Mattapoisett Bulldogs Special Olympics

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The Mattapoisett Bulldogs Special Olympics basketball team met with success on Saturday, February 4 at their preliminary tournament held at Bridgewater-Raynham High School. It was a day full of baskets, smiles, and high-fives! The team heads to Worcester for a full day of competition on March 10.

We need your support! A significant challenge for this team is financial. Uniforms and travel are costly. Any contribution is appreciated. Please make checks out to “Special Olympics” and put “Mattapoisett Bulldogs” in the memo section. Mail your check to “Special Olympics, 125 John Hancock Road, Taunton, MA 02780.” Your donation is fully tax deductible.

The players benefit physically, socially, and psychologically as members of a team. They gain confidence and a positive self-image. The success of this team is a community effort. Thank you for considering a donation to this important cause and don’t forget to fan us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mattapoisettbulldogs.

Plumb Library Next Week

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• Monday, February 20: Library Closed – President’s Day

• Tuesday, February 21, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm: Treasure Hunt Tuesday.  Come see how much you know about the library. Follow directions to find library items and end up at our treasure chest where you can take home a treasure of your choice.

• Wednesday, February 22, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm: Watercolor Wednesday. Have you every tried painting by the numbers? Stop by and be creative. Take home your masterpiece.

• Thursday, February 23, 4:30 to 5:30 pm:  TeachMe Thursday: Registration required – space limited. MadScience, Simple Machines. Learn how simple objects like sticks and blocks can be used to solve big problems. Discover simple machines that you use every day! Make a catapult to take home. This program is appropriate for kids in grades K-6.

• Friday, February 24, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm: Funny Friday – TGIF – Thank Goodness it’s Funny! Junior Friends of the library and other guests will be reading their favorite jokes or funny stories. If the week has got you weary, and your eyes are all bleary, come flop down at the library, listen to funny stories, and have a little snack. Journals available if you’d like to create your own funny stories.

For more information, or to register for the Mad Science program, call the Plumb Library at 508-763-8600 or email info@plumblibrary.com.

Rabies Clinic

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There will be a Cat and Dog Rabies Clinic on Sunday, March 11, 2012 between 10:00am and noon at the Mattapoisett Fire Station. $12 per animal. You do not have to be a Mattapoisett resident. Proceeds go to a charitable organization. Animals must be properly restrained. Dogs must be leashed and cats must be in cat carriers. Licensing will be available for Mattapoisett residents. $12 for intact males or unspayed females. $9 for spayed or neutered. For more information, please call (508)758-4100 ext. 8.

ORR Track Comes Through Again

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The Bulldogs have another trophy to add to their trophy case. Both the boys and girls winter track teams walked away from the South Coast Conference Championship this past Sunday victorious, with the boy’s team earning 70 points and the girl’s team 97.

Morale was high going in to Sunday’s SCC meet at New Bedford Voke, as the Bulldogs entered undefeated. Coach Bill Tilden, who also serves as the school’s Athletic Director, described this season as a dream.

“Both teams have excelled due to senior leadership and fearless underclassmen along with some new upperclassmen on both teams,” he said.

Last year the girls entered the SCC championship undefeated, but this was the boys’ first experience with such accolades.

“Going undefeated in the dual meet season is a feat in itself,” said Mr. Tilden.

Team captains are David Friedman, David Romanowicz, Matt Vicino, Eric Geldmacher, Ryann Monteiro, Abby Hiller, Cayla Johnston, Ally Saccone and Hannah Walsh.

According to Mr. Tilden, it was tough to play against ORR because you could never figure which event many of the athletes would compete in.

“The teams strengths this year have been their depth and having athletes willing to run any event needed,” he said.

The season isn’t over yet, as those who have qualified move forward to the Division 4 State Championship on Saturday, February 18. According to Coach Tilden, “Many are looking to improve their personal bests.” The meet will be held at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.

By Shawn Sweet

Eric Geldmacher is holding the boys trophy while he’s sitting on the shoulders of Nick Cristaldi. Photo by Dorothy Bell

NBYB Takes Flight with The Firebird

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The New Bedford Ballet is hosting its annual spring fundraiser on Sunday, March 18, from 2pm to 5pm at the NBB Community Theatre, 2343 Purchase Street in New Bedford.  The afternoon will include an array of elegant desserts and beverages, live music provided by members of the New Bedford Symphony Youth Orchestra, and performances of an adaptation of The Firebird by the New Bedford Youth Ballet at 2:30 and 3:30 pm.  All proceeds will benefit New Bedford Ballet’s arts education and dance scholarship programs.

