferro had been assuming that role on a temporary basis.
“That would be Mr. Driscoll,” Small said.
New WHRSD Business Manger Steven Marshall, it turns out is also a Mass. Certified Procurement Official, (NCPPO), which Whitman is required to have on its WMS Building Committee project, so the panel voted to add Marshall and remove former Business Manager John Stanbrook, who had resigned during the spring, effective June 30, as the start of the new fiscal year began July 1.
The committee voted to remove Scriven from the member roster and added Driscoll.
“Mr. Marshall is starting already,” Small said. “I’d like to welcome him to not only the committee, but the district itself.”
Ferro also suggested the committee welcome Marshall as the new NCPPO, which Small said he thought had been done.
“I know you said he had been an NCPPO, maybe he can be NCPPO for this project,” Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak said.
Although Marshall has been attending meetings regularly of late, but Small requested that he be brought up to speed on “many meetings,’” of business.
Michael Carroll of Colliers, the firm serving as owner’s project manager, also made a report to the committee.
“When we’re talking about new members, we might just try to continue that trend,” Carroll said, noting that the Colliers’ contract had been extended in November or December, when they presented a work plan that had included a project manager. “We took a little time to find out who we thought is the right person for that job, and she’s sitting right here next to me,” he said, introducing Shirley Ng.
She said she has more than 10 years’ OPM experience, holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in architecture from Wentworth University. The committee unanimously voted to bring her on the team and then introduced themselves.
Techincally, the committee is not required to take a vote, Carroll explained.
“We’ve been doing it through this process,” he said. “We want to support the committee and the committee support Jeff and we thought it was proper to bring it to the committee.”
Carroll also provided a financial updates, but said there was new little to report.
“We’re pretty much just under budget here, we’re still on target,” he said.
Small suggested 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 23 as the date for the next meeting at which time there will be a cost estimate update.
Ferro suggested a virtual or combined virtual-in person meeting through Google’s platform, to accommodate any travel plans committee members might have.
The committee voted to hold that meeting virtually.
There were no schedule updates, other than to note the project is 60 percent through construction documents. Adjustments to the site plan were also discussed, including the location of the sports fields’ concession stand, and interior design concepts were reviewed.

HANOVER – The feasibility phase of the new South Shore Tech building project remains under budget, it was reported during a joint virtual meeting of the SST School Committee and Building Committee on Wednesday, June 26.
“The plans are coming along [with very few changes],” Kevin Sullivan of the LeftField project management team said.
The schematic design, given the green light by the Massachusetts School Building Authority on April 26 is still expected to be complete and submitted to the MSBA by mid-August with a final report due Aug. 29.
“While the School Committee, typically, does not hold meetings in August, and will not have its July meeting until July 24, it is possible that the building committee might schedule a one-off meeting that isn’t a joint meeting,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Thomas J. Hickey. “It’s quite possible that, to get to that August deadline, the building committee might have to have an extra meeting here or there.”
Engineers for all areas of the building project: mechanical, electrical, site, civil, have been working together in building the package of information that’s going to go through three independent process bidders simultaneously.
But they are working independently at first, so that good checks can be made, Sullivan said.
Both DRA, the architects, and LeftField, the building project managers, each receive one.
The late July meetings of the building committee are important for cost and budget reviews.
“It’ll take about three weeks to get a draft, and once we see those three numbers, we get together – in this case, it might literally be in the same room – for a process called reconciliation, so that estimators could quiz each other [on project materials needed],” Sullivan said. “They try to go through and make sure they are seeing the same thing in the same place.”
The building committee will then inform the management team whether they are comfortable with the numbers.
“We all have to live with the numbers going forward,” Sullivan said. “For whatever reasons, you make these comparisons to other projects or what the towns can afford, you want us to reduce the price by accepting some of the alternatives, we can consider that at this time, or … keep them in our back pocket and shoot for this budget … and we have some ability to tighten the budget down the road.”
At this point there have not been many changes to the plans.
George Cooney of Cohasset asked how big a priority is the use of materials made in the USA and asked if it is a union job.
“You could buy a light switch for 19 cents or you could buy a real one and it’s 89 cents,” he said.
“To the best of our ability we are to specify American-made products in that regard,” Sullivan said. “There was a time when lot of steel did come from outside the United States … but ore may come from the United States and get processed in Canada, so where does it really come from?”
While there is the provision to use American-made materials where possible, it’s not a restriction, Sullivan said.
“It’s not literally a union job, but all public works jobs in Massachusetts have to pay prevailing wages,” he continued. “Those prevailing wages are set by the state and they’re generally in accordance with union wages.”
Cooney asked if that restricts whether students can be on the job site.
