By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

In addition to the 490 graduates that crossed the stage during commencement exercises, Southington Public Schools will also say goodbye to a number of faculty and staff members.

During the 2016-2017 school year, a total of 22 employees announced their retirement. Their length of school service spans from 5 years to 38 years.

Former Flanders Elementary School principal Pat Mazzarella, who retired in December after 36 years of service to Southington schools, is one of two administrators leaving the district. Special Education Coordinator Beth Ozkan will also be retiring at the conclusion of the school year.

Southington High School took the biggest hit when 10 certified staff members—in addition to Ozkan—announced their retirement this year, constituting half of the district’s retirees.

“They can all be proud of the careers they had at Southington High School,” Principal Brian Stranieri said. “These people have always put students first. They will all be sorely missed and we wish them many years of health and happiness in their retirement.”

Like Mazzarella, SHS German teacher Renata Ringstand already slipped into retirement back in December. High school faculty retiring in June include: Carol Aylward (physical education and health), Nancy Garry and Susan Hart (math), Petra Jenkinsen (special education), Leanne Miller (guidance), Julie Robertson (guidance director), Janice Zaccardo (English), and Judith Dunn (earth science).

While Marguerite Maddalena (physical education) is retiring after 38 years with Southington’s public schools, she told the Observer last month that she will be back next year to continue her work with the Unified Sports program.

“There’s no way I could give this up,” she said.

From DePaolo Middle School, Joanne Grant (special education), and Rosemary Burdick (math specialist) will be retiring.

Derynoski Elementary School will begin next fall without Linda Clock (TESOL) and Jennifer Kelly (special education), while Kelley Elementary will be without third grade teacher LouAnn Sieruta and South End Elementary without second grade teacher Keith Lamontagne.

The district will also say goodbye to one non-union employee, technology analyst Deb Miller, and two para-educators Barbara Borofsky (Strong) and Margaret Doyle (DePaolo). From the central office, SPS purchasing secretary Noreen Whyte will also be retiring.

While each of the retiring individuals come from different educational backgrounds and serve the schools in various capacities, they share the same level of passion for their careers.

“The one common denominator is that our staff gives their all every day,” Superintendent Timothy Connellan said. “The commitment to the students and families of this community is truly amazing.”

Each fall after the new school year begins, the Board of Education holds a celebration of excellence ceremony, bringing back retirees to honor them. Their friends and family join as the district presents each one with a token of appreciation.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Richie Rivera is the 2017 Observer Female Athlete of the Year

By BRIAN JENNINGS

STAFF WRITER

It was early in the game, and the Blue Knights were preparing to unleash a blocking concept they haven’t used all season. Richie Rivera was the guy to set the tone.

Once the ball was snapped, Rivera delivered a crushing blow that sent the 6 foot, 7 inch, 270-pound defensive tackle in front of him to the turf. The hit sprung running back Vance Upham for an 80-yard touchdown. Rivera was just warming up.

Before the final minute of the first half, Rivera broke open down the middle of the field for a 25-yard gain that set up the Knights up for a last-minute touchdown. He still wasn’t done.

With less than three minutes to play in the contest, Rivera caught another pass over the middle of the field and made a couple defenders miss. He scampered down the sideline and steamrolled four defenders that were in his path to the end zone.

Rivera stuck the ball out and dove from the 10 yard-line, tipping the pylon over for a 27-yard touchdown to give the Knights a 34-20 lead.

“Our athletic director, Greg Ferry, told me that Ritchie’s play was the best play he’s seen a kid make in 10 years,” said Southington coach Mike Drury. “We always talk about playing big boy football and going out there to make big boy plays. That was a man play right there.”

Rivera’s last-minute heroics helped the Knights defeat Cheshire, 47-20, on Thanksgiving Day to retain the Apple Valley Classic title for the fifth-straight year, leading all receivers with 87 yards on four catches. More importantly, the culmination of the game capped off a career he had fought hard to keep alive just a couple of years earlier.

Drury didn’t coach Rivera much in his freshman year on the football team, but he knew what type of talent Rivera was. A hard worker with tremendous upside, Rivera was a kid that had all the potential to develop his strength, speed, and athleticism while he grew into his body.

