When it came time for members of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee to respond to the administration’s presentation of the district’s MCAS scores, member Margaret McSweeny made sure that despite hard work and achievement that was reported to the committee at its November 16 public meeting, the controversial subject should not be put to bed without a passionate reminder that MCAS testing’s detractors will continue to be heard.

            “I caution us against (regarding) MCAS (results), patting us on the back too much,” said McSweeny, acknowledging the district’s need to comply and thereby qualify for state funding. “But they are not representative, (confined to) narrow range of academic achievement … inherently biased by nature.”

            McSweeny said MCAS does not address the “whole child” and does not foster creativity. “We happen to be of a higher educational background. Doing better than the state isn’t something we should be too excited about,” she said, citing statistics indicating a cynicism among faculty as well. She tempered her comments by acknowledging ORR’s recovery statistics, but also noted that the state spent over $151,000,000 per year on MCAS.

            “It’s a profitable business, something we should think about,” said McSweeny. “We should be more excited about Open (Science Education) … about our leadership.”

            ORR Superintendent of Schools Mike Nelson thanked respective high school and junior high principals Mike Devoll and Silas Coellner and Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Dr. Shari Fedorowicz for her presentation, but he also acknowledged McSweeny’s point, noting that MCAS is but one data point.

            “For me, it’s recognizing all the hard work of the students,” said Nelson in his closing sentiment to the annual MCAS conversation.

            There was no vote to be taken on MCAS, merely a discussion/visual presentation with graphs illustrating how ORR students fared in three basic areas, English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics and Science, at different grade levels as measured against themselves in recent years and against state-average scores.

            Fedorowicz’s presentation began by highlighting statewide trends that show students in a recovery phase following adverse effects of the pandemic.

            Overall, ORR Districts students consistently perform better than last year and better than the state average in ELA and Math. Grades 3-12 score 11% above the state average in ELA. ORR students’ post-pandemic recovery rates are also higher, but in Science ORR has regressed from last year, albeit maintaining better grades than the state average.

            Coellner told the committee that Grades 7 and 8 showed a dip from 2019 to 2021. “We were just reaching our stride, we were peaking in 2019,” he said. Coellner reported that Math scores in junior high have been similar to ELA, but Grade 8 fell below the state average in geometry.

            Devoll identified a dip at the high school from 2022 to 2023. “We are pleased with our scores,” he said, qualifying that with a need to remediate weak areas. “We want them to graduate with a level of proficiency.”

            Fedorowicz said that Math for Grades 3-12 across the ORR District rate above the state average by 10% and better than last year. Grades 7, 8 and 10 are showing improving rates of recovery but that student growth is below the state average.

            Science performance has dipped from last year. Fedorowicz pointed to the district’s focus on ELA and Math coming out of the pandemic.

            Committee Vice Chairperson Matt Monteiro, who ran the meeting in Chairperson Michelle Smith’s absence, asked if there is a district-wide plan to address a common dip in performance. Coellner said he had prepared himself to “not do so well” and considers ORR’s Grade 7-8 scores a “pleasant surprise.”

            Devoll said there is good news from the freshman class, which is apparently thriving on experience in what administration refers to as “Open Sci. Ed.” Devoll said results indicate that contrary to some past practices, introducing topics earlier in the academic year results in better MCAS testing in June. Fedorowicz noted that “these freshmen were fifth graders in 2020.” She had similarly pointed out that third graders were in Kindergarten in 2020.

            While ELA remains a district-wide area of strength, Coellner itemized an action plan that would take a closer look at figurative language, inference and the purpose of a paragraph in a passage, with greater emphasis on writing and the usage of small-group interventions.

            ORRHS students performed better than the state average on questions about poetry, informational texts and when asked to make inferences about characters in fictional texts.

            Action steps for ELA at the high school level will teach students how to identify the rhetorical situation of a writing assignment, incorporate more comparison/contrast, poetry assignments and emphasize textual evidence.

            Math is an area of strength at both the junior and senior high schools, and the high school plans to incorporate MCAS-related subjects including Biology (mitosis in particular) into MCAS test preparation.

