The Whitman-Hanson School Committee will be discussing issues of inclusion — from a proposed single-color graduation robe to a request to change start times as a way of fostering the physical and mental health of students.

The issues were brought up Wednesday, June 8 during the committee’s public comment period, when the public is invited to address topics not on the agenda.

Whitman resident, Annie Gray of Whiting Avenue raised the issue of start times.

“It’s incredibly important, so I fully support that,” she said, but her main reason for commenting was to determine what would need to happen to push back the start of the high school day.

Classes currently start at 7:05 a.m., “which is incredibly early,” she said.

“I’m here, primarily, as a professional,” said Gray, who operates a private psycho-therapy practice in Whitman, specializing in treating adolescents. “I’m treating your students. … Additionally, I’m a parent in town with three kids who go to the public schools here. … It’s been very difficult to observe the schedule that these students are put under.”

Her daughter is a freshman at the high school and is a member of a sports team. Gray said that, whether teens are just focused on being a student, take part in sports, other extra curricular activities or work — either because they want to or their family needs them to — it takes a toll.

“We are asking these students to do something that is physically unhealthy, that is mentally unhealthy,” she said. “Most of your students are waking up in the 5 a.m. hour.”

As a therapist, Gray said the data proves over and over that sleep is very important for many medical problems as well as three mental health areas: anxiety, depression and ADHD.

“They’re all greatly impacted by sleep deprivation,” she said, advocating that the start time be included in upcoming workshops related to the school district’s strategic plan.

“I’m sure we’ll be having both those topics on the agenda for future meetings,” Scriven said. Public comment is intended to permit residents to address issues not included in the agenda for the meeting. Because Chairman Christopher Howard attended the meeting remotely, Scriven conducted the meeting.

“Start times have been an issue since we were in first grade,” said Roberts, who is a junior at W-H. “We’ve been writing small essays about waking up early.”

He said he feels very strongly about the issue as a student who doesn’t get as much sleep as he should because of work schedules and studying — and he feels he manages his time fairly well.

“It really drains you after a while, especially if you have sports in the afternoon as well,” he said, noting if student voices were heard, it would be a hopeful sign for them.

Whitman Select Board member Justin Evans raised the issue of gender-neutral colors for W-H graduation robes. Traditionally, the school colors of red and black are divided by gender — girls wear red and boys wear black — creating another awkward situation for non-binary, gender non-conforming and trans students, especially those with less understanding families.

Gray, who is also a social worker, echoed Evans’ request.

 “I noticed a practice at last year’s graduation that is kind of at odds with this committee’s commitment to equity and inclusion,” Evans said, noting he was unable to attend this year, as his wife had recently given birth to their first child. “W-H is one of the only districts that still genders their graduation robes. … It’s a practice that most South Shore communities have gone away from.”

Evans had congratulated the district on another successful graduation in prefacing his comments. He said his wife’s high school had recently switched to a single color robe with representations of both school colors on it.

“It seems a lot of districts are going that way,” he said, asking the district to “do right by our students” during Pride month with a whole year before the next graduation.

Student Advisory Committee member Noah Roberts said a lot of students agree with Evans and have expressed the same thought.

“This year, I think there was some flexibility within the graduation robes,” Roberts said. “I know that there were some girls who decided to wear black because it made them feel more comfortable. … But I don’t know how open that is.” 

WHITMAN — Environmental Partners Project Manager Natalie Pommersheim discussed Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit status of the town’s storm water management plan, during the board’s Tuesday, May 24 meeting.

Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski noted that Select Board member Justin Evans had looked forward to the presentation, but could not attend the meeting since Evans’ wife had just had a baby.

“He had asked for it,” Kowalski said. “I said, ‘Gee, Justin, sorry you’re going to miss the meeting tonight, but you’ll be able catch it on WHCA at your convenience.”

Pommersheim said the consulting firm has been working with the Department of Public Works for several years on the town’s storm water MS4 permit and the DPW had wanted them to come provide the Select Board with an overview of the town’s requirements. Senior Scientist with EP, Vern Lincoln, also participated in the presentation.

They reviewed what the town has accomplished to date, what is being viewed as current permit tasks 4 and 5, as well as what future compliance and estimated costs.

The state’s Clean Water Act of the 1970s focused on pollution controls of wastewater discharges, with Phase 1 focusing on major cities of Boston, Worcester and Springfield in the 1990s and Phase 2 permit releases beginning in 2003 covering smaller municipalities. Final permits were co-issued by the EPA and DEP in 2016, going into effect in July 2018.

