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You are here: Home / Archives for More News Right

A visit with … Duval Principal Darlene Foley

August 9, 2018 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

WHITMAN — With barely a month left in summer vacation, one might expect an elementary school to be a relatively quiet place — and in an average year, that wouldn’t be a far-fetched assumption. There would be classroom furniture stacked in the halls as the hum of buffing machines and the smell of floor wax tell of preparations for the start of a new school year ahead. Teachers would stop in to work on bulletin boards and lesson plans.

This, however, is not an average summer for the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District. In addition to the usual summer cleaning and building maintenance there are: new preschool classrooms, a playground and drop-off driveway being built at WHRHS, and classroom and bathroom work have been ongoing in preparation for moving grades and programs to Hanson Middle and Indian Head schools and Whitman’s Duval Elementary as Maquan Elementary has closed.

At Duval, meanwhile, new Principal Darlene Foley is one of the several administrative changes in the district this year, while her school building will feel also a bit different the minute one enters the door.

“A lot of work happens over the summer to prepare for a new year,” she said on Thursday, Aug. 2.

As she greeted this writer at the school entrance, Foley said the entrance will be locked, requiring visitors to be buzzed in to report directly to a vestibule with a service window for the office as the district works to improve school security.

“They’ll either stay here or, if they need to get into the building, they’ll go further [after checking in with the office],” she said of the work, which was still underway.

“It’s going fast,” she said of the summer during which she has already held meet-and greets with parents and students. “I’m truly happy to be here. I feel very supported, I feel a part of the school already. I’m very much looking forward to Aug. 29. Our open house is from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 28.”

Born in Quincy, where her grandparents lived, Foley grew up in Nashua, N.H., where she graduated from high school in 1984 and then attended Fitchburg State, where she earned a degree in communications media.

Her first job out of college was in video production in Boston.

“But in college I realized I really wanted to teach, so eventually I went back to school and got my masters and teaching degree at Drexel University in Philadelphia,” she said.

She then worked teaching third and fifth grade — both in a self-contained classroom and as a co-educator with a special education teacher — in New Jersey for a few years before she stopped working for a time after she and her husband welcomed their twins, Madison and Matthew (now entering their senior year in high school), and the family moved back to Massachusetts in 2004. They now live in Scituate, where Foley went to work as a teacher in fifth-grade and kindergarten classrooms.

“I really wanted that experience,” she said of teaching kindergarten, a grade in which she had been a long-term substitute in New Jersey. “I loved it. It’s a lot of work — very different than teaching fifth grade. It’s exhausting,” she said with a laugh. “The reason you go into teaching, you can really see it with kindergarteners.”

She also worked as a technology integration specialist in Scituate, covering four buildings in her involvement in district initiatives, and as a curriculum coordinator before coming to Duval. She holds a PhD in educational leadership from Lesley University.

Q: What spurred your interest in a career in education?

A: “One of my video communications professors [at Fitchburg State] had breast cancer and needed help running workshops for students while she was undergoing treatments. I ran those workshops for her and I realized then that I really enjoyed that work — working with others, even with peers, and helping them learn things and explore things. That’s kind of what started me down that road and I always thought I would be teaching adults … but as I was working in the video production industry, I realized I really wanted to try something else.

“I visited my cousin’s third-grade classroom, and spent a few days with her and realized this is what I wanted to do.”

Q: What was it about the elementary experience that hooked you?

A: “I just love working with the kids — their energy and introducing concepts to them. If kids are struggling with a concept, to help them understand, I love that.”

Q: What brought you to W-H?

A: “I reached out to people that I knew, who worked here or live here, and from what they said about the community, I knew that it was a place [where] I would feel very welcome and we could work together.”

Q: There are a lot of changes in the schools for the coming year.

A: “There is a lot of change going on here, but I have to say that the vibe is so positive, across the district. That was one of the things — even in my interviews — I sensed that among the team with the new leadership. Everybody’s really excited and I think that a lot of the principals who, like me, are new to the position [have] spent a lot of time together — we went to a conference last week as a leadership team — so we’ve gotten to know each other and it’s a very collaborative feel. … I feel like it’s under control, even though it’s a lot of change. It’s covered.

“We’re very excited [about the programs that are coming into the school]. I’ve been in contact with the special ed teachers and we met a couple of weeks ago just to talk about the transition, to make sure we have all of our bases covered and plan for a welcoming, inviting first week of school.

“We’ve nailed down a theme that embraces all of our students —You’re Incredible — and we will have an all-school meeting at the beginning of the year to kick that off. The teachers will have time in the first couple of days of school to get together and figure out ways it can connect all the kids and have a positive experience. It is still under development.

“We’re going to capitalize on ‘The Incredibles 2’ movie that everyone seems to have seen and loves, and drawing on that, everybody kind of has their own superpower, you could be that you’re great at reading, you’re super kind or great at math or an incredible artist. Whatever [a child’s ‘superpower’ is] we’re going to celebrate you and also make other kids aware of what you’re superpower is.”

Q: One often hears there are not enough male teachers in the elementary grades. Are you hoping to bring more of them to the school?

A: “Yes. There’s not a lot of applicants, actually. We’re looking at résumés now and there’s not a large pool [of male applicants]. The majority of the pool of applicants are women. I don’t know if it’s a pay thing or what. I’m not sure. It’s not only a gender thing. We have a diverse community here. Having people work here who resemble those diverse communities is also important.”

Q: How important is it to have an active Parent Advisory Council (PAC) supporting the school?

A: “A school-community-family partnership is all very important to the success of the school. It has to be two ways, where we’re reaching out to families, but families and community members are also reaching in and that we’re working together to solve issues. The Chromebooks are here because of the relationships — because there’s that sense of community and problem-solving that exists, so I will continue where Julie [former Principal Julie McKillop] left off. That was all the previous principal’s legacy.”

Q: Your tech background should help with that.

A: “Yes, but it’s awesome that every teacher here [already] has a Promethian board, that we have so many Chromebooks in the building. It’s impressive that that’s where I’m coming in and we can take it to the next level.”

Q: What is your favorite part of the school day?

A: “I love going into classrooms and seeing what’s going on. If a teacher is working with a small group and there’s kids working independently, I’ll check in on those kids and see if I can help them in any way — I love that.”

Q: How are you meeting the community over the summer?

A: “We’ve had four different meet-and-greets. Two were in July and we just had two sessions [Wednesday, Aug. 1]. Different families have come in and it was really nice to meet people one-on-one before 500 kids enter the building Aug. 29.

“Yesterday a little girl named Lauren [came in] and her mother said the student was nervous but she picked out a nice dress to wear and I thought that was incredibly sweet. I was very grateful that parents took time out of their busy schedules to come in and say hello to me.”

Q: How will you go about putting your stamp on the school?

A: “It’s hard to say what will happen. I’m a friendly person and I hope people will know me to be visible and greeting kids and out there. That’s certainly something I will aspire to on the first day of school and throughout the year, but beyond that, I’m very much a person of ‘What are the needs of the building, what’s going on here and where do we need to go?’ Everything remains to be seen.

“The same with the programs that are coming in. I would like to develop a vision for those programs with the special ed director and the team of teachers and community members: ‘Where do we want to see those programs go in the future and are there opportunities to develop them further?’”

Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing elementary school principals?

A: “Discipline is a small percentage of issues here, I think — we’re an elementary school — my bigger issue is getting kids in and out of the building safely every day, making sure the transitions are safe for kids throughout the day. Keeping kids safe is the ultimate priority, so the focus of my work right now is jus tthat.”

Q: What is the most important thing families should do over the summer to make sure students are prepared for the first day of school?

A: “If kids could just always have a book by their side for reading — whatever book or magazine, whatever it is — that they just keep plugging away at that. Maybe working in a math fact. And just getting kids out to play and be sociable with their friends and family.”

Filed Under: More News Right, News

Colclough stars for the Stripes

August 2, 2018 By Thomas Joyce

Hanson Middle Schooler earns Team USA Football opportunity

It’s not everyday that a local athlete has an opportunity to represent the town of Hanson at the national level, but this was the case for incoming eighth grader Maddox Colclough last month.

The Hanson Middle School student was selected to play for the USA National football team, Middle School Division. From there, he traveled to Canton, Ohio — home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame–to practice from July 2 to 7. He then took part in the bout between the U-14 Stars vs. U-14 Stripes as a member of the Stripes.

“It was pretty fun, but nerve wracking,” Colclough, who plays center, said of the experience. “I didn’t really know what it was going to be like.”

Players arrived early to check out the field and see what everything was like.

“I got comfortable with the team and there was a lot of kids who were a lot bigger than me there, so it was tough at practice and all that,” he said.

Not only did he earn the opportunity to play against some of the best talent the country has to offer for his age group, but he also had the opportunity to represent his state and hometown in the process.

“It was a really good experience,” Colclough said. “You get to see what the talent was like around the country, who the best were and where they’re from.”

One challenge the game offered Colclough was the size difference between kids from around the country. While playing for the Hanson Warriors of the Old Colony Youth Football League, Colclough must adhere to a strict weight limit where no player can start the season weighing over 165 pounds. However, Team USA football does not have a weight limit and there was a lineman from Kansas City, Mo., who participated and weighed 320 pounds, Colclough said.

Since the Pro Football Hall of Fame is in Canton as well, it goes without saying that Colclough checked it out.

“That was so much fun,” he said. “Me and my dad (Christopher) went and that was really fun and a cool experience.” Being on the field too was pretty fun. We also went into the downtown area and were able to do a lot there.”