            In her summation, Fedorowicz said ORR was above the state average and better than they were last year. That noted, she said, “We need to address the whole child,” focusing on lingering effects of the pandemic from remote education and return-to-school protocols, etc.

            In other business, the committee voted to approve the American Field Service Club’s field trip to New York City.

            The committee approved the following donations: an umbrella plant from Sarah Whinnem and two peace lilies from the Dawson-Gallavotti family to the CORE Committee to decorate the high school lobby; $75 from the Mattapoisett Woman’s Club on behalf of Frances-Feliz Kearns to Mr. Brian Almeida, Engineering Science teacher at ORRJH (Kearns abstained on this vote); eight $25 gift cards from Target and eight $25 gift cards from Walmart from Mattapoisett residents Nancy Gauvin and Louise Vandal, who donate their time to local charities and in collaboration donate the gift cards to assist local student families over the holidays; two books from Greta and Tim Fox, “Nimona” by Noelle Stevenson and “The City of Ember” by Jeanne Duprau; donations for the 30th Tri-Town Senior Citizens Thanksgiving Dinner hosted by the Junior High School; monetary donations for food and paper goods including apple cider (15 gallons) and 60 store-bought apple pies; gift cards; door prizes; and seasonal decorations from Kenny’s Farm Stand and Shaw’s supermarket (including leftover pumpkins, corn stalks, gourds, etc.)

The committee reviewed the draft school calendar for 2024-25; Nelson said he would like to see the Joint             School Committee act on the calendar at its January meeting.

            The committee approved a list of items for disposal.

            In his Financial Report to the committee, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Howie Barber estimated that there remains $1,100,000 in the district’s operating budget (not including capital approved in previous budgets.) McSweeny publicly thanked Barber for his work.

            Nelson said that with debt soon to come off the rolls, it has become prudent for the administration to spend the next few months going through one school building per week to gain information that will facilitate decisions later this winter.

            Subbing for Smith, Monteiro used the Chairperson’s Report to express appreciation for all the effort, partnership and respect that the committee has returned to in this “quieter year so far” and the committee’s ability to “work together as we have,” wishing the school community a “Happy Thanksgiving.”

            Nelson pointed to the change in athletic seasons, the relaunch of an alumni committee and ORR’s production of “Romeo & Juliet” which was opening on the night of the meeting. “A lot of great stuff happening,” he said.

            Fedorowicz said that the prior week’s Project 351 kickoff for teachers and student leaders provided a great opportunity. ORR is in Year 2 now of Project 351, and the district is “moving fast and progressing very quickly.” Fedorowicz said there are indicators that ORR is already being viewed as a potential model for the implementation of the program, and she credited Lauren Mallette of the Guidance Department for leading the charge.

            Nelson publicly thanked former Boston Celtics guard Dana Barros for sharing his story with Project 351 students.

            The ORR Unified Basketball Team was scheduled to cap off its undefeated season by playing against local Fire and Police on Tuesday, November 21, at ORRHS. Devoll also pointed to the football team’s upcoming Thanksgiving Day game at Apponequet and Friday’s alumni soccer game.

            Sippican Healthcare Center has responded with a warm letter of appreciation from participants in ORR’s National Honor Society Memoir project organized by Al Caron, in which senior citizens shared their life stories and students created journals to be shared with their families.

            Coellner said that the Tri-Town Thanksgiving Banquet is coming back.

            Student representative Jaymison Gunschel introduced new student representative Ezra Thompson.

            Reporting on Mattapoisett, committee member Jim Muse announced that Old Hammondtown Principal Kevin Tavares, after 30 years of service, is retiring at the end of the school year. “I’ve known Kevin for 30 years … fantastic educator and fantastic person, and I wish him the best,” said Muse.

            The next meeting of the ORR School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, December 21, and the next meeting of the Joint School Committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 18, 2024. Both meetings will begin at 6:30 pm in the ORRJH media room, 133 Marion Road, Mattapoisett, MA 02739.

ORR School Committee

By Mick Colageo

The November 16 meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals listed Case 1527, filed by Allan Pineda for a Variance and Special Permit for property located at 33 Church Street, the former Mattapoisett Water Department office.

