To the Editor:
The family of Michael Carl Arruda would like to extend their appreciation and continued support to all of the volunteers and players who have made the Second Annual Michael “Mikey” Arruda Memorial Golf Tournament a success. The event was held on October 6 at the Little Marion Golf Course. The proceeds raised from the tournament will benefit the college fund for Michael’s two girls, Maggie and Riley Arruda.
Bonnie Arruda
To the Editor:
Some may think that the purpose of my letters on the subject of education is to criticize and express negative views toward the Old Rochester Regional School District, but, in fact, the exact opposite is true. My intent is a positive one. I love the Old Rochester Regional School District and am especially proud of the excellent education the high school has been able to offer its students for many decades. I am also certain that the district continues to have the potential to educate students in keeping with high standards of learning, authentic proficiency, creativity and inspiration. To realize that potential, however, change is necessary.
Currently, the district is under the misguided leadership of School Committee members and administrators who look only at data, test scores, and espouse misleading standards of performance. Students are not experiencing what they should, despite the fact that many are themselves motivated, talented and eager. The students are too young and too inexperienced to recognize the difference. The responsibility then lies with us — parents, teachers and community members — to ask the questions and monitor the choices and policies that are detracting from true learning experiences and high standards for our students.
Since I have been sharing my knowledge and experiences in my letters, I have heard from many parents, former students, parents of former students, and interested and concerned community members validating my message and expressing gratitude that I am bringing current educational issues to light. My hope is that this awareness will lead my readers to do some research, read further, and question both the School Committee and district administrators in regard to their data-driven focus. Old Rochester was once in the forefront of education, way ahead of the game. When colleagues and I went to conferences or to professional development opportunities in other districts and at colleges and universities, we found that we were already practicing what was being presented. Why should our fine district and our fine local schools now be led by narrow-thinking, uninspired followers? My primary concerns continue to be the teaching-to-the-test mentality and policies, as well as the lack of standards upheld when students are given “Pathways to Success” that do not require that they reach true proficiency but insure that they pass — often without much effort. As I have emphasized, true learning is often not now the goal and not achieved.
Other areas needing examination are:
1. The thrust toward getting as many students into AP classes and Honors classes as possible, whether or not the students’ abilities suit those levels and whether or not their teachers recommend them;
2. The elimination of B level classes in some grades and some subjects;
3. The paring down of the curriculum to Power Standards intended to increase the test scores, but not the learning;
4. The continuing outsourcing of professional development and assessment through Pearson. Please ask questions.
As I mentioned in Letter #4, so many university professors, psychologists and educational research experts are writing and publishing scholarly articles that can enlighten and educate all of us on the detrimental effects on our children of these practices that lead to more assessment and less instruction and learning. The actions and decisions of our current School Committee members and administrators indicate that they are not educating themselves and not heeding the warnings of those who are expressing the need for a return to authentic curriculum and performance.
In the interest of keeping today’s letter briefer, since the previous letters have been dense and perhaps more than should be absorbed at once, I will cover some aspects of the topics above and save some for later.
All students should be challenged. No one would argue against that. The current thrust, however, is to encourage more and more students into Honors and AP classes at the high school. The Central Office administrators seem to believe that the greater number of students in these courses (again, data) improves the school and what it can offer to students. The effect is clearly the weakening of those programs. This practice does raise the school’s ranking in magazine lists and state and federal measures, but does not enhance the students’ experience or the true learning that should be taking place.
The high school’s enrollment doesn’t change much from year to year — always somewhere around 700 students — but the number of students in AP classes and Honors classes has changed dramatically. Not every student should be in AP. Every student benefits most from being taught at the level in which he or she will learn the most, make the most progress in skills, and feel the most comfortable. Old Rochester once provided just that experience. If too many students, some of whom are not ready for that level and some of whom have not been recommended by previous teachers, are in AP classes, then they will not be truly AP classes. I speak from 28 years of teaching AP classes. AP classes are supposed to be equivalent to college courses. Not all high school students are ready for college courses in junior or senior year. or those students, we had outstanding A Level and College Prep classes, and, as mentioned in a previous letter, the very effective Tech Prep program.