“When you saw him, you said to yourself that this kid has a ton of talent because he’s big, long, and can catch everything as a player,” said Drury. “He was just a guy that was going to get it.”

Going into his sophomore year, Rivera started to take some big strides and did a ton for the JV team. With a couple of injuries at the quarterback position, he stepped in under center and won some games for the Knights.

“We just threw him in there basically,” said Drury. “We gave him some repetition with a little bit of practice. We were watching him just take the team over at a position he hadn’t played all year in the rain against New Britain.”

Rivera got involved with the varsity team towards the end of his sophomore year and was an immediate backup quarterback as the next guy in, no matter what the situation was. During spring football, he was physical and made plays, transitioning into a dominant player.

Going into his junior year, Rivera went to a passing league in New Canaan during the offseason in July. Drury was out of state and driving back from vacation when he got the call that Rivera was at the hospital after sustaining a serious leg injury at the event.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

“My heart sunk,” said Drury. “I felt bad for him because he’s such a good kid. At that point, I thought that it was a potentially season-ending injury.”

Drury drove to the hospital and discovered that Rivera was getting surgery done on his leg the next day. Rivera was sidelined in a cast for about three quarters of his junior season, but that didn’t stop him from building confidence back up in his leg.

“That was the year where he matured mentally because you kind of have to just gain some mental toughness and perspective of how quickly you can lose something,” said Drury. “But he stayed focused and worked hard through that mental game. You just see him mature even more going into this year.”

Once he returned to the field, Rivera made an immediate impact. He played a pivotal role in helping Southington finish the 2016 regular season with an undefeated 10-0 record to earn the fourth seed in the Class LL tournament, scoring the team’s only touchdown in a 38-7 loss to top seeded and eventual state champion Darien in the semifinals.

Rivera finished second in receiving on the team with 27 catches for 344 yards and five touchdowns, earning the team’s offensive player of the year honors. He was just as much of a force on defense.

Rivera was still in the process of rehabbing from his knee injury and didn’t play full-time on both sides of the ball. But he still managed to disrupt opposing quarterbacks with five knocked down passes, which ranks third on the team.

“It’s not because of the touchdowns that he scored,” said Drury. “It’s more about the pressure he was able to put on the defense. His ability to block really stressed the defense, which helped our offense a lot.”

As a versatile athlete, Rivera was a three-sport athlete when he came to the high school as a freshman, competing in football, basketball, and outdoor track and field. He had the opportunity to be one of Southington’s top throwers during the spring, but his leg injury set his sights on another sport.

Drury may not have coached Rivera much on the football field as a freshman, but Southington coach Derek Dion did. Dion saw wrestling potential in Rivera, but he didn’t talk to Rivera right away about taking up the sport because of basketball.

However, that changed after Rivera’s sophomore year. His injury convinced him that wrestling was the better rout to take, in terms of rehabbing his leg.

“When he first came in, I kind of thought that he was joking,” said Dion. “But when I found out that he was serious after about two weeks, we figured out that he was the real deal and was going to be something special.”

He was a blank slate. Rivera had no prior wrestling experience on the mats and wrestled in mostly JV matches during his junior year. Although there was already a senior captain starting in the 220-pountd weight class, Rivera still managed to gain varsity exposure through tournaments, advancing to the finals of his weight class at Southington’s Connecticut Challenge.

“Ritchie is physically gifted and really athletic,” said Dion. “I’ve never seen a student-athlete learn how to wrestle as quickly as he did. You would teach him a move on Friday, and he would use it successfully on Saturday in tournaments.”

After a promising junior year, Rivera almost didn’t come back for his senior year. He left his wrestling coaches on the edge of their seats with basketball still in the back of his mind. Dion stalked the halls of the high school for the upstart pupil.

“It sounds silly to go to the extent we went to for a kid that was really JV the year before,” said Dion. “There was no evidence on paper, but we knew that he was going to really be something once we got him out and showed him some moves.”

Rivera eventually returned after a late football season and muscled his way through the regular season with a 28-8 individual record, winning his weight class at the Timberlane Invitational and placing third at the Connecticut Challenge. It was a warm-up for his postseason run.

At the Class LL championship, Rivera went 3-2 and finished fourth in his weight class. He was just three of eight Knights to medal at state open after going 4-2 with a fifth-place finish.