Now, Colclough will turn his attention to the Hanson Warrior Division 4 Midgets team which will start practicing later this month. Their first game is on Sunday, Sep. 9 against Pembroke at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School (1p.m. start time).

Filed Under: More News Right, News, Sports

A visit with W-H Principal Dr. Christopher Jones

July 19, 2018 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

When school begins on Wednesday, Aug. 29, there will be some new faces in the principals’ offices of W-H schools.

With the retirement of former Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner at the end of June, the selection of then-WHRHS Principal Jeffrey Szymaniak to succeed her, the hiring of then-Whitman Middle School Principal George Ferro to fill the vacant Assistant Superintendent position and the departure of two elementary school principals for new jobs, that means three new principals, and new assistant principals at WMS and Hanson’s Indian Head School.

Former Assistant Principal Michael Grable was appointed principal of the school in June. At South Shore Vocational Technical High, former Assistant Principal Mark Aubrey has been promoted to principal following the June retirement of Margaret Dutch.

The Whitman-Hanson Express is beginning a series of interviews this week with new school administrators, starting off with WHRHS Principal Dr. Christopher Jones.

He was born in Oregon and “grew older” in Meriden, Conn., where he graduated high school.

He first attended the University of New Haven on a football scholarship, before transferring to Bridgewater State College. He later earned his master’s degree from Salem State and his doctorate from Northeastern in history and education.

Jones took a different route to teaching. A former coppersmith and self-described history buff, Jones’ passion for U.S. history often found him camping at the Gettysburg National Military Park and guiding family members on a day-by-day retracing of the three-day battle. One of those talks, about the first day of battle — in which Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana soldiers of the Iron Brigade, known as the Black Hats for their unique headgear, helped halt a Union retreat — found a family member staring past him to a tour group that had stopped to listen as Jones spoke.

“You know, you should really teach because of your passion for it,” his relative said. After he thought about it, his career path changed.

He has taught at an alternative high school in Bridgewater, and a charter school in New Bedford, where he opened it’s high school division, then worked with the special education department and assistant principal at Groton-Dunstable Regional High School, before most recently serving as principal at Seekonk High School. Jones, 47, and his wife Mary — who teaches seventh-grade English at West Bridgewater — have two sons; Thomas, 11, who is a wrestler and Scott, 9, a soccer player.

Jones is an “out-of-office” principal who schedules time to get out into the school classrooms for short stop-ins to see what students are doing. While he does give teachers feedback after such visits, he said he is not always there just to evaluate a teacher.

When the Express sat down with him in his new office at WHRHS, Jones was awaiting a new gray-blue paint job in his office to change up the “rather aggressive” yellow on the walls before putting his personal stamp on the décor.                                                                   

Q: What drew you to a career in education?

A: “I chose a career in education because I wanted to make education a better experience for everybody involved — that’s teachers, students, parents — I went to high school and I remember thinking to myself that there’s got to be a better way. I didn’t feel challenged in high school. I didn’t feel incredibly engaged. … That forms a lot of my core beliefs about what education should be. … You can try to motivate students, you can try to motivate staff, but when it comes down to it, it’s got to be intrinsic — they’ve got to find something inside themselves that motivates themselves to buy in and be engaged.

“You can do engaging activities, but what happens when the activity is over? You have to create a culture and environment where people want to be. Educational jargon now is “student-centered” … yes, the end result is to have students benefit the most they possibly can, but your research shows that the biggest impact on student engagement, student motivation and student success is your classroom teacher.

“I’m more teacher-focused. I want to create a good culture and a good environment and climate for students and teachers, but I want my teachers to want to come to school. … I do that by creating a lighter atmosphere at school, having that relationship where … they [feel] they can come talk with me about issues they have, if they are struggling with something and they need to improve or they need support in another area, I go about supporting them in any area they need. We talk about life. While I expect teachers to come in and teach the best they can and to the best of their abilities, I understand that sometimes life gets in the way. … Much like I ask teachers to build relationships with students. Research shows students learn best when they have a relationship with the person that’s teaching them. Really, that’s true for all of us. … That’s why coaches are so successful. By the nature of what they’re doing they build a relationship with students.”

For the full interview, please refer to the printed or digital copy of this weeks WH issue July 19,2018

Filed Under: More News Right, News

3-alarm blaze is probed

July 5, 2018 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

Fire crews battled a lingering heat wave as well as the intense flames from a three-alarm fire at the vacant JJ’s Pub at 16 Liberty St., Thursday afternoon. / Photo by: Stephanie Spyropoulos

Express staff report

HANSON – A three-alarm fire on Thursday, July 5 has been deemed suspicious by state and local public safety officials.

