Much to Do for Fun in Marion

on May 16, 2014

Marion was anything but boring on Saturday, May 9. The town bustled with loads of family-friendly activities that spanned the entire day, beginning early in the morning at the Marion Music Hall where residents gathered to lend a hand in cleaning up the community.

It was the annual Marion Spring Cleaning – sponsored by the Marion Tree and Park Committee – and just under 100 participants showed up to don fluorescent yellow vests, choose a street to clean up, and rid the streets of Marion of litter.

Tinker Saltonstall of the Sippican Lands Trust said the turnout this year was slightly less than last year, but that is partly because Tabor Academy now hosts its own community service clean-up days when they used to collaborate with the Annual Marion Spring Cleaning Day.

“Also, the weather was pretty yucky,” said Saltonstall. It was a damp morning, with dark skies threatening rain, but throughout the day the Town’s activities were mostly spared, aside from random passing sprinkles.

Saltonstall said the Boy and Girl Scouts play a huge part in the clean-up event, with the Boy Scouts taking Washburn Park and the Girl Scouts taking Silvershell Beach.

“We feel very gratified,” said Saltonstall. “We accomplished our goal.”

Following the clean up, the Sippican Lands Trust invited participants and townspeople to “Spring Fest,” which featured a number of activities, including a performance by the Toe Jam Puppet Band, a climbing wall, a Sippican School band performance, and a petting zoo.

“That was a big hit,” said Saltonstall. “And it went on all afternoon.”

Marion Recreation also hosted their second annual kid’s equipment day on Saturday.

A row of different Town-owned vehicles – including a police cruiser, ambulance, earth diggers, a fire engine, and fire trucks – lined the Town House field.

There were plenty of Department of Public Works, police, and fire personnel on hand to demonstrate how each vehicle worked, to turn on lights and alarms, and to answer questions.

“I think [the workers] may have had more fun than the kids did,” said Marion Recreation Administrative Assistant Donna Hemphill.

Jody Dickerson, Marion Recreation Director and Chairman of the Board of Selectman, was on hand to pass out free colorful plastic firefighter and construction hats to the kids. After exploring the equipment, children removed their shoes to play and jump in the free bouncy house.

By Jean Perry

Shirley Ann Guess

on May 15, 2014

Shirley Ann Guess, 52, of Hyannis, passed away unexpectedly on May 11, 2014. She was the beloved daughter of the late Joe W. and Shirley M. Guess.

Shirley attended Mattapoisett & Marion Public Schools. She enjoyed playing cards and loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by all who loved her.

Shirley is survived by her children Martina and Albert Guess, her sisters Juanita Guess, Mary Foster, Susan Guess, her brothers Joe and Billy Guess, four grandchildren, Jason, Jasmine, Jocelyn and Albie, 9 nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her brother James Guess.

A visitation will be held at the Chapman Cole and Gleason Funeral Home 74 Algonquin Ave. (Rte 151) Mashpee, on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm with a short Memorial Service at 3pm. Burial will be private.

Brian Rose Baseball Summer Clinic

on May 15, 2014

Brian Rose Baseball’s 9th Annual Summer Clinic will be held July 14 – 18 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm for children ages 6-14 at Old Hammondtown School in Mattapoisett. The clinic is run by former Boston Red Sox Pitcher Brian Rose and staff. Five fun-filled, fundamental training days will feature work on all baseball skills, special guest speakers, field day and scrimmages in the afternoon. Register by June 15 and be entered in a raffle for a free week of camp in 2015. For more, visit BrianRoseBaseball.com

Celebrating a Decade of Marriage Equality

on May 15, 2014

On May 31 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm, the SouthCoast LGBTQ Network will be sponsoring its inaugural event, “Looking Back, Moving Forward: Celebrating a Decade of Marriage Equality” to be held at the Waypoint Center on New Bedford’s historic waterfront.

This event has two goals: to celebrate ten years of marriage equality in the Commonwealth and to highlight the growing needs of LGBTQ elders and youth in our area. Profits from the event will fund a Program Coordinator who will focus on assessing the needs and developing resources for LGBT homebound, isolated seniors, and homeless, at-risk LGBTQ youth in our communities.

Ten years ago, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts became the first state to legalize gay marriage. Many of us in the SouthCoast, gay and non-gay, along with area legislators, businesses and non-profit organizations worked together to not only make equal marriage the law in Massachusetts, but to also provide a shining example that encouraged other states to embrace equal marriage as well. At last count, LGBTQ couples can now legally marry in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

However, there are still unmet needs in the LGBTQ community. Recently, recognizing the expressed concerns, especially in the areas of LGBTQ elders and youth, a number of local organizations and groups have come together to create the SouthCoast LGBTQ Network. The Network, a project of the Community Foundation, includes Coastline Elderly Services, Fairhaven Council on Aging, New Bedford Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth (NB-AGLY), SouthCoast Equality, SouthCoast Youth, Education and Schools (SC-YES), the Women’s Center and the YWCA of Southeastern MA. Its mission is to build and maintain a comprehensive support network for LGBTQ individuals and families across the age spectrum.