Based on Russian folktales and the mythological Phoenix, The Firebird was originally performed in 1910 as part of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, with music composed by Igor Stravinsky.  Rebecca Waskiel-Marchesseault, artistic director of New Bedford Ballet, has modified the original story to increase its educational value and family appeal, while still maintaining its original symbolism and energy.

The New Bedford Youth Ballet will also be performing The Firebird for elementary schools in Fairhaven, Marion, New Bedford and Westport in March as part of their Bringing Mythology to Life Program.  This program will continue the Youth Ballet’s tradition of merging academics with the performing arts.  With support from the Fairhaven Cultural Council, individual music and story CD’s and informational workbooks will be provided for students, and a mythology related curriculum will be provided for the schools’ art programs.

A special additional performance of The Firebird will be presented at Children’s Hospital Boston, providing hospitalized children and their families a magical evening as they witness the splendor of the art of ballet.

The New Bedford Youth Ballet is a company of the New Bedford Ballet Foundation, Inc.  Founded in 1987, the Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote and present classical ballets, grant scholarships, and educate the community in the beauty of this performing art.  Aided by the financial support of the Foundation, thousands of area school children and senior citizens have had the opportunity to participate in the performing arts.

Tickets: Adults $15, Seniors and Students $10, and Children $5

For more information, call the New Bedford Ballet at 508-993-1387 or visit our website www.newbedfordballet.org.

Kathryn Sebastiao, from Mattapoisett, as Maiden Ivana, Rhiley Sylvia, from New Bedford, as the Firebird, Amanda Peabody, from Dartmouth, as Kashchei; Kashchei’s Creatures: Back: Tori Castanha (Marion), Annie Tucker (Dartmouth), Camryn McNamara (Marion); Front: Lily Eilertsen (Mattapoisett), Bailey Sweet (Marion), Caitlyn Baker (New Bedford)

FY13 Budget Proposal Still in Works

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Superintendent Doug White opted to wait until the Mattapoisett School Committee’s March 12 public hearing before laying out the specifics of the proposed FY 2013 budget for the town’s two elementary schools. He said ongoing talks with town officials – the result of which could lead to multiple scenarios – precludes him from going into too much detail.

“We don’t want to lay out scenarios until we are clear with what that would mean,” Mr. White said. “It gets people anxious before they need to be”.

However, some general information was provided, including that the budget subcommittee is so far proposing to increase the budget $130,250 over last year’s levels. This increase incorporates teacher contract agreement increases, rising participation in vocational/technical schools for Mattapoisett students (which comes out of the town’s elementary school budget), more supplies and ELA/Science materials, special education increased costs, and support for a new District Technology Director. The budget would not replace a retiring teacher although no other layoffs are in the preliminary estimates.

“We are no longer receiving Ed job [federal] dollars in this budget. $41,557 had supported a teacher in this past year’s budget,” Mr. White said. State funds also will remain the same as last year under Gov. Deval Patrick’s budget.

For now, the superintendent said that he is working with town officials who have asked the schools to prepare a budget with no increases – thus $130,250 less than what they are hoping for at this point.

If these reductions are fully required, “we’d need to make tough decisions that impact class sizes and programs,” he said, but adding “we are working with the town to provide the high level of educational services we have all come to expect.”

According to Chairperson Gracinda Knox, preliminary data is showing that Mattapoisett likely is better off than its Tri-Town counterparts – Mattapoisett and Rochester – which are both facing extensive budget cuts.

“We are in a terrific position compared to our sister schools,” she said. “We’re in a very good space.”

In other topics brought up at the meeting, Ms. Knox and Mr. White noted the recent developments on the federal level to exempt Massachusetts from certain No Child Left Behind provisions. Massachusetts schools will have until 2017, not 2014, to bring everyone into the proficient level for math and science.

“We’ll have a few years to work on this, and develop strategies and guidance,” Mr. White said.

Also, the schools will not have to earmark certain Title I and II monies toward No Child Left Behind.

