Saccone Wins All-State Title

Here is a look at the tenth and final week of scheduled games for ORR spring athletics.

Baseball: This year has been one of the strongest years for baseball in recent ORR history, thanks to a strong team and a tenacity to fight back. The Bulldogs exhibited these qualities in the Division 3 South quarterfinal against Fairhaven, where they won 6-1 in an exciting game. Fairhaven got off to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning, and for a moment, it looked as if the Bulldogs were faltering. However, thanks to some explosive batting and key pitching by Ryan Plunkett, the Bulldogs were able to go on a 6-0 run to defeat Fairhaven for the third time this season. Austin Salkind and Tyler Zell each recorded two hits on the win, while five other Bulldogs added solo hits. Plunkett successfully pitched the Bulldogs out of some tight jams to secure the win. However, the boys were not able to advance any further in the tournament, as they suffered a tough 13-3 loss to second-seeded Bellingham in the semifinal round. Though their season may be over, the Bulldogs showed that the baseball program at ORR has improved and will be a threat in the conference and the state for years to come.

            Boys’ Track: The highlight of this week for ORR athletics was junior track star Kevin Saccone, who won his first All-State title in the long jump with a new school record of 22’ ¾”. Saccone, who was originally seeded tenth in the event, jumped ahead with a monster leap to claim the title of the best long-jumper in the state of Massachusetts. Besides Saccone, ORR athletes had a great day at the annual All-State Meet. Mike Wyman finished off his incredible high-school career with a narrow second place finish in the 800-meter, lowering his own school record to 1:53. Colin Knapton closed his impressive track career with a fourteenth place finish in the 100-meter dash and a thirteenth place finish in the javelin.

Girls’ Track: The Lady Bulldogs also had a few athletes compete in the All-State Meet this week. Paige Santos was the top finisher for the girls, placing ninth in the 100-hurdles and just missing a spot in the finals. Santos also claimed 18th in the high jump. The girls also had a 4×400-meter relay team go to the prestigious meet. The team, comprised of recent graduates Santos, Sammie Barrett, Morgan DaSilva, and sophomore Nicole Mattson, placed twenty-first overall with a 4:15.

Boys’ Tennis: The boys’ tennis team, who has had a dominant spring, finished their season with a 4-1 elimination from the Division 3 South Quarterfinal to Cohasset. ORR won a lone match thanks to second doubles players Maxx Wolski and Doug Blaise, but was not able to overcome Cohasset’s depth to move on in the tournament. Regardless, the boys have had a great season, complete with a SCC Championship and an impressive tournament run.

This year has been one of the most successful athletic years in ORR history. Old Rochester earned nine conference championships this year, five of them coming from spring sports. This conference domination led the Bulldogs to collect their fourth-straight overall conference championship, which is determined by the number of conference championships and records of each school in the SCC. Credit must be given to the strong coaching staffs and talented teams who have dedicated hours upon hours to strive to be the best. It has been a pleasure reporting for the ORR sports teams this year, and hopefully ORR continues a strong showing in the SCC and state in the years to come.

Below are the overall spring team records, followed by the conference records in wins, losses, and ties as of June 7.

Baseball: (16-7-0) (12-4-0); Softball: (7-11-0) (6-11-0); Boys’ Track (7-1-0) (7-1-0); Girls’ Track (8-0-0) (8-0-0); Boys’ Tennis: (16-4-0) (15-1-0); Girls’ Tennis: (10-8-0) (9-4-0); Boys’ Lacrosse: (10-6-0) (8-1-0); Girls’ Lacrosse: (17-5-0) (4-4-0).

By Michael Kassabian

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Future Fiscal Year Budget Items Reviewed

Members of the Marion Capital Improvement Planning Committee (CIPC) met June 5 at the police station and discussed a draft letter to all town department heads and committee chairmen regarding future financial planning. The purpose of the CIPC is to anticipate future town expenses.

            During its March 18 meeting, the committee extended the planning window from five years to ten years. The CIPC plans to schedule meetings with the various department heads and committee chairmen and make site visits.