Firefighters from several area communities assisted Hanson Fire Department in battling a three-alarm fire in a vacant building. No injuries were reported, but two firefighters were transported to the hospital for treatment of heat-related illness.

The cause of the fire has not been determined and the incident is still under investigation by Hanson Police and Fire and the State Fire Marshall’s office.

Anyone who has information about the fire is asked to call Hanson Police at 781-293-4625 or the state Arson Hotline at 1-800-682-9229.

Hanson fire personnel responded to calls reporting the fire at 16 Liberty St. – the former JJ’s Pub – at about 3 p.m. Flames were visible on their arrival and crews immediately began to fight the fire as second and third alarms were struck calling companies from numerous area towns to assist.

Hanson Fire Chief Jerome Thompson Jr., reported that the fire was extinguished by 6 p.m., but that fire crews were still dousing hot spots. Route 58, at the intersection of Liberty and East Washington streets remained closed to traffic while the scene remained active and residents were asked to avoid the area.

National Grid shut off power to the area to permit firefighters to safely work. Nearly 200 customers were affected by the shut-off.

Thompson and Police Chief Michael Miksch thanked the residents for their patience.

The cause and origin of the blaze are not known and it is under investigation by the State Fire Marshall’s office.

Hanson Fire also Tweeted their thanks to the departments that assisted today at the fire.

“We also would like to thank our other Town departments that assisted and members of the public who dropped off water and Gatorade,” the Twitter post stated.

Photo by: Stephanie Spyropoulos

Photo by: Stephanie Spyropoulos

 

IMG_27391 click on link to view video

IMG_29851 click on link to view video

 

 

 

Filed Under: More News Right, News Tagged With: Hanson, JJs Pub

New scoreboard approved by School Committee

June 28, 2018 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

It will take some advertising sponsorships and fundraising by the athletics department to fund it, but the School Committee on Wednesday, June 20 approved the negotiation of a lease agreement for a new scoreboard for W-H’s Dennis M. O’Brien Field.

A $25,000 donation from the J.J. Frisoli Foundation has provided the down payment for the Daktronics scoreboard, estimated to cost about $100,000, with the remaining amount to be raised by the athletics department. Neither the district nor towns of Whitman and Hanson will be liable for the costs.

Athletics Director Bob Rodgers had initially suggested asking the towns to contribute to the cost as a capital project, but both the School Committee and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner advised against that amid tight budget circumstances.

“I think, overall, this is a fantastic project and I’m 100-percent in support of it,” School Committee member Christopher Howard said. “My only concern is the obligation of the district. I know it’s tough, but we’ve had a lot of financial pressures on us, and where we’re spending money. That’s where I say I’m leaning more toward a pause, do the math, put some money into it, but really try to raise the money to the point where we actually have the money to purchase it.”

Gilbert-Whitner expressed the concern that a funding request to the towns, in addition to all the other capital requests the district has, might not go over well.

“This is nothing [the towns] have ever seen on a capital matrix,” she said. “So, I think I’d be much more comfortable as well with the idea that the athletics department would be responsible.”

With Rodgers’ pledge to raise the additional $75,000, the School Committee unanimously supported the purchase. He had also pointed out that the athletics department transferred $40,000 to the general school budget to help meet district needs for fiscal 2019.

“It will not come out of the school budget at all,” Rodgers said, explain that the purchase order had to be submitted before the end of the week in order to have the scoreboard in place by the fall. “It will be through the fundraising via panels that are on the board and fundraising during the different events.”

The other option was to spend $4,000 to $5,000 to repair the current scoreboard to get it through the next year and make the purchase to have a new scoreboard in place for the following year. Replacing it with the exact same kind of scoreboard as the broken one would cost about $20,000 but would limit the ways it could be used he said.

The Daktronics scoreboard will be purchased from a local company, Scoreboard Enterprises in Mansfield. It is not the same as the one Rodgers described at the June 13 meeting, but has a larger video screen 8.5 feet high by 16 feet wide and has a life-expectancy of about 15 to 20 years with a five-year warranty. The broken board is 13 years old.

It provides six places for sponsoring advertisers that Rodgers expects will bring in “at least $60,000 in revenue.” Additional ads would be sold for display on the video screen.

“I think that, over the long term, we’re going to be able to make this a revenue-generator for us, and maybe bring in some money to the athletics program for uniforms we currently don’t fund,” Rodgers said.

He added that Daktronics screens have been “revenue-makers” at schools across the country.

“This is a real advertising investment for a company,” he said. “They’ll have 1,000 people at a football game on a Friday night that will be going someplace for dinner after the game and [a restaurant] could have a special on that screen that everybody is going to see. They’ll want to advertise.”

The school administration will establish advertising policy and the School Committee will set the rates.

