On Wednesday, September 19, it’s the day to “Talk Like a Pirate.” From 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, come to the library dressed in your best swashbuckling gear, listen to some pirate audio stories and music, do a pirate craft and have a pirate snack! This program is open to children ages three and up. Parents or caregivers must supervise their children. This is a “drop in” event.
On Friday, September 14, the public is invited to enjoy another installment of the Sippican Historical Society’s popular program, Classic Film Fridays. One Friday each month, the Society presents a classic movie and offers a discussion on its historical context or significance. This month’s film, The Wind and the Lion, is based on the Perdicaris Incident of 1904, in which American businessman Ion Perdicaris was kidnapped in Morocco and held for ransom.
The incident is often remembered for the statement made by US Secretary of State, John Hay, “Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead.” John Huston is featured as the Secretary of State, with Candice Bergen and Sean Connery in leading roles. John Hay lived in Marion while he and John Nicolay edited their serialized biography of President Lincoln, for whom they had served as private secretaries and assistants.
Classic Film Fridays are held at the Marion Music Hall (164 Front Street) and are offered free of charge to the public. Films begin at 7:00 pm and refreshments are available. For more information, contact the SHS at 508-748-1116.
To the Editor:
The most frequently referenced story among the staff of the Old Rochester Regional District in recent times is not an episode of PBS’s “John Adams” series, not the BBC’s latest Shakespearean production, not “Nova’s” current piece on the universe, not even the less esoteric events on “CSI,” as in some previous school days; but is, in fact, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” No, that is not a new HBO series; it is the old fable about the Emperor who was tricked into believing that he had a brand new beautiful set of clothes, when, in fact, he was parading before his subjects with no clothes at all. No one in the kingdom had the courage to tell him that he was naked, so he proudly marched assuming that everyone was admiring his new clothes. No one told him out of fear of retaliation, until –
A child, however, who had no important job and could only see things as his eyes showed them to him, went up to the carriage.
“The Emperor is naked,” he said.
“Fool!” his father reprimanded, running after him. “Don’t talk nonsense!” He grabbed his child and took him away. But the boy’s remark, which had been heard by the bystanders, was repeated over and over again until everyone cried:
“The boy is right! The Emperor is naked! It’s true!”
The Emperor realized that the people were right but could not admit to that. He thought it better to continue the procession under the illusion that anyone who couldn’t see his clothes was either stupid or incompetent. And he stood stiffly on his carriage, while behind him a page held his imaginary mantle. (Hans Christian Anderson, available at deoxy.org)
In private, many at ORR frequently say, “The emperor has no clothes,” but will not say it openly, nor to those with the invisible clothes, for fear of being discredited, or worse, for fear of retaliation. So what remains are the misguided decisions, the changes in policy, the focus on teaching to the test, the placing of students where they will not best acquire their skills and the continuing concern for the school’s ratings; i.e., AYP and state rankings, rather than the importance of true student learning and achievement. Administrators focus on AYP and comparisons to other districts; the School Committee defines success according to test scores and data and shows more interest in the comparisons than in the educational experience for our students.
Education is about each student’s being met as an individual, and a school’s mission is to help each student grow in skills, confidence and in self-esteem. Those goals are achieved through personal connections between teachers and students, through creativity in the classroom, through a commitment to high standards. We all know that anyone who speaks of a powerful and valued school experience talks about individual teachers who cared and who made learning exciting; not of standardized tests, curriculum requirements, common assessments and “Power Standards”; unfortunately, those being the aspects of education with which our administrators and School Committee are currently obsessed. The damage done by No Child Left Behind should be acknowledged, and all community members and voters should be concerned. Whoever thought that it would be a good idea for the federal government to become involved in local education? We in the communities of Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester once had a stellar school system; we were in the forefront of all that was good in education. Not to have had the courage to move forward and continue what was true excellence – standards of excellence in teaching and learning much higher than the state’s and the federal government’s – and abandon those and replace them with misguided and diminished data-driven standards for students is neglect of the true mission of education. Administrators currently let AYP and NCLB dictate decisions and curriculum in order to maintain their own job security and future salary increases based on merit – but not merit measured by excellent learning experiences for children, but instead, by data.