“It was probably the most impressive development that I’ve seen in a wrestler in my career,” said Dion. “He came in knowing nothing. But a year and a half later, he was one point away from the state open final. It’s incredible.”

When he wasn’t making big grabs on the football field or hurling wrestlers across the mat, Rivera was painting murals on the walls of the basement in the high school. A simple gesture of a brush stroke certainly helped in his decision to continue his football career at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven where he plans to study art education.

But who knows? Maybe it also helped him on the playing field throughout his high school playing career as well.

“Maybe that side of his brain really helped out with the physical sports,” said Dion. “Sometimes, artists just see the big picture better than other kids. There’s something about an artistic mind that gives them an edge when it comes to physical sports.”

For his outstanding athletic achievements, versatility, and leadership, Richie Rivera is The Observer’s 2017 Male Athlete of the Year.

Southington High School Class of 2017 valedictorian Nickolina Doran addresses her classmates during her commencement address at graduation. Doran will attend Yale University next year to study biomedical engineering and Spanish. On Tuesday, June 20, nearly 500 students received diplomas during commencement exercises. (Photo by Kelly May Del Debbio)

This week, we celebrate the Class of 2017 in our annual graduation edition, and the hardest part was trying to stuff all of the graduation news into just one newspaper. (We couldn’t) That’s because this year has been a banner one for Southington High School students.

The 492 Southington seniors spearheaded a local campaign to succeed in every niche and corner of the world of education. Whether it’s on the sports fields, where the marching band drummed, danced, and played their way into the national spotlight or the two varsity teams (softball and ice hockey) that battled their way into state championship games, Southington students always put their best foot forward.

It didn’t stop there. The CyberKnights had a bullseye on their backs, but it didn’t stop them from returning to the national competition for the second year in a row. And the music department received national acclaim…again.

Everywhere we turned, Southington students were leaving their mark. It’s no surprise to us that the top 3 from the Class of 2017 are such Renaissance men and women. That’s what it seems to take just to survive at Southington High School.

Southington High School officials announced the top three graduates from the Class of 2017. All three will speak at high school graduation on Tuesday, June 20. From left, essayist Laura Furtak, valedictorian Nickolina Doran, and salutatorian Nathan Simard. (Photo by Jen Cardines)

The 2017 valedictorian, Nickolina Doran, is a multi-linqual, future engineeer that turns heads on the lacrosse field and still finds time to serve the community as an Apple Harvest hostess and a church volunteer. It was no surprise that class salutatorian Nathan Simard was so good at volleyball. The ball probably seemed to hover in the air as the future aeronautical engineer was calculating angles, velocity, and outside forces. As the daughter of Polish immigrants, it should be no surprise that essayist Laura Furtack was able to shift seamlessly between cultures in the classroom, at home, and in the community—and even the farm with the Future Farmers—as she prepares for a career as a veterinarian.

These three set the standard for this class, and everyone else seemed to fall into step.

Samantha Steeves and Samantha Martins served with distinction as student representatives on the Southington Board of Education. Carson Stifel and Morgan Maccione raised the bar for student involvement at STEPS.

We were proud to be able to follow the Class of 2017 as they grew into the men and women of tomorrow, and it’s bitter-sweet as we watch them head out into the world. One thing is certain: Southington will be well-represented.

• For our graduation story, click below:

SHS graduates come together at commencement

• For a full list of graduates, click below:

The Class of 2017: A list of Southington High School graduates

• For more graduation photos, click below:

Observations at graduation

• For Southington’s Top 3, click below:

SHS officials crown the top 3 from the Class of 2017

• For Southington’s Top 25, click below:

Go to the head of the class: UNICO celebrates Southington High School’s top 25

• For the graduates that are going on to serve in our military, click below:

Town honors future military members from Class of 2017

• For Southington’s Teacher of the Year, click below:

Candace Patten is Southington’s Teacher of the Year

• For the volunteers and school staff standouts that make education possible, click below:

It takes a village: Southington school officials recognize staff and volunteers

• For the 2017 Observer Female Athlete of the Year, click below:

Everybody loves Raymond: Morgan Raymond is the 2017 Observer Female Athlete of the Year

• For the 2017 ObserverMale Athlete of the Year, click below:

‘Rivera’ Runs Through It: Richie Rivera is the 2017 Observer Male Athlete of the Year

• For a short list of Southington’s top athletes, and our selection process, click below:

Commentary: Selecting the Observer Athletes of the Year

• For the Val Leach Memorial Award and Spirit Award winners, click below:

Blue Knights announce Val Leach and Spirit award winners

• For scholarship winners, click below:

Scholarship Night: Community heaps scholarships on the Class of 2017

Whew! We wonder what next year will bring.

