Thomas H. Lynch: Fine Art and Corporate Design

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Come to the Mattapoisett Free Public Library between March 1 and 31 to view the Artist Series Exhibit called Fine Art and Corporate Design by Thomas H. Lynch, National Artist and Designer. Lynch has been working professionally for some 40 years. His BFA in design is complemented by a lifetime pursuit of artistic development and excellence, which has enabled him to create award winning works of art and design for a large number of distinguished clients nationwide. Additionally, his experience as an Art Director, Senior Designer and Creative Project Director in the corporate design world has made him a world class visual arts communicator. Lynch has a Gallery in the Ropewalk Mall in Mattapoisett. Lynch will also be available for a Meet & Greet at the Mattapoisett Library on Sunday, March 10 from 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm to speak about his work.

Rochester Homeschool Cooperative

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A Homeschool Christian Cooperative will open its doors in Rochester in September, for Grades K-8.

            Rochester Christian Learning Center is a ministry of the First Congregational Church of Rochester and will open three days per week on the property of the church, located in the center of Rochester.

            To inquire, please email RochesterChristianLC@gmail.com

Walega to Retire in June

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            After a 40-year career, Town of Rochester Health Director Karen Walega is retiring in June.

            That was the big revelation to come out of Rochester’s February 7 Board of Health meeting, in which Walega advised that it was time to start the search for her replacement now. She said the panel should not wait to decide where the job should be posted, and the board agreed to start the process.

            After the announcement, Walega reflected on her retirement after a four-decade career as a municipal health director and inspector.

            “I was very lucky,” she said. “I loved my job. But times are changing. I’m retirement age, and after COVID the state wanted all health directors recertified. I didn’t want to go through all of that again. It is time to move on.”

            Walega was the Marion-Rochester Health District director from 1989 until retiring from that position in 2020, and she has served as Rochester’s health director since then. She was previously the health inspector for the Town of Bourne from 1986 to 1989 and the health inspector for the Town of Norwood from 1983 to 1986.

            In other action, Walega announced that complaints against 515 Rounseville Road are being forwarded to state Assistant Attorney General Lizabeth Marshall, who will file a receivership to speed up cleaning the property. Walega said she recently inspected the property, which consists of an abandoned house and trailer, after complaints of odor and rodents from a next-door neighbor.

            “The trailer inside is still a mess,” Walega said. “The main house is in better shape, but we’re turned it over to the AG’s office. I think rodents are coming from the property. And flies. We found a fly-trap strip in the bathroom and the electricity still on in the trailer, which is a fire hazard.”

            Following the meeting, Walega said the two dwellings on the property were abandoned about a year ago when the mother, who lived in the trailer, passed away, and the daughter, who lived in the main house, relocated. The brother, who now owns the property though it is also under a reverse mortgage, also now lives outside of the area.

            “We’ve been after them for a while to clean it up,” Walega said. “There’s an abandoned car and there was a large boat. They did remove the boat. But an AG receivership will look at what to do with the property.”

            In other business, Matt Armendo, director of Public Health for the South Coast Health Collaborative that includes Westport, Marion, Freetown, Lakeville, Mattapoisett and Rochester, reported its newest health inspector, Gabriella Almeida, is making progress with her training and her first few months on the job; she began in the position in August.

            Walega reported she will soon go before the Rochester Finance Committee with requests to boost the board clerk’s hours to 18. “She needs more hours,” Walega said.

            The Board of Health did not schedule a future meeting date upon adjournment.

Rochester Board of Health

By Michael J. DeCicco

Private Equity in Health Care

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Those of you in the metro Boston news market have been regaled with the saga of the failing Steward Health Care System, owner of nine hospitals in eastern Massachusetts. One eye-catching story described the $40,000,000 yacht purchased by Steward’s CEO, Dr. Ralph de la Torre, while Steward hospitals were having equipment repossessed because of failure to pay their bills.

            While a 190-foot yacht catches attention, it is only a symptom of a deeper problem.

