Mattapoisett Resident Earns Eagle Scout Rank

on

Alexander Moceri of Mattapoisett having completed the requirements for the rank of  Eagle Scout had a Court of Honor held Saturday, November 3, 2012.  To obtain the highest  youth rank in Scouting, he had to complete an Eagle project.

The project he led, involved the complete renovation of the Men’s and Ladies’ bathrooms at the Parish Hall
for St. Andrews Episcopal Church where Troop 3 meets in New Bedford.  The project took five days to complete with over 270 volunteer hours and required him to lead more than a dozen people.

Alexander started Scouting with Pack 3 then spent a couple of years at Pack 53 and Troop 53 of Mattapoisett then transferred to Troop 3 in New Bedford.  He also is a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow.  Alexander is the son of Alison Anselmo of Mattapoisett and Joseph Moceri, Jr of Gloucester.

MCAS, Hurricane Sandy Discussed

on

The Mattapoisett School Committee held its monthly meeting at Center School in Mattapoisett on Monday, November 5.

There was a lot of ongoing discussion about recent MCAS analysis, with school principals speaking about the school-wide implications for the 2012-2013 school year.

Center School Principal Rosemary Bowman said an analysis of question type reveals children are doing well in multiple choice questions but need improvement with short response questions. Therefore, the district will aim to help students become more proficient with detailing evidence to support responses to short answer questions.
School-wide implications for 2012-2013 include improving evidence-based writing with emphasis on non-fiction texts; continued focus on poetry, myths and traditional narratives at all grade levels; and intensify work with Writing Process and Writing on Demand. There will also be focus on implementation of the Common Core Standards as part of the ELA and Math redesign teams.
Old Hammondtown School (OHS) Principal Matt D’Andrea said the OHS analysis reveals students are doing well in reading, improving in mathematics , and have shown some progress in writing.  The school-wide implications include continued focus on writing and increasing student exposure to non-fiction.

Superintendent of Schools Douglas R. White, Jr. and the full School Committee praised local art educator Greta Anderson for being selected as the 2013 Massachusetts Elementary Art Teacher of the Year by the Massachusetts Art Education Association.

Anderson completed her student teaching at Mattapoisett as part of her under-graduate program at University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (UMASS). She was hired by the School District in January of 2010 and is presently in a Master of Education of Art degree program at UMASS.

Superintendent White then introduced Maria Tomon – who proposed having local students and their families participate in a donation drive to assist Long Island, New York families in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The proposal was authorized by the School Committee.

A Long Island transplant, Tomon has lived in Mattapoisett for about 25 years and is now a Grade Two teacher at Center School, but continues to have family residing in Long Island.

“Schools have been out for over a week [in Long Island] and some districts have children and families without homes, without clothing, without food.  Transportation there is very iffy and there is a gas shortage,” she said. “I enjoy being here with my students every day, but watching the news and speaking to my family members, I know there are many things we can do.”

“I would like support from the School Committee to send a letter home with students requesting donations from their families. I would set up a truck from 2:00-6:00 pm [on Tuesday, Novemeber 20] to collect donations, and then drive the truck with the donations down to Long Island,” she added. “If we can pull together as a community and get some donations or gifts cards together for families to go out and get what they need, I would appreciate their support.”

The School Committee then approved the proposed  fund-raiser to collect and U-Haul the donations to Long Island on Tuesday, November 20.

In other news, Director of Curriculum and Development Elise Frangos participated in two recent professional development days.

One was on November 6 to develop English/Language Arts bundles based on the MA Frameworks and the Common Core Curriculum Standards. The other was on November 5, in which teachers were trained on e2020, an online virtual school that will provide tutoring and enrichment opportunities for students.

“This is an exciting way to help enhance student learning and also allow them to continue to learn when they are out of school in the hospital, for instance,”she said.

OHS Principal D’Andrea, who also attended the November 5 training, shared the enthusiasm with Frangos.

“Any student who is sick can hop online to access the course, and it also allows kids to go back and watch the same lesson over and over as they need to,“ he said.

Frangos said the Parent-Teacher Community Academy will offer a free presentation from 6:00-7:15 pm on Wednesday, November 14 in which Technology Director Ryan McGee and Mattapoisett parent Bodil Perkins will present technological skills for home learning.

The event, called “Wired for Learning: Google Docs to Kahn Academy, Easy Tech Tools for Student Home Learning,” will be held at the Junior High School library in Mattapoisett.

In other news, Center School Principal Bowman spoke about the ongoing Mattapoisett Parent Teacher Association’s Scholastic Book Fair at Center School, which continues on Tuesday, November 6, and Wednesday, November 7.

