Director of Student Services Michael Nelson, the head of the Special Education Department, was appointed to the new position of assistant superintendent of teaching, learning, and student services on October 23 during the joint meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee and Superintendency Union #55.

            Nelson will assume the vacancy left by Elise Frangos, the retired assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

            The appointment was swiftly approved by the ORR School Committee, but was met with some opposition on the Superintendency Union side.

            Rochester School Committee member Anne Fernandes asserted that the joint committees had agreed last year that school administrators would assume the professional development aspect of Frangos’ position temporarily so that the assistant superintendent position could eventually be filled by whoever is appointed as the new superintendent.

            “This is not about Mr. Nelson,” said Fernandes. “Mr. Nelson is top notch. It’s about the process that we had put into place months ago.

            “I think the process should remain as it was stated the first time around and that the new superintendent do his or her own choosing,” she said. “I think we should stick to the original plan.”

            Fernandes said she preferred the addition of the term “interim” in the motion to appoint Nelson to the assistant superintendent position, to which Superintendency Union and Rochester School Committee Chairman Sharon Hartley agreed.

            “I would add that [Superintendent Doug White] had strongly stated to us… that we wait and allow the next superintendent to make the decision about an assistant superintendent,” said Hartley.

            Fernandes thought that making the position temporary “shows respect for the long and hard work that we made to creating the plan.”

            Nonetheless, both the ORR School Committee and the Superintendency Union voted in favor of appointing Nelson, 7-0 and 5-3, respectively.

            “I appreciate the support of the committee and the superintendent and my colleagues,” said Nelson, “and I will continue to serve the district to the best of my ability moving forward, so thank you very much.”

            The next joint meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee and Superintendency Union #55 is scheduled for December 12 at 6:30 pm in the ORR Junior High School media room.

Joint Meeting of the School Committees

By Jean Perry

            Old Rochester Regional High School Principal Mike Devoll was pleased to present the school’s 2019 MCAS results to the ORR School Committee on October 23, scores that reflect significant improvement over last year’s scores.

            “I think we hit a homerun this year, as we thought we would,” Devoll said. “I’m very proud of the work that was done.”

            The data clearly showed improvement, especially in the high school, despite the change from the traditional MCAS and the subsequent MCAS 2.0 that has evolved into the current standard, Next-Gen MCAS, as Superintendent Doug White explained.

            “As you know, we are in a time of change with the state as far as MCAS,” said White. “We’ve also changed what we identify as accountability factors, whether that be at the junior high school or the high school.”

            The accountability categories are scored from zero to four points, and each annual target is set by how students performed the prior year that determines the target percentage of improvement the school is expected to achieve the next year.

            “It is a moving target,” said White. “That target is always moving. As you do better, it gets harder to meet the target moving forward, per se.”

            Adding to the complexity, this was the first time students would take the science portion of the MCAS online instead of the paper and pencil version. Nonetheless, Devoll was able to proudly report that, overall, the school had had a banner MCAS year.

            What stands out the most, Devoll said, are the notable improvements in student growth and achievement, especially in English Language Arts (ELA).

            “These are the strongest growth scores that we have had in my career,” said Devoll, reflecting on the overall ELA increase from a proficiency score of 45 percent in 2018 to 60 percent in 2019, and the 47-percent to 52-percent leap in Math proficiency over last year.

            Grade 9 students scored an 83 percent in the science assessment compared to the 74 percent state average of students meeting or exceeding expectations in the subject.

            In the realm of accountability, the school scored in the 65th percentile, a huge increase over last year’s 38th percentile, meeting its target percentage.

            “Tremendous improvement,” said Devoll. “I think we can still push further with better attendance with this whole district adopting a new attendance policy.”

            The school did not score so well when it came to chronic absenteeism, a newer state measurement that deducts points for student absences. Furthermore, there are no longer excused absences in the state’s absenteeism calculation, which has prompted the school to review its attendance policy to reflect the change.

            Devoll said his greatest source of pride for the school is that leap in ELA and Math proficiency that puts the school 50 percent higher than the state average.

            “Which is a major change from a year ago,” said Devoll.

            Devoll credits the Bulldog Block program initiated at the school that sets aside time for the lowest performing students to receive intensive instruction in areas of weakness and support in their current studies. From this, Devoll said, “I’m not surprised to see the increase in those students.