“There are restrictions in general in regard to students, or the school, doing some of the work,” Sullivan replied. “We want students to be able to do things … but whether the students could literally work with Suffolk Construction, that’s generally not allowed.”
If a student were to get hired by the firm to work as a co-op during the summer, it might be possible, according to Sullivan, but during school they can’t provide free labor to the contractor, Suffolk Construction, as students, even if they are qualified. But he suggested some things could be left incomplete while obtaining a certification of occupancy, leaving those items for students to work on, having been left as instructional opportunities.
Hickey suggested that furnishing items such as storage blocks could be left for students to work on, or landscaping projects, as a learning experience.
“They’ll also see what the prevailing wage could do for you,” Cooney said.
Hickey did say that, even with the 99-space parking option with an exit onto Main Street, the project’s site costs will go beyond the amount reimbursable from MSBA.
But an educated decision on it can be made later in the process.
“If it’s not reimbursable, it’s a decision the district can to 10 years from now,” he said, indicating some non-crucial amenities like that could wait.
After the building committee meeting adjourned, the School Committee portion of the session heard the monthly treasurer’s report and the payment of bills and payroll.

Summer came in with a sizzle last week and, while the heat eased a bit by Monday, the humidity held on – and this is not going to be the last time this season we bake under the sun.
According to the National Weather Service and the American Red Cross, the number of people worldwide exposed to extreme heat is growing due to climate change, with heat-related deaths for people over 65 years of age increased by approximately 85 percent over the last 20+ years. And, it is expected that extreme heat and heat waves will happen more frequently due to the climate crisis.
Statistics from the National Weather Service also indicates that extreme heat and humidity is one of the leading weather-related killers in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. In the disastrous heat wave of 1980, more than 1,250 people died. In the heat wave of 1995, more than 700 deaths in the Chicago area were attributed to heat, making this the deadliest weather event in Chicago history. In August 2003, a record heat wave in Europe claimed an estimated 50,000 lives.
But thinking ahead and proper preparation can help prevent such heavy loss of life, and area communities are doing their part.
Hanson officials used the town website to post ways residents could cool off:
Cranberry Cove is open for swimming from 11am – 7pm daily; The Library and Senior Center will be open from 8a.m. To 8 p.m. On heat emergency days. During this past week, the two facilities were open during those hours on, Thursday and Friday, but were closed on Wednesday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth. Public housing facilities also keep their community centers open extended hours during heat waves for the use of residents.
The Library and Senior Center will begin social media posts with updates during heat emergencies and the Fire Department reminds Hanson residents their business line is 781-293-9571 if any residents have questions or concerns, please ask for the officer on duty.
If you have a heat related emergency, please call 911.
Whitman officials opened the Town Hall auditorium as a cooling center last Tuesday and Thursday and will also continue operating cooling centers throughout the summer if it is warranted by weather conditions.
“We always have plans for both cooling and warming centers,” Whitman Fire Chief Timothy Clancy said. “The cooling plan has two aspects – the first one is we use town buildings such as the Town Hall, Library, and Senior Center during normal business hours. In the event of off business hours, we plan on using the town hall auditorium and staff it with CERT team members. The cooling centers are always dependent on power outages and duration and severity of the heat wave.”
The state is also providing respite from the heat this summer.
“With several straight days of hot and humid weather expected this week, it’s essential that Massachusetts residents make a plan to stay safe – including keeping hydrated, limiting strenuous activity and checking in on one another,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “We encourage people to cool off at DCR’s waterfronts, beaches and splash decks, or check out the cooling centers in your town.”
According to Recreation Director Kathleen Woodward, the Town Pool’s regular hours for public swim are from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m., on weekends.
“If a heat wave arises the Recreation Department is happy to try and extend the evening pool hours if staff is available to cover the additional hours,” she said.
The governor’s office also reminded people of the basic heat precautions:

• Minimize time spent outdoors, especially during the hottest parts of the day 
• Stay hydrated by drinking lots of cool water every 15-20 minutes and avoiding alcoholic or caffeinated beverages. 
• Seek out air-conditioned buildings like libraries and community centers to spend time in; Call 2-1-1 to find locations of cooling centers or shelters near you. 
• Never leave children or pets in the car alone – the temperatures will rise to unhealthy levels within minutes. 
• Check in on neighbors who may need assistance making a plan, including the homebound, elderly, or disabled.   
• Dress for the heat by wearing a hat, light-colored, loose fitting, and breathable clothing.
  MEMA’s regional offices have made outreach to local emergency management officials to determine communities that will be opening cooling centers and identify health and personal safety concerns related to upcoming Juneteenth holiday celebrations and large events.