The request is for each department and committee to map out the foreseeable capital projects that fall within this ten-year window and possibly identify projects that are outside the ten-year window.

Department and committee heads have already submitted their projections for the next five years.

Looking beyond 2015, some of the projections show a new roof on the Atlantis Drive facility in FY 2023 for $150,000. Other items include $1,000,000 in FY 2019 for construction of a new Department of Public Works complex, $32,000 for replacement of an HVAC unit at the Marion Natural History Museum, and $50,000 for well field exploration.

Within the five-year window, projections include $40,000 for a one-ton 4×4 with a plow, $150,000 for a design of a new Department of Public Works complex, $100,000 for a six-wheel dump truck with plow, and $5,071,000 for Phase 1B Drainage, Sewer, and Paving in the village.

All future proposed projects are subject to town approval at the spring and fall town meetings.

Proposed projects that have no date attached and could happen beyond the ten-year window include $5,000,000 for the Town House project, which has yet to be determined. Other projects include $950,000 for a fire station upgrade and $500,000 for a Council on Aging Senior Center.

Other items discussed at the meeting included gathering information on past projects approved at town meetings and whether there were any projects still outstanding with funds in escrow.

“We would like to know if there are any outstanding items from the May 2013 Town Meeting and prior years … what has not been spent,” said board member Carol Sans.

“What is voted at town meeting … those monies cannot be spent on anything other than what the voters approved,” said Chairman Norm Hills.

The board did not determine the date of their next meeting because they plan to schedule a series of meetings and site visits with department and committee chairmen.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

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June Programs at Plumb Library

On Monday, June 23 at 3:30 pm, kick off the 2014 Fizz Boom Read! Summer Reading Program with Plumb Library and Mike the Bubble Man! Mike brings magic and science to the stage with this interactive 45-minute indoor show about bubbles! Through music, choreography, and comedy, bubbles – in all different shapes and sizes – come alive, sparking imagination and wonder. Exploring science through bubbles creates an entertaining learning environment that introduces shapes, color, and chemistry. A love for bubbles is never outgrown – especially when there’s a chance to see the world from inside of one!

The show will be held at First Congregational Church, 11 Constitution Way, Rochester. No registration required. Call 508-763-8600 or email info@plumblibrary.com for more information. This program is sponsored by the Rochester Cultural Council.

On Tuesday, June 24, create Funky Button Bracelets with Louisa and Kathy from 2:00 – 4:00 pm at the library. Registration required. This is Tween/Teen program for ages 10 and over. There are only eight spots available, so pre-registration is required for this event.

“Just the Facts,” the nonfiction book discussion group, will be reading One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding, by Rebecca Mead. Why has the American wedding become an outlandishly extravagant, very expensive, and overwhelmingly demanding production? Who decided that brides and grooms must observe tradition while at the same time using the wedding as a vehicle for expressing their personal style? What does a wedding tell us about how Americans consume, relate, and live today? One Perfect Day mixes investigative journalism and social commentary to explore the workings of the wedding industry, an industry that has every interest in ensuring that the American wedding becomes more lavish and complex. We will discuss this book on Thursday, June 19 at 6:30 pm. Copies are available at the desk.

Café Parlez’ selection for June is March by Geraldine Brooks. Fans of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women will remember that Father March is absent for most of the first half of the book. We know he was in Washington, DC ministering to the troops, but what is the whole story? In Brooks’ book, we get the story of Mr. March, his early career as a traveling salesman to his eventual ministry, and his illness that brings his wife, Marmee, to Washington from Concord, MA. Geraldine Brooks is a favorite of the Café Parlez group, and this book will not disappoint. We will discuss it on Thursday, June 26 at 6:30 pm. Books are available at the desk, or bring your own copy.

Register now for Fizz, Boom, Read!, the 2014 Summer Reading Program. This is a free, family-oriented program, which involves children from ages 3 and up and their parents. Registration is required, but is done online. Go to www.readsinma.org/rochester to register and to log your times after June 18. The goal of this program is to encourage families to read for pleasure and keep track of their reading online. Weekly check-ins with the library earn kids free books and a surprise. Random drawings occur all summer for all age groups that are logging their hours. All kids that read at least 10 hours will be awarded a special prize at the end of the program. Separate programs are available for Teens/Tweens and for adults, with weekly prize drawings. Call or email the library for more information.