            Private equity (PE) firms’ business model is to buy companies as cheaply as possible, pull as much cash as they can from the company and then either resell it or declare bankruptcy. To be able to sell the business, they have to jack up profits by cutting costs and/or raising prices.

            Private equity investment in healthcare is a recent phenomenon but one which is rapidly growing. These firms focus on specialties where lucrative procedures can be done and/or where patients have little choice.

            Many emergency medicine groups, pathologists and anesthesiologists now work for entities controlled by private equity. These groups were responsible for most of the “surprise” out-of-network bills that made headlines in the last few years. Knowing that patients rarely if ever have the option to select a physician in these fields, they would pull out of insurance contracts and then bill whatever they wanted.

            Quality is secondary to the acquiring PE firm; profits come first. They can increase revenue by raising fees and/or encouraging their employed physicians to do as many well-paid procedures (such as catheterizations and endoscopies) as can be justified, even if not all are truly needed.

            They can cut costs by skimping on equipment and supplies that are not “revenue-producing,” even if they improve quality care. They can also substitute less-qualified, lower-paid personnel, such as aides in place of nurses.

            Steward offers a textbook example. Cerberus Capital bought the troubled Massachusetts-based Caritas Christi hospital system, promising to turn it around. Soon after, they sold the land and buildings of its own hospitals to a real estate trust, pulling out $1,200,000,000 and saddling the hospitals with hundreds of millions in annual rent.

            That transaction allowed Cerberus to quadruple its investment and to pay its investors a $100,000,000 dividend. They bought hospitals around the country, including Texas, Florida and Ohio. Many of these have since been closed, doubtless after the PE investors had pulled as much money out as possible.

            So, Steward’s CEO has a very expensive yacht, and communities around the country are dreading the closure of what is often their only nearby hospital.

            Tell your state legislators that private equity has no place in health care, certainly not without very strict guidelines and oversight.

            Dr. Ed Hoffer is the chairman of the Marion Board of Health, a graduate of MIT and Harvard Medical School. He is Associate Professor of Medicine, part-time, at Harvard and a Senior Scientist at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

By Dr. Ed Hoffer

Charlotte “Sharlie” (Pratt) Sudduth

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Charlotte “Sharlie” (Pratt) Sudduth, 84, died peacefully at her home in Marion, MA on February 10, 2024.

Born November 1, 1939, Sharlie was the eldest daughter of Aileen and Edwin Pratt. She was born in New York. In her early years she lived on the campus of Westminster School where her father taught, then moved to Cambridge, MA where he was the Headmaster at what is now Buckingham Brown and Nichols School. She graduated from St. Timothy’s School and majored in history at Smith College.  She transferred to Goucher College for her senior year after marrying Scott Sudduth (her former husband), who was attending medical school at Johns Hopkins.  She remained close to the Smith Class of 1961. Later she received a Master’s of Counseling Psychology from Lesley College and worked with Habitat for Humanity and Hospice.

Sharlie spent her summers in Marion as a child and later moved there full time.  She raised her children in Exeter, NH, where she owned the knitting store, “Charlotte’s Web”. An accomplished knitter, Sharlie was known for her ability to knit complicated patterns while engaging in the many community meetings she attended. She taught many the joy of knitting in her living room.

Sharlie’s lifetime of creativity took a turn at age 60 with a painting workshop on Monhegan Island in Maine. Sharlie went on to produce thousands of watercolor and oil paintings. She painted with the Westport Art Group, Providence Art Club, and the Marion Art Center. Sharlie loved to travel around the world to paint with Monhegan Island, Block Island, England, Portugal and Italy being some of her favorite locations. Many homes display her beautiful paintings, a box of her note cards, or a copy of her book of watercolors, “My Marion ”.

Sailing was a lifelong passion of Sharlie’s.  A past member of Beverly Yacht Club, she was a skilled H12 racer and also appreciated an afternoon sail on Sippican Harbor in her boat the Weecapa. On Weecapa she shared her love of sailing with friends, four children and nine grandchildren.