            “I’m proud of the work that my teachers have done, and the students this past year did a great job,” said Devoll.

            Over in the junior high, Principal Silas Coellner was equally pleased with his students’ MCAS performance.

            “In my 10 years at the junior high, this is one of the best years that we’ve ever had,” said Coellner.

            The school’s overall achievement made a huge jump from 25 percent to 82 percent, with growth reflecting an increase from 50 to 63 percent over last year.

            “Lot of great improvement there,” said Coellner. But the improvement in ELA, he said, “This is really the highlight of our performance in MCAS last [school] year.”

            Students overall scored higher in the area of ELA, but in Math, Coellner said, “Math wasn’t quite as successful as ELA… They all went down just a little bit, but not, I wouldn’t say, significant.”

            Further points of pride, Coellner said, include improvement for students with disabilities who exceeded the expected achievement targets in all three subject areas. And in science, all students have shown a marked improvement from 40 percent proficiency to 63 percent proficiency.

            Coellner said the school’s improved performance came from more robust skill development and curriculum support, similar to at the high school.

            “Silas, these are really impressive results and it really shows all the great work you are doing in the junior high – and your staff,” said ORR School Committee member Heather Burke.

            White said the plan for further improvement would focus on the rigor of the curriculum, “And also ensuring that we’re finding ways for growth for all students.”

            The committee, pleased with the results, was quick to comment.

            “We’ve heard so much criticism… from town officials, especially from Marion, that have openly criticized our performance,” said ORR School Committee Chairman Carey Humphrey.

            “There’s nothing ‘mediocre’ about these scores,” said Devoll.

            “The bottom line is, this school district is providing an excellent education,” Humphrey said. “The data is here; it’s proven.”

            “It speaks volumes of what’s happening in our schools,” said ORR School Committee member Michelle Smith.

            In other business, the committee voted to accept the school athletic transportation bid received from Amaral Bus Company.

            According to White, the district needed to change bus companies after the current company could no longer service after school and athletic bus services.

            “We actually got a better rate for this coming year,” said White.

            The three-year contract is for $115,000 for the first year, $119,000 for the second, and $120,000 for year three. White said the new contract will take three years to reach the rate the district pays its current bus company.

            The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for December 11 at 6:30 pm in the ORR Junior High media room.

Old Rochester Regional School Committee

By Jean Perry

            The Marion Conservation Commission on October 23 granted approval for an elevated single-family house with garage and an accompanying extension of a boulder embankment, but not after a continuation from the previous hearing that had neighbors voicing their concerns about stormwater management and over-eradication of vegetation bordering the beach and an adjacent path.

            On behalf of Laura and Frank Utano, 68 West Avenue, David Davignon presented the commission with the updated plans as requested, with enhanced stormwater measures to ensure stormwater would be redirected to the center of the Utanos’ property and not neighboring yards.

            Furthermore, the boundary of work for the vegetation removal would be clearly marked by siltation fencing.

            The Utanos will be demolishing an existing cottage on the property that lies within the flood zone and the new single-family raised house will comply with FEMA flood regulations.

            In other business, the Department of Environmental Protection approved the Notice of Intent filed by the Marion Conservation Commission to eradicate and manage invasive species at the stormwater management pond known as Sprague’s Cove. The DEP determined that the work would not adversely affect the resource area.

            Last year, Town Meeting approved the $15,100 cost of the three-year project that entails brush clearing during the first year, cutting and mowing the second year, and planting and seeding in the spring of the third year.

            The commission issued a Negative 2 determination for the Request for Determination of Applicability filed by Monica Gracia, 28 Parkway Lane, to install a natural gas pipe using an open trench method.

            The public hearing for the NOI filed by Kathleen Welch, 82 West Avenue, was continued until November 13.

            The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for November 13 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

mrccMarion Conservation Commission

By Jean Perry

            The agenda was nearly three and a half pages long as the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission gathered at Town Hall on October 28 to hear 14 filings. Many in attendance and a couple in the commission believed it would be a very long night indeed, with nearly every chair in the conference room filled and another half-dozen people waiting outside in the hallway for their turn. That would not be the case; everything was thoroughly reviewed and dispatched in 90 minutes.

            The filing that took the most time to review was a Notice of Intent for Nicholas Christy, 20 Howard Beach, for the construction of a single-family house on the barrier beach.