During their June 22 meeting, the Southington Board of Education unanimously appointed Katie T. Guerrette as principal of Flanders Elementary School. Her appointment was originally scheduled for last month, but because the budget was not finalized, the board held off until this week.

Former principal Pat Mazzarella retired in December, and two district staff members, Sally Kamerbeek and Charity Baker, worked together as acting principals for the duration of the school year.

Guerrette was among 90 applicants, progressing to the top three finalists who came before the board. She will begin her career at Flanders on July 1, 2017.

For a more detailed story, check back with the Observer.

Kennedy students in Amy Perry’s third period class delivered 150 pounds of food to Southington’s Food Pantry in May after the teacher challenged her kids to find and solve a problem in the community. The students weighed the food that they collected and were given a tour by Mark Fazzolari, Community Services Assistant Director.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

The Town Council scheduled a public hearing regarding tax abatement language for Monday, July 10 in the Weichsel Municipal Center at 7 p.m.

Tax abatement offers reduced taxes, granted by a state government or municipality, to encourage economic development. Southington uses abatements as an incentive to draw businesses into town and help them out financially in their startup years.

There are two major components to Southington’s tax abate plan. The first is the enterprise zone program. It’s a Connecticut state statute, so it cannot be altered. Enterprise zone programs are put in regions defined by the state as “distressed areas.” Certain tax breaks are allowed if a new property is created in these zones.

“When Pratt & Whitney vacated the town, it was 10 percent of our tax base, over 3,000 jobs and the multiplier effect of that,” economic development coordinator Lou Perillo said.

The second component of the tax abatement language includes businesses outside of the enterprise zone, which offers tax partnership programs, as well as industrial and manufacturing benefits.

The current tax abatement plans were only effective through July 1, 2017, so the proposed changes include amending the date to 2019. Whenever a change needs to made in ordinances, policies, or other town documents, a public hearing is required.

“We’ve seen some decent, good growth from our abatement programs,” Brian Lastra, director of assessment revenue, said. “In the top 30 personal property tax payers, we have 15 new tax payers on that list that weren’t here 10 years ago.”

Economic development coordinator Lou Perillo used local breweries as an example for this program. The businesses draw many customers from around the state, and by moving into places like Factory Square and renovating the space, it increased the value of the property.

With the tax abatement program, companies are exempt from paying 100 percent of their property tax for the first three years, 75 percent in the fourth year, and 50 percent in the fifth year. Their sixth year in business is when they would pay all of their property tax to the town.

Applications for the program must be made through the Economic Development department. The Town Council can approve or deny applications.

Proposed changes are listed online at southington.org. Aside from the date modification, some stipulations are proposed to be removed from the language, while others are added.

The Council will open their meeting on July 10 with the hearing, where residents are allowed to speak.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

The Southington High School rugby club announced a trio of athletes that have committed to playing the sport after high school graduation. All three will be playing at colleges in the region next year. From left, Kamryn Cochrane (Southern Connecticut State University), Richie Zayas (New England College), and Sam Cocchiola (University of Connecticut) were all four-year varsity starters.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

Verizon Wireless retailers across the country will host the fifth annual School Rocks backpack giveaway this month. On Sunday, July 23rd between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., local Wireless Zone and TCC stores will be inviting Southington families and their children to pick up a backpack filled with school supplies.

A recent press release stated that the National Retail Federation predicted the average person with children in grades K-12 will spend $97.74 on school supplies such as notebooks, pencils and backpacks.

With more than 16 million children in the U.S. living in poverty, Wireless Zones, The Cellular Connection (TCC) and Culture of Good are working to alleviate the rising costs of school supplies.

“This is expected to be the biggest year yet, with more than 230,000 backpacks full of books expected to be delivered in 2017,” officials stated in the release.