Sharlie is survived by her son Robert and his wife Jean of Marion and their children Katie and Ben; her daughter Jennifer Walsh and her husband Paul of Newton, MA and their children Charlotte, Brin and Liam; her son Matthew and his wife Anne of Brookline, MA and their children Ella and Claire; and by her late son Andrew’s children Zoë and Sophie Sudduth and their mother, Saiya Remmler, and his wife Ruth Kennedy Sudduth. Sharlie is also survived by her brother Andrew Pratt, niece and nephews Lisa Humpreys and Ben and Boh Hinds.  She was predeceased by her brother Edwin Pratt and her sister Wendy Hinds. The family would like to thank Fran Emery who manages her home and her care companion, Pat Debarros.

A Celebration of Life is planned for Sunday, April 28th, at 1:00 pm at St. Gabriel’s Church in Marion, MA where she was a devoted member.  In her honor, the family asks that those who attend wear happy colors as she reveled in the beauty of life’s color. In lieu of flowers, donations in Sharlie’s memory may be made to the Marion Art Center, Box 602, Marion, MA 02738. For online guestbook, visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Academic Achievements

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            In recognition of their outstanding academic achievement, Emmanuel College in Boston has named Madeline Wright of Mattapoisett and Gracey Weedall of Marion to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2023 semester. To earn a spot on the Dean’s List, Emmanuel students must achieve a grade point average of 3.5 or higher for a 16-credit semester.

            Vermont State University is proud to congratulate Noah Lapointe of Rochester, for being named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2023 semester.

            Julia Rose Winters of Marion, received a Bachelor of Science degree in communication, media & design, digital art minor, new prod dev & mrkt minor from Clarkson University on December 16, 2023.

            A team of undergraduates from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) were selected from hundreds of team entries for first place in the President’s IQP (Interactive Qualifying Project) Awards. The President’s IQP Awards are given to student teams whose conception, performance and presentation of their IQPs have been judged outstanding in focusing on the relationships among science, technology and the needs of society. Their project was titled “Living with Fracking: Women’s Narratives from Zharrez, Albania.” Alexandria Sheehan a member of the class of 2024, majoring in Economic Science worked as part of the team to develop this project.

            Katherine Solowey, of Mattapoisett, has been named to the Dean’s List at Hamilton College for the 2023 fall semester.

Hot Chocolate Hike

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Mattapoisett Land Trust is hosting a Hot Chocolate Hike during school vacation week. On Wednesday, February 21 at 10 am join MLT and embark on a slow and easy hike through the Old Aucoot District Woods. We will be starting from the Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior Foundation on Angelica Ave. After a 45 minute hike, we’ll return to the foundation for a campfire and hot chocolate, finishing at 11:30.

            It’s the perfect event for the family to get out of the house during vacation. Please dress for the weather and wear sturdy shoes. No RSVP required for this free hike. Email manager@mattlandtrust.org with any questions and visit mattlandtrust.org/events to view this on our events calendar.

From the Files of the Rochester Historical Society

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            When colonial towns were being settled, there was much work to do. One of the first jobs was the building of a “cattle pound”. The creation of one signaled that a village had been established. Pounds were particularly important because of the damage caused to crops by roaming animals. While today we think “dog” pound, the colonial structures were animal pounds for pigs, cows, goats and any other animal who was running loose.

            Both Rochester and Acushnet built early pounds. There is some question as to when Rochester’s first one was constructed. L.C. Humphrey in his writings gives a date of 1711. Another source has a pound being built close beside the house of Aaron Barlow, the 2nd representative to the General Court in Plymouth, in 1708.

            Town records begin to show a Pound Keeper in 1739 and another in 1776. In the 1800’s, there are multiple names listed and there was, no doubt, more than one pound in town. However, the only one still in existence is on Snipatuit Rd. and in the care of the Conservation Commission.