Seeking Citizen Scientists for Study

The aerial acrobatics of swallows in flight is a welcome sight in springtime for those concerned about the declining population of barn swallows.

Climate change, the use of pesticides, and even house sparrows are threating the “common” barn swallow, as numbers have steadily declined. The Mass Audubon “State of the Birds” has identified barn swallows as rapidly decreasing in number, and the decline is widespread. Barn swallows have been added to Canada’s list of endangered species.

As part of the “Big Barn Study,” the Mass Audubon Society is seeking the help of Tri-Town residents who would act as citizen scientists in a Barn Swallow counting to find out how many there are, where they are breeding, and which sites they may have abandoned.

All one would have to do is pick a spot and visit it three times before June 30, the end of the mating season, and then enter the data on the Big Barn Study data reporting website.

Barn swallows usually build their nests on manmade structures like barns, bridges, and overpasses, and there are three criteria for choosing a location. The structure must be at least six feet tall, have a large opening that is never sealed such as a barn door or loft, and the bridge or overpass must be large enough to span at least one lane. Empty barns and overpasses where swallows are absent is also valuable information that can be reported to Mass Audubon.

If you encounter a swallow nest and you are not sure if it is inhabited, look for some telltale signs such as bird droppings on the ground (swallows are very clean birds that do not defecate in their nests). There are two swallows to a nest, and a mirror at the end of a retractable pole is a great way to peek inside a nest that is out of reach.

How can you tell if what you spot is indeed a barn swallow? Barn swallow tails are long and forked, and the wings are long and narrow with a distinct point. They are entirely iridescent blue above, and white, buffy, or pale orange underneath.

While tracking the swallows, be on the lookout for house sparrows, an invasive, aggressive species of sparrow not native to North America. These common brown birds often evict other birds, including swallows, from their nests and take them over, sometimes attacking or killing them.

Lauren Miller-Donnelly of Mass Audubon said she once saw a house sparrow nest constructed out of the dead carcass of a blue bird, and she advocates getting rid of the European species whenever possible.

“House sparrows are not protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act,” said Miller-Donnelly. “Whenever I can I will ‘eliminate’ them from the population.” One way of repelling house sparrows, added Miller-Donnelly, is to hang strips of Mylar or “anything shiny that could blow in the wind.”

Swallows migrate to South America every fall, making them long-distance migratory insectivores, which means they feed solely on insects, catching their prey in mid-flight.

They generally nest in areas near meadows and ponds where they can be seen catching insects on the wing and swooping low over the water’s surface to drink and bathe while flying. They are agile, swift flyers.

For more information about the Big Barn Study, go to http://www.massaudubon.org/get-involved/citizen-science and click the Big Barn Study “report a sighting” link.

The study runs until the end of June.

By Jean Perry

 

2014 Hall Of Fame Inductees Announced

The Board of Directors of the Old Rochester Regional Athletic Hall of Fame is pleased and honored to announce the 2014 class of Hall of Fame inductees. The following eight individuals and one team will be inducted on Saturday, June 21 at a banquet at Old Rochester Regional High School. Information on the 2014 ORR Athletic Hall of Fame induction banquet can be found on the Hall of Fame’s web site, www.ORRAHOF.com.

Charles Jefferson ‘62: Charlie Jefferson was a man of many “firsts.” He was a member of ORR’s first graduating class, having previously attended Wareham High School, where he was an all-star football player. Charlie was named captain of ORR’s first football team, and he played in ORR’s very first interscholastic athletic competition, when his football team defeated Dighton-Rehoboth, 14-6. A tough-as-nails left guard, Charlie was the only ORR athlete to be named to the Standard Times All-Star football team that season, and he was also a Tri-County Conference All-Star. Charlie also competed in winter track and played baseball and was named Most Valuable Athlete of the Class of ’62.