To reference another familiar story, education in the Old Rochester Regional District has become a topsy-turvy world – like “Alice in Wonderland” down the rabbit hole, where everything is turned upside down. For what? For test scores? For a school’s AYP rating? I know, of course, that standardized testing and data collection will not go away. In fact, before long, the MCAS will be replaced by a national test. What we need to understand is that good teaching, high standards for learning and behavior, and creative and engaging curriculum will lead to true learning for students. The students in the ORR district performed well years ago when MCAS testing began – way before a data-driven and teach-to-the-test mentality took over, and the MCAS tests were then more demanding. Clearly, some students need extra help in mastering the skills needed to become proficient in math and ELA, but ORR has had in place excellent MCAS review courses for students who have failed the test or are in danger of failing. Because those classes are taught by skilled English and math teachers and were created and planned and executed by teachers and not administrators or Curriculum Directors, they are not teach-to-the-test drills, limited to narrow “Power Standards,” but rather true skill-building learning experiences.
Also among the concerns often voiced by teachers, among themselves, is grade inflation. Student accountability and a commitment to hard work are giving way to passing students without their having acquired the necessary skills. Too many students are receiving A’s, giving them and their parents a false sense of achievement. Another practice troubling many teachers is the placing of too many students in Honors and AP classes at the high school. Students are then not in the environment where they learn best. ORR once had a commitment to recognizing a student’s level of proficiency and need for challenge and moving from there. Students respond to the feeling of personal success that comes from meeting an authentic challenge. ORR once had a Tech Prep program that was phenomenally successful in raising students’ skills, as well as their confidence as learners. Many of you reading this may have been my Tech Prep students, who went on to two or four-year degrees or skilled positions in the workplace and are now in successful careers and, in many cases, now serve as the backbone of our three communities. But more on levels next time.
Education is not a popularity contest. Education is a serious responsibility, perhaps the most serious, beyond the responsibility of parenting. Indifference or succumbing to fear of those in power is a shirking of that responsibility. It was once possible at ORR, in fact, appreciated and respected, to be an enthusiastic supporter and contributor and still question and disagree. Sadly, no more.
To quote again from MLK, Jr., as in my previous letter, “There comes a time when silence becomes betrayal.” At staff and faculty meetings and district meetings, very seldom does anyone speak up. Discussion is not encouraged when those present feel that they do not have a voice. I speak – for the good of the students, of the families and of the taxpayers.
More to come – next time. I have shared some of the concerns; next, some of what does work in the classroom to inspire and motivate.
Teresa R. Dall
Mattapoisett
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Every year, sports teams must face a familiar problem: how to replace the valuable seniors lost to graduation. For the Old Rochester Regional soccer teams, the problem is bigger than ever this season.
The girls’ team, led by Coach Jeff Lombard, won the SCC championship title last year but lost nine seniors to graduation, including All-Eastern Mass players Mollie Beaulieu and Gabby Kondracki, along with Goalie Casey Magee. They boys’ team, led by Coach John Sullivan, lost a whopping 13 seniors, including Midfielders Nate Houston and Matt Teefy and key defenders Marc Gammell and Noah Filloramo.
They boys’ team will need to work hard to defend their second place finish in the SCC league from last year. Leading the efforts will be senior Forwards Teddy Costa and Max Houck. Junior Mikey Pruchnik will take over as Goalie, and juniors Robby Magee and Alden Truesdale should also help the Bulldogs to win games this fall.
The girls’ team, although weakened substantially by graduation, brings back key players in senior captains Hannah Walsh, Alison Francis, Hannah Bouvette, and Katelyn Cummings. Coach Lombard states that the probable opening day lineup for the Lady Bulldogs will include 5 sophomores and 1 freshman. Lombard also says that the team has a lot of potential, skill and speed, but that with a tough opening schedule, early success will be a key for the remaining part of the season.
The younger players will add to the team, but Lombard says that they also contribute to the team’s greatest obstacle: communication.
“So far, communication has been a challenge that has been put to the girls, and may be our biggest obstacle. With such a young group, many have been reluctant to take charge and be vocal,” said Lombard.
“Both teams are excited for the season,” said Athletic Director Bill Tilden. “They [the coaches] will be watching the younger players to see how they do on a varsity level.”