            Representing Christy was Richard Rheaume of Prime Engineering who explained that there had been a structure on a concrete pad as recently as 2012, but that the new design would impact 4,163 feet of barrier beach. He said that the new home would feature breakaway walls around the pillars that would support the elevated home and that all FEMA regulations would be followed. Rheaume said plans included bringing in beach sand to raise the elevation under the home by four feet and the planting of dune grass.

            Commission member Trevor Francis said, “I’m having a hard time seeing all that sand.”

            Chairman Mike King concurred, saying that storms would eventually flush the fill into the surrounding marshlands.

            Then there arose the question of whether or not the lot being discussed was considered a buildable lot by the Building Department.

            Laura Hartnett, 8 Island View Avenue, said that the Building Department told her that the property was not buildable. She questioned how a home would be serviced by freshwater given that a well would be needed on a barrier beach.

            Christy said he had also spoken to the Building Department before engaging in an understanding that he would purchase the property to ensure he could, in fact, build a home on the lot. He said he had also confirmed that with the Conservation Commission.

            King said to Hartnett, “I’m concerned you were given information from the Building Department that it was unbuildable.” 

            The issue of freshwater was discussed with Rheaume explaining how a freshwater system could be installed, one that would slowly elevate freshwater located below saltwater in a “sipping” fashion. 

            But King said he wanted a written opinion from the Building Department and town counsel before moving forward with the hearing.

            The hearing was continued until November 25.

            Another Notice of Intent filing generating discussion was one filed by Ronald and Cynthia Axelrod, 14 Shore Drive, for the upgrading of an existing septic system.

            Conservation Agent Elizabeth Leidhold noted in her review of the site the presence of hydraulic soils in a lot that otherwise contained 95-percent uplands, according to engineer David Davignon.

            Leidhold also commented that, in her estimation, a significant amount of invasive species had been removed from the property without overview by the commission.

            But King disagreed, saying that he found very little area of disturbance. King further supported the project because it would improve a septic system, thereby providing better protection to wetlands.

            Francis was reticent to condition the project, saying, “I haven’t had a chance to go there,” and thought wetlands flagging needed to be checked.

            King said, “The septic outweighs any movement of wetland flagging,” and said he was in favor of the project to get the new septic in place as soon as possible.

            After the vote, Francis’ ‘nay’ was overruled by three ‘ayes’.

            In other business, negative determinations of acceptability were granted to Ron Belida, 4 David Street, to repair an existing deck; Kenneth Ackerman, 4 Grove Avenue, for the construction of a new deck and enclosing of an existing deck space; Edward Van Keuren, 4 Fairhaven Road, to erect a hoop building; Elvira Sicilano, 40 Church Street, to allow Eversource to install a new gas line to an existing home; Arthur H. Alden, III, Aucoot Road, for the confirmation of a wetland delineation; and Matthew Matathia, 10 Ryan’s Way, to install a new septic system.

            A Notice of Intent filed by the Town of Mattapoisett for the construction of a new emergency egress drive from the existing police station out to Route 6 was approved.

            A Notice of Intent filed by Andrew Stackpole, Noyes Avenue, for the construction of a two-story single-family home was approved.

            Also receiving approval and order of conditions was Request for an Amended Order of Conditions filed by Monarch Trust for property located on Pine Street that granted a change in the footprint of a new home, driveway, and grading plan.

            Mark Kwatcher, 22 Fieldstone Drive, filed a Notice of Intent to extend an existing lawn within 25 feet of a bordering vegetated wetland that was represented by Jeff Youngquist of Outback Engineering.

            Liz Waring of 24 Fieldstone Drive came forward with concerns that grade changes at this location would further impact water draining onto her property. She said that drainage issues had long been problematic, especially in her backyard.

            Youngquist couldn’t answer why that would be the case, given drainage systems in the area of her home were intact. But he assured Waring that the lawn expansion would not contribute further to those issues and may, in fact, improve matters. He said he would make a site visit to Waring’s property to try and determine what might be occurring. The project for lawn expansion at 22 Fieldstone Drive was approved.

            Certificates of Compliance were issued to Tucker Aufranc, 27 Hollywoods Road, and Douglas McGee, 142 Fairhaven Road.

            The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Conservation Commission is scheduled for November 25 at 6:30 pm in the Mattapoisett Town Hall conference room.

Mattapoisett Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell