Engineering at ORR Really Builds Excitement

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The students of Tom Norris’ Principles of Engineering class pushed the limits of their student-designed and student-made mechanical cranes against the force of gravity on Tuesday, March 29.

Six groups of two to three students had to each design a balsa wood crane out of a set limit of supplies that included lightweight wooden sticks, wax paper, Lego pieces, plastic gear kits, and string. A number of factors in the design process can either make or literally break the project, so the groups over the course of five classes had to work together to come up with and construct a viable design that could withstand a minimum weight of two pounds.

“It really has to do with how you put the crane together, how you distribute the weight, and where you put the pulleys,” said Adam Perkins, a junior in the advanced engineering class. “It was all about the design.”

Perkins teamed up with Becca and Mallory Kiernan for the project. Following their design, they erected their crane using a set amount of wooden sticks provided to them by Norris and covered it with white wax paper as a laminate to stabilize the structure. They had to design and put together the motors out of gears they made themselves out of Lego pieces and plastic gear kits.

When it was their turn, the crane was placed on the desk with a large dumbbell weight to hold it down in place. Wires connected to the motor were hooked up to a yellow electrical box to power the small machines. A small number of weights were placed into a plastic cup that was then attached to a string ready to pull up the cup and bring it back down.

Perkins and the Kiernans managed to lift up to one pound, five ounces before their crane gave way and collapsed. In hindsight, they thought about what they could have done differently for better performance.

“We could’ve been a little bit less conservative with our balsa wood,” said Perkins. “But part of engineering is you are given a problem and using engineering, you have to solve that problem.” Failure, he said, was a part of the process.

Mallory thought the team was spot on with their pulley placements, but they failed to distribute the weight enough.

“And we could have laminated the weak spots of the crane a little bit more,” Mallory added.

Junior Davis Mathieu’s crane needed some adjustments to complete his trial, which was successful until the glue heated up from friction, causing minor damage.

“The crane can hold the weight,” Mathieu said as he carefully repaired the crane. “There’s just too much friction.”

Group by group, they presented their cranes, adding weight by the ounce after each successful trial until the cranes could pull no more.

The class mantra was “Go until it breaks!” as students and Norris marveled at the cranes capable of lifting over two pounds, like sophomores Caroline Murphy and Dillon McCarthy’s crane that lifted a whopping 4.25 pounds.

“It was unique the way we made the bottom wider than the top,” she said, pointing out the base of the crane. “And we designed a really unique pulley system … it just helped distribute the weight. We thought outside the box.”

Meanwhile, another crane made squeaking sounds as its motor spun and pulleys lifted and lowered the cup filled with ever-increasing weight.

Norris said the groups had to stick to a tight deadline and learn how to collaborate with each other during the design phase – a task that did not come easy at first.

“For the most part, I’m not sure they knew how to do that in a technical sense,” said Norris. “This group has done exceptionally well. A really nice job.”

The students also had to prepare a PowerPoint presentation about their project, and a total of six cranes were put to the test that day. It was the second time Norris had used this project in his class; however, this time it evolved from simple hand-operated pulleys to actual motors.

“I’ll definitely do this again next year,” said Norris.

By Jean Perry

ORReng_7316 ORReng_7323

Tabor Students Recognized in the Ceramic Arts

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The National Council on Education of the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) is the leading academic organization relating to the field of ceramic art in the country. NCECA’s membership is nearly five thousand strong and includes artists, educators, historians, scientists, students, dealers, and collectors all of whom share a deep interest in the field of ceramics.

The ceramic work of three Tabor seniors – Phillip Eisner, Nicole McLaughlin, and Thomas Kelly – was chosen by juror, noted potter, and educator Jack Troy to be included in the National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition. This exhibition was part of the annual conference organized by the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts that was held in Kansas City, Missouri, from March 16-19, 2016.