“The money raised goes directly to the Center School library, so it’s a great opportunity for parents to buy books for their children and also contribute to our library,” she said.

Bowman also spoke about some changes in the state’s curriculum about Massachusetts colonial history.

“We started something different in third grade. We shifted focus to talk about Native Americans and have a Native American come and do individual workshops for people in the third grade. The enthusiasm from the kids and the teachers was immediate. Children are learning more about Native Americans and their contributions to America,” she said.

The third grade students also will be taking a field trip to the Aptucxet Trading Post Museum in Bourne on Friday, November 16.

OHS Principal D’Andrea then shared some upcoming events and developments with Old Hammondtown School. These include: 
  • The OHS Concert Band and Chorus will participate in a Veteran’s Day ceremony at OHS at 11 am Monday, November 12.
  • The Mattapoisett Parent Teacher Association is sponsoring a fifth grade presentation by author and illustrator Teresa Flavin on Monday, November 26.
  • A Staff vs. Student Charity Basketball Game is scheduled on the evening of Friday, December 7 at the Old Rochester Regional High School, with event proceeds being donated to St. Vincent de Paul charities.

Schools will be closed on Monday, November 12 for Veteran’s Day; and report cards for both schools will be issued on Monday, December 3.

Director of Facilities Gene Jones stated there was no damage from Hurricane Sandy to the building or grounds of either Center or Old Hammondtown schools. He also said Wayne Electric was expected to complete repairs to parking lot lights at Old Hammondtown School on Tuesday, November 6.

The Mattapoisett School Committee will meet next at 7:00 pm on Monday, December 10, at the Center School cafeteria, 17 Barstow Street in Mattapoisett.

The Joint School Committee will meet next on Thursday, January 17, 2013, at the Superintendent’s Office, 135 Marion Road in Mattapoisett.
By Scott A. Giordano

Ruth Augusta Millett Maker

on

Ruth Augusta Millett Maker died at Woodridge Nursing Home in Berlin, Vermont, on October 23, 2012. She was 97 years old. Born in Springfield, Vermont in 1915, she was the daughter of Robert Noyes Millett and Ella Mae Fletcher Millett.

In 1932 she graduated from Springfield High School, where her father was principal. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Colby College in 1936. After a brief career as a hospital lab technician she married Paul Maker in Springfield in 1941, where their three sons were born and where the Maker family lived with her parents for many years.

The Maker/Millett family moved to Birmingham, Michigan in 1956. Ruth and Paul subsequently lived in Marion, Massachusetts; Euclid, Ohio; Storrs, Connecticut; and Montpelier, Vermont. Ruth served on the school board in Springfield and was very active in the Springfield Methodist Church, as well as the Methodist churches in Birmingham, Marion, and Euclid. She was an active member of Storrs Congregational Church. At the end of her life she, with Paul, lived at Heaton Woods and attended Bethany Church in Montpelier. Her beloved husband Paul died in 2007.

She is survived by her three sons: David and his wife Emily Maker of New London, Connecticut; Tim and his wife Becky Maker of Calais, Vermont; and Robert Maker of New Bedford, Massachusetts; by her grandchildren Laura Maker of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Neal Maker of Worcester, Vermont; and by two great granddaughters, Clara and Eva Ruth Maker. All who knew Ruth will fondly remember her love of music and her cheerful nature.

Family services will be held in Connecticut.

Those wishing to send on-line condolences may do so at www.guareandsons.com and go to Ruth’s obituary.

Hearing Continued for New Subdivision

on

The Mattapoisett Planning Board and Project Manager David Nicolosi held an informal discussion for a potential subdivision on Deerfield Road off of Route 6.  The discussion was held at the Board’s regular meeting on Monday, November 5.

A public hearing for the subdivision was scheduled for November 5, however a misprint in the published legal notice pushed the hearing back to December 3.

The proposed subdivision would be located on a wetland off Deerfield Road near the Mattapoisett-Fairhaven line.  The neighborhood would have five single-family residences on approximately four acres each.

“This is a preliminary plan,” said Nicolosi.  “I envision this being a high end subdivision.”

Because of the proximity to the wetlands, there has to be an equal ratio of untouched conservation area and developed area.  For the 24-acre proposed subdivision, 12 acres will be developed and 12 acres will be conservation restricted. There is a high concentration of Box Turtles in the wetlands, which is an endangered species.

“It’s a state law,” said Nicolosi of the conservation restricted acreage.

The Planning Board recommended that Nicolosi organize a traffic study for the proposed development to see how it will affect Route 6 traffic flow.  They also advised him to change the road in the development to a roundabout as opposed to a hammerhead design that it is now on the plans in order to better serve any emergency vehicles that may come to the development.

Nicolosi will present the new plans on December 3 to the public.