Steven Heath ‘69: Steve Heath was one of the top multi-sport athletes in the area in the late 1960s. In football, Steve was a co-captain, a two-time Standard Times All-Star lineman, a Narragansett League All-Star, a Boston Globe All-Star, and was named to the All-Conference Team. Steve was an offensive powerhouse on the baseball team, played four years of basketball, and threw the shot put in spring track. He was named Most Valuable Athlete in the spring of his senior year. Steve went on to play football at Central Connecticut State College. Upon returning to the Tri-Town area, he coached football, umpired Little League, and was an integral member of the Mattapoisett Road Race committee. Steve was and is a leader both on and off the field.

Tom DeCosta ‘70: Selfless, dedicated and kind are just some of the words teammates use to describe Tom DeCosta. Tom earned 11 varsity letters during his four years at ORR. He was a standout four-year starter on the basketball team, was named team MVP his sophomore year, and was a league all-star. Playing center, he set a school record for rebounds in a single game (30). In football, Tom played end and tackle and was both a Standard Times and league all-star. In baseball, he earned four letters as a pitcher and first baseman. Tom went on to serve as a football coach for ORRHS.

Cornelia Dougall ’71: At a time when organized athletic opportunities for girls were just starting to expand, Cornelia Dougall helped raise the level of girls’ sports at ORR. A gifted multisport athlete, she was one of ORR’s first female sports stars. Cornelia competed in track and field, volleyball, field hockey, basketball and tennis. In both field hockey and basketball, she was named MVP her sophomore, junior and senior years. Cornelia was named to the SE Mass Invitational Basketball Tournament All-Tourney Team and led her field hockey and track teams to league titles. She was named Most Valuable Female Athlete her senior year. Cornelia went on to earn her doctorate degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University.

Gretchen Hamer MacDonald ’81: On her 2nd grade report card, Gretchen Hamer’s teacher wrote, “Gretchen is a lovely girl. I think she is my most competitive student.” Clearly Gretchen was born a competitor, as she was undoubtedly one of ORR’s premier female athletes in the late 70s and early 80s, excelling in volleyball, basketball and track. A versatile athlete, Gretchen earned four varsity letters in both volleyball and basketball and three in track. Gretchen was a two-time Standard Times All-Star in all three sports. A four-year starter, she was a standout volleyball player, leading ORR to three Southeastern Mass Conference championships and to the state sectional finals twice. In basketball, Gretchen’s teams were conference champions three times and made three trips to the sectional finals. In track, she shattered the school record in the javelin, excelled in the mile, and was named team MVP.

Peter Borsari ’82: Peter Borsari was one of those most dominant football players in the area in the early 1980s. A four-year starter at offensive tackle and defensive end, Peter was a physical force on the gridiron. He was named a Standard Times All-Star twice, an All Eastern Mass All-Star, a Boston Globe All-Star, and was selected to play in the prestigious Shriners All-Star game in 1981. Peter also ran track at ORR. Peter went on to play football at UMass Amherst on a scholarship.

The 1962 Cross Country Team: The 1962 Cross Country team has the great distinction of bringing the first state championship to Old Rochester Regional High School. Coached by Norm Fuller, the 1962 Cross Country team captured the Class F State Championship, which was all the more remarkable considering it was only ORRHS’s second year in existence. Five of the ORR runners who ran in the state championship meet placed in the top 20 among well over 100 runners. Congratulations to Coach Fuller and his harriers of 1962.

Coach Jim Hubbard: Sports and education have defined Coach Jim Hubbard’s life. Jim coached spring and winter track, baseball and football at ORR in the 60s and 70s. Jim coached his spring track teams to three Narragansett League titles, two South Coast Conference titles, and the 1967 Class D State Relay championship. He also served as ORR’s Athletic Director from 1975-1980, during which time he oversaw 10 sports teams each for boys and girls and served on several MIAA subcommittees. Jim earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education at Bridgewater State College, where he was a three sport athlete and later inducted into BSC’s athletic hall of fame. He also had a long and distinguished career with the Cape Cod Baseball League as player, coach and manager of several teams, and was inducted into the CCBL Hall of Fame in 2006.