One advertiser has already given verbal commitment to a sponsorship and a few others have expressed interest with some parents a agreeing to help sell ads. Facility Director Ernest Sandland has agreed to have his crews putting the beams up and pulling wires as part of the prep work involved in moving the scoreboard to the right for better visibility.

“I’m willing to commit to do what I have to do to make this work for our kids,” he said.

At the earlier meeting only one bid had been received, with a few more presenting bids since then.

“The one that I was going to go with actually doesn’t play live video unless you go with a huge upgrade to it,” he said. “We have 10 teams alone at W-H that will use this scoreboard in addition to all the youth teams. I think it’s a good investment.”

The screen will also allow the school to conduct programs such as a movie night recently suggested by students, and will permit moving the sound system to that end of the field for better reception and hearing by the crowds.

Filed Under: More News Right, News

A first for Hanson Fire

June 21, 2018 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

HANSON — The Board of Selectmen welcomed the town’s first female fire officer Tuesday, June 19 with the official swearing-in of Lt. Sherilyn Mullin, who has been working in that capacity since May 8.

After the ceremony, Selectmen approved a marijuana application process designed to protect the town until a bylaw article on recreational cannabis can be voted on at next May’s annual Town Meeting and Town Election.

Lt. Mullin fills the vacancy created when Dept. Chief Robert O’Brien was promoted to that rank.

Under the department’s collective bargaining agreement, the promotion process requires that applicants score 70 percent or higher on a written exam, followed by an assessment center involving exercises in a fire problem and a structured interview.

Seven members of the Hanson Fire Department participated in the promotion process, according to Chief Jerome Thompson Jr.

“Although we only had one position available, I believe that those members in our department benefitted by taking the time to study the materials and prepare themselves for the process,” he said. “She has been a great addition to our command staff. Lt. Mullin will be the first female fire officer to serve the town of Hanson.”

A native of Abington and a 2006 graduate of Abington High School, Mullin holds a bachelor’s degree from Bridgewater State University in 2010. She then trained in EMS and became a paramedic and was hired as a full-time Hanson firefighter/paramedic in 2015. Mullin is a graduate of Mass. Firefighting Academy Class No. 234.

Her fiancé Sean Malley pinned on her badge after Town Clerk Elizabeth Sloan administered the oath of office to Mullin.

Marijuana policy

Town Counsel Katherine Feodoroff briefed Selectmen on the cannabis policy and bylaw process before the board voted 5-0 to approve the policy.

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett asked about how the policy protects the town.

“If people vote yes [on the Town Meeting warrant] then it will go to ballot,” FitzGerald-Kemmett said. “However, in the interim, we’re talking about having something in place just in case someone comes forward. We don’t want to be left out in the cold without having something that we at least can manage the process until we get to Town Meeting.”

The new article — proposed after this year’s Town Meeting approved a zoning bylaw to allow siting of all recreational marijuana establishments within certain areas of town — would seek to ban retail marijuana sales.

Selectman Jim Hickey asked for simpler language on the ballot question so residents better understand how to vote their opinions.

The article, Feodoroff said, makes it clear an affirmative vote is required at both Town Meeting and on the election ballot, but agreed the ballot language can be difficult to understand.

“To me, it could be confusing to a voter because if all someone is thinking is, ‘I do not want marijuana in Hanson,’ they’re going to vote no,” Hickey said. “But [a no vote] is actually confirming a vote to have marijuana in Hanson. Can that question be simplified?”

Feodoroff said legislation requires the text of the bylaw on the ballot, but said the style of the question and its summary can be changed for clarity.

“You’re asking if the town wants this bylaw,” she said. “You want to make sure everyone votes and their vote is then counted in way they expect it to be counted.”

Procedure outlined

Feodoroff outlined the procedures applicants would be required to follow under the policy.

“What you want to do, because it’s not necessarily spelled out in the law, what the order should be in terms of local approvals, so you want to create a policy like this,” Feodoroff said. “That’s for every type of establishment, including your retailers, your cultivators, your manufacturers and your testing facilities, because all of them are required by law to execute a host community agreement.”

Such an agreement must be executed by would-be businesses before they can even apply to the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) for a license to operate.

The agreement requires submission of a letter of intent to Selectmen identifying the type of special permit sought, with copies sent to the Police Department. Applicants must then hold a community outreach meeting in accordance with state regulations and broadcast by local cable access TV.

Applicants must obtain a special permit from the Board of Selectmen and site plan approval, providing Selectmen with a synopsis of the community meeting, copies of the special permit/site plan vote and draft application of intent and supporting documents. They must also present a proposed draft of a host community agreement, which Feodoroff said town counsel can help with.

local impact

“One of the impacts that you’re going to find is the Board of Health is going to have to ramp up because they are now the inspection agency,” Feodoroff said. “Where, with medical [marijuana] it was under DPH and not the purview of the Board of Health, so we’re going to have to do training — we’re going to have to think about staffing, depending on the number of establishments that are planning on siting in Hanson.”