In other news, the Board unanimously approved the dimensions of a plot of land for a single-family house on Aucoot Road.  The land is located at 124 Aucoot Rd., which is the Indian Cove Boat Yard.  The house would be one of three to be constructed in the development;  the other two properties are located in  Marion.

The lot in Mattapoisett is 1.06 acres and has 156.37 ft of frontage.

The Mattapoisett Planning Board will meet again on Monday, November 19 at 7:00 pm in Town Hall.

By Katy Fitzpatrick

 

Cumberland Farms Addressing Traffic Issues

on

The Marion Planning Board spoke well of Cumberland Farms’ work to address traffic flow issues and parking violations at their regular meeting on Monday, November 5. The Board earlier had sent a letter detailing their complaints to representatives of the business. Chairman Jay Ryder and Vice Chairman Patricia McArdle also met with four representatives of Cumberland Farms for a discussion of the traffic flow, improper parking of delivery trucks and current organization of the parking lot.

“Within a week they had sent a letter to all of their vendors detailing where delivery trucks are allowed to park and that there are no exceptions,” Ryder said. “That was very positive.”

The representatives of Cumberland Farms also identified the possibility of adding up to eight more parking spaces to the lot during their tour of the property with Ryder and McArdle.

“We found six or seven or eight places where they might create parking spaces,” Ryder said.

Ryder also said that Cumberland Farms is willing to pay for any work that the Board might ask them to complete in order to improve the traffic and public safety on and around the property.

“[We] came away from the meeting very confident that they would do anything we ask them to,” Ryder concluded.

Some changes, he noted, would require the Board to change the order of conditions. The changes, however, would be done in stages per request of Cumberland Farms.

In its other business, the Board concluded the public hearing of the River Road definitive subdivision plan by Investors Fund Trust.

“Given that Ken Motta and the applicant’s engineer are agreed on the waivers … we can vote on granting the waivers as a group,” Ryder said.

The Board unanimously voted to approve the waivers, as well as to approve the subdivision plan.

The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board will be on Monday, November 19 at 7:00 pm in the Town House.

By Anne Smith

Elks Club Student of the Month

on

The Elks of Wareham Lodge No. 1548 sponsors the Elks Student of the Month and Student of the Year Awards for students enrolled in local area high schools.  The criteria used in nominating a student includes a student who excels in scholarship, citizenship, performing arts, fine arts, hobbies, athletics, church, school, club and community service, industry and farming.

Freshman Sara LaFrance of Rochester was selected by the Old Rochester Regional High School faculty and staff.  Sara is an amazing young woman who finds time to help all students.  She eats lunch with one young man whenever she can, gives up study periods to help out another and whenever students are in class she’s in, she ensures that the students are her partners.

Sara does this all while juggling a rigorous academic course load and being involved in numerous activities (drama, cross country, swimming).  There are many days we say Sara is the biggest tool we have in helping our students.

Mattapoisett Library Events

on

Dealing with Bullying: Free Workshops for Parents and Professionals

Most children of all ages–preschool to teens–will either experience or witness some type of bullying behavior, either in school or in other settings.  When your child is involved, the matter takes on a particular significance.  Parenting the child who i sometimes mean is just as challenging as supporting the bullied child.  Experienced professionals with sound advice can help.

Joseph Schechtman, M.Ed., will present two workshops at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library for parents and those who work with children and teens around the issue of bullying. On Thursday, November 8th, the focus will be on the bullied child. On Thursday, November 29th, the topic will be the child who bullies.  This is an opportunity to learn why bullying occurs, how children are vulnerable and what adults can to do to support all children. Both workshops are free and will be held from 6:30 to 8 pm in the library.

Please register by calling 508-758-4171 or by emailing mfpl@sailsinc.org.

 A Dance Journey for Young

Children ages 6 through 8 years old are invited to “A Dance Journey” with dance educator Kay Hanley Alden at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library on Wednesday, November 14th from 3:30 to 4:30 pm.  The session will include gentle warm-ups and imaginative dance and movement in tune with the fall season.

Please call the Children’s Department to register your child by calling 508-758-4171. The class will be limited to 20 children.

 Friends Used Book Sale

The next Used Book Sale sponsored by the Friends of the Mattapoisett Library will be held Saturday, November 10 from 10 am to 1 pm.  Hundreds of new donations have been given to the sale since last month, so the selection is terrific.

Junior Friends Bake Sale and Can Drive

Support the Junior Friends of the Library by bringing your redeemable cans and bottles to the library on Saturday, November 10th between 9 and 10 am.  The Jr Friends will then hold a bake sale during the Used Book Sale from 10 am to 1 pm. Stock up on some homemade goodies!