  “Extreme heat can pose health challenges, particularly for our more vulnerable populations such as older adults, children and those with chronic health conditions.” said Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Director Dawn Brantley. “We encourage everyone to plan ahead and take precautions, especially with many outdoor events taking place across the state this week.”
  Residents can cool off at the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) 81 waterfronts and spray decks. Certain DCR spray decks are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., during heat waves and lifeguards will be on duty seven days a week at 32 designated swimming areas across the state from approximately 10:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. For a list or DCR’s saltwater ocean beaches visit mass.gov/saltwater-ocean-beaches; for the freshwater inland beaches visit mass.gov/freshwater-inland-beaches and for a list of beaches that are accessible to people of all abilities visit mass.gov/info-details/accessible-beaches. Check DCR’s mass.gov/info-details/dcr-park-alerts for any closures of swimming areas due to bacteria and the most up-to-date park hours.
  In preparation for the summer season, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has completed a comprehensive inspection and servicing program for its entire fleet of vehicles, helping to ensure riders have a reliable experience during the hottest months of the year. This includes servicing the onboard heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to keep the temperature inside vehicles well-regulated. For any concerns, contact their customer support line at 617-222-3200. MBTA riders should consult mbta.com/guides/weather-guide#heat subscribe to T-Alerts and follow @MBTA and @MBTA_CR on social media for updates on weather-related service impacts and call the customer support line at 617-222-3200 with any concerns.
  The Red Cross is experiencing a shortfall in blood donations, collecting 20,000+ fewer blood donations in May than needed to support patients. This shortall and the extreme heat impacting most of the country this week leaves people battling sickle cell disease vulnerable to a pain crisis. According to health experts, high temperatures can exacerbate sickle cell disease symptoms increasing the frequency and severity of crises.
  The Red Cross also urges people to learn the signs of heat-related illness and what to do:
• Heat cramps are an early sign of trouble and include heavy sweating with muscle pains or spasms. To help, move the person to a cooler place and encourage them to drink water. Get medical help if symptoms last longer than an hour or if the person has heart problems.
• Heat exhaustion is a more severe condition signaled by cool, pale and clammy skin; a fast or weak pulse; nausea or vomiting; tiredness or weakness; or a headache, dizziness or passing out. To help, move the person to a cooler place, loosen tight clothing, encourage them to sip water slowly. Use wet cloths, misting or fanning to help cool them off. Get medical help right away if symptoms get worse or last longer than an hour, or if the person begins vomiting or acting confused.
• Heat stroke is a deadly condition that requires immediate medical help. Symptoms include a high body temperature; hot, red, dry or damp skin; a fast or strong pulse; a headache or dizziness; or nausea, confusion and passing out. Call 911 right away if you think someone may have heat stroke. Then move the person to a cool place, and use wet cloths, misting or fanning to help cool them off. Do not give the person anything to drink.

HANOVER – South Shore Tech School Committee, meeting with the Building Committee has hired a construction management firm, Suffolk Construction of Boston, and met some of the firm’s principals at its Wednesday, May 22 meeting.
Kevin Sullivan also joined the project management team from LeftField while Jen Carlson is out on maternity leave. Sullivan updated the two committees – which overlap in membership – on CMS work, the availability of feasibility funds and plan updates.
Suffolk Construction was selected from five firms interviewing on May 9 for the contract, which was recommended by the Building Subcommittee, May 10. based on scoring made based on the five firms’ proposals, the interview and price proposals: Consigli Construction, Gilbane, Turner and Lee Kennedy construction firms were also interviewed.
“There were some very talented firms showing interest in our school project and it was a very deliberate process,” said Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas J. Hickey who served on the subcommittee panel conducting the interviews as well as members Robert Mallo and Robert Mahoney, along with representatives from leftfield and architectural firm DRA. “I’m happy right at this point to move this process forward.”
The Building Committee voted in favor of the construction management contract award to Suffolk Construction on Wednesday, May 22, making it official with an 11-0 vote. The contract carries $50,000 for schematic design from feasibility study funds and $268,826 for pre-construction costs from general conditions fees.
Hickey said contract negotiations may include minor changes the committee will plan in deference to any changes deemed necessary the school district’s legal counsel to review the state’s contract template.
The School Committee later voted to finalize the Jan. 26 election date in member towns on the MSBA school project, before shifting back into the Building Committee session.
Sullivan then reviewed the funds paid out on the project so far and updated the committee on the budget as members approved of $67,540 for a contract amendment within the budget regarding work being done in the schematic design phase of the feasibility study, including a traffic analysis and geotechnical services regarding soil samples where the new school would go. He noted that 79 percent of the feasibility studies budget has been committed and 52 percent of those funds expended so far, expecting to stay within the feasibility budget and have $210,228 left over when the work in this phase is complete.
