Tri-Town Early Childhood Program

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The Tri-Town Early Childhood Program, located at Old Rochester Regional High School, is accepting applications for the 2015-2016 school year. The preschool program serves three- and four-year-olds and follows the school calendar. It is unique in that it provides a high quality early childhood education opportunity to preschoolers, while also offering high school students a chance to learn about working in the field of early childhood education. A licensed early childhood teacher and a rotation of high school students staff the classroom.

A limited number of spaces are available. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. The enrollment policy is based on a balance of three- and four-year-olds, a balance of boys and girls, and a balance among residents of the three member towns.

For an application or for more information, visit our website at wwworrhsprek.weebly.com or contact Aimee Fox at 508-758-3745, extension 1612.

ORR Athletic Booster Club Phonathon

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Since 2004, the Old Rochester Regional Athletic Booster Club, Inc. has sponsored a student-athlete-run phonathon to help ORR’s student-athletes raise funds to support the high school’s athletic programs, and because of the generous support of the Tri-Town community, this annual event has been a tremendous success. This year’s ORR Athletic Booster Club Phonathon will take place over eight evenings between March 2 and March 18 with student-athletes calling area residents to request a pledge of support for ORR athletics.

The Old Rochester Regional Athletic Booster Club, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt, nonprofit charitable organization originally organized in 2004 for the purpose of supporting all of the athletic teams at ORRHS. Its mission is to encourage interest in and provide financial support to all ORR interscholastic athletic teams and to recognize and reward teams and student-athletes. The club promotes several events each year to raise funds for athletic equipment, uniforms, teamwear, awards, and scholarships for graduating student-athletes. Funds raised by the Booster Club have been used to enhance the school’s athletic facilities and to purchase equipment for use by ORR teams. Some of the Booster Club’s recent projects include the addition of new elliptical machines for the school’s strength and fitness center, a new “Bulldog Snack Shack” concession trailer, and the resurfacing of the basketball court. Since its inception, the Booster Club has raised over $300,000 to benefit ORR athletics.

Approximately 550 students participate in athletics at ORR, and by all measures, they have achieved great success. ORR has 24 varsity level sports and is adding a competitive sailing program this spring. ORRHS is a four-time winner of the Boston Globe’s prestigious Dalton Award as the Division 3 high school with the highest overall winning percentage in the entire state. Last year, ORR captured nine South Coast Conference titles, its fourth straight Overall SCC title, three SCC Team Sportsmanship Awards, an MIAA Team Sportsmanship Award, and had All State champion, New England champion, and All-American student-athletes.

The ORR tradition of excellence is a result of the athletes’ hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm, as well as great coaches and fans. ORR’s student-athletes hope that the residents of the Tri-Town area will continue their generous support of Bulldog Athletics.

For more information, please contact the ORR Athletic Booster Club at info@ORRathleticboosters.com, visit the Booster Club’s website at www.ORRathleticboosters.com, or follow them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ORABC) and Twitter (@ORRABC).

Superintendent Seeks ‘Better School’ Budget

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The finance committees of Tri-Town traditionally request level-service budgets for most town departments, but the Old Rochester Regional School District has prepared a “Better School” budget in order to accommodate a growing population of students into ever-increasingly larger class sizes.

ORR High School Principal Michael Devoll expects the student population to exceed 800 for the first time, thus creating a need for further sections of English, Math, foreign languages, and Health.

“I don’t have a Health class under 30 right now,” said Devoll on February 11. He said he is looking to add two more sections with another significantly larger freshman class coming in September.

Devoll said the school has always had 40 sections of English and had not added staff in the past as the student population increased.

“If anything, we’ve taken positions away,” said Devoll. “…We’ve reduced sections.”

The better school budget proposes a $132,572 or 24.2% increase over the fiscal 2015 budget to fund two new teaching sections of English to avoid bringing teachers’ student totals beyond the contractual limit.

The Mathematics budget line reflects a $96,974 or 10.5% increase over last year, adding two new sections as well, and the Science budget increase of $83,481 accounts for the addition of two new Health sections and textbooks.

The district is also seeking to increase the junior high school librarian position from part-time to full-time in light of the evolving “library common” that expands the librarian’s role more into technology and media education, reflected in a $83,481 or 6.7% increase.

School Business Administrator Patrick Spencer said the hiring of a part-time treasurer is requested under the school committee budget line at a $20,965 or 37.7% increase.

“It’s a good check and balance to have someone outside the Business Office to keep track of the bank account,” said Spencer. Superintendent Doug White called it “a best practice,” adding that most other school districts in Massachusetts have a treasurer.

The better school budget totals at $17,269,114, which is a 4.2% overall increase over the FY15 budget. The level-service budget the school district prepared totals $17,032,148, an overall increase of 2.8% over FY15.

“There’s still a lot of work to be done,” said White, with budget season still in full swing until the public hearing to present the FY16 budget to the public on March 3.

ORR School Committee Chairman Jim O’Brien asked School Committee members to return to their communities and talk to the public as well as their respective school committees to persuade them that the better school budget was the way to go.

“It just can’t be that [level-service] budget,” pleaded O’Brien. “We need you … to speak to our various towns.”