Police will also require additional training, she said.

The town can lock in a dollar amount in fees, rather than a 3-percent tax over the sales tax, but Feodoroff said the town should not do so at this time, because the 3-percent figure could represent a higher amount.

“When you have a general bylaw in place, there’s no grandfathering [of existing businesses], unlike zoning bylaws, which have a grandfather component,” Feodoroff said. “But what we have proposed for this Town Meeting is both a general and a zoning bylaw.”

She said Attorney General Maura Healy has recommended both kinds of bylaws to avoid cases where general bylaws were invalidated because courts saw a failure of proper procedure to pass them. Zoning bylaws require a two-thirds majority to pass after protectionary procedures.

“If both measures pass and aren’t challenged or are challenged and not properly defended, there’s no grandfathering,” Feodoroff said. “So it is complicated and there are risks in this kind of interim period.”

Filed Under: More News Right, News

CES grads take different path

June 14, 2018 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

The harder one has to fight for something, the more it generally means to achieve it.

For the 14 graduates of the W-H Community Evening School’s Class of 2018 that certainly seemed to be the case as they crossed the stage at the Dr. John F. McEwan Performing Arts Center Thursday, May 31 to receive their diplomas. Acknowledging the pride their families take in the accomplishment, many selected parents to hand them those diplomas. For others, CES Director William Glynn or English teacher Keryn Cordo did the honors and Charles Sampson-Williams asked his U.S. Air Force recruiter Sgt. David LaPlant to do the honors.

The evening was also a moment of proud passage for W-H Principl Jeffrey Szymaniak and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ruth Gilbert-Whitner.

Szymaniak, who will take the post of superintendent on July 1, got his start teaching alternative education students in Plymouth, moving on to teach five subjects in one classroom “to some angry freshmen in Abington” and U.S. history in a non-traditional day program in Scituate.

Gilbert-Whitner, who is retiring after 24 years with the W-H Regional School District has been dedicated to the “Every Child Every Day” mantra as superintendent.

“Evening School graduation is very special to me,” Szymaniak told he graduates. “In 2000 — the year many of you were born — my principal allowed me to create my own program.”

That full-time, non-traditional day program helped students who needed an alternative pathway to a diploma.

“I totally get it that traditional high school isn’t easy for some of you, and sometimes not a good fit for anyone,” he said. “That’s why you, the students on stage tonight, are very special to all of us and me.”

He said that, while the path to a diploma hasn’t always been easy for them, their parents or guardians, and each student’s grit got them through.

We are all very proud of you, each and every one of you,” Szymaniak said, taking the liberty to speak for their families and teachers. “You did it. You made it and no one can ever take that away from you.”

Gilbert-Whitner, who noted that her 50th class reunion would be held on Saturday, June 2 and added she would be 117 when the Class of 2018 celebrated their 50th reunion.

She said that, when she sat in their place and listened to graduation speakers, “It was very evident that I didn’t know what I didn’t know.”

That included becoming a school superintendent, or that any woman could achieve that and that she had learned that four key attributes become valuable as one goes through life. By using their head to ask questions, think things through and keep learning; their heart to show empathy and seek understanding; their heads to do the hard work required and their gut to trust their instincts and believe in themselves.

Then, as usual at CES graduations, Glynn stole the show, so to speak, with an irreverent take on graduation advice.

“I’m going to ramble about three things,” he said. “First thing, be you — be honest as you can about you, be the finest version of you as you can.”

Secondly, he advised them to work hard.

“The world is full of people who think avoiding hard work is the way to go. These people — wait for it — are fools,” he said. “Third thing: altruism.”

Glynn asked the graduates to live a life of doing things for other people, expecting nothing in return.

“How can we make our mark in the world? Altruism,” he said. “If you can do [all three] and do it with a little bit of style and flair, I think everything else will take care of itself.”

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes spoke to the class, as he did with the rest of the W-H graduates, the following night, about the importance of life-long learning — as well as putting down the smart phones once in awhile to interact directly with others.

“Every single day you need to learn something about life, it’s the most important thing you’ll do,” he said. “When you have discussions with other people, you learn many, many things and find the world is rich with experiences — but you have to ask for it.”

Graduates were: Justin E. Cole, Samuell A. Delgado, Alec J. Denver, Regan H. Goode, Lucas M. Goss, Laura A. Hardy, Zachary E. Hunter, Travis C. Lawrence, Brittaney A. Milley, Kyle R. Perkins, Amelia R. Quintero, Hailey M. Ralph, Charles A. Sampson-Williams and Matthew R. Wilson.

Filed Under: More News Right

Hanson Selectmen to give voters say on cannabis

June 7, 2018 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

HANSON — The Board of Selectmen has approved the placement of a local-control retail marijuana bylaw, banning the sale of cannabis, before October’s special Town Meeting as well as a referendum ballot.