MS4 systems include all storm water infrastructure owned by the town of Whitman — catch basins, pipes, manholes, swales, ditches, outfalls and more.

The permit is divided into six minimum control measures (MCMs) and additional water control requirements that go along with it, which Lincoln reviewed. Education and outreach as well as public involvement and participation must be made available to the public in the first two measures. The third includes discharge — any discharge, spill or dumping not entirely composed of storm water — detection and elimination.

Annual training and reporting is required.

Construction site storm water runoff control regulated active sites, regulating runoff and sediment control procedures under Phase 4 and post-construction sites under Phase 5. Finally Phase 6 involves pollution control and “good housekeeping.”

“All the day-to-day public works activities come into play,” Lincoln said. “It requires the development of an operations and maintenance program, which includes yearly inspections and ongoing maintenance of the town’s storm water BMPs.” 

Water quality limited waters emphasizes the impaired waters and watersheds the town contributes to including such impairments such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

To-date Whitman has completed all steps up to a bylaw and regulation review ahead of phases 5 and 6. The fourth-year proposed scope and budget has been pared back to $34,000, covering only things due in Phase 4 such as administrative reports, with another $72,000 expected to be the cost for Phase 5, but that, too was pared back to $34,000, again to cover only specific requirements.

“We do recommend that the town, in the future, find additional funds so that you can not only complete the things that are due this year, but to make progress to meet some year 10 goals,” Pommersheim said. “Storm water is kind of the lost and forgotten utility, but it is important.”

She said a lot of towns are hiring storm water managers or forming storm water committees, because DPWs alone can’t handle all the program components. Some communities are contemplating storm water fees or utilities to generate a consistent revenue source to fund consultant and permitting compliance and infrastructure improvements.

HANSON — A man was struck and killed in Hanson by an MBTA commuter rail train, according to Hanson Police, whose officers were called to the scene to assist MBTA Transit police. 

According to published reports, Transit Police Superintendent Richard Sullivan said the man, who was not identified, was trespassing “directly in the right of way” when the train hit him. While the incident is under investigation, Sullivan indicated that foul play was not suspected.

The Boston Globe reported the victim was a 31-year-old man.

Hanson Chief Michael Miksch, said the Transit police called Hanson to assist them with securing the scene.

“It was not a scheduled train,” Miksch said Monday. “Empty trains are not uncommon at night to deliver cars to Kingston and … during the winter snow trains plow the tracks at night.”

The MBTA had halted commuter rail trains along the Kingston Line at Hanson, transferring passengers between Hanson, Halifax and Kingston while the tracks were closed for the police investigation. Regular service had resumed by 10 a.m., Sunday.

An Abington High School senior, Katelyn McCarthy was killed by a commuter rail train on the Kingston Line the week before when she was walking along the right of way in the area of Birch Street, according to published reports about the investigation of that incident.

Counselors were made available to students at the school Monday.

HANSON – Chief Michael Miksch updated a reported hit-and-run incident that occurred last week involving a bicyclist.

On Thursday, May 12 at approximately 5:50 p.m. Hanson Police responded to a reported hit-and-run involving a bicyclist. The male cyclist had suffered serious injuries and was taken by medical helicopter to a Burlington trauma center. 

He remained in the hospital as of, Saturday, May 14. Hanson Police were provided with limited footage at the time of the incident that showed a small white crossover SUV striking a mailbox and child’s playset on the side of the road. With the assistance of the local media and citizens the vehicle was located. The operator of the vehicle, having seen their car on the local news, came to the Hanson Police Station early Friday morning.

The operator was cooperative with police. After interviewing the operator and examining the vehicle, it was determined that the vehicle was not involved with the crash of the bicyclist. The vehicle had damage that was consistent with striking the mailbox, but no other damage.

Further investigation allowed police to obtain more video evidence from other sources, which showed the mailbox hit-and-run occurred between 10 and 13 minutes prior to the cyclist being injured. 

The cyclist was seen on video passing the mailbox area on video after the white SUV had left the scene and a neighbor had removed the debris from the roadway.

Additional dashcam footage from a private citizen also shows the cyclist passing the area approximately 10 minutes after the SUV had struck the mailbox. 

The bicycle is an electric bicycle, capable of speeds up to 30 mph. The bicycle appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed prior to the crash. At this time, it appears the cyclist may have lost control and crashed.

“Law enforcement’s job is to seek the truth in all instances. In this case it is an important reminder that it is just as important to clear the innocent as it is to charge the guilty,” Chief Miksch said. “We thank everyone who came forward and offered assistance as we investigated the details of this incident, as well as the Massachusetts State Police Troopers from the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit and Troopers assigned to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz’s Office for their assistance during the investigation.”

