HANOVER — Students at South Shore Regional Vocational Technical High School are aiming to become more involved citizens next school year.
New Advisory Council representative Jacob Cormier of Hanover outlined the big plans SSVT students have for community service projects next year for School Committee members June 15.
Cormier is a state delegate to the Business Professionals of America, a post he sought and campaigned for on his own, according to Assistant Principal Mark Aubrey.
“We have a few goals for next year, the Student Government wants to increase student involvement in school,” Cormier said. “We also want to add to student involvement in the community.”
They’d like to plan a semi-formal as an additional dance, establish a powder-puff game in response to increasing student interest and a speaker on drug and alcohol abuse.
Community projects sought include: a student trip within the country to showcase student skills and participation; another Haunted Hallway event for local children; a mini-golf fundraiser, Putting for Patients, to benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; volunteering for the Prom Angels dance for special needs young adults; creating a unified sports program in which disabled youths may participate; and becoming involved in Special Olympics.
“I think it’s one of the first times we’ve had a list of wants from an incoming member,” School Committee Chairman Robert Molla said. He asked Cormier to make the requests available to the committee in writing for consideration.
In other business, the committee once again gave “exemplary” scores to Superintendent-Director Dr. Thomas Hickey on his annual evaluation.
“The superintendent is hard on himself,” one member wrote in his or her evaluation. “His personal standards are very high, and that’s why he is so good at his job.”
“Our school district has never been run as great as it is currently with today’s advanced state standards,” wrote another.
“The superintendent is not afraid to make changes to improve efficiency,” still another stated.
“My self-evaluation had me as ‘proficient’ in the four major categories,” Hickey said. “I appreciate those of you who made those kind comments and hope that I can continue to live up to them.”
The School Committee honored two departing members before its Wednesday, June 15 meeting, presenting governor’s citations, as well as plaques and rocking chairs bearing the SSVT seal.
Abington representative Adele Leonard has served five years on the committee and Rockland representative Gerald Blake has served almost 20 years and is a SSVT graduate.
The committee also saluted its student of the month for June, sophomore automotive student Alexander Gear of Rockland; staff member of the month, science teacher Matthew Fallano and bestowed appreciation on Susan Rossi, administrative assistant to the superintendent-director.
Gear was honored for his hard work outside of school, completing an outdoor classroom for the Memorial Park School in Rockland as his Eagle Scout project.
“One of the jobs of a vocational school is not only to give them trade skills, but to make them good citizens,” Aubrey said. “When his teachers were told about it, they were kind of taken aback by the [award], because in class Alex is the quiet one who goes about his business, does his job and doesn’t do it with a lot of fanfare.”
Fallano was really surprised by his award, as he was at the meeting, as he was there primarily to support Cormier as the student representative.
He was selected as staff member of the month for his teamwork as a mentor team member to new teachers, School Council member and as Student Council and National Honor Society adviser as well as an effective teacher.
Rossi was honored by the school committee for her “tremendous support in preparation for meetings every month.”