If we are encouraging students into AP classes who are not ready, the experience is not what it should be for those who are. The effect is a lowering of standards and expectations. The writing, the thinking, the discussion, the instruction, the intellectual investment will not be what it should. Some administrators will say that it doesn’t matter whether students take the AP test and score a 1 or a 2 rather than a 4 or 5 (5 being the highest). The College Board says that, because they make more and more money on the greater number of students using AP materials and paying to take the tests. In the October 7 issue of the Boston Globe Magazine, the subject of the overemphasis on AP courses was addressed. In the article, Brad MacGowan, a college counselor at Newton North High School, said, “The numbers are rising, but at some point, there’s got to be an upper limit. If it’s college-level work, how can we expect all school students to do it? If all of a sudden all high school students can do it, then it’s not really college-level work.” (Globe Magazine, October 7, 2012)
That makes sense to me. More next time on the issues, especially the current Pearson-driven privatization.
In regard to the need to become informed, one good website is ERIC, a source for scholarly articles on education; also, check out the writings of Vito Perrone, for many years on the faculty of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, who wrote extensively on the detrimental effects of standardized on true learning. Among his many statements: “[Teachers] feel compelled to spend time preparing children to take tests in spite of the fact that few teachers believe that a given child’s intelligence can be accurately represented by standardized tests. Reasons for caution in the use of tests include the possible loss of children’s self-esteem, the distortion of the curriculum and the lowering of expectations.” (Profiles of Impact, www.harvard.edu)
Administrators of the Old Rochester Regional School District, start reading and studying and educating yourselves on what is wrong with the current approach. Look at our schools and policies with a fresh and independent intellect, eye, mind and heart. Don’t let Pearson advertisements and endorsements run the show. Start giving teachers a voice in decision-making and policy. Why trail along behind others waiting for some other school district to say that the current trends and policies and assessments are not good for students, teachers and schools? Get out in the forefront and feel some pride in leading our schools to authenticity, true proficiency, real assessment and a true commitment to education, rather than letting data, scores, and companies like Pearson, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Exxon Mobil and the AP/College Board dictate our schools’ and children’s future. Have faith that our schools can return to the powerfully intellectually stimulating, high-performing (based on measures other than test scores), nurturing, inspiring, creative and proud places for students they were and can be again.
Once again, I ask parents, teachers, students, community members and taxpayers to become informed and ask questions.
Again, thank you for reading. If you would like to contact me for further information, please email tpdall9@yahoo.com.
Teresa R. Dall
Mattapoisett
The Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen unanimously appointed Ray Andrews as the official Clock Keeper of the Center School Clock. The Board made the decision at their regular meeting on Tuesday, November 13.
In addition to appointing Andrews as Clock Keeper, the Board unanimously voted to establish a clock fund in order to save money for clock maintenance in the coming years. The clock saw a complete restoration, renovation and relocation over the summer, the brunt of which Andrews oversaw.
“I’m very happy to report things are going well,” said Andrews. “For the first time since 1995, we have a working clock at night.”
The clock was recently relocated to a more accessible location for public view in the clock tower. It has been encased in glass and a plaque has been made for it. Andrews hopes to turn the whole space into a Center School museum, commemorating the time when the building was used as Mattapoisett Junior High School until 1961.
“It’s a great place to turn into a museum,” Andrews said.
So far, the clock fund has $4,000, which Andrews had anticipated to be more; however, he underestimated the cost of the relocation of the clock. Originally, he thought it would cost around $5,000, but it ended up being over $11,000 to complete the project.
“That really put a heavy hit on the donation fund,” he said.
Andrews is interested in finding a Junior Clock Keeper who can learn how to maintain the clock and eventually take over in the years to come. Andrews encourages any interested young men and women to reach out to him for more information.
Town Treasurer and Tax Collector Brenda Herbeck updated the Board on the status of her department. She said the town is in the same shape as it was last year in terms of property tax returns. Historically, between 98-99 percent of property taxes are returned by this time each year and they are right on schedule. Herbeck said only approximately 40 people in town have not yet paid their property taxes, but they are working with them individually for payment options.
Veteran’s Agent and Highway Supervisor Barry Denham commended Old Hammondtown Elementary School on their Veterans Day Ceremony held on Monday, November 12. Denham said he was very impressed with both the school’s chorus and band playing patriotic music.
“It was a very good service and a very good turnout,” Denham said. “I was proud to be a veteran and proud to be from Mattapoisett.”
Denham also met before the Board to talk about roadwork proposed for Mattapoisett Neck Road this spring. The majority of the work done to the road’s sewers and some of the paving has been completed. However, Denham has suggested completing the project this spring by repaving all the roads off of Mattapoisett Neck Road. The roads being repaved would be from the start of the Bike Path to the end of the road. The original project only proposed half of the roads be repaved and repaired.