The operator of the SUV will be summoned to Plymouth District Court at a later date for leaving the scene of an accident causing property damage. Their name is not being released at this time. The incident remains under investigation by the Hanson Police Department.

Miksch also said Hanson Police areinvestigating a report that a suspicious man approached children Saturday and asked them to get inside his vehicle.

At approximately 9:50 a.m. Saturday, Hanson Police units were dispatched to the area of 500 Whitman St., where a caller reported that his son and friend (under the age of 12) were approached by a white man with a short buzz-cut haircut and glasses believed to be between the age of 35-40 years old.

The man allegedly asked the children if they wanted any toys. The children stated no, and then the man told one of the kids to “just get in” to his van. Both children fled the area and returned to their residences to inform a parent.

Hanson units checked the area and found video feed from a neighboring resident. The video feed shows a white work van, possibly a Ford E-Series E-250 cargo van with roof racks and running boards. The children involved stated the van had rust and writing on the back, but were unable to recall what the writing was. The van made two passes by the children and on the second pass the man interacted with them.

The video feed shows that the van remained in the area for a minute or two before interacting with the children and then left the area heading towards East Washington Street.

Hanson units checked the area and a BOLO was sent out.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to call the Hanson Police at 781-293-4625.

WHITMAN – The backyard chickens – or, more specifically, the roosters – came home to roost at Whitman Town Meeting, Monday, May 2 when voters defeated a citizen’s petition that would have sent the cockrels packing in the interest of peace and quiet.

The last article of the night – Article 50 – proposed that “there shall be no raising or ownership of roosters in the town of Whitman,” complaining that the birds’ “loudly crowing throughout the day, from early morning to evening,” creates a disturbance of the peace. It proposed that the town would be responsible for removal of the birds.

“I’m proposing this bylaw because I live next to a rooster – a couple of them – and this has been [going on] for the last six months,” petitioner George Mager said. “If you try to get rid of the rooster, which is a very obnoxious noise that’s planted right next to your property, there’s no way to escape from it.”

He said the birds start in at 4 a.m., and the town has no way of stopping it. Wild birds also sing loudly at about the same hour.

But the rooster’s crowing was found to be more objectionable and he approached town officials to ask if they could or would do anything to control what poultry would be permissible in town.

The lack of a bylaw was cited as the reason the town couldn’t rectify the rooster ruckus.

Another resident, who lives down the street from a rooster owner, said she never hears the crowing, suggesting the town-wide ban proposal was seeking a remedy for the problem with one particular bird.

“What if we did the same thing with dogs or cats?” she asked. “Is there another solution?”

Chuck Slavin of Commercial Street, asked what the follow-up would be, for example, would the bird(s) be dealt with humanely.

“Unfortunately, this will fall on my department,” said Health Board Chair Danielle Clancy. “We will do whatever you vote, that is our task. … I will tell you people have roosters as pets and people also have roosters to protect their chickens.”

Roosters’ crowing alerts owners to the presence of snakes, coyotes and other predators.

Clancy said her problem with the proposed bylaw came down to how it was written. Residents are already required to obtain a permit from the Board of Health to keep poultry, which does annual inspections of backyard coops. If health officials hear about non-permitted coops, she said it is dealt with.

“If you don’t have a permit, you better be calling us in the next week or so, because your neighbors will be calling us,” she said.

She said she also has a problem with putting the responsibility of rogue rooster wrangling on the Board of Health, proposing instead that the onus should be on the owner to place problem poultry in a shelter.

“We are not equipped for that and the Board of Health doesn’t have the budget for that,” Clancy said.

Animal Control Officer Laura Howe said she is Mager’s School Street neighbor and charged he has wanted her dogs removed for 28 years.

“My lawyer has spent 28 years giving Mr. Mager nice messages because I believe in Jesus, and I happen to believe in my town,” she said adding that she wished she could have brought the rooster to Town Meeting. “But there happens to be bird flu going around, and it would be against the law,” she said.

The state has also prohibited animal control officers from removing any birds until after July, when they make another decision, Howe said, adding that like the Board of Health, she does not have the facilities nor the budget to be responsible for rooster removal or to euthanize them, if necessary.

Plymouth County Agricultural Extension Agent Meg Riley of Belmont Street also urged a no vote on the article. She said there were no parameters written into the proposed bylaw and also referred to the “pretty epic outbreak of the avian influenza” which prevents moving the birds and has resulted in high prices for chicken meat and eggs.