Discussing the issue only among themselves without accepting questions or comments from the public, the board agreed 5-0 that the state’s Chapter 94G provisions for the two-step process would best permit residents to have a say on the issue.

Selectmen also declined to share their own personal opinions on the issue as irrelevant.

“I’m not even going to share that because it doesn’t really matter,” said Selectmen Chairman Kenny Mitchell, supporting the Town Meeting warrant article. “I got voted in to make the right decision for the town of Hanson. I personally think that it should be left up to the voters.”

Selectman Laura FitzGerald-Kemmett, who asked for the issue to be placed on the board’s agenda, agreed with Mitchell.

“We’re here to do the will of the people,” she said. “I don’t think it matters what each one of us individually think and I’m not here to argue for or against the moral merits because the state has decided that it’s legal.”

She said she did not anticipate, nor endorse “continually” bringing the issue back before the board.

“Move forward,” Selectman Wes Blauss said in support of the article.

“I believe the will of the people will really be voiced,” agreed Selectman Matt Dyer.

“It’s up to the people,” Selectman Jim Hickey said.

They rejected claims they had heard around town that it was a ploy to give proponents “a second bite of the apple.”

Selectmen plan to hold an informational forum on the issue before the special Town Meeting to permit residents to ask questions and/or comment on the issue.

 “This is on the agenda because the Board of Selectmen wanted to talk about this and make a decision whether or not we wanted to move forward regarding retail marijuana shops,” said Mitchell. “This started in November 2016 [when] we had a state-wide vote … whether or not we wanted to legalize marijuana. The town of Hanson said yes. It was a slim margin, but we said yes.”

The next year Town Meeting rejected a moratorium measure sought by the Planning Board, based on an East Bridgewater measure designed to provide towns more time to obtain more information before further action was taken.

“We were very surprised that it did not pass, that people did not want to at least take some time to be thoughtful and study it,” said FitzGerald-Kemmett. “I think that a lot of people, when it was voted on at the state level, were voting on it conceptually. … ‘Am I OK with it in the state of Massachusetts?’ They weren’t necessarily aware … now you need a two-step process [to keep it out of town].”

In July 2017, Gov. Charlie Baker developed a process for towns that voted yes on the 2016 ballot to opt out of permitting retail shops within their borders.

“If a town voted no on marijuana [in 2016] all they had to do was go to a Town Meeting vote to ban retail shops,” Mitchell said. “If a town voted yes, then there is a two-step process.”

A local-control bylaw would have to go before Town Meeting, and if approved there, to a referendum.

“The two votes that we’ve had are totally different than we’re discussing tonight,” Mitchell said.

In other business, the board approved a request by the Education Committee to place information, as well as a request for donations, on the tax bill in an effort to spur donations.

“There’s a misconception bout what the Hanson Education Fund is and we’re hoping to alleviate some of that and have people understand what it is,” said Chairman Gary Banuk. The fund has been on the tax bill as a donation option since 1993.

Response has not been good of late, with last year averaging about $150 per quarter in total donations.

“That’s not really a lot to help the students of Hanson,” Banuk said, noting that funds had been donated to purchase Chromebooks for Hanson schools last year. It is not limited to primary or secondary school pupils. Residents of Hanson with educational expenses are welcome to apply for funding, including for college or other vocational education costs such as books.

Selectmen also discussed their goals for the year, most of which are ongoing projects. But Blauss requested the addition of a plastic bag ban and Dyer asked if polystyrene beverage cups could be added to that list.

“We can look around at the process that other towns have already worked at to do this,” Blauss said. “I also don’t want to scare our businesses, either, by going at it so fast that they don’t have time to adjust.”

Town Administrator Michael McCue said that issue, conceivably could go before the October Town Meeting, providing a grace period until the start of next fiscal year before implementation in order to give local businesses time to make accommodation.

Filed Under: More News Right Tagged With: Hanson

Eye doctor envisions his retirement

May 31, 2018 By Stephanie Spyropoulos, Express Correspondent

WHITMAN — Dr. George Leavitt III, 80, has always welcomed his patients to the optometric practice which has been in his family for 100 years with a sign in the entry way: “The doctor is in please be seated.”

In June, the business will close with his retirement.

He laughed when he realized that, all these years, most families who come in often don’t sit. The younger patients run for the toy box in the warm, sunlit front room. School aged children sometimes bring books and work on homework while they wait, he added.

Leavitt has recently informed his patients many whom had seen his father Dr. George Leavitt Jr., that he will move on to retirement with his wife of more than 35 years, Barbara.

He recalls several families who have been patients for four generations with the practice. He also has several patients who are in their 90s and still “going strong.”

