It was a long time coming, between waiting for the engineer to complete the design and for Marion Conservation Commission approval, but the repairs to the spillway at Grassi Bog off Mill Road will finally move forward.

The commission continued the hearing back on November 18 after a disagreement with Marion Open Spaces Acquisition Committee Chairman John Rockwell over the updated plans and the commission’s refusal to look at them in light of some discrepancies between the features of the plan and comments made by the Town’s peer review engineer.

On December 9, MOSAC representative Jeff Oakes presented the updated plan to the commission with the requested answers to the commission’s questions from November and, although the commission still had a few questions, the consensus was that the commission could go ahead and issue the amended Order of Conditions, placing specific stipulations relative to the location of a turtle habitat not mentioned on the updated plan and to the removal of a concrete structure that was never completed.

During discussions, Conservation Commission Chairman Norm Hills determined that the first comment made by CDM Smith, engineer for the Town, was not a correct statement, thus it was now deemed a “non-comment.” The plan that did not specify a slope of the site now was noted as well, although the wording was a bit confused and will be changed, as per the OOC.

Hills was concerned about the elevations of the main spillway, the overflow, and the auxiliary spillway, with the auxiliary spillway being shown as a higher elevation.

Hills still preferred all details from the initial plan be included on the new plan, saying, “Normally when we get a new set of plans, they become the plan of record so you don’t have to go back to the other plan.” He added, “The question about the elevations of the spillways … it just bothers me … I wouldn’t think that the auxiliary spillway would be higher than the overflow.” He suggested it might be reversed.

Commission member Jeffrey Doubrava wondered if the commission could still move the project forward, despite the myriad of unanswered questions.

“We could probably write some of these comments into the order … or include these comments as part of our amendment and have them specify the size of the rock,” said commission member Joel Hartley. “And I think we need tighter inspections.”

Hills also wanted a number of fallen trees in the overflow ditch removed.

Commission member Cynthia Trinidad suggested the commission make more frequent inspection visits independently.

The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for January 6 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Jean Perry

The Massachusetts Department of Education Accountability Report is in, and Old Rochester Regional High School is back up to Level 1 status after falling to a Level 2 last year.

Superintendent Doug White did not discuss specific data from the report to the Old Rochester Regional School Committee on December 9, but the news was well received.

Principal Michael Devoll said last year was a fluke year, “And we’re right back where we belong at a Level 1,” Devoll said.

Devoll applauded the teaching staff for pushing hard to make the grade and get the school back up to a Level 1.

“They take a lot of pride in their work,” said Devoll. “So I’m thrilled for my school.”

The Mass DOE accountability rating aims to gauge a school’s progress towards narrowing proficiency gaps. It is scored using a Cumulative Progress and Performance Index (CPI) scaled from one to 100.

ORR High School scored a 77, exceeding a target of 75 in the all-student category. In the high-needs students subgroup, the school scored a 75, meeting the target of 75. ORR’s overall performance relative to other schools in the same cohort – school type according to population and demographics – places the school in the 47^th percentile of Level 1 high schools.

The results are based cumulatively on four years of data, with the most recent the most significant.

“This year we scored the highest ever,” said Devoll.

The junior high school fell just short of its target of 75, earning a 71 CPI. The high-needs students category CPI was 66, which misses the target.

Junior High Principal Kevin Brogioli was able to deliver some good news, however, with grades seven and eight both generally scoring above the state average on the PARCC exam in most areas. This was the first year that students took the online assessment after moving away from the MCAS last school year.

Students received high writing scores in ELA, with 80 to 84 percent of students scoring in the two highest levels: Level 4 and Level 5, meets expectations and exceeds expectations, respectively.

All students and all high-needs students in the subgroup had a 10 percent increase in students scoring in Level 5, with a 10 percent decrease in students scoring in the warning level of Level 1.

In Math, all students and the high-needs subgroup increased Level 5 achievement by 10 percent, with a 10 percent decrease in Level 1.

Going through the data during a slide presentation, Brogioli said, “I think, overall, these are very healthy Math scores.”

“It was a tough year last year,” said Brogioli, referring to the low Math MCAS scores of that prior school year. “I think a lot of people did a lot of work … and it paid off.”

The school implemented a number of actions in response to the low scores, including a Math coach that meets with Math teachers a number of times over the course of the year.

“Phenomenal job,” said ORR School Committee Chairman Paul Goulet. “A lot of work.…”

The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for January 13 at 6:00 pm in the media center at the ORR Junior High School.

By Jean Perry