To avoid having to kill birds at this time, they cannot be moved.

“If there was still a push for this, and I definitely understand the point of the gentleman – some people have really loud roosters, they can be really annoying – but … even in our suburban community, it would be in our best interests to establish an agricultural commission that could work through some of these issues on a case by case basis,” Riley said.

Howe indicated the bird in question was something of a trans chicken, which, it turns out is possible.

“I did not go out and try to get a rooster,” she said. “He showed up as a girl, and turned into a boy very late after my 12-year-old daughter fell in love with him.”

She dared anyone to remove the bird from her property.

“My animal, rooster or not, comes in at 6 a.m. every night and goes out at 7:30-8:00 every morning, because he goes for coffee and to the barn with me.”

According to Live Science, “certain medical conditions—such as an ovarian cyst, tumor or diseased adrenal gland—can cause a chicken’s left ovary to regress. In the absence of a functional left ovary, the dormant right sex organ may begin to grow, according to Mike Hulet, an associate professor at Penn State University’s department of poultry science.

“If the activated right gonad is an ovotestis or testes, it will begin secreting androgens,” Hulet told Life’s Little Mysteries. Androgens are the class of hormones that are largely responsible for male characteristics and are normally secreted by the testes. “The production of androgen would cause the hen to undergo behavioral changes and make it act more like a rooster.”

Then there was the noise accusation.

Howe said rooster crows reach 90 decibels, while dog barks can reach 100 and lawnmowers reach 108 decibels.

“I have roosters in my neighborhood,” Select Board member Dan Salvucci said. “They don’t bother me.”

He said the bylaw only opens the possibility that neighbors could report each other for mowing the lawn after 7:30 p.m., or that dogs could be singled out for barking.

“Let’s not have neighbor against neighbor,” he said. “Let’s just work it out.”

School was back from break and it was a packed week of athletics at Whitman-Hanson Regional High. 

Baseball (3-5) opened the week with a 3-1 victory over Hingham in 10 innings on Monday, April 25. Ethan Smith knocked in the winning runs in the extra frame. Cam Beltramini picked off two runners at first base and threw out another trying to steal from his catching spot in the win. … On Wednesday, W-H fell to Hanover, 3-1. Aidan Barry, Connor Sottak and Braden Kain combined on the mound to hold Hanover to one earned run. … On Friday, Pat Cronin’s club fell to Silver Lake, 3-1, in eight innings. Evan Yakavonis tossed seven innings and gave up just one unearned run for W-H. 

Softball (1-7) fell to Hingham, 11-4, on Monday, April 25. Annie Cook and Lauryn Meade both went 3 for 4 at the dish in the loss. … On Wednesday, the Panthers dropped a 15-3 decision to Hanover. Cook, Meade and Olivia Turocy all had multiple hits in the defeat. … On Friday, the Panthers were beat by Silver Lake, 10-1. 

Boys’ lacrosse (2-7) lost to Scituate, 13-3, on Thursday, April 28. Bobby Hunter, Connor McCarthy and Owen Wolford had W-H’s three goals. 

Girls’ lacrosse (1–5), despite four goals from Ella Nagel, dropped a 9-6 decision to Quincy on Tuesday, April 26. … On Friday, W-H fell to Dartmouth, 16-4. Maddy Allen had two goals in the loss. 

Boys’ tennis (4-4) opened the week with a 5-0 setback against Hingham on Monday, April 25. It’d rebound. … On Wednesday, the Josh Lopes’ team topped Hanover, 3-2. Winning for the Panthers were the first doubles duo of Tristan Baker and Zachary Lindsay (6-1, 7-5), Mateo Santalucia (6-4, 6-4) in No. 3 singles and the second doubles team of Daniel McDevitt and Brady Wright (4-6, 6-2, 6-2) to snap a 2-2 tie and give W-H the victory. … On Friday, the Panthers rolled past Silver Lake, 4-1. Santalucia (6-0, 6-0), McDevitt and Wright (6-4, 6-4) and then Lindsay and Baker (6-4, 6-6, 7-5 tiebreaker) all won again, while second singles player Will Mulligan (5-7, 6-1, 6-4) also came out on top. 

Girls’ tennis (0-7) fell to Hingham, 5-0, on Monday, April 25. … On Wednesday, 

W-H lost a 4-1 match against Hanover. Its lone point came from No. 3 singles player Alyson Tobias (7-5, 6-4). … On Friday, the Panthers fell again, 4-1, but this time to Silver Lake.