The Old Rochester Regional School Committee on January 13 reviewed the data from the state’s 2015 school Accountability Report, which showed the numbers behind the high school’s return to a Level-1 school and the junior high’s steady progress towards meeting its goal.

Narrowing proficiency gaps in all categories and areas, said ORR High School Principal Michael Devoll, propelled Old Rochester Regional High School back up to a Level-1 status after one “down year” in 2014 when MCAS scores dropped, bringing the school down to a Level-2.

Highlights of the Accountability Report for the high school include a performance index score of 77 for the all-students category, exceeding the target of 75 points. The high-needs group was right on target at 75.

The junior high, although it fell short of its target in all categories, demonstrated growth even with the switch from the MCAS to the more rigorous PARCC exam.

Principal Kevin Brogioli said students did particularly well in Math, where the school scored the highest, and reduced the number of students in the warning level, thus earning it extra credit points.

The important thing, said Brogioli, is that the school keeps progressing at a steady rate.

“If we repeat what we did this year, next year we would be Level-1,” said Brogioli. “I can’t promise that … but I was very happy with last year’s accountability results.”

In other matters, ORR High School approved two new English Language Arts courses that Devoll proposed for next year.

The two new half-year ELA elective courses are entitled “Sports Media” and “Creativity, Inspiration, and Innovation.”

“Both are courses we are excited about offering,” Devoll said. “We try to give our students as much of an offering as possible.”

Last year, the school added genealogy as an elective, which was a big hit with students, and with February being the time of year when students begin selecting next year’s courses, Devoll wanted to get these new ones approved and posted as soon as possible.

Also during the meeting, school committee members made haste in approving a $5 increase in pay for substitute teachers and paraprofessionals effective immediately, as well as an additional increase effective September. A shortage of substitute teachers in all four Tri-Town school districts prompted the pay raise. A raise in the state minimum wage to $10 was also a factor in the decision.

“We have not increased our substitute pay rate since 2002,” said Superintendent Doug White. “By bringing it up a little bit, we may have better luck filling some of those positions.”

Paraprofessionals were earning $60 per day, but they will now earn $65 and then $75 in September. Non-licensed teachers will go from $65 to $70 and then $80 in September; certified teachers have gone from $70 per day to $75, then up to $85 next school year.

The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for February 10 at 6:30 pm in the ORR Junior High School media room.

By Jean Perry

The Marion Conservation Commission on January 13 issued a number of negative determinations for various Requests for Determination of Applicability, as well as a few Certificates of Compliance and an Emergency Certification for the Marion Department of Public Works for a wastewater outfall located off Ryder Road near Burr Brothers.

Conservation Commission Chairman Norman Hills said that shortly before Christmas, the DPW made the request for the Emergency Certificate to address a large hole scored out by water flow, which started to undercut a nearby seawall.

Hills said a Chapter 91 Waterways license issued by the Mass Department of Environmental Protection would be required for work on the seawall, yet he doubted the Town would receive it in time before the Emergency Certificate’s 30-day deadline for work completion.

“If they can’t get it before January 17, they will then have to come back with a Notice of Intent,” said Hills. “But I don’t think they’re going to be able to act on this.” It takes time, he said, to get a Chapter 91 license.

“I can’t imagine what that water’s got to be like coming out of that pipe,” commented Conservation Commission member Stephen Gonsalves, adding that it must be a fast current to cause such a hole. Commission member Jeffrey Doubrava said the pipe being so close to the bottom floor must have something to do with it.

In other matters, the commission granted a negative determination – meaning wetlands will not be altered by the work and a Notice of Intent is not required – for Dennis Luttrell of 25 Rocky Knook Lane to upgrade a failed sewage disposal system, with work being done within the 100-foot buffer zone to a bordering vegetative wetland.

The commission issued a negative determination for Irene Roszkiewicz of 6 Ichabod Lane for the upgrade of a septic system for an existing four-bedroom single-family house.

During the site visit, commission members noticed there were already trenches dug for the installation of siltation fences ahead of approval from the commission prompting Hills to say, “At least they were going about it properly, and they’ll be burying it at least a foot.”

Robert Duncan, III of 122 Register Road received an Order of Conditions for his Notice of Intent to upgrade a failed sewer disposal system.