Andy Mendes: As a trainer during the late 1960s and 1970s, Andy Mendes’ contribution to the athletes and students of ORR was significant. But Andy was so much more than a trainer. He was instrumental in positively molding the futures of the student body whether their needs were academic, athletic, or social/emotional. He was the consummate go-to guy whenever a kid needed help. Always a classy guy and a great role model, his delicious sense of humor was appreciated by students and faculty alike. The countless unpaid hours he spent individually helping student athletes hone their skills and improve their self esteem had an immeasurable impact on so many individuals. The ORR Athletic Hall of Fame is proud to honor Andy Mendes for his significant contributions to ORR athletics.

ORRJHS Students of the Month

Kevin T. Brogioli, Principal of Old Rochester Regional Junior High School, announces the following Students of the Month for May 2014:

– Green Team: Madelyn Scheub and Hanil Kang

– Orange Team: Erin Stoeckle and Michael Sivvianakis

– Blue Team: Lily Pearl Poirier and Lauren Ziino

– Red Team: Taylor Swoish and Logan King

– Special Areas: Nicole Pires and Matthew Pires

Mattapoisett Republican Town Committee

The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Republican Town Committee is Wednesday, June 25 at 6:00 pm at the Mattapoisett Public Library. Guest speaker will be Dan Shores, who is a candidate for Congress in the 9th District. Meetings are held in the conference room on the lower level of the Library, and we invite all interested voters to come to the meeting and hear his message. For questions or more information, please contact Committee Chairman Jane Awad at 508-813-6304.

ORRHS Celebrates 52nd Graduating Class

On the sunny afternoon of Saturday, June 7, the graduating students of Old Rochester Regional High School’s class of 2014 formed a circle on the football field. Senior class president Zachary Bowen counted to three, and then 162 tasseled caps flew through the air. The red and white specks landed amongst cheers.

The seniors enjoyed an entire week of exciting events before this final significant moment. Monday, June 2, was the senior class trip to Six Flags. Two days later the students showed off their beautiful gowns and dapper suits at promenade before heading to the senior prom at the Indian Pond Count Club in Kingston, MA.

These fun festivities turned into more ceremonial celebrations as the week wore on. Thursday, June 5, was senior awards night, followed by the senior assembly the next morning. The week was rounded off with graduation on June 7.

Thursday’s awards night – held in the high school gymnasium – honored students successful in academics, athletics, and art. Certificates of excellence were awarded to the student with the highest average in each class. Each department also had their own awards. Recipients of these department awards received a plaque and a small medal to wear over their graduation gown.

In the Classical and Modern Languages Department, John Hewitt won the French award, Brianna Perry won the Latin award, and Kaitlyn Sethares won the Spanish award. John Hewitt also won the department award for English Language Arts, and Kaitlyn Sethares also won the department award for Mathematics. The History and Social Science department award went to Emily Audet. The Science, Technology, and Engineering department award went to Nicolas Iacovelli. The Physical Education department awards went to Michaela Bouvette and Paul Graves. In the Unified Arts Department, Mia Traenkle won for Art, Keren Satkin won for Band, Justin Smilan won for Chorus, and Kylie Fitzgerald and Evelyn Murdock each won for Family and Consumer Science. The Athletic Department gave out various awards presented to Paige Santos, Samantha Barrett, Chris Carando, Robert Magee, Emily Beaulieu, Jesse Noonan, Isabelle Riley, and Samantha Allaire. A few departments gave additional awards for students of further excellence.

Mary Cabral, advisor of the Community Service Learning club, presented Presidential Volunteer Service Awards to students who earned them through hours of community service. Bronze awards were given to Emily Hyde and Robert Magee for each completing over 100 hours of service. Gold awards were given to Arissa Underhill and Haakon Perkins for each completing over 250 hours of service.

The night continued with the AFS recognition awards and Drama Club awards. Emily Audet received the Joan Walsh Book Award and Samantha Barrett received Student Council’s Unsung Hero Award. The Carol A. E. Stigh Lighthouse Award went to Kella Mendes.