Please join us for this exciting celebration. Tickets are $25/person and $10/student and are available at Down to Earth Natural Foods (New Bedford), Town Wharf General Store (Mattapoisett), Le Place (New Bedford) and How On Earth (Mattapoisett). Tickets can also be reserved by contacting the Network at sclgbtqnetwork@gmail.com.

ORRJHS Students of the Month

on May 15, 2014

Kevin T. Brogioli, Principal of Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, announces the following Students of the Month for April:

Red Team: Harrison Riley and Cassidy Bart

Blue Team: Tyler Bungert and Alexandria Sheehan

Orange Team: Jake Thompson and Angelina Cosgrove

Green Team: Jacob Yeomans and Courtney Vance

Celebrate Wareham

on May 15, 2014

It’s the Wareham Summer of Celebration filled with exciting and educational events. Wareham will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of its heroic role in the War of 1812 from June 13-15 with activities ranging from militia encampments, living history and period crafters’ demonstrations, and a re-enactment of the attack by the British warship HMS Nimrod.

Then over July 10-13, Wareham will celebrate its 275th Anniversary of Incorporation as a Town. Plenty of family fun activities are planned including a re-enactment of the delivery of the Incorporation papers, a huge parade and party, a Founders Ball and a Public Safety and Antique Fire Muster Day with K-9 demonstrations, touch-a-truck, Smokey the Bear and more! Everyone is invited to join in the Celebration of Wareham. Visit www.wareham2014.com for details and more information.

School Lunch Policy and School Choice

on May 15, 2014

As the town with the highest negative school lunch account balance in Tri-Town, Marion is the last of the three school districts to adopt a formal school lunch account policy, which the School Committee hopes will put an end to the excessive overdue balances of some Marion families.

Superintendent Doug White told the committee that one of the 63 overdue accounts is responsible for $310 of the outstanding $1,125.48.

Someone might think it a small amount of money to the district, commented Chairman Joseph Scott, “But overall, it adds up.”

The policy is similar to the one adopted by the ORR junior and high school, as well as by Rochester and Mattapoisett, except Marion will allow for up to seven meals charged, while the other schools allow up to five before an alternative lunch of either a cheese or peanut butter sandwich with milk is served for 50 cents.

“It will be enforced,” said White, “and we will move forward with it.”

The committee continued its discussion on possibly using donated funds to alleviate the financial burden of some of the overdue balances, which White said he looked into, saying, “Everything that I was able to find said that was acceptable.” He said the particular gift account from which they take the funding must fall within the parameters of the gift account’s designated purpose.

Committee member Jay Pateakos was concerned that paying off the overdue accounts would just enable those who have accrued the debt.

“I think there are options for people,” said Pateakos, referring to the free- and reduced-lunch program. “I think they need to take them.”

The committee hoped White could find a way to identify which of the families in arrears actually need assistance so the committee can pay off the accounts.

Someone suggested looking into whether any of the 21 students who were recently approved for free lunches might be one of the accounts overdue.

“I’d be more inclined to release the funds for that,” said Pateakos.

In other news, the committee chose to not participate in the school choice program next year after factoring in current class sizes and amount of staff. White told the committee the district is not set up for school choice at this time.

“I think it’s important that we maintain our current status,” said Scott.

Also during the meeting, White said he met with the CFO of the YMCA regarding a request to add signage around the Sippican School specific to the YMCA to indicate that the organization holds an after-school program at the site. The committee agreed to allow limited signs in the parking area and behind the school.

The committee approved a number of special education budget transfers from different line items within the SpEd budget.

The next meeting of the Marion School Committee will be June 4 at 6:30 pm at the Marion Town House.

By Jean Perry

SAC Welcomes New Representatives

on May 14, 2014

Last Wednesday, the South Eastern Regional Student Advisory Council (SERSAC) held its orientation for the 2014-2015 school year. Located at the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School, the orientation taught newly-elected student representatives about how the Student Advisory Council is organized and about what the students may be working on next year.

This state-wide council is made up of five regional councils (south east, western, central, north east, and greater Boston). At their regional orientations, each council elects a leadership board that will also attend State Student Advisory Council meetings at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Malden every other month. The State Student Advisory Council then elects one chairperson who becomes a voting member on Massachusetts’s Board of Education throughout the year.

Old Rochester Regional High School sent two new student representatives to SERSAC’s orientation last Wednesday: Jacob Spevack and Sahil Raje were elected by their peers to be ORR’s voice at the regional council during the 2014-2015 school year. These two freshmen proved themselves to be dedicated and ambitious representatives. At the regional orientation, each ran for a delegate position on the state council. ORR is proud to say Spevack was elected as one of eight state delegates, and Raje was elected as a first alternate delegate.