The commission granted a Certificate of Compliance to Heidi Kostin of 167 Cross Neck Road, for Theresa Barrington of 222 Point Road and Kevin O’ Gara of 565 Delano Road.

O’ Gara was present to address the commission and ask questions, but the main issue with the commission was the size of some boulders O’ Gara placed as a physical boundary of a limit of work line the commission put in its Order of Conditions.

During the site visit, said Hills, “We agreed amongst ourselves that we were going to be more specific about the size of rocks.” Hills said the point was to have boulders too large to move without heavy machinery to mark a permanent boundary.

“We’ll accept the line that’s there,” Hills told O’ Gara, “as long as it stays there.”

The public hearing for the Marion Recreation Department to update an Enforcement Order for work at Washburn Park was continued until January 27, and the public hearing for a NOI for Doug Thackeray for an aquaculture farm was continued until February 10.

The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for January 27 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Jean Perry

“By the time we get done with all this, we might be done at midnight,” Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman Richard Cutler joked as he emerged from the cold on January 14. He carried a tall stack of folders in his arms.

“Do we have to get through all that today?” fellow ZBA member David Arancio asked incredulously.

“Yes, we do,” Cutler said. Luckily, most of the business took up relatively little time.

The board breezed through previous minutes and moved on to discussing the building plans for the gas station at the intersection of Routes 28 and 58 in northern Rochester.

“The entry road is tiny,” said board member Kirby Gilmore. “I don’t know how they’re going to get any car of substance into that gas station.”

“A Smart car?” offered Jeffrey Costa.

“One of those might just fit,” Gilmore replied.

Putting aside the gas station plans, the board turned to appeal hearings. The first appeal of the night was from Kerri L. Sousa for property located at 7 Marion Road. This was a continuation from the December 10, 2015 meeting.

Sousa was seeking a variance from the Section VIII.C.1, Special Permit provision by the Zoning Bylaws, which intends the house only for persons of age 55 or over. At the hearing, she announced that she had changed her plans.

“I would like to withdraw the appeal for variance from the Special Permit, and instead would like to file a petition to modify the Special Permit,” Sousa said.

“Why is this taking so long?” asked Cutler. “We’ve spent a long time on something that could have been finished a long time ago.”

“I just feel that I want it done right,” Sousa replied.

“Well, a modification of the permit would be better in the long run,” Cutler agreed. “Have you submitted the paperwork yet?”

Sousa replied that she hadn’t, but would be visiting the town hall to do so the next day.

“Good,” Cutler said. “So we’ll see you near springtime.”

The second appeal was from Cheryl Goguen of 181 Braley Hill Road. She sought a Special Permit under Section VIII.D.6 of the Rochester Zoning Bylaws, which would allow a kennel license for six or more dogs on the property. No building alterations are planned under the appeal request.

Goguen obtained a temporary six-month permit last year, which expired in July of 2015.

“There was some confusion on the permit expiration,” remarked Cutler.

“We called, and tried to come back in, but there was a lot of confusion from everyone,” said Goguen.

“I understand that, and it has no bearing on tonight’s appeal,” said Cutler. “The decision on the permit this time will issue a continual permit, provided that the requirements set in place for the six-month permit were met. Those requirements were there are no more than ten dogs on the property at one time, puppies are kept indoors, and dogs are brought inside in inclement weather,” he listed. “Are there going to be any changes in the operation?”

Goguen said that there were no plans to change anything.

“How many dogs are you anticipating?” Gilmore asked.

“Right now I have ten,” said Goguen’s son Dylan, who raises and cares for the dogs on the property.

Rochester Animal Control Officer Anne Estabrook sat on a nearby bench as well. She was called by the ZBA for a record of any complaints against the Goguen’s kennel.

“I never received a complaint,” she said, “and I looked back at records gathered while I took time off. There were no complaints there either.” She explained the she had personally done the kennel inspection and found all dogs healthy, with excellent access to food, water, shelter, and heat in inclement weather.

The Goguen’s neighbor, Richard Reynolds, sat alongside the Goguens during the appeal. When the board asked if he had anything to say, he replied, “I have absolutely no complaints.”

“Well, it looks as if all the requirements have been followed,” Arancio said as he closed the public meeting. The board unanimously approved the appeal.

The next meeting of the Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for January 28 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.

By Andrea Ray