Members of the National Honor Society received their gold chords to wear at graduation, and then the top ten scholars of the class received their certificates and medals. Renae Reints and Nicolas Iacovelli tied for tenth in the class. Ninth went to Emily Audet, followed by Ruhi Raje, Brianna Perry, Justin Smilan, Jessica Belliveau, Michael Wyman, John Hewitt, and Kaitlyn Sethares. The Class of 2014’s valedictorian was announced as Leah Thomas.

Brianna Perry was recognized for receiving the Charles E. Winterhalter Memorial Ronald McDonald House Charities scholarship. Emily Hyde and Makenzie Despres were awarded the Marion Firefighters Association scholarships. Every scholarship recipient was recognized; a full listing of these recipients can be found on the high school’s website.

The assistant principal’s award went to Brittany Hotte and the Superintendent’s Award went to Justin Smilan. Principal Michael Devoll gave out various awards presented to Samantha Allaire, Samantha Barrett, Kelly Merlo, Douglas Blais, and Kaitlyn Sethares. He also commended John Hewitt, Rebecca Koerner, Kaitlyn Sethares, Justin Smilan, and Leah Thomas for participating in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Friday morning’s senior assembly was a more lively celebration of the seniors’ accomplishments. Held during second period in the high school’s gymnasium, the whole school as well as family and friends were in attendance.

The assembly started with the singing of the national anthem by senior chorus members. Next, Class Secretary Brianna Perry spoke on the class’s history. From creating their first fantastic homecoming skit freshman year to dealing with the fact their original prom venue burned down senior year, the class of 2014 has had an interesting and successful four years. Perry captured the class’s unique personality as she spoke, recognizing every accomplishment from the debate team to the football team.

To show the class’s unique talents, the assembly contained intermittent musical performances by members of the senior class. Troy Rood, Elizabeth Machado, and Justin Smilan each sang. The Jazz Combo, including seniors Matthew Pereira and Jared Tyndall, performed a song. The audience also enjoyed the chorus’ singing of “Spiderman” and later the concert band’s playing of “Foundry” by John Mackey.

Between these musical performances were heartwarming speeches that captured the year’s events and said goodbye to the seniors. Foreign exchange students Louisa Truss from Germany and Ailina Cervantes Diaz from Costa Rica spoke about their transforming time in the United States. Their speeches were followed by a slide show the two had created using pictures of their experiences with their new family at ORR.

Junior class president Michael Kassabian had the audience laughing with his goodbye speech for the seniors. He recalled the “struggles” the class of 2014 had to face over the years – everything from dealing with the new student drop off route to losing and then regaining chocolate milk in the cafeteria. Kassabian quoted both Drake and Rosa Parks, managing to blend humor and heart into a wonderful speech.

The senior assembly is not only a time for the school to say goodbye to the seniors; it’s a time for the seniors to thank those who have helped get them so far. The senior class officers – President Zachary Bowen, Vice President Callie Gomes, Secretary Brianna Perry, and Treasurer Amanda Carreiro – presented gifts to the class’s advisors, Merrideth Wickman and Michael Nailor. Senior Zachery Tilden spoke about the senior class’s gift to the school: benches in memory of Dana Dourdeville. The benches can be found at the memorial by the school’s track.

The assembly was concluded with the senior video created by Samantha Barrett. Throughout the year, Barrett collected interviews, video, and photos to blend into a montage of the class of 2014. The video had students smiling and laughing upon seeing old photos and footage of their classmates. It brilliantly captured the class’s personality and heart.

Finally, Saturday – the big day – arrived. With the sun shining hot, the graduation ceremony was held on the school’s football field at noon. The graduating seniors walked formally to their seats to the tune of “Fanfare and Processional” by Edward Elgar, performed by the high school concert band. Once seated, the national anthem was again sung by senior chorus members Makenzie Despres, Nicole Enos, Troy Rood, Paige Santos, and Justin Smilan.

Senior Class President Zachary Bowen held a moment of silence and then welcomed the friends and families in the crowded bleachers before passing the microphone to Superintendent Douglas White, Jr. White spoke about how the students’ generation has become a generation of technology. With this technology comes the availability of information, and thus the requirement for maturity, he said, providing advice to the graduating students.