            Along with the Keepers, there were also Field Drivers. Their job was to inform the Pound Keeper of any animal doing damage or any strays and to collect them and turn them over to the appropriate Pound Keeper.

            At Town Meeting April 1,1861, Article 15 “To see if the Town will build or cause to be built a Town Pound in the North East part of the Town and if they do to locate the same and choose an agent to build it and purchase a lot whereon to build it”, was presented for a vote.

            However it was voted not “to build or replace any more pounds and that each Field Driver be Pound Keeper and use his own yard for pound.” This would seem to be problematic as any pound previously built to hold large animals was constructed using large stones. One wonders if Field Drivers’ yards would have been similarly reinforced.

            The decision to move away from pounds must not have gone well. Four years later at the annual Town Meeting on April 17, 1865, the town voted to choose an agent “to repair the town pound near Samuel F. Braley’s so that may be suitable for the object such uses.” It was also voted that Rufus Savery should be the agent and” to have such repairs made as soon as possible.”

            Over time, the names of Pound Keepers go from 4 or 5 each year to 1. By 1918, the town’s only Pound Keeper was George C. Bennet. Records show that he served the town in this capacity until his death on November 7, 1953 at the age of 89.

By Connie Eshbach

Improvement Plan Has District in Synch

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            The Old Rochester Regional School Committee met on February 1 and approved the district-wide School Improvement Plan(s) for the 2023-24 academic year.

            ORR Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson introduced the School Improvement Plan, beginning by explaining that Vision 2028 had recently been introduced. All the elementary school districts adopted a one-year plan to time out with the new district-wide plan.

            Adoption of core values are articulated district wide for the first time.

            ORR High School Principal Mike Devoll discussed the portrait of an ORR graduate. He said the high school will seek feedback from many stakeholders including business leaders, recent graduates and working back.

            Within the five-year plan, there will be grade-level assessments. A group called the Structural Council will analyze survey data and help guide the process and inform professional development.

            Devoll said there will be district-wide support systems. One example is a freshman seminar for incoming students.

            ORR Junior High Principal Silas Coellner explained that targeted education is helping students needing intervention, and he “stole” the high school’s “pathways” program.

            Lauren Millette, the director of Guidance for Grades 7-12, introduced four new courses at ORR this year: Statistics (elective after completing Algebra II); Architectural Design 4 (career-focused course); Introduction to Electronics and Robotics 1 (first in a series of courses geared toward robotics engineering); and Honors Portuguese 4 (full-year course for Grade 12.)

            After hearing the presentation, the committee did not hesitate to approve the changes.

            Millette’s summary of course changes included a list of renamed courses and some changes with prerequisites. Committee member Frances Kearns complimented the changes particularly as applied to engineering. Citing their ever-increasing application in the world, committee member Matt Monteiro expressed enthusiasm about the addition of a statistics course.

            Referencing several meetings with the Budget Subcommittee, Nelson held a brief discussion on the FY25 Budget. Nelson noted that the governor’s preliminary budget was recently released, and Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howard Barber has been using that information that drives school budgeting.

            Nelson said the process is now in the final stages of examining those statewide impacts and getting closer to achieving a draft budget to bring to the school committee.

            Committee member Margaret McSweeny discussed the Thrive Act (Bill H.495), which is supported by the Massachusetts Teachers Association and aims to end the tie between standardized testing (MCAS) and graduation.

            McSweeny said the punitive aspects of MCAS tests are detrimental to students of color, students learning English as a second language and students on individual education plans. McSweeny said that the Thrive Act does not seek to eliminate MCAS as a data point but as a graduating requirement.

            Monteiro considered it notable that support against standardized testing as a graduation requirement is found among several states across the country that otherwise have little in common.

            Committee members will send feedback to secretary Melissa Wilcox to share with the committee when assembled. They also voted to create a draft resolution for review at their March meeting.

            Member Jim Muse also spoke out against standardized testing taking precedence over all the curriculum and testing done internally.

            In her Chairperson’s Report, Michelle Smith reinforced her year-opening message on collaboration among the committee members.