“We’re confident that we’ve stayed within budget and will continue to do so,” he said.
The MSBA schedule will require the schematic design report to be submitted there by Aug. 29 and a budget turned in by mid-August. MSBA will review the information at its October board meeting.
“This project will be complying with the new, very strict energy code, sort of going above and beyond, too,” Sullivan said of plans surrounding the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. “Not only will it produce an energy-efficient building with low operating costs going forward for the district, which is great, but also initially it will allow the district to receive 4 percent more in reimbursement from MSBA.”
To provide an illustration of how important that is, Sullivan used the example of a $20 million project, which would increase the MSBA reimbursement by $8 million. The project would also be in line for receiving significant utility company rebates as part of state and federal incentive programs.
“That’s not factored into the equation yet,” he said, noting that they are communicating with the state program and National Grid to ensure that the company will comply.
The all-electric powered building will mean it would produce little fossil fuel impact to the environment while being more efficient. Solar panels on the roof could be a part of that.
“We’re certainly making the entire building solar-ready,” he said.
Shop design will include lockers for all students, a work area where instructors can effectively supervise students while having space to do their work and – in high-ceiling shop bays, a mezzanine with dedicated HVAC equipment for ventilation. Vestibules between shop work areas and the hallways will help control noise.
Leaving the district administration offices in the renovated former house next door, where they have been working for about a year, will allow a smaller school building and using space more efficiently in the school will make it 2-percent smaller, which will also help with the budget bottom line, as well as re-use of recently purchased equipment, Sullivan said. The site plan is also being developed, but he said there have not been any significant changes there as yet.
Suffolk will set up on site in June 2026 in an area at the back of the property to keep impact on neighbors to a minimum as well as being adjacent to where the new building is actually constructed. They foresee being able to raze the current school building by May 2028. Athletic fields, to be situated where the school now stands will be ready by 2029.
In other business before the School Committee, members held the annual public hearing for participation in school choice. As has been traditional for SST, the committee unanimously voted not to participate in school choice for the 2024-25 school year because the district has an established process for admitting students from outside the school district.
Principal Sandra Baldner reported that, while the official report has not yet been released, the school has received a generally positive preliminary report following a recent two-day NEASC reaccreditation site visit, which had only a couple suggestions for improvement.
She also reviewed the goals of the 2024-25 school improvement plan. Those goals include: extension education; professional development; making sure short-term and long-term budget funding supports the population on campus, starting next year; as well as teaching learning and foundational element of professional practice as the School Council wants the school to focus on artificial intelligence – or AI.
“What does that mean for teachers and students – the good, the bad and the indifferent and how do we manage that and move forward as educators and learners,” Baldner said.
Cultural proficiency is another area on which the school will continue to focus, as the school has done for the past two years, but it will be more site-based than bringing in outside experts. Student mental health and the educational resources around mental health will also continue to be stressed as well as the mental health of educators.
The final details will be presented to the School Committee and posted on the school website this summer.
“We have a small School Council, but our stakeholders that we engaged in the process of identifying our needs was vast, through surveys and virtual opportunities to connect with us,” she said, thanking the council and stakeholders for their work.

Whitman-Hanon Regional High School’s organization, Active Minds, presented an update about their group to the School Committee during the Wednesday, May 8 meeting.
The group advocates for mental health among fellow students through their Read a Secret – Leave a Secret boxes at the school. Some of the messages – concerning everything from challenges of anxiety to coping with the loss of friends or family members – left were incorporated in a video presentation.
The students in the group said the messages show that mental health is a concern for everyone and that there is a real need for counselors at school, especially for students whose families might not otherwise be able to access or afford counseling.
“‘Out of the mouths of babes,’ is the expression, and what you just said, you don’t know how important that was, because we have people in the towns who think that we don’t need counselors [students] can go get their own,” Committee Chair Beth Stafford said. “They don’t understand that some people can’t just do that. They don’t have the insurance to cover [it], they don’t have the payments covered, plus you are in school all day.”
She said it was a message that was important to be said by someone other than the School Committee.
The students said they had the idea for the group after talking among themselves after the death of a friend. They made a presentation to the nonprofit group Kyle Cares for funding.
DiGravio applauded the group’s efforts to erase some of the stigma of seeking mental health services.
“The hardest part about getting help is asking for it,” he said. “Once you do ask for it, there’s this huge relief that comes over you, but taking that first step is so hard.”
Szymaniak stressed that Active Minds also runs a grief group.
“It’s really outstanding to have an organization where students feel free to share their thoughts with others who feel the same way, in a safe environment with professionals,” he said. “This will sustain and keep going.”