Principal Michael Devoll took the stand next, speaking about his time at ORR and his realization of the school’s value. “We have never graduated such a strong class,” he said, mentioning the class of 2014’s success regarding academics, athletics, debate, and community service. With that, Devoll passed the microphone to eighteen graduating students so that they may speak for themselves on their accomplishments.

The students who spoke – Keren Satkin, Nathan Resendes, Morgan DaSilva, Nicholas Bergstein, Kella Mendes, Chad Santello, Isabelle Riley, Mitchel Geldmacher, Arissa Underhill, Christopher Helmar, Curran Desjardins, Haakon Perkins, Morgan Collings, Jacob Machnik, Talon Gomes, Jack Smith, Kelly Merlo, and John Hewitt – spoke honestly about their high school experience. They mentioned their pride in becoming sports captions, participating in a wonderful music program, getting involved in the school and community, and creating fantastic homecoming skits.

DaSilva mentioned her undefeated track team, which won all eight SCC championships throughout her four years. Riley was on the girls’ lacrosse team the first year it was started, and this year, they made it all the way to states. Collings thanked the teachers for their support, while Perkins recalled his valuable time volunteering in the special education classroom. Many of the students were simply proud of the friends they’ve made, the memories collected, and the diploma soon to be in their hands. Hewitt, the last to speak, left his classmates with some advice. Follow your interests, he said, because they are what make you unique.

With the conclusion of these speeches, Devoll passed the microphone to Jessica Belliveau, Vice President of the National Honor Society. Belliveau introduced her friend and classmate, a caring person and lover of Jeopardy: Leah Thomas, the valedictorian.

Thomas’ speech was one of memories made and goals achieved. She encouraged her peers to be proud of their accomplishments, reminding them that although it has become an expectation, graduating high school is a big deal. Throughout her speech, Thomas gave her classmates valuable advice. She reminded them to take every opportunity. As a resident of Middleboro, Thomas took the opportunity to become a school choice student at ORR. Now she’s ORR’s first ever school choice valedictorian. Thomas encouraged her peers to appreciate the good times, get involved in the community around you and make memories. As her last piece of advice, Thomas reminded her classmates to always show their gratitude. Sticking to her word, Thomas thanked those who had influenced and supported her over the years: teachers, family, and friends.

After a performance by the high school band, the graduates finally reached the moment they’d been waiting for – the presentation of diplomas. As Vice Principal Michael Parker read off their names, the graduating students proudly walked to the front of the field. They shook hands with Principal Devoll, School Committee Chairman James O’Brien, and Superintendent White, received their diploma, and again took their seat among their peers.

Finally, Principal Devoll presented the class of 2014, and one hundred sixty-two caps flew into the air. The 52nd class of Old Rochester Regional High School had graduated.

By Renae Reints

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Committee Embraces New PARCC

The Marion School Committee said good-bye to the old pencil and paper MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) and hello to the new online PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) exam during its June 5 meeting.

Just as Rochester had done the night before, Marion chose to embrace the PARCC exam after a pilot of the exam at Sippican School and an informative presentation by Superintendent Doug White, who advocated for replacing MCAS with PARCC before the State stops using MCAS on its own accord in 2015. The Board of Education granted local school committees the choice to decide between the two exams.

“Whether it be a PARCC school or an MCAS school,” said White, “we can’t be both.” White added that if Marion decided to go with PARCC, the State would back the change by assisting with technology infrastructure support and professional development. The decision must be made by October 1, and White said the sooner the committee decided, the better.

“In 2016, [MCAS] will no longer be a viable test in grades three through six,” said White; however, for the time being, MCAS will remain a graduation requirement, and the science MCAS will also remain the same, for now.

Sippican School Principal Lyn Rivet said a select group of students who took the pilot PARCC test liked it more than MCAS because it was a shorter exam, but they had frustrations with the manipulation of the technology.