            The committee approved a class trip to Paris, France, during April 2025 school vacation. The trip is being led by art teacher Joanne Mogilnicki and will be accompanied by special education teacher Danielle Dore.

            “They’re looking at either April 18th to the 26th or April 19th to the 27th, depending upon what they’re going to book for their travel. But it’s the same trip,” explained Devoll, who stressed the importance of approval at the February 1 meeting so that fundraising can begin. “We don’t want to leave anyone behind. … If a student wants to go, we want to be able to give them the opportunities to go.”

            Other school-vacation student trips in 2024 include one to Italy and Greece and another in June to Costa Rica.

            The committee heard from two students regarding a proposed trip to Wisconsin for the American Field Service Club as part of a domestic student exchange and voted approval for their trip. The student representatives explained that the benefits of travel within the AFS Club include drastic cost-cutting, as in the students only have to buy a flight. Everything else is covered.

            The March 14-17 trip will entail a day in the life of a Waterford, Wisconsin, student (population 1,100) and day trips to Milwaukee and Chicago. Last year the students took an AFS trip to California and maintain those friendships now.

            The exchange program that makes unlikely friends from different parts of the country has ORR hosting in April (either 6-7 or 27-28.)

            The committee voted to approve Out-of-State Travel for the ORR Science Olympiad team to Brown University in Providence. Devoll said the program is in its second year and will soon travel to Harvard University.

            A trip to The Ronald McDonald House in Providence was approved for the Community Service Learning Club for a Saturday in March.

            The following donations were approved: 48 lab goggles to the high school for Science Class from student Quinn Perry and family; a new Bulldog mascot suit for the high school from the Class of 2023 and the Athletic Boosters; $200 each from the Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester Police departments for a total of $600 to the Unified Sports Program; and $500 each from the Mattapoisett Cultural Council and the Cape Cod 5 Foundation to Kathleen Brunelle to support the project Ken and Barbie’s Shakespearean Adventure (separate votes.)

            Greta and Tim Fox also donated additional copies of the following texts already in use within the curriculum: “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte, “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, “1984” by George Orwell, “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare, “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding, “Mythology” by Edith Hamilton, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot, “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, “A Walk in the Woods” by Bill Bryson, “My Friend Dahmer” by Derf Backderf, and “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer.

            The committee voted to approve the following grants: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B (IDEA) Federal Targeted Special Education Program Improvement Grant ($11,601); Math Acceleration Academies Grant ($100,000); and High-Quality Instructional Materials Purchase Grant ($105,100.)

            Committee member April Nye publicly thanked Nelson for sustaining the Math Acceleration Academies Grant that benefits students outside of the regular school calendar.

            The committee approved the School Health Unit Application through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health submitted by school nurses Nicole Reedy and Linda Deveau for the district. Nelson called it a standard, annual obligation allowing the school nurse to train for and delegate potentially crucial medicinal administration by staff.

            The committee approved a request from Old Rochester Youth Lacrosse to use the Main Field on a total of four Sundays during the months of April, May or June dependent on scheduling.

            “We have a great relationship with the youth-lacrosse program, and what makes a great relationship is good communication,” said Devoll. “We want Bulldogs on campus, we want kids accessing our fields and our school and it just enhances our community.”

            Stephanie Ferreira was hired as an instructional assistant for the 2023-24 school year.

            The ORR mobile app has been launched, and member Joe Pires applauded the work to improve the ORR District website.

            The committee voted to enter executive session and only return to adjourn the public meeting.

            The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, March 7, and the next meeting of the Joint School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, March 28. Both meetings being at 6:30 pm in the ORRJH Media Room.

ORR School Committee

By Mick Colageo

State Info Will Inform FY25 Budget

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            The Rochester School Committee will need a little more time to dig into its FY25 operational budget now that the state has weighed in.

            Old Rochester Regional Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson told the committee during its January 25 public meeting that the reason the budget subcommittee meeting originally planned for the same day was not held because the state had just released budgetary information on Chapter 70 funding that would more strongly inform the ORR budget process.