Next year, the council will choose an issue to tackle throughout their meetings. This past year, the students chose to work on digital learning. The state council created a model policy on digital learning for schools to consider, while the regional councils worked on various projects, including an instructional PowerPoint presentation about online resources and a public service announcement video on the use of technology in the classroom. At the orientation last Wednesday, students were encouraged to consider what topic they’d like to tackle next year.

“I am excited to hear and discuss the issues from schools around the state. There is no doubt that all schools could use a little improvement, and more often than not many schools have similar problems,” said Spevack. “One topic that was brought up at the orientation was the lack of life preparation programs in schools. This could range from learning to manage debt, to learning where to go to vote, to learning how to make a résumé. I think installing programs like these would be an excellent goal for the year and something that would help schools all over the state.”

At Student Advisory Council, grand goals such as these are a reality. Since its foundation in 1971, the council has shown that when they come together, students can have a big impact on their education. This fact was shared with the students at the SERSAC orientation.

“I’d say my biggest takeaway was the influence that I realized students could really have. It wasn’t one of those groups that discusses ideas but couldn’t actually do anything,” Spevack said. Commenting on the fact that Student Advisory Council places a member on the Board of Education, he said, “That’s a direct way for us to make change.”

Now that he’s prepped for next year, Spevack is excited to meet new people and dive into Student Advisory Council. “Representing others and communicating for change is to me beginning to become somewhat of a passion,” said Spevack, “and I am excited to pursue that next year and hopefully for the coming years as well.”

With Spevack and Raje as their ambitious delegates, ORR will be well-represented at the state and regional Student Advisory Council next year.

In other news, ORR’s AFS cultural club had a busy meeting last Tuesday. The club presented English teacher Kathleen Brunelle and Vice Principal Michael Parker with gifts from the club’s trip to Arcola, Illinois last month.

Parker was given a T-shirt in thanks for all the support he’s given the AFS club. Brunelle received an Amish cookbook and a Raggedy Ann doll, since Arcola is the home of Raggedy Ann. “I thought that it would be a nice gift for her little daughter from us, because [Brunelle] did a presentation about her book to the students when the Arcola students came here,” said the AFS club advisor Kim Corazzini.

Also at AFS club’s last meeting, foreign exchange student Louisa Truss gave a presentation about her home in Germany. This is a presentation that every foreign exchange student gives to the AFS club towards the end of the year.

“So many times when the kids come here, they integrate into the school so well, eventually that we forget that they’re from another country,” explained Corazzini.

Commenting on how the students of ORR learn a lot from these types of presentations, she said, “They’re always interested in the educational system; they’re always interested in that person’s home and their family in the country where they’re from, and I think that it gets the kids to know the foreign exchange students a little better.”

The AFS club is certainly valuable to ORR, bringing acceptance and culture into the school. The club is currently looking for foreign exchange student host families for the 2014-2015 school year. For more information, visit www.afsusa.org/host-family.

By Renae Reints

Bird Island Trip

on May 14, 2014

Many many thanks to the Marion Harbormaster’s office, especially Isaac and Paul, for the wonderful trip the Marion Natural History Museum’s afterschool group took to Bird Island on May 6th. Isaac and Paul discussed a little of the history of the site and the ongoing importance of the the island for endangered terns populations. Once again, wonderful trip and we are very grateful.

Lights! Camera! Action! Media Conference

on May 14, 2014

Recently, members of ORRJHS Cub Reporters, ORRHS Bulldog TV, Intro to TV Production and Video Journalism attended the “Lights! Camera! Action! Media Production Conference for high school students at Millis High School.

The event offered students the opportunity to meet their peers and view work from various high school media programs. Conference speakers included a panel discussion with Eileen Prose, Broadcaster and Event Producer and long-time co-anchor of Ch.5’s Good Day morning show and WGBH’s Jared Bowen, Emmy Award-winning Executive Editor and Host for Arts. Bowen hosts a weekly television series Open Studio with Jared Bowen. Workshops included: Scoring Films on the iPad; Lighting Your Remote Shoot; Gore Effects Make-up. A NECN Freelance Assignment Editor and a Script Supervisor and Continuity Director offered tips to students.

The conference is sponsored by the New England Chapter of the National Academy of TV Arts and Sciences.

ORRHS Senior Brittany Hotte stated, “The TV Production Conference at Millis H.S. was a great opportunity to see what a career in television really looks like. It was very cool to hear first-hand how individuals in the industry came to work in their field.” Brittany will be studying film at Fitchburg State in the fall.

Senior Samantha Barrett added, “The conference was informative and upbeat. It offered a wide range of workshops that expanded students’ understanding of the film industry. Plus the Millis H.S. kids are funny.”

ORRJHS Cub Reporter Kevin Ovian commented: “I found it interesting, fun and I learned a lot of new information.”

Funding for the field trip was made possible from a grant through the Marion Cultural Council, which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Photo by: Deborah Stinson