An excerpt from the NCECA website clarifies the significant accomplishment this recognition represents:

The annual National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition is the premier juried ceramic competition for kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) students in the United States. Designed to showcase the best K-12 ceramic work made in the country, the exhibition takes place in a different city each year in conjunction with the annual conference of The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). The NCECA conference is the preeminent ceramic event in the U.S. annually, gathering professionals from universities, colleges, museums, art galleries and the ceramic arts world to a host city to view exhibitions, demonstrations, talks and other ceramic events. For that week, the host city is the world capital of ceramics.

Not only were all three Tabor students who submitted ceramic work to this juried exhibition accepted (there was approximately a ten percent acceptance rate), but they all won awards! Phillip Eisner won the Bailey Pottery Award (cash prize). Thomas Kelly won the Pottery Making Illustrated Award (subscription) and the Lookout Mountain Pottery Award (cash prize). Nicole McLaughlin received an Honorable Mention Award from the juror and the Ingrid Mahan Foundation Scholarship Award ($1000 per year renewable scholarship for college study).

ETL Adult Library Programs

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Free Tech Workshops: Do you want to learn more about the free online resources offered to Marion library card holders? Well, now is your chance. Join us for these free Friday workshops at 11:00 am: April 8 – Universal Class (free online courses); April 15 – Zinio Digital Magazines; April 22 – Indieflix (free online movies); and April 29 – Learn more about your iPad/iPhone. Please call, email, or stop into the Elizabeth Taber Library to register.

Crazy Weather and the Arctic Meltdown: How Are They Connected? Please join us at the Elizabeth Taber Library on Tuesday evening, April 12 at 6:30 pm for a special talk by Dr. Jennifer Francis.

Does it seem as though the weather gods have gone crazy lately? It is not your imagination. The question on everyone’s minds is why? And is it related to climate change? In this presentation, Dr. Jennifer Francis will explain new research that links increasing extreme weather events with the rapidly warming and melting Arctic during recent decades. Evidence suggests that Arctic warming is causing weather patterns to become more persistent, which can lead to extremes such as droughts, cold spells, heat waves, and some flooding events.

Jennifer Francis earned a B.S. in Meteorology from San Jose State University in 1988 and a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Washington in 1994. As a professor at Rutgers University since 1994, she has taught courses in satellite remote sensing and climate-change issues, and also co-founded and co-directed the Rutgers Climate and Environmental Change Initiative. Presently, she is a Research Professor in the Rutgers Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, and she studies Arctic climate change and Arctic-global climate linkages. Francis and her husband circumnavigated the world in a sailboat from 1980-1985, including Cape Horn and the Arctic, during which her interest in weather and the Arctic began.

Drop-in Technology Help: Having trouble with that new electronic device you acquired? Need assistance navigating through the Internet of social media sites? Pesky computer issues? Then stop into the Elizabeth Taber Library on Tuesdays at 11:00 am or Thursdays at 2:00 pm until May 26 for some one-on-one help with one of our friendly staff members. No registration is required. First come, first served. *Please note, if you cannot make one of these days, call the Elizabeth Taber Library to make an appointment for another time.

Coloring for Adults: Coloring isn’t just for the kids anymore! If you like coloring and chatting with others, then please join us on Thursday, April 14 at 4:00 pm and/or Thursday, April 21 at 6:30 pm for our Adult Coloring Session. Light refreshments will be served.

Mystery Book Club: Please join us for our monthly mystery book discussion on Wednesday, April 6 at 11:00 am. We will be discussing The Fixer by Joseph Finder. Please stop into the Elizabeth Taber Library today to register and reserve a copy of the monthly book.

Afternoon Book Club: Please join us for our monthly afternoon fiction book discussion on Tuesday, April 19 at 2:00 pm. We will be discussing Us by David Nicholls. Please stop into the Elizabeth Taber Library today to register and reserve a copy of the monthly book.

Spring Sports Preview

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Here’s a look at how this spring’s Bulldog sports teams are shaping up before the season gets underway. Some teams will be scrimmaging or participating in jamborees this week, but most official games will begin on Monday, April 4.

            Baseball: Coming off a strong season, the boys will scrimmage Dartmouth High, one of the best teams in the area, on Wednesday on the road. Seniors Hunter Parker and Bryant Salkind, as well as juniors John Breault and Sam Henrie, are among the team’s key players. Their first game of their season will be at non-conference Coyle-Cassidy on April 4.

            Softball: The team began their season early on Saturday morning at Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech for a jamboree. Among the returners are seniors Cami Zell, Courtney Dextradeur, and Maddie Lee, and juniors Cassidy Burt and Olivia Labbe. Their first official game will be April 4 at home against Coyle-Cassidy.

Boys’ Lacrosse: Juniors Charlie Tirrell and Andrew Riggi will be among the leaders on this year’s squad. Last year’s team was incredibly senior-heavy, so it will be up to the young guys to contribute. The boys will start off Saturday at Natick High.

            Girls’ Lacrosse: The girls’ lax team began their season by participating in a jamboree at New Bedford High School on Saturday morning. Among the seniors leading the team are Jane Kassabian and Sarah Ryan. They will be aided by standout sophomore Maddie Cooney, and the girls begin their season on April 6 at home against Dartmouth High.

            Boys’ Track: The leaders of this team will include senior distance runner Drew Robert, as well as senior throwers James Estudante, Jarrett Johnston, and Evan Portelance, and junior hurdlers Eli Spevack and Danny Renwick. Their first meet will be at Case on April 4, but the team is focused on toppling Dighton-Rehoboth to become SCC champs.

            Girls’ Track: The girls have a nice senior core that includes Elexus Afonso, Nicole Mattson, Nina Bourgeois, Emily Josephson, and Zoe Smith. They will be running straight towards an SCC championship when they begin their season on April 4 at Case.

            Sailing: Sailing’s first meet will be held Friday against an opponent that is yet to be determined. Returning members of the team include juniors Adam Perkins and Matthew Kiernan.

            Boys’ Tennis: Losing last year’s Standard-Times player of the year Owen Sughrue to Tabor Academy will hurt, but the team possesses several strong returning players, including sophomore Sam Pasquill and juniors Josh Lerman, Maxxon Wolski, and Alex Bilodeau. The boys will be at home to scrimmage Tabor Academy on Saturday and start their season on April 6 against Pope John Paul II.

            Girls’ Tennis: Junior Katelyn Bindas and Seniors Morgan Middleton and Olivia Bellefeuille highlight a strong team that aims to compete for the SCC title. They finished 18-2 last year, second in the conference to Apponequet. On Saturday, they will scrimmage Tabor Academy before starting the season on the road against Pope John Paul II on April 6.

Baseball: (0-0-0)(0-0-0); Softball: (0-0-0)(0-0-0); Boys’ Track: (0-0-0)(0-0-0); Girls’ Track: (0-0-0)(0-0-0); Boys’ Sailing: (0-0-0)(0-0-0); Girls’ Sailing: (0-0-0)(0-0-0); Boys’ Lacrosse: (0-0-0)(0-0-0); Girls’ Lacrosse: (0-0-0)(0-0-0); Boys’ Tennis: (0-0-0)(0-0-0); Girls’ Tennis: (0-0-0)(0-0-0).

By Patrick Briand

 

High Stakes Standardized Testing

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To the Editor:

Although our future is essentially shaped around the education we receive, public education is being systematically sabotaged. Common Core along with High Stakes Standardized testing has been and continues to undermine our public schools. The standardized testing fib if continued to be overlooked, unquestioned and unchallenged imposes serious and lasting consequences for our schools, our children and our future.