            The new information will be taken into account, and the Budget Subcommittee planned to convene to digest the FY25 outlook equipped with that important knowledge.

            Meantime, Nelson stressed the importance of collaboration with town officials, the Rochester Finance Committee, and other stakeholders in preparing a budget that the district can confidently bring to Town Meeting in the spring.

            Nelson said he has been in touch with Town Administrator Glenn Cannon and believes the ORR Administration and Rochester School Committee are keeping in step with the town’s budget timeline.

            In addressing the committee, ORR Assistant Superintendent of Finance & Operations Howie Barber summarized six departments that will influence budgetary increases for FY25, including the school itself, Central Office, facilities, Student Services, Technology and transportation.

            RMS will see the most significant increase of the FY25 school budget, approximately $170,000 due to union contracts. “We tried to keep level across everything else in the school,” said Barber, adding that at this point there are no recommendations for cuts.

            Transportation is anticipating a $116,305 increase for FY25.

            ORR’s literacy initiative and curriculum costs account for $35,000 of the projected $47,839 increase in the Central Office portion. While the literacy program was launched on grant funding, FY25 operational-budget increases are being considered necessary to sustain the program.

            Barber further noted that Rochester’s state-funded circuit breaker for FY25 student services has dropped by approximately $25,000.

            The Initial School Choice Discussion was on the January 25 agenda, and Rochester historically has not been a School Choice district (i.e. ORR High School and ORR Junior High open their doors to out-of-district students but not RMS.) A public hearing will be scheduled for the Rochester School Committee to vote its decision on the RMS disposition for the 2024-25 school year.

            In answer to committee member Robin Rounseville’s question, Nelson clarified that there has been no increase to the $5,000 regular reimbursement for School Choice students for FY25. In the case of special needs, a School Choice district can claim reimbursement for a student’s Individual Education Plan and/or special student services.

            In answer to committee member Kate Duggan’s question, Nelson explained that each school district within the ORR District acts independently where it concerns School Choice, that a school committee’s annual decision to discontinue being a School Choice district cannot end a School Choice student’s attendance until that student has aged out of the school.

            Committee member Anne Fernandes asked if RMS has maximized its space; Nelson said the school leases some space to Countryside Child Care and to the Southeastern Massachusetts Education Collaborative (SMEC.)

            In her Chairperson’s Report, Sharon Hartley said she is reviewing meetings minutes and working on the RMS report to inform the Town of Rochester budget process.

            Nelson reported that as of January 25, RMS was scheduled to add make-up days at the end of the school year.

            Dr. Shari Fedorowicz, ORR’s assistant superintendent of Teaching & Learning, said monthly data and implementation meetings are being held for the district-wide literacy program. Professional development was being planned for January 31.

            RMS Principal Heidi Letendre credited the jazz band and other RMS musicians for their performances during a busy December season. She also noted that Project 351 ambassadors are meeting monthly.

            The committee discussed and voted to approve “the 274 Grant” for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part B (IDEA.) The Federal Targeted Special Education Program Improvement Grant in the amount of $8,731 supports the new Individual Education Plan (IEP.)

            Also approved was the $50,000 Fund Code 125 Math Acceleration Academies Grant that supports the district’s math Acceleration academies.

            In his report, Assistant Superintendent of Finance & Operations Howie Barber told the committee that approximately $397,000 in unencumbered money remains in the FY24 operating budget.

In reviewing the prior meeting’s minutes, Fernandes sought clarification on a “safe-and-secure” program discussed but not implemented.

            Nelson explained that the administration is sensitive to the faculty’s and students’ “initiative fatigue” and, based on feedback from teachers and citing the district’s priority on the literacy program, it’s been decided to wait on bringing the program forward to the committee for the vote required to enact an implementation plan.

            The next meeting of the Rochester School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, February 29, at 6:30 pm at Rochester Memorial School.

Rochester School Committee

By Mick Colageo