“I’m very excited about that,” commented Director of Curriculum and Instruction Elise Frangos, noting that mingling the money into “one pot” will have “collective power” to improve student programs and services.

In a related conversation on freeing up more revenue for the town, committee member Charles Motta suggested that Mattapoisett lease out its school rooms for Wood School’s Fairhaven students displaced during the upcoming building of a new school.

“This could be a source of income,” Mr. Motta said.

In other business, the committee appointed Mr. Motta to work with Ray Andrews on storing clock mechanisms as the Center School Clock Tower undergoes restoration.

Also, Gerald Johnson was appointed to a new Special Education Subcommittee established at the Joint School Committee last month to investigate special education funding mechanisms.

Currently the Tri-Town elementary schools shoulder all out-of-district costs for special education for students from 2.5 to 22 years old. The committee is looking into spreading out the costs regionally so it is less of a squeeze on the elementary schools.

“It’s just a conversation at this point in time. It’s an ability to look at how we are doing business and whether we are using best practices,” said Superintendent White, adding that any changes in special education funding practices would require town meeting approval with two-thirds majority vote.

“There is a lot of discussion to take place before any action,” he said.

By Laura Fedak Pedulli

New Exhibits at the MAC

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The Marion Art Center, located at 80 Pleasant Street, Marion, MA 02738 is pleased to announce the opening of an exhibition of photographs by Neil Alexander entitled “Portraits” on Friday evening, March 9, 2012 from 6:00 – 8:00PM.  The exhibition will be in the Cecil Clark Davis Gallery and runs through April 24th.  Mr. Alexander’s photographs are exciting and colorful portraits of children and adults depicted in their everyday life as well as special occasions.

Neil Alexander is a commercial and fine art photographer as well as a documentary filmmaker for over 25 years. His architecture, portrait and food photography has appeared in museum exhibits, books and publications. His award winning films have aired on public television and in festivals, most recently on the National Geographic Channel. In 2006 he was asked to contribute his film, An Eye in the Storm and photographs of Hurricane Katrina to the United States pavilion at the Architecture Biennale in Venice, Italy.

Since September 2005 Neil and his family have resided on the South Coast following the events of Hurricane Katrina. They chose to stay in Massachusetts for the education opportunities presented to their son Calder who had just began his freshman High school year when the storm hit New Orleans.

Neil shares studio space with his wife Nancy at 88 Hatch Street in New Bedford and is a founding member of Gallery 65 on historic William Street in downtown New Bedford.

He is currently working on his latest documentary film Finding Thuy, the extraordinary story about the return of two diaries of a young Vietnamese doctor killed in 1970, that were returned to her mother and sisters in Ha Noi 35 years later by the American soldier who cared for them. www.findingthuy.com.

In 2010 Neil had his first Massachusetts solo exhibition of photographs at New Bedford Museum of Art: Landscapes of Louisiana and the Commonwealth 2005-2010. He continues to work with design professionals in architecture, interior, landscape and urban planning. When not photographing buildings Neil pursues wedding and portrait photography assignments.

In conjunction with Youth Art Month, the art students at Sippican Elementary School, under the supervision of their art teacher, Erin Kirk, will exhibit works also entitled “Portraits”.  Mrs. Kirk has assembled a collection of portraits done by the children which includes several works from each grade level and represents various mediums, including sculptures, all of which will be on exhibit in the Patsy Francis Gallery from March 9th until April 24th.  There will be a special opening reception for the students and their parents on Friday, March 9th from 3:30 to 5:30.

The main focus of the Art Program at Sippican Elementary School is the production, or making, of art. Most of the projects are introduced with an art history or appreciation lesson in which the students view and discuss the art of a selected period, culture, or artist.

The Sippican Art program emphasizes that learning to be an artist is much like learning a sport.  With patience, persistence, practice, problem solving, and a positive approach, every student has the ability to create beautiful and meaningful art.

Photograph by Neil Alexander

Tri-Town Travel Basketball Team Captures Championship

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The Rochester Travel Basketball team captured the prestigious 2012 Cape Cod Youth Basketball League 6th Grade Boys Championship on Sunday, February 12 defeating Falmouth 38-37 in the final.  The win also gave the Rochester team a perfect season 18-0.