Matt Schloemann, managing partner at the 842 Queen Street location, said that the company pays out of pocket to put together the backpacks, which are filled with items like pencils, notebooks, rulers, erasers, and more.

“It’s not a sales gimmick,” Schloemann said. The only requirement is you have to be an elementary-aged child and you have to be present.”

Families do not have to be Verizon customers and no purchase is necessary. Simply walk into any participating store with your child to pick up a backpack.

Schloemann said the giveaway is a company-wide event that is optional for all retail locations. He and his business partner recently purchased the Queen Street store in December, so this is their first time offering the service.

“We wanted to get involved in the community,” said Schloemann. They also own the Farmington Ave., Bristol location.

Each participating location will distribute 250 backpacks, and any leftover will be donated to local schools.

At their June 22 meeting, the Southington Board of Education welcomed Katie T. Guerrette as the new principal at Flanders Elementary School.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

Katie T. Guerrette stood before the Board of Education and Flanders Elementary School staff during the June 22 meeting to be officially welcomed to her new position. After a long wait due to the delayed budget schedule, the board unanimously appointed Guerrette as Flanders’ next principal.

Former principal Pat Mazzarella retired in December, and two district staff members, Sally Kamerbeek and Charity Baker, worked together as acting principals for the duration of the school year.

Guerrette was among 90 applicants for the job, progressing to the top three finalists that came before the board. Superintendent Timothy Connellan said there was a very talented pool of applicants that included administrators, principals, and assistant principals.

“The group of finalists were all excellent administrators and all capable of coming to Southington and doing a great job,” said Connellan. “Katie stood out for a number of reasons, including her energy and enthusiasm.”

Guerrette taught second and third grade at Highland Elementary School in Cheshire for nine years before transitioning to an administrative role. In 2012, she became an assistant principal in Cromwell, where she split her time between Edna C. Stevens Elementary School (Pre-K to Grade 2) and Woodside Intermediate School (Grades 3 to 5).

“In both Cheshire and Cromwell, I was very fortunate to work with amazing administrators who served as excellent mentors, preparing me for this position,” Guerrette said.

When the Flanders position opened up, she jumped at the chance to work in her home town.

“As a Southington resident, I was drawn to this position because I wanted to have the opportunity to give back to the community that has been so wonderful for my family,” she said.

It wasn’t her excitement that got her the job, though. Her years of experience and dedication to the field had to play a role also. Guerrette graduated with high honors from Central Connecticut State University for both a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in special education. She then obtained a sixth-year degree in educational leadership from Quinnipiac University, again with high honors.

Throughout her career, she attended and presented at numerous professional development seminars, planned school events, and revised curriculum. While other applicants also had hearty resumes, Southington staff saw Guerrette as the best candidate for the Flanders community.

“Selecting the best person for a position such as this almost always comes down to fit,” Connellan said. “She was the best fit for Flanders Elementary School.”

The new principal said she is excited to meet the students, staff and families at Flanders, as well as build a positive school community.

“Katie has already started to reach out to families and staff, and I know that she is anxious to meet people and listen to everything they have to say about their hopes and dreams for the students and families of FES,” said Connellan.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

During last year’s ceremony, Wall of Honor founder Bob Brown, center, and Board of Education member David Derynoski, right, award a posthumous diploma to the family of a former SHS student that died during military service.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

The Southington High School Wall of Honor committee announced their picks for the 2017 induction class. Now in its 11th year, the wall boasts notable persons that were once students at the high school.

Each year, nominees are selected to receive a place on the Wall of Honor following a free public ceremony where they are recognized for one of the following categories: lifetime achievement, community service, major career accomplishments, and humanitarian work. Once inducted, their picture and a plaque are added to the wall located outside of the auditorium at Southington High School.

Former SHS civics teacher and current Board of Education member Bob Brown created the wall to honor people for their achievements, and the project hasn’t stopped growing over the last decade.

“The wall serves to inspire our students to believe they can accomplish incredible things in their lives,” Brown said, “and also to bring positive pride to our wonderful community.”

Candidates range in age, career, background, and location, but at one time, they were all students at Southington High. Previous classes included doctors, veterans, artists, a Broadway producer, a research astronomer, and many other distinguished alumni.

“It is amazing all the accomplishments of our former students,” Brown said.