Both the boys’ and girls’ teams begin their SCC seasons on Wednesday, September 5 against Apponequet. The boys are away, while the girls will play at ORR. Both games begin at 3:30 pm.
By Michael Kassabian
The start of the school year always brings bustle and a subtle chaos to all involved, especially those in the junior and senior high schools. New classes, new teachers, class meetings and stacks of school paperwork often mark the first week. Teachers must learn new faces and assess their new class populations for the year. Also with the beginning of the year come scheduling problems. Directed more toward the high school, where students choose their courses, the guidance office is always a zoo.
As of March 2012, a new rule has been implemented concerning course changes. In an attempt to reduce the disarray the guidance department experiences early in the year, students are not allowed to add, drop or substitute classes. Unless is it an approved level change (dropping down from Honors-level to A-level), students are fixed in the classes and electives they chose for themselves the previous year.
For students, this means that even if you have an elective you really dislike, or a certain class you would rather take the next year, you are pretty much frozen where you are. For teachers, this means that there will be much less shifting your rosters and seating plans around. For guidance, this will mean much less volume of students flooding to their counselors, allowing them to spend more time for their other obligations.
Also concerning scheduling is the new enforcement of study halls. Unless students are taking AP courses, they are not allowed to have more than one study hall per semester, in the hope of pushing students to fill that extra block with another class to further their education.
A third amendment to the rules of scheduling classes is the induction of “auditing” courses. This will generally benefit two types of students, the first being those who want to drop a class but do not have the approval of guidance for the change. This means you can tough it out in the class or perform an “audit.” In an audit, you go to the class as normal but do not receive a number or letter grade for the work you do; you will have an “audit” written on your transcript for that class. This way, should you fall behind on a certain part of the class or fail a test, it does not affect your GPA but you are still obtaining the intellectual benefits of taking the class.
The other type of students that will benefit from auditing are those who want to take a class to enrich their minds or just to learn a little on the subject without the pressure of a definitive grade at the end of the class.
These new rules will hopefully instill better planning on the part of the students and ensure a less hectic beginning of the year for the guidance department and the teachers of the high school.
By Jess Correia
Running a marathon is no easy feat. Tack on a 112-mile bike ride and 2.4-mile swim and most people would call it impossible. But for the few gifted athletes who are able to complete all three, there is the Ironman competition, an event in which Mattapoisett native Shane Wilhelmsen competed on August 19 in Mont Tremblant, Canada.
“I felt very satisfied and relieved,” said Wilhelmsen about completing the Ironman. “I had a very big feeling of accomplishment.”
Wilhelmsen began running in 2009 when he trained for his first 5K with some co-workers. After realizing how much he loved running, he graduated to triathlons and marathons before trying his first half-Ironman competition.
“I never thought I would do anything like this,” he said. “I was never big into running or anything. I biked back in middle school just to get around here and there but never competitively. I did very little running in high school.”
Wilhelmsen has come a long way since his days at Old Rochester Regional High School, where he graduated in 1997. He began preparation for the Ironman competition in February, following an intense 26-week workout regimen and dedicating 10 – 15 hours per week to his exercise. Even with all the training, there’s no doubting the difficulty of the competition.
“The hardest part for me is the bike ride, but I go back and forth with that and swimming,” said Wilhelmsen. “At the start, they fire off a cannon and 2,300 people run into the water at the same time. That is kind of daunting and you have to be prepared for a lot of contact swimming.”
After the race, it took Wilhelmsen nearly two weeks to fully recover. He took the week following the competition off to relax and let his body mend, but he’s back on the pavement running to prepare for a marathon in October. He has his sights on qualifying for the 2013 Boston Marathon in April.
Wilhelmsen is proof that you can do anything you put your mind to, even without an extensive athletic background. He has plenty of advice for those looking to challenge themselves physically.
“Start small and see where you can go,” he said. “After I did the half-Ironman a couple summers ago, I was completely wiped and I was lying down on the grass. After a few minutes I started recovering a little bit and I felt like I could do more.”
By Katy Fitzpatrick
The Marion Planning Board and Energy Management Committee voted in favor of creating a Solar Task Force that would discuss matters pertinent to the possible solar panel farms coming to Marion in the near future. The task force was recommended at the Planning Board’s regular meeting on Tuesday, September 4 in the Marion Town House.