The Championship Game started as a defensive struggle with no team scoring until six minutes had been played. Collin Fitzpatrick from Marion sank two free throws to open the scoring propelling Rochester to jump out to an early 7-0 lead forcing Falmouth to take a timeout to settle the pace.  The timeout worked as Falmouth rallied to tie the game at seven apiece only to have the boys from Rochester jump ahead again taking a 14-7 lead thanks to a Jason Gamache (Mattapoisett) three pointer and a James Dwyer (Mattapoisett) layup.  Proving no lead was safe, Falmouth again rallied to tie the score at halftime at 16.

As the second half started Rochester jumped ahead again with a six point run led by Noah Fernandes from Mattapoisett to take the lead 22-16 and again forcing a Falmouth timeout.  Holding true to form, Falmouth again rallied back to tie the game at 22 leading to a back and forth game until the final buzzer.  Falmouth took their only lead of the game with about six minutes to go at 30-29. Rochester rallied back with layups from Bennett Fox from Mattapoisett and Fernandes to take a 37-33 lead with about two minutes to go.  A huge three from Falmouth guard Sam Koss (18 points) cut Rochester’s lead to one with a minute and half left. Falmouth pressure led to a foul sending Jacob Yeomans from Marion to the line for two shots.  Yeomans made one giving Rochester a 38-36 lead with under a minute to go. Falmouth was fouled on a scramble for a loose ball sending them to the line for a chance to tie the game with 9 seconds remaining. Falmouth made the first but missed the second sending everyone in a frenzy for the loose ball, Michael Kennefick from Rochester secured the ball only to be knocked to the ground and called for a questionable travel giving Falmouth one last chance with five seconds remaining. With all eyes on Falmouth’s Koss Rochester tripled team him forcing a heavily contested final shot and when it missed right the Tri-Town team celebrated their Championship!

Rochester’s full player roster and town affiliation; Bryce Thomson, Bennett Fox, Jason Gamache, Michael Poulin, James Dwyer, Tyler Menard, Sam Pasquill and Noah Fernandes from Mattapoisett,  Jacob Yeomans, Collin Fitzpatrick, Kyle Gillis and Corey Lunn from Marion and Michael Kennefick and Joey Mackay from Rochester. Head coach Greg Yeomans and Assistant Coaches Brian Fitzpatrick and Tom Gamache

The game was taped by Robbi Around Town so be on the lookout for viewing times.

 

New England Clam Boil

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The Marion Fire Fighters Association would like to thank all who supported us in January and announce our next event. A New England Clam Boil to be held on Saturday March 24 at Marion Fire Station One, 50 Spring Street Meeting Hall. Doors will open at 5:00 pm with a traditional winter seafood dinner served from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. We are featuring a cash Raw Bar, Raffle Prizes and Soda Bar. Tickets are $25 each and are now on sale by Association members or call Brooks Wilson at 508-728-0840. When leaving a message state your name, call back number and number of tickets desired. We look forward to seeing you all in March.

Mattapoisett Lions Club Scholarship

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The Mattapoisett Lions Club; a member of Lions International, consisting of 45,000 clubs and more than 1.3 million members making this the world’s largest service club organization.

The Mattapoisett Lions Club announces one-$ 5,000 award to be awarded this year to a graduating high school student residing in Mattapoisett, Marion and Rochester.

The funds for this Award are raised through fund raisers held by the Mattapoisett Lions Club through out the year, including Harbor Days an annual festival held in Shipyard Park every July and attended by up to 10,000 people.

The Lion’s Club motto is WE SERVE and one of the largest charitable causes of Lion’s International include raising funds for EYE RESEARCH in an effort to end preventable blindness through out the world.

To qualify a graduating student or home schooled student, shall be enrolled in their first year of a recognized school of higher education, must be a resident of the Tri-Town area, and have demonstrated service to the community. Special consideration will be given to those looking to a career in an eyesight related field.

Lions also encourage participating in the Lion’s Youth Speech Contest sponsored every year by the Mattapoisett Lion’s Club open to all high school sophomore, juniors and seniors in the Tri Town area.

To obtain an application, learn more about this Award or to learn how to become a member of the Lions Club visit our website  www.mattapoisettlionsclub.org  Award applications are also available thru the guidance department at your High School. Applications may also be obtained by calling Helene Rose at 758-9841