 Ereader Assistance

Still trying to determine if you want to buy an ereader to download library books?  Have a reading device but not sure how to use it?  Visit one of the library’s open workshops with librarian Elizabeth Sherry and ask your questions.  The workshops are held Tuesday evenings at 6:30 pm and Friday afternoons at 3 pm. Call 508-758-4171 for an appointment, if you would like to come for training at another time.

 

Holiday Sale Benefits Relay For Life

on

Over twenty local vendors gathered at the Marion VFW on Sunday, November 4, and took part in the Relay For Life’s Holiday Marketplace fundraiser.  The event was organized by the Relay group Team Family Ties and was supported by donations from 25 local businesses, from food to raffle items.

“We’ve been a part of this town since 1996,” said organizer Tara Oliveira.  “Two and a half years ago, we lost a teammate named Christy to brain cancer.  “It makes me feel like I’m continuing her work.”

Team Family Ties held a similar bazaar in March and raised almost $2,000.

“We’re hoping to top that this year,” said Oliveira.

This time around, there were more vendors than the previous event.  Patrons browsed items like hand-made greeting cards, knitted items, holiday ornaments, and jewelry.

“We’re hoping for a very successful day that brings everybody together,” Oliveira said.

By Eric Tripoli

Mattapoisett Town Warrant: At a Glance

on

At a special meeting on Friday, November 2, the Mattapoisett Board of Selectmen signed the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting to be held on November 19 at ORR.

 Town Administrator Michael Gagne read aloud each of the twelve articles, all of which were approved by Chairman Jordan Collyer and Clerk Paul Silva.  Board of Selectmen Vice Chairman Tyler Macallister was not present at the meeting.

Many of the articles in the Warrant are for “housekeeping” topics, such as the increase in the late fee for dog licensing (Article 4) and road paving on Mattapoisett Neck Road (Article 5).

There are two articles dealing with the purchase and acquisition of lands on Chapel Road and Acushnet Road, respectively.  The land on Chapel Road (Article 10) would require the acquisition of $125,000 from the Mattapoisett Community Preservation Fund to purchase land that the Town would then allow to be used by a non-profit, charitable corporation or foundation, decided by the Board of Selectmen.

The land on Acushnet Road (Article 11), for which $155,000 would be appropriated via Water Retained Earnings, would be held in the care and management of the Board of Water and Sewer Commissioners.  The Warrant lists a structure on the property is to be razed.

There are two Home Rule Petitions on the Warrant.

If passed, Article Two would provide that the Town of Mattapoisett shall contribute 50% of the cost of the premium for group health insurance provided by the town.  The article would apply to town employees hired after June 30, 2010.

In addition, the article would allow for collective bargaining between the Town of Mattapoisett and any unions that may require the town to contribute 50% of the premium cost.

Article Three, the second Home Rule Petition, seeks authorization to allow the Board of Selectmen to enjoin the General Court to allow the Town of Mattapoisett to directly appoint a full-time Harbormaster.  Passage of the article, and approval from the state, would allow the Board of Selectmen to field candidates for the position, hold public hearings regarding their progress and the candidates, and draw up employment contracts for the new individual.  The new Harbormaster would also be subject to fringe benefits and all conditions of employment.

 Horace Field, who currently serves as Harbormaster, would retain his position in full until such a time a new person is appointed to the job.

If approved, Article Eight would accept the Tinkham Forest trail system, a series of passages over land owned by the Bay Club and Village 6, which allow access to the town-owned forest. The Board of Selectmen would be granted authority to discontinue use and control of previously used public ways.  These roads include Sippican Trail, Solomon Road, and Pine Island Way.

Copies of the Town Warrant will be available on Monday at the Town Hall and on the town website, Mattapoisett.net.

By Eric Tripoli


Garcia Advances to X-Factor Top 12

on

Rochester’s Jennel Garcia advanced to the Top 12 Finalists on FOX’s hit music televisions how “The X-Factor” last night on live national television. Garcia was one of 3 in the Young Adults category who advanced to next week’s show.

Garcia performed Motley Crue’s “Home Sweet Home” during the show’s first week of live shows on Wednesday, earning rave reviews from the four celebrity judges Demi Lovato, Britney Spears, Simon Cowell and LA Reid. She sported a brand new rock n’ roll makeover with darker hair and a new cut.

Garcia was the first contestant to learn that she would be advancing to next week’s live shows.  Judge LA Reid said she scored a perfect 10 with her performance.

Garcia was one of two female singers from the Tri-Town to sing on the X-Factor.  Jillian Jensen, a friend of Garcia’s, also made it far into the competition, but was eliminated last week before the live shows began.

“The X-Factor” airs on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 8:00 pm on FOX.