As Rivet explained, some students had difficulty navigating the exam, like finding the math calculator that the website provides for the test. Students who also went back to alter their open response questions were disconcerted when, after pressing the delete button, their entire open response questions were erased.

“Overall, the response … was that they were excited about being able to take it on the computer,” said Rivet. However, she added, “They would have felt more assured … if there had been some sort of practice involved.”

There are other benefits to adopting PARCC now before the State decides which exam they will issue in 2016, as White explained.

Students would get acclimated earlier to the online testing, and there is no risk to the school’s Level 1 status, since 2015 test results would not count against the school.

“What I see is an opportunity for our kids to be exposed to and have the opportunity to try this test,” said White.

But as School Committee member Christine Winters pointed out, there is no guarantee that the State will choose to continue using PARCC in 2016, so why adopt it now?

“But MCAS will never be here again,” said White. “Some other online test will be used in 2016 … MCAS is no longer a test that is aligned to the Common Core.”

Chairman Joseph Scott concurred, saying, “Experience is going to benefit us no matter what the (future online) test is.”

Assistant Superintendent Elise Frangos added another benefit to adopting the online test, describing the labor-intensive process of preparing the MCAS testing materials, sharpening pencils, counting test packets, and checking seals and codes.

“It is truly a gigantic labor,” said Frangos. “And if we could go to this (online) modality, it would be amazing.”

Winters pointed out that Sippican students have already engaged in the Galileo testing online, so what would be the added value in adopting PARCC?

“It equates to everything,” said Scott, “Practice, practice, practice…”

School Committee member Christine Marcolini saw the benefit of adding “time on learning” by doing away with MCAS, which takes place over the course of the entire day, while PARCC is just about 90 minutes long.

“Also, the amount of staff that has to be covering all that day long…” said Marcolini.

All committee members voted in favor of PARCC, with Winters abstaining from voting.

In other matters, the committee approved the plans for the new Sippican School playground, a $9,000 project that will be completely paid for by donations and private funding with no cost to taxpayers.

Physical education teacher Joe Resmini presented the plans that now include a black top area on which older students could play.

“Older kids have nowhere to play basketball or four square,” said Resmini. “The human body needs movement and it needs movement all throughout the day.” He said students’ brains become more focused and active, resulting in better learners. “It would definitely reduce the amount of behavior problems at recess,” added Resmini.

The committee also approved keeping Whaling City Transportation as the Town’s special education transportation, and they approved the YMCA lease for use of the Sippican School facilities.

The committee approved the School Improvement Plan developed in part by the Sippican School Council, as well as Frangos’ Professional Development Plan.

The committee welcomed new committee member Kate Houdelette, and said farewell to Director of Student Services Theresa Hamm, who is retiring at the end of the school year after over 20 years of service in the Old Rochester Regional District.

By Jean Perry

MRschool_061214

Daniel J. Gautreau

Daniel J. Gautreau, 85, of Fairhaven passed away Tuesday, June 10, 2014. He was the husband of the late Lillian (Richard) Gautreau.

Born in New Brunswick, Canada a son of the late Cloris and Sophia (Belliveau) Gautreau. He was a member of St. Joseph’s Church, Fairhaven and also attended church at St. Mary’s, Fairhaven and St. Joseph-St. Therese Church in New Bedford.

Mr. Gautreau worked in maintenance for The Steamship Authority. He was a member of the Fin Fur Feather Club of Mattapoisett and he loved hunting and fishing in Maine. Mr. Gautreau enjoyed going out for breakfast with all his buddies.

He is survived by two daughters, Jackie Mahoney and her husband Keith of Fairhaven and Yvette Montplaisir and her husband Mark of Needham; a sister, Yvette LeBlanc; two brothers, Marc and Henri Gautreau all of Canada; four grandchildren, Mathew Tomlinson, Melissa Medeiros and her husband Jay, Erik and Nicole Montplaisir; two great grandchildren, Avery and Zachary Medeiros and several nieces.

He was also the father of the late Richard D. Gautreau.

His Funeral Mass will be held, Friday, June 20, 2014 at 9 AM in St. Mary’s Church, Main St., Fairhaven. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.