            The filing’s public hearing was not opened. Instead, the board’s clerk, Tony Tranfaglia, read a letter from Pineda which simply requested a continuance to give the Conservation Commission the opportunity to render its decision on whether project plans meet the Wetlands Protection Act or if the commission has jurisdiction.

            The board unanimously voted to grant a one-month continuation, but immediately thereafter, Attorney Perry asked if he could speak in representation of abutters. Although the hearing was not open, ZBA Chairman Susan Akin granted his request.

            Perry stated that the sale of the municipal property had not followed the state’s procurement regulations, had not been properly appraised, had not been posted in the state’s central register and that the undersized lot is not zoned for residential use and had never been used as such.

            “Mattapoisett should be embarrassed,” Perry stated of the manner in which the sale had been conducted. He said there were no hardships that would warrant a variance hearing and said the buyers should be made whole since the transaction was not correctly completed.

            Akin said the matter would be discussed next month.

            In response to The Wanderer, Town Administrator Mike Lorenco said that questions regarding the property sale should be addressed to Water and Sewer Superintendent Henri Renauld, whose response was not received before this week’s press deadline.

            In other business, Henry Borda, 12 Linhares Avenue, filed a Variance request for the expansion of an existing shed. The Variance was granted. Tim Harding filed two Special Permit requests for two different properties, one located at 14 Marion Road and the other at 3 Oakland Street, for the construction of family-related apartments. Both permits were granted.

            Christian McCullough filed a Variance for property located at 25 Cedarcrest Avenue for construction of a new single-family home on a vacant lot. The Variance was approved.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals is scheduled for Thursday, December 21, at 6:00 pm.

Mattapoisett Zoning Board of Appeals

By Marilou Newell

            Short-term rentals appear to be impacting neighborhoods and could be unsafe, according to members of the Marion Affordable Housing Trust.

            The committee met on November 14 and discussed this and other topics, including how to make Marion housing more affordable.

            Trust member Eileen Marum said these rentals are not inspected for code or for local authorities.

            Norm Hills, the Select Board’s representative on the trust, said because there is nothing in the bylaws about short-term rentals, there is no way to enforce rules.

            The town has an accessory dwelling unit bylaw but nothing pertaining to short-term rentals. Marum and Hills both mentioned that a short-term rental could bring in 10 people on a weekend for a septic system only designed for two people. There could be fire or other code violations, but local authorities would have no legal means for forcing ownership to correct them.

            Hills, citing his conversation with Town Counsel, said there is no way the town can enforce issues connected to short-term rentals unless there is a bylaw on the books.

            Marum also said it likely contributes to the high prices of housing these days. For instance, if 10 homes are for sale but two are set aside for short-term rentals, that drives up the housing prices for the other eight.

            “It’s disrupting neighborhoods,” she said.

            Marum recommended that a group look at some of these related issues, especially as the trust is interested in revising the ADU bylaw.

            Marum also recommended that the trust get involved in programs that would help locals buy homes at a more affordable price in Marion. She suggested Department of Public Works personnel, teachers or even local nurses as candidates.

            She mentioned the town should become more involved in fuel assistance or energy savings programs for current homeowners. Marum also cited programs that help aging homeowners make their homes handicapped accessible.

            Most of Marion’s housing stock was built before 1970, Marum said.

            In another matter, the trust expressed interest on a tax-foreclosed property on Point Road. The town could use Community Preservation Act funds and possibly work with Habitat for Humanity on a rehabilitation project on the home, which sits on a lot measuring close to half an acre.

            The trust plans on drafting a letter of interest to the Select Board.

            Member Toby Ast delivered some bad news to start the November 14 meeting, reporting that Marion’s application for Mass Housing’s community partnership program was declined.

            The program assists communities with affordable housing planning and development. Ast said only two communities out of 12 were selected and speculated that the communities chosen have affordable-housing employees, unlike Marion.

            The next meeting of the Marion Affordable Housing Trust was not announced upon adjournment.

Marion Affordable Housing Trust

By Jeffrey D. Wagner