My name is Melissa Goneau. I grew up in East Freetown, Massachusetts then moved to Colorado in 2007. It was in Colorado when I first noticed something was terribly wrong within my children’s school district. I was fortunate that I was able to spend time observing at their school. I would attend meetings, ask questions and research. I began to realize NCLB (no child left behind) had nothing to do with the educational needs for our children but everything to do with financial gains and control. In 2009, RTTT (race to the top) came along, basically baiting states with funds in exchange for adoption of the new standards and curriculum known as Common Core. Again, it was never about educating our children; it has always been about complete control over curriculum, resources, teachers training and other assessment tools, creating a monopoly over the “public educational market.” The problem lies in the fact that we have transferred the crucial responsibility of forming guidelines and monitoring the educational system to test publishers who have NO accountability. Business leaders and policymakers who are far removed from students have superseded the role in professional educators by making vital decisions that impact our children. Requiring every child to conform to preconceived standards of achievement weakens and damages independent thinking and threatens the principle of democracy.

The emphasis on high “test scores” denies the basic fundamental value of learning and minimizes the educational process. We must anticipate more for our children other then correct answers on a multiple choice test. Our communities ought to provide a challenging, meaningful and personalized educational experience that endures a sense of purpose and responsibility in our children now and future generations. Our children’s natural curiosity and love for learning is being destroyed, while funds are being diverted out of schools and into testing/publishing companies. This BILLION $$ industry causes more harm than good to our most vulnerable/valuable members of society. Standardized tests are currently acclaimed “the answers” to teacher accountability, higher student achievement, standards and expectations. Testing has become a substitute for curriculum instead of a simple measure of it. The curriculum is being narrowed, reducing time on social studies, art, music, physical education, lunch and recess, etc. in order to cover the subject represented on the test. Learning is becoming restricted to memorization of facts, simple single solutions and mindless thinking. Every child thinking and performing the same way is NOT a sign of a quality education. High Stakes Testing in fact reduces accountability in that it relies solely on test scores, imposing destructive consequences and ignoring all other factors that contribute to a successful school. Standardized tests can only measure a small portion of what makes education meaningful. These tests cannot measure creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence, curiosity, endurance, reliability, enthusiasm, empathy, self-awareness, self-discipline, leadership, civic mindedness, courage, compassion, resourcefulness, sense of wonder, honesty and integrity. Instead of educational improvement, intrinsic motivation is being destroyed by putting standardized testing first instead of our students and educators.

Educators have lost their rights and voices in promoting learning that is individualized, challenging and meaningful. They now have all the accountability and none of the authority. Standardized Tests don’t increase expectations; parents, teachers and communities determine expectations for children and the quality of their learning. A genuine, devoted educator is aware of the importance of modifying instruction in order to engage students and support individuals’ unique needs and talents. Accurate accountability is realized from informed and committed communities, through local control, the school election process, school accountability teams and parental involvement. The funding and, most importantly, the time spent on these tests could be put to better use. School districts carry the most expensive burden of administering these lengthy exams along with hidden costs including teacher training, test prep guides, time spent in class learning particular test format, test taking strategies and proctoring the actual test. Most districts use additional standardized test such as Dibles, Galileo, etc. exacting an outrageous amount of money at the taxpayers’ expense.

For the last four years I have chosen not to have my children participate in High Stakes standardized testing. My hope is more parents will share my concerns and understand how public schools are being forced to administrate a test that holds little benefit to their students. I ask that you do your own research and consider the risks we are taking by allowing anyone other than parents and educators to decide what is best when it comes to our children’s education and future. I moved back home in the summer of 2014, and I have to admit I believe the Tri-Town has some of the better schools, although I would be naive to believe “my” public school is immune from the ties to common core and the standardized test prepping. If we neglect creative students in school because of test movement and conformity then we become underachievers. High stakes standardized testing is a small piece of a much larger puzzle which threatens the future of the children it is meant to serve. I have been hearing for years from school administrators and educators “our hands are tied.” Always remember there is power in numbers. I think somehow we forgot that we are the majority and have the numbers.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Melissa Goneau, Rochester

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

Three Candidates Run for Selectman in Marion

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This election, it’s three men and one seat up for grabs on the Marion Board of Selectmen.