“It didn’t make sense for me to have them come in and have them do half of the paving only to have me turn around and ask them to come back to do the rest of the paving at a later date,” said Denham. “It just makes more sense to do all of the paving at one time.”
In order to complete all of the paving at this time, the Highway Department would need more money from the town. Denham said he has about $70,000 leftover from the work that has already been completed. In order to have the project completed before next summer, the town would need to transfer $230,000 in free cash to the Department to finish it. The transfer of those funds is Article 5 on the Special Town Meeting Warrant.
“If the town does not approve this at town meeting, we will be doing ourselves a big injustice,” said Selectman Jordan Collyer.
Denham said that if the article for road repairs is not approved at special town meeting, it would be tabled for another year when all of the money would be available to complete the project in its entirety and the remaining $70,000 would be used for other projects. Among other streets to be fixed are Church, Pearl and Barstow Streets.
Town Administrator Michael Gagne said the town had submitted damage reports after Hurricane Sandy to the state to determine whether or not Plymouth County is eligible to receive aid from FEMA for repairs. Gagne said Mello Wharf is one area of town that desperately needs repairing.
“I think it’s extremely critical,” he said. “Hopefully we’re going to get some money.”
The Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen will meet again on Tuesday, November 27 at 7:00 pm in Town Hall. The Mattapoisett Special Town Meeting will be held on Monday, November 19 at 6:30 pm in the Old Rochester Regional High School Auditorium.
By Katy Fitzpatrick
The Rochester Planning Board appears to be on course to reverse a previous vote to release two units and instead release four units of the Pines at Hathaway Pond in return for $20,000 cash surety deposit with the town treasurer.
The Board previously voted to release two of the units while holding another two units. But after hearing from representatives from the Pines at the regular meeting on Tuesday, November 13, Chairman Arnold Johnson extended the review on this matter until the Board’s next meeting on November 27.
There were not enough members present for a voting quorum on November 13. Other Board members in attendance were Robert Francis, Michael Murphy, Ben Bailey and Gary Florindo. The Town Planner could not attend due to a personal matter.
“There were four units being held by the Planning Board, and the request originally came in to potentially release all four units in exchange for some type of surety. The Board talked it over, and we sent our review engineer out there to look at the status of the project, and we came up with a $20,000 figure to hold the four units,” Chairman Johnson said. “At that time … it was said to keep two units and sell two units.”
But representatives from the Pines stated that withholding release of all four units was holding up the sale. Johnson responded, “The covenant releasing the two would need to come back and then we would have to submit one with all four.” All parties then agreed to move forward with a $20,000 figure and a 25 percent contingency to release all four units.
“Our engineer would still go back in there when it’s done to review everything and make sure everything is still functioning according to the plan,” Johnson said. “Then [the Board] would go in there, and we would decide if everything was done appropriately.”
There was also continued discussion on the site plan review for the proposed ground-mounted solar panel array for the Little Quittacas Pond region of town off North Avenue — referred to as the Little Quittacas Solar Project.
The property on which the proposed array would be located is owned by the City of New Bedford. The array would draw solar power that would be routed to the power grid in order to offset the electricity used by New Bedford’s Water Department.
Last month, at the project’s technical review meeting, the plans came under fire because the construction of a drainage swale would extend into the public roadway. TRC Engineering agreed to redesign that part of the plan.
The Board felt these concerns have been adequately addressed. “The layout of the road and the distances required were not laid out properly and now they have been,” Bailey said.
Florindo asked some Rochester residents attending the Board meeting if they are happy with the current plans, and all those attending were happy with a current plan for berm with vegetarian.
After discussion on this matter, Chairman Johnson said the Board would “come back on [November] 27th and really move it forward.” The Board approved a motion to further review the matter at that time.
“We would like to see a construction schedule to incorporate into our decision, and also some type of decommissioning bond would have to be in place where the town would have to be in approval,” Johnson said.
When construction is complete and power is produced, ConEdison Solutions is said to be the owner of the array of New Bedford’s property, and it was made clear that they will be responsible to maintain it and also come up with decommissioning bond.
In other matters, a Special Permit was signed for Porter Bog, Hiller Road and for Assessor’ Map 11, Lots 2A and 2B.
The Rochester Planning Board will meet next at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, November 27 at Rochester Town Hall.