In other matters, Katie Brown Educational Program Executive Director Claire Spaulding McVicker presented committee members with the curriculum of the relational violence program slated for ORR students, which the committee voted last month to hold off on approving before receiving further information.

McVicker presented some heavy statistics about relational violence and bullying relative to teens’ experience, saying that 66-percent of students have never had a conversation with their parents about relational and dating violence.

The School Committee approved the program, which will be presented to all ORR High School students, pending fundraising. If only a portion of the funds to cover the cost of the program is raised, then only seniors will be offered the program at this time. The cost is $50 per student.

The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for March 11 at 6:00 pm in the ORR Junior High School media room.

By Jean Perry

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Alma Jean Campbell

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Alma Jean Campbell, 87, of Mattapoisett, passed away Thursday, February 19, 2015, at the Alden Court Nursing and Rehab Center, in Fairhaven.

Born in Duluth, Minnesota, the daughter of the late Hiel Stillman and Flora M. (Remington) Campbell, she graduated from John Marshall High School in Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota. She lived in Dartmouth in the sixties and settled in Mattapoisett in 1969.

Alma was a school teacher for 38 years retiring from Fairhaven High School in 1992 after teaching there for 33 years.

She was an avid golfer playing at the Rochester Golf Club and in various women’s leagues at Poquoy Brook, Lakeville and Rochester Golf Clubs.

She is survived by close friends, Jane McGowan and Joan Bisbee both of Fairhaven. Ms Campbell was the sister of the late Hiel S. Campbell, Jr.

In accordance with her wishes she will be cremated and a memorial service will be held Saturday, February 28, 1015, at 11:00am, in the Fairhaven Funeral Home, 117 Main Street, Fairhaven. Visitation will be from 10-11am prior to the service. Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, 5 Manley St., West Bridgewater, MA 02379.

Academic Achievements

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Dana Joseph Resmini of Rochester, Massachusetts, graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology during commencement ceremonies held in the Gale Bullman Building on campus. Resmini earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mining engineering cum laude.

Anya Cummings of Mattapoisett, a second-year student in the mechanical engineering program in RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering, made the Dean’s List for the fall 2014-2015 semester.

Canva Workshop at the Elizabeth Taber Library

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Join Eileen Lonergan on Thursday, February 26 at 6:00 pm as she walks us through how to create banners, flyers, interesting images for an event, website, social media, and more all on the website Canva (www.canva.com). To register for this workshop, please stop into the library or call us at 508-748-1252.

Gateway Gladiators

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The Gateway Gladiators Mite C team defeated the SC Panthers in another come back victory 12-10 Saturday. In the first period, the Panthers came out flying, scoring five straight goals before the Gladiators were able to get on the board. The Panthers then scored again, but the Gladiators scored 25 seconds later to end the first period down 6-2. In the second period, the Gladiators came out playing team hockey and were able to tie the game at 6-6. The two teams traded goals, scoring three more times and the game remained 9-9 with three minutes left. The Panthers had a chance to take the lead on a penalty shot, but Charlie Carroll made a great save to stone the Panthers to keep the game even. After the save, the Gladiators took the momentum and Jarrod Frates scored two quick goals and the Gladiators were able to get one more taking the lead 12-9. The Panthers put one more on the board, but the Gladiators played solid defense and held the lead. Frates lead the team with eight goals. The other scorers included Ben Hebbel, Brayden Cannon, Jack Langlais and Pat Tripp. Carroll played stellar between the pipes with 37 saves. Lilia Lopez and Del Moral played solid on defense for the Gladiators. The Gladiators are climbing the ranks after starting and staying in last place for awhile to begin the season. If the Gladiators win their last two games, they have a good chance of being the number one seed in the playoffs.

Marion Census Reminder

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If you have not yet returned, or telephoned in, your 2015 Annual Street Listing (Census) please do so immediately to the Marion Town Clerk, 2 Spring Street, Marion, MA 02738.

Home visits will be made to all residents failing to respond. Should you have any questions, please contact the Town Clerk’s office 508-748-3502.

ORR Class of 1970

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ORR’s class of 1970 is planning our 45th reunion for sometime this summer and would like to update as many email addresses as possible to keep everyone informed of the event. Please contact Dede Pangaro Smith at Dsmithlil@comcast.net or Cindy Haskell at Molly5971@gmail.com with your new or updated email address.

Snow Load Leads to School Closing

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Old Rochester Senior and Junior High Schools will be closed on Monday, February 23 while the structural integrity of the roofs is evaluated due to the recent snow loads. The school district posted this notice:

“While our crews were clearing the roofs at the Junior High School and Senior High School, late this afternoon, there were concerns reported by the foreman of the insurance group who was overseeing the work that a portion of the roof may have been compromised. As a result of this information and the need to ensure the safety of our students, school at the junior high school and senior high school in the Old Rochester School District will be closed on Monday, February 23, 2015. Please know that first thing tomorrow we will have structural engineers in the district to inspect the roofs and provide information and direction that will allow us to take the necessary steps to ensure that the building is safe and when students may return to school.  I will provide updated information as we move through the process through connect ED and the district website.  Thank you for cooperation and patience as we manage this matter.”

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