With the stepping-down of long-time Selectman Jonathan Henry, three others view this as their chance to make a real difference for their town.

The three candidates – Norman Hills, Stephen Gonsalves, and Dale Jones – each have significant experience working for the town as elected and appointed officials, but voters can only choose one. We spoke with the candidates to ask them why they think voters should choose them as Marion’s next selectman and why they are seeking your vote.

There are still a few boards and committees Norm Hills has yet to have a seat on, including the Board of Selectmen; however, Hills has served 13 years on the Conservation Commission, is a current Planning Board member, a member of the Marion Energy Management Committee, and is on the Capital Improvement Planning Committee. He is a retired Navy submarine qualified engineering officer who served 21 years operating, designing, building, and overhauling submarines.

For years he has pushed for and worked towards an updated Master Plan for the town and, now in the throes of the formation of a new Master Plan, Hills sees a seat on the Board of Selectmen as his next step in taking the Master Pan all the way to fruition.

“Being the co-chair on the Master Plan subcommittee, I think, going forward, if I get elected I can have a lot more impact on some of the goals in the Master Plan and getting them implemented,” Hills said during a phone conversation.

Hills thinks “the big gorilla” in town that needs tackling is the wastewater treatment plant and the imminent cost to the town of lining the lagoons, upgrading the plant, and possibly more.

“That thing is impacting everything else that’s being considered in town,” he said. “There isn’t just one simple solution and, whatever solution it’s going to be, it’s going to take years and it’s just not a simple solution.”

Hills sees the lack of communication between town boards and municipal departments as a problem in need of fixing and says his experience in working together with others will help him build the lines of communication for the benefit of everyone at Town Hall. He said the town needs someone to “prod them along” towards better communication and understanding of each other’s roles in town government.

“I don’t think there’s anything preventing it now,” said Hills. “It’s just so easy to get fixated on your particular problems.

Hills says his hands-on style of serving the town is just what the Board of Selectmen needs, citing his proactive involvement with Conservation Commission site visits and ability to go out into the field to better understand situations that arise in town.

“And I’m persistent. I believe in being prepared. You don’t just show up and try to wing it.”

Hills said he has scheduled a number of ‘meet and greet’ sessions at the Taber Library every Saturday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm starting April 2 and continuing through May 7. “Stop by and say hello,” he urged voters.

Stephen Gonsalves, a 12-year member of the Planning Board, Conservation Commission member, and local business owner, said running for selectman was something he said would never do. Now, he says, “Never say never.”

“I don’t consider myself a politician as much as a public servant,” said Gonsalves. But, reflecting on his 12 years serving the town, “You know what? This is the next logical step, if the people will have me.”

Gonsalves is concerned about the rut the town now finds itself in. He cited rising water, sewer, and tax rates as issues, especially when you combine them with little to no business growth in town. And with looming wastewater treatment plant costs in the foreseeable future, he wonders how residents will pay for it all without commercial growth.

Gonsalves specifically recalled the long, expensive process it took for Dan Crete of Saltworks, a Marion business, to receive permission from the Planning Board to expand his business location. “Did you see what we put him through to do that?” Months and up to $60,000 in fees and associated costs, he said. We need to make it easier for businesses to grow in Marion, he said.

“We all know there’s a problem,” said Gonsalves. “It doesn’t matter how we got here. We just have to say to ourselves, we’ve got it, how are we going to fix it?”

With the EPA “breathing down our necks” and no commercial growth, he asked, “How does a town sustain itself?”

“Am I the smartest person in the room? Absolutely not. But do I love this town and do I want to do what’s right? That’s how I’ve always been.”

A rising tide lifts all boats, Gonsalves said. “Everybody should be able to survive and thrive in Marion.”

Dale Jones is no stranger to the ballot. He has vied for a seat on the Board of Selectmen four times now.

Having served many years on the Marion Fire Department and on boards and committees such as several building committees and the Water Board, Jones is another familiar face in Marion town government.

We were unable to reach Jones in time for an interview before deadline; however, Jones once told The Wanderer that he has experience as a chief engineer, including skills in capital budgets and planning. He has expressed in the past his support for term limits for elected officials and, during the 2014 election, The Wanderer reported in its May 8, 2014 issue that Jones cited the imminent wastewater treatment plant as “one of the issues left unattended.” The EPA would later issue the town its ominous draft NPDES permit in December 2014.

Election Day is Friday, May 13. The polling station is the VFW Hall at 565 Mill Street (Route 6). Polls open at 8:00 am and close at 8:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Republican Town Committee

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The Mattapoisett Republican Town Committee will meet at 6:00 pm on Monday, April 4 at the home of Rebecca and Chuck McCullough, 31 Silver Shell Avenue, Mattapoisett. A light supper will be served. All registered Republicans and Unenrolled voters are invited to attend. Voters who do not wish to register as Republicans can still get involved in sign standouts and other activities throughout the year.

Please RSVP to Rebecca at rhmccullough@comcast.net or call 508-758-1326. If you cannot attend but wish to get involved, please email and ask to be put on the mailing list. This is a very exciting and unpredictable year in politics. Remember the words of the Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester League of Women Voters: “Democracy is not a Spectator Sport!” Get Involved. Make a difference in your community.

Knights Teen Dance

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The next teen dance is on Friday, April 8 from 7:00 to 10:00 pm for $8 at The Knights Hall, 57 Fairhaven Road in Mattapoisett. Teen dances provide a safe place for 6th, 7th and 8th graders to have a good time socializing, dancing and listening to their favorite music on a Friday night.

Knights of Columbus chaperones and a uniformed police officer are on site at all of our dances. This is a good time to leave them with us, so you can have a dinner or catch a movie and be back by 10:00 pm.

Good Friday Restored to School Day Off

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After weeks of debate, The Joint School Committee on March 24 voted to bring back the Good Friday holiday for 2017 after weighing the particular placement of Good Friday on the day before the start of April vacation.

The committee was scheduled for a vote on the final school year 2016/2017 calendar, which still had one glaring date still unresolved: the Good Friday school day.

Debate ensued that led to the swaying of a number of committee members once in favor of school on Good Friday, April 16, 2017.

“The biggest concern that we’ve had as we’ve addressed the calendar … is its location going into the April vacation,” said Superintendent Doug White. The school calendar, he said, has often been arranged to accommodate Thanksgiving, for example, by giving students the day before that holiday off in anticipation of higher absenteeism and the educational value of that school day.

White, along with a the majority of the school administration and staff, preferred taking April 16 off in anticipation of students and staff taking the day off, not only to observe Good Friday, but also to take the day as an early start to April vacation.

“[The preference] is not so much related to the purpose of that day,” said White, “rather where it’s located in accordance with next year’s April vacation.”

Mattapoisett School Committee Chairman Jim Higgins, consistent in his opinion that Good Friday should be observed as a day off, maintained that stance and quickly called for a motion to restore Good Friday to a day off. Further debate rapidly followed, interrupting a hasty call for a vote.

“When you have school with 14 staff members out,” said Marion School Committee member Christine Winters reflecting on last year, “I think it’s sending a message to us…. I think our communities are trying to tell us something.”

Old Rochester Regional School Committee member Cynthia Johnson disagreed.

“I believe it is inappropriate to use a … legitimate school day as a religious holiday,” said Johnson, “and I believe our courts have been very clear about the separation of church and state, and I think we should have school on Good Friday.”

If Good Friday hadn’t fallen on the day before vacation, wondered Rochester School Committee member Robin Rounseville, would the committee still be considering giving the day off?

Jennifer Kulak, also on the Rochester School Committee asked, “Are we going to have the Friday off before every vacation because some parents want to leave early? That’s my question….”

“I’ve looked at the data,” said White. “When you look at what’s happening and what happened last year, that was our highest attendance absences across the board. For me, going into testing and assessment points of view, I have to take that into consideration.”

Higgins pointed out that having Good Friday off from school has been a tradition and argued that other communities with a larger Jewish population observe days off for religious holidays.

“We shouldn’t make families make a choice between their religious practices and missing school,” Higgins said.

Kulak rebutted, “Stores weren’t open on Sundays before when I was a kid. They are now. Times have changed,” she said before asking for a refresher on last year’s Good Friday absenteeism data.

“It was way above normal,” said ORR High School Principal Michael Devoll. “Twenty-percent absent.”

ORR Junior High Principal Kevin Brogioli said 90 students were out, roughly 21 percent.

“For me, religion aside” said Marion School Committee member Christine Marcolini, who before had adamantly opposed giving the day off, “it’s always been whether it’s a good day for education and whether or not we are able to adequately staff our buildings.”

Having so many teachers absent, “It makes me go, ‘eh…’”

Marcolini continued, “Even though we are able to get substitute [teachers] … it’s not the same as having the classroom teachers in there. It’s not the same quality day of education as it is on any other days and I don’t want us to … miss that fact as well.”

Marion School Committee member Kate Houdelette, also formerly against taking the day off, concurred.

“Fourteen teachers out is just too much for a school to absorb,” said Houdelette.

Devoll looked ahead to the next day, March 25, the 2016 Good Friday day of school.

“Just from one school’s perspective,” said Devoll, “we are looking at a day of school tomorrow where the directive of the narrative is ‘don’t assign a test, don’t assign a quiz, don’t take a field trip, don’t, don’t, don’t.’ What’s the value in that?”

On the Superintendency Union side, the vote passed 6-2, with Rounseville and Sharon Hartley opposing the day off. On the ORR School Committee side, the vote passed 7-1, with Johnson opposing.

One further concern was where to add in the extra day to make up for the Good Friday day off. Some advocated for adding the day at the beginning of the school year to avoid a choppy start to the school year due to teacher meetings and professional development, while others opted to add the day at the end of the year.

After a few cumbersome motions on both sides and a couple aborted votes to accommodate further discussion, the vote was unanimous on both sides to add the day to the end of the school year.

The next meeting of The Joint School Committee is scheduled for May 19 at 6:30 pm at the ORR Junior High School media room.

By Jean Perry

 

Daniel Anthony Calderone

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Daniel Anthony Calderone, 35, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, March 23, 2016, in Newnan, Georgia, where he had lived with his two sons since January.

Originally born on Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, Louisiana, Daniel had lived in Fairhaven, MA and in Trabuco Canyon, CA. He graduated from Trabuca Hills High School in 1999 and also earned two Associates Degrees from Folsom Lake College in CA.

In May of 2015, Daniel graduated from UMass-Dartmouth with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Management Information Systems. He most recently worked as a contract web developer at both the Center of Disease Control and the U.S. Department of Department of Transportation in Atlanta, Georgia.

Daniel is survived by two sons, Anthony and Ryan Calderone; his mother, Diane Fortin-Curtin and stepfather, James Curtin of Mattapoisett; his father, Robert Calderone and stepmother, Mona Calderone of Valley Center, CA; and his siblings, Melanie Calderone of Dartmouth, Christopher Calderone of the US Marine Corps., Anthony, Angie and Amy Calderone of California.

Daniel enjoyed time spent with his sons and was an avid fan of the UFC fights. He most recently lived in Newnan, GA with his girlfriend, Teresa, and her two children, Daniel and Haley.

Calling hours are Friday, April 1, 2016, from 4-8pm, in the Fairhaven Funeral Home, 117 Main Street, Fairhaven. His funeral service will be Saturday, April 2, 1016, with a procession from the funeral home at 9:30am followed by a graveside service at 10:00am in Rural Cemetery, New Bedford. A Celebration of Daniel’s Life will then be held at 11:00am in the auditorium of the First Congregational Church, in Fairhaven, entrance on William Street.