By Scott Giordano
Carol M. (Parker) Chase, 71, of W. Wareham formerly of Marion, was called to heaven on Monday Nov. 12, from Tobey Hospital, surrounded by her family. Carol was the ever-loving companion of 31 years of James Q. Clemmey Jr. of W. Wareham. Carol was born, raised and attended public schools in Marion. She is the daughter of the late George C. and Beatrice M. (Haskell) Parker. Moving to West Wareham in 1992. Working for many years at various positions. Carol retired from her favorite secretarial position from J.L. Clemmey Co. Inc. She enjoyed to travel, was an avid reader, especially with her Kindle, a patroness of Netflix, the WII and was named the Queen of the pool at the Great Hill Estates.
She is survived by her three sons; Kimball, Michael and Jeffrey Chase and his wife Patricia. Her three daughters; Michelle Blow and her husband Jeff, Betty Lancaster and her husband Stephen, Nicole Stone and her husband James. She is the sister of Richard Parker, Betty Ouellette, Frances Butterfield and Beverly Wilson. Grandmother of Christopher, Kyle and Alexandria and many loving nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. She is the mother of the late Sharon Chase and sister of the late Sonny Parker. Carol also leaves behind a close friend Jeanette Murphy.
Her memorial service will be held on Saturday Nov. 17th at 2pm in the Church of the Good Shepherd 74 High St. Wareham. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. Memorial gifts may be made to the charity of your choice. Online guestbook please visit warehamvillagefuneralhome.com. Burial in Evergreen Cemetery Marion will be private. Arrangements by Wareham Village Funeral Home.
On Monday, November 12, members of the Mattapoisett community gathered together at the Old Hammondtown Elementary School to honor local veterans for their service to our country. The school’s chorus and band played and sang patriotic tunes while several members of the town government and armed forces made speeches. Photos by Katy Fitzpatrick.
John J. P. Pinho, 53, of New Bedford, died Sunday, November 4, 2012 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He was the son of Maria L. (Alcaidinho) Pinho of New Bedford and the late Jacinto Pinho.
Born in Santa Cruz, Lagoa, St. Michael, Azores, John immigrated with his family to Dartmouth in 1960 and resided in New Bedford since 1964.
He was a communicant of St. Mary Church, So. Dartmouth.
John was employed as a sales manager for Tile Craft.
He enjoyed spending time at the beach, dining out and working out at the gym.
His family includes his mother;2 daughters, Melissa B. Pinho and Amanda M. Pinho, both of New Bedford; a step-daughter, Chelsea L. Skipwith of New Bedford; 1 brother, Mariano M. Pinho of New Bedford; 2 sisters, Fatima P. Buzniak and her husband, Andrew of Florida and Beatrice M. Gravelle and her husband, Gary of Arizona; 2 grandchildren, Mackenzie Pinho and Angel Collazo; 1 niece, Tracie Rothwell and 2 nephews, Jason Galli and Dillion Mello-Pinho.
His funeral was held Friday with a Mass of Christian burial celebrated in St. Mary Church, So. Dartmouth. Interment in Rural Cemetery.
Arleen M. (Linton) Shaw, 87, of Marion passed away at home Wednesday November 5. Arleen is the daughter of the late Ralph L. and Dorothy A. (Hersey) Linton and sister of the late Shirley Freyermuth and Ralph Linton. Funeral services will be private.
Frances S. Holdsworth, 96, of Marion, formerly of Bristol, Rhode Island, died October 28 at Tobey Hospital.
She was the widow of the late Hubert Holdsworth, M.D
Born in Providence, she was the daughter of the late Ransom H. Sartwell, M.D. and Bessie (Morgan) Sartwell and stepdaughter of Elizabeth Lofgren Sartwell. She lived most of her life in the Providence area and Bristol before moving to Marion twelve years ago. A graduate of Brown University Class of 1937, Mrs. Holdsworth was a biochemist at Rhode Island Hospital.
Survivors include two daughters, Nancy Weaver and her husband Barry of Barrington, Rhode Island, Jane Zora and her husband Joseph, Jr. of Marion; three grandchildren, Mark Weaver of Boston, Kristen Guevara and her husband Armando of San Antonio, Texas and Jennifer Stewart and her husband Nathan of Marion. She had four great grandchildren: Aili and Ian Stewart and Katherine and Xavier Guevara.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the Marion EMS, 2 Spring Street, Marion MA 02738.