The committee also established a tradition of honoring those who served in the military and were killed during the conflict. While it is required to be a SHS graduate to be eligible for the Wall of Honor, the committee acknowledges people who left school to serve in one of the nation’s wars, an action very common during military actions like the Vietnam and Korean conflicts.

Pfc. Charles Remer,
Vietnam Conflict

In 2016, two men who left school and made the ultimate sacrifice were inducted into the Wall of Honor, and their families received posthumous high school diplomas by a special vote of the BOE. Once again, two men will be honored in 2017 and are scheduled to be granted diplomas.

Lance Cpl. Raymond Burgess, Vietnam

Private first class Charles Bradley Remer and Lance Cpl. Raymond Arthur Burgess both served in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam Conflict and were both killed in 1968.

Family members are invited to accept the certificate. School officials plan to include this action on the Sept. 28 agenda so that Burgess and Remer will officially be graduates prior to the Wall of Honor induction ceremony.

In addition to them, four other SHS alumni will be inducted during the ceremony this fall.

Mark Boxer,
Class of 1978

Mark Boxer (class of 1978) is the Executive Vice-President and Global Chief Information Officer for Cigna. He is also a Trustee for the University of Connecticut, serves on the board of the Connecticut Children’s Law Center, and is a champion for advancing the employment of the disabled.

Robert Calandra,
Class of 1981

Robert Calandra (class of 1981) is currently principal at TenX Acquisitions LLC. He is a retired Central Intelligence Agency officer with 30 years of distinguished service in the Intelligence Community.

Stephen Gasecki,
Class of 1977

Stephen Gasecki (class of 1977) is a senior pilot in Port Canaveral, FL which is the second largest passenger cruise ship port in the world. He graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and was a Lieutenant in the United States Navy, serving during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Walter Hushak,
Class of 1941

Walter Hushak (class of 1941) joined the United States Air Corps in 1942 and piloted B26’s in the Pacific Theater during World War II. After retiring from the Air Force, he became a business leader and volunteer in Southington. He has spent countless hours with Southington High School students describing his experiences during World War II.

All inductees will receive a plaque to take home from the ceremony, while a duplicate will be hung on the wall outside the auditorium. This year’s ceremony is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m.

To nominate honorees for future induction classes, written and verbal recommendations can be made personally to Bob Brown. Applications can be found online on the high school website (www.southingtonschools.org/page.cfm?p=9034), can be printed in the school office, and submitted to Brown at chopin7777@aol.com or (860) 621-0416.

To comment on this story, contact staff writer Jen Cardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Tunxis Community College
271 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington, CT 06032
(860) 773-1300

Tunxis Community College will hold a “Super Saturday” on Saturday, Aug. 5, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Founders Hall. The annual event is designed to help new and continuing students apply and register for the fall semester.

Super Saturday will offer one-stop assistance in the registration process, along with class schedules, course selection, and financial aid. Placement testing will be available for visitors that arrive before noon.

Applicants for admission should bring a high school diploma or GED, immunization records, application fee and unofficial college transcripts. Students who haven’t already applied for financial aid are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid immediately. The FAFSA can be submitted online at www.fafsa.gov, and TCC’s school code is 009764.

In addition to Saturday registration, Tunxis will be holding a late registration session on Friday, Aug. 25, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fall semester classes start August 29.

For more information, please call Tunxis admissions office at (860) 773-1490. More information about the application process can be found at tunxis.edu/SuperSat.

From fine arts, health, and technology to liberal arts, and sciences programs, Tunxis offers over 60 associate degrees and certificates, providing critical thinking and problem-solving skills that prepare students for transfer to bachelor’s degree programs and employment in areas with industry need.

Tunxis is located at the junction of Routes 6 and 177 in Farmington. 

Derynoski second grader Brayden Marchese and Juan Felix from Southington Lowe’s fill one of five garden beds in the school’s courtyard. The district-wide project began with a grant from Orchard Valley Garden Club and blossomed after a partnership between Southington Public Schools and the local home improvement store. (Photo by John Goralski)

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

This summer, garden beds are popping up in schools all across town as Southington schools get ready for a new science class this fall. And it’s all thanks to a partnership between district administrators and the Southington Lowe’s store 500 Executive Blvd. South.