The task force will be comprised of two members from both groups. From the Planning Board, Ted North and Sherman Briggs agreed to assume the roles. The Energy Management Committee will discuss potential representatives and appoint them at a later date.
A proposed solar panel farm is in the works in Marion, and according to the Planning Board, the Marion Transfer Station is the most logical and likely place it will be constructed. The farm would be approximately 2 – 2.5 acres in size. The Planning Board worries, however, because there are no bylaws or regulations in place for solar farms.
“It would be a benefit for our town to get some design standards and put them in the bylaws,” said North.
North believes that there should be rules and regulations for residences wishing to use solar panels on their homes. There are two types of installations: pole mounted and ground. Panels can also be flat or angular. Regulations would keep the town consistent with their panels.
In order for the bylaws to be established, the landfill’s zoning status would have to be changed from a residential status to a light industrial status. Zoning statuses can only be changed at Town Meeting. Both committees were torn in rushing to get the proposal drafted before the Fall Town Meeting or waiting to get more information on the project and inform the public.
While the majority of both committees believe the landfill is the perfect location for the project, it is still facing opposition from a few members.
“Why would you pick an environmentally unfriendly setting to build a solar farm on?” asked North.
Both committees agreed more information was necessary before they could decide whether or not the plan would be ready to bring to Town Meeting this fall.
“None of us have enough information,” said Planning Board Member Thomas Magauran. “Until we have a real project, we shouldn’t make a decision.”
The Marion Planning Board will meet again on Monday, September 17 at 7:00 pm in the Marion Town House.
By Katy Fitzpatrick
The Marion Energy Management Committee met with the Board of Selectmen to discuss a series of improvements to lighting and energy systems for various town buildings. The two groups met at the Selectmen’s regular meeting on Tuesday, September 4 in the Marion Town House.
The Energy Management Committee presented a report after NSTAR conducted an energy audit examining where the town could save money by improving lighting and energy systems at town facilities. The facilities that were audited include the Town House, Fire Department, Police Department, DPW, Waste Water Treatment Plant, Music Hall, Taber Library, Harbormaster’s building and Sippican School. The Police Department was excluded from any of the upgrades since it is a new facility.
Based on the assessment, the Energy Management Committee made three recommendations for upgrades to the facilities. The first would replace all lights and sensors in all of the facilities with the exception of the Town House. The new lights would cost $169,000 and could save the town up to $65,000 annually.
The second recommendation is to replace the insulation and boiler controls in the Fire Department. The cost of the project is $7,000 with a payback period of seven years. Making the change could save the town $1,000 annually.
The final recommendation is to replace the boilers in the Music Hall and Library. With a payback period of ten years and a project cost of $44,000, the improvement could yield up to $3,000 per year in savings.
No decisions were made with the three proposed recommendations. The Energy Management Committee will be providing more specific details as they become available from NSTAR.
The Board approved a Pavement Management Program that would examine every road in the town. CDM Smith, an engineering firm, will look at the roads and make recommendations for improvements. The project has been approved as a Chapter 90 project by Mass Highway and will be paid for by Chapter 90 funding.
“We need to wrap our arms around the roads in this town because clearly they are not self-healing,” said Selectman John Henry.
Town Administrator Paul Dawson updated the Board of Selectmen on the status of the Sprague Cove situation. Dawson said they obtained all of the necessary documents from the company who performed the maintenance on Sprague Cove to rid it of invasive plant species. By securing the documents, the town was able to put plans in motion to pay for the project.
Friends of Silvershell Beach offered to donate $12,000 to the town to pay for the maintenance work that was completed. Additionally, they will pay for the herbicides for the first year of a three-year maintenance plan while a more permanent solution is drafted.
“Things are on the straight and narrow,” said Dawson about the status of the situation.
Dawson also updated the Board on the status of the Marion General Store parking lot by saying he went and visited the lot to check out the lines. He said the lines were not visible and it was definitely time to repaint them. He is currently in the process of pricing out the project with a contractor and should have a price by the next meeting.
The Board of Selectmen will meet again on Tuesday, September 18 at 7:00 pm in the Marion Town House.
By Katy Fitzpatrick
The Rochester Conservation Commission met for their first September meeting on Tuesday, September 4. The first hearing, which was continued from August, was in regards to a Notice of Intent filed by Robert Ferreira of Infinity Landscape Construction Company on behalf of Kurt Noyce. Ferreira is seeking approval for regrading and excavation associated to the construction of an in-ground pool and cabana for property at 38 Gerrish Road. The project would take place within a 100-foot wetland buffer zone.
“We’re proposing a buffer zone project that involves the construction of a pool, a concrete apron around the pool and a cabana [to be used as storage],” said Kevin Forgue of G.A.F. Engineering.
In addition, a chain-link fence is proposed that would run parallel to a nearby wetland area. The project would also require a staging area for building materials.
“There is an existing gravel driveway that goes down to the site where the pool is proposed. If there is any stockpiling of materials, that’s where it would be,” he said.
Forgue said that the location of the cabana has been moved further away from the wetland border, per the request of Rochester conservation agent Laurell Farinon.
The Commission voted in favor of the project, pending a standard order of conditions.
The Commission then heard from engineer Rick Charon on behalf of James Welch and Marguerite Zandrowicz regarding an amended order of conditions for property at 357 Neck Road. The amended order would include the replacement of an existing porch with a new deck, as well as renovations to the cottage on the property.
While the Commission was largely in favor of the project, Farinon requested that erosion control measures be added to the project.
The Commission then voted in favor of the plan.
The Conservation Commission then held a public meeting, continued from August 21, regarding a Request for Determination of Applicability filed by the City of New Bedford for property on North Avenue. The City would like to install a 15,000-panel solar array on 28.5 acres near Little Quittacas Pond. The project would be completed in conjunction with Con Ed Solutions and the Real Goods Solar Company.
The project, which would be built on land owned by the City of New Bedford, would generate electricity to be used by the New Bedford municipal water department. No electricity would be sold by the city.
The project has been met with a lot of questions and concerns from the community, though there were few residents present for this meeting. The current proposal reflects a reduction in the size of the project and includes a redesigned drainage plan that would relegate all precipitation on the site.
Sam Moffett of TRC Environmental was back before the Commission to answer more questions. Moffett had spoken to the Commission two weeks ago and has met with the Planning Board.
“I have little to add to my presentation from our meeting two weeks ago,” Moffett said.
Commission member Laurene Gerrior asked who would be in charge of maintenance of the site.
“The City of New Bedford would lease the land to Con Ed Solutions, who would maintain the array,” Moffett said.
“I’ve been out to the site a couple times to review the wetland delineation. As you can see from the plans, the City has deliberately kept the majority of the work away from the wetlands,” said Farinon.
She said that she found no significant conflict regarding encroachment of the wetlands due to the construction of the array.
The Conservation Commission voted in favor of the solar project.
The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission will be on Tuesday, September 18 at 7:00 pm at the Town Hall.
By Eric Tripoli
A dead seal washed up on the Mattapoisett Public Beach Tuesday morning, causing the town to close the beach until Wednesday.
“[Selectmen Chairman] Jordan Collyer requested that we close the beaches until Wednesday. It’s just for precautionary measures,” said Mel Pacheco, assistant to the Town Administrator. “Everything will be removed in the morning.”
According to Mattapoisett Natural Resources officer, Kathleen Massey, a neighbor living near the beach spotted the carcass around 10:00 am Tuesday morning and called the police.
The animal had been dead for a long time, but there was no clear indication as to the cause of death, whether from a boat or natural predator. The seal was missing its head, parts of its flippers, and several pieces from the torso. She estimated its weight at about 200 pounds.
“I can’t guess what happened. I’ve seen seals with big chunks taken out of them before. I even saw one with a spear sticking out of its side,” Massey said.
While it’s not atypical of a dead seal to wash up on a local beach, it isn’t a regular occurrence. Colonies of harp and harbor seals beach themselves in several locations around the South Coast, but Massey wasn’t sure which specific species washed up on shore Tuesday.
“I’ve never seen one that looks like a leopard with spots all over it,” Massey said. She also said that she was unable to determine where the seal came from.
The Mattapoisett Public Beach will re-open on Wednesday, September 5.
By Eric Tripoli