Dr. George Leavitt III has seen advances in trends and types of materials used in contact lenses going from very hard lenses to paper thin, soft lenses. He expressed his continued amazement that contact lenses can be so thin and still have a proper prescription.

The biggest change to the profession he has seen in his career was in the early 1970s.

“In the 1970s optometry passed a diagnostic pharmaceutical bill in Massachusetts at which time optometrists were allowed to use diagnostic eye drops in the anterior segment of the eye,” he said. Using drops allowed for diagnosis of glaucoma, high pressure in the eye, abrasions and other eye diseases.

Reminiscing about his business’ history in Whitman Leavitt said his father George Leavitt Jr. came from a time when advertising was not used. Leavitt and his wife viewed timeworn brochures recalling that his grandfather’s generation was word of mouth and small town connections allowed for patient contact and reliable care.

The office is in the lower level of their home where the bustle of traffic passes by a prime location. They often heard the whistles blow at the old shoe factory when lunch began and the foot traffic was heavier back in the day, he said.

The practice has moved slightly since its inception in 1914 with his grandfather Dr. George Leavitt at its first location of 25 South Avenue, moving to 12 South Avenue then to the current location across from the post office at 8 Laurel St., in 1969.

Some of his patients became friends, like Harry Monk who has since passed away. A talented craftsman he would hand-carve water birds out of driftwood and deliver them to Leavitt whenever he thought a thank-you was in order, Leavitt recalls.

A collection of birds was unintentional, laughed Leavitt but came about as other patients added to it with unique fowl carvings and collectibles over the years. Recently a young patient had counted the figures, which totaled over 60 sculptures.

Leavitt who decided there was a beach house waiting for their enjoyment and relaxation will be wrapping up loose ends and closing his doors in June.

Perhaps the driftwood will inspire him, too

Filed Under: More News Right Tagged With: Whitman

SSVT celebrates student excellence

May 24, 2018 By Tracy F. Seelye, Express Editor

HANOVER — Whitman senior Rosa Gachia has big plans for her future, but the Allied Health student who intends to become a surgeon has already compiled an impressive résumé at South Shore Regional Vocational Technical School — and just added the biggest achievement of all.

The SSVT School Committee on Wednesday, May 16 announced that Gachia, daughter of Kenneth Njuguna and Teresia Kariuki, is valedictorian for the Class of 2018.

She will attend Bridgewater State University in the fall and was also accepted at Simmons College and Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Gachia is also a member of the National Honor Society, a SkillsUSA participant, a peer mentor, student body president and student representative to the School Committee.

Hanover seniors Cole Hoadley, Mikaela Drake and Gachia, were also honored as students of the month for February, April and May respectively. Drake was also honored as the school’s Vocational Student of the Year.

“It’s an honor to have students such as this at South Shore Vo-Tech,” School Committee Chairman Robert Molla said, adding the committee’s congratulations.

“These are truly three of our finest students,” said Assistant Principal Sandra Baldner. “The students of the month are always spectacular. She asked each student to talk about what they consider to be the highlight of their SSVT experience.

“She really is the face of South Shore,” Baldner said of Gachia. “She represents a work ethic, a spirit and a kindness that we would like all students to embody.”

Gachia singled out meeting new friends from the eight member towns at SSVT as her highlight of attending the school.

“I never would have gotten to meet Mikaela or Cole if I went to Whitman-Hanson,” she said.

“She worked hard while having all that fun,” Baldner added.

Automotive student Drake, who Baldner described as a “dynamic, talented and gifted academic student” has also been named the school’s Outstanding Vocational Student of the Year.

“I think the most memorable moment was getting accepted into Automotive Technology Shop because I remember that, in freshman year, there were a lot of people that wanted it and I wasn’t sure if I would get my first choice of shop,” she said.

Drake will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute in September.

A Metal Fabrication/Welding student, Hoadley was selected for his exemplary work ethic and for his efforts on behalf of the student ambassador’s program.

“Without Cole, there really wouldn’t be a student ambassador’s program,” Baldner said.

While Hoadley said there had been many highlights for him over the past four years, he found the SkillsUSA program especially rewarding.

“I’ve been part of tons of different conferences for them to leaderships to three district competitions and two state competitions,” he said. “It’s an unbelievable experience.”

He plans to attend Massasoit Community College while staying in his trade and working full time.

In other business, Superintendent-Director Thomas Hickey announced that Assistant Principal Mark Aubrey has been hired to be the next school principal. Principal Margaret Dutch is retiring at the end of the school year.

Horticulture teacher at Upper Cape Tech Keith Boyle has been hired as one of two vocational coordinators at SSVT. Interviews are still being conducted for the second position.

Non-resident tuition rate of $17,266 for fiscal 2019 was accepted by the School Committee.

Filed Under: More News Right Tagged With: South Shore Vo-Tech

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