Each Wednesday, a small band of Lowe’s employees descend on a different school, armed with supplies and tools from the Southington store. They are greeted by a team of volunteers and school officials to build raised garden beds for students in kindergarten and second grade. The new beds can use throughout the school year.

Strong, South End Plantsville, Derynoski, and Thalberg elementary schools all received gardens in the last month, and the team will complete the remaining schools in the upcoming weeks.

“Now, all of our planting will be geared up to go into the garden,” said John Duffy, the science curriculum coordinator for Southington schools. Duffy has been coordinating with Mark Ramsay from Lewis Educational Agriculture Farm (LEAF) to integrate the gardens into the curriculum. “There are certain plants that [Ramsay] plants at his farm to attract insects that are beneficial and eat other insects.”

As a result of the project, the elementary science curriculum will be enhanced through a hands-on learning environment that enables students to work outside in the gardens. Duffy said the kindergarteners grow seeds in plastic cups perched on the window sills.

Each garden bed is 12 feet long and 3 feet wide, and each school has multiple beds. The new gardens should provide a more successful environment than the plastic cup method where plant survival is hit-or-miss.

The garden bed project was hatched through a grant from the Orchard Valley Garden Club, above, to provide hands-on gardening for students at Derynoski Elementary School. From left, OVGC members Katy Hanlon, Kathy Morin and Marge Muzyczka; Derynoski assistant principal Kelly Nichols; and Southington science curriculum coordinator John Duffy. (Submitted)

The project began with a grant from Southington’s Orchard Valley Garden Club, but the concept quickly outgrew the seed money.

“The money that they gave us, while great to start, wasn’t nearly enough to cover even the total cost of two raised beds,” Duffy said.

That’s when Duffy partnered with Patrick Roy, the store manager at Lowe’s, and the project quickly blossomed into a district-wide series of gardens. Lowe’s split the cost of materials to save the district money, and the local store supplied everything that wasn’t able to be covered by the original grant.

“We’re going to probably be $3,000 in donations by the time this is over,” Roy said. “It was a good educational opportunity for everybody, and I’m glad that we could help.”

In addition, Lowe’s also donated garden hoses to water the plants and a tiller. Duffy had to coordinate with building staff to ensure that the gardens are watered during the summer months and ready for the new school year.

Derynoski volunteers Michelle and Brayden Marchese, left, pitch in to help Southington science coordinator John Duffy, center, and employees at Lowe’s home improvement store last Wednesday to build garden beds. (Photo by John Goralski)

Despite the blazing heat last Wednesday, at least a dozen people were on hand at the Derynoski to take on the biggest segment of the summer project. While some schools got two or three garden beds, Derynoski—Southington’s largest elementary school—needed five beds to accommodate the number of second graders in the building.

The number of beds at each school was carefully determined before the start of the project.

“I’m putting the same number of beds as there are classrooms,” Duffy said. “There are five grade 2 classes at Derynoski, so when we do a unit for grade 2 all of them can come out here at the same time.”

The hands-on science lessons will meet new curriculum standards, which Southington is slowly implementing in classrooms.

“Whatever they learn in class is going to translate out here,” Duffy said.

Lowe’s staff worked all day to transform the Derynoski courtyard into a new learning environment. Duffy was right by their side getting his hands dirty, too. Also on hand was Brayden Marchese, who is entering second grade at Derynoski this fall.

Standing beside the raised beds, Marchese demonstrated how the bed height measured up to him and his classmates. Duffy said that the beds were designed specifically, so 24 students could easily stand around one bed. And each bed is handicapped accessible.

“Our goal was to get it done as quickly as possible, so they could have some kind of harvest in the fall,” Roy said. “[Duffy] has been a great partner to make this happen.”

Before packing up the equipment to go home, the Lowe’s staff members posed for a group picture, and motioned Duffy to join them. “You’re one of us now,” Roy said.

This Wednesday, the group will reunite with volunteers at Alta, followed by Kelly and Flanders elementary schools. Then, the fun really begins.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Photos by JOHN GORALSKI

The Southington High School Unified Theater club was honored with the teamwork award at the Rockstar Banquet in Bloomfield in May. The local theater group joins students with and without disabilities, and this year’s production was “A Knight Around the World.” The group was selected from hundreds of Unified theater groups across the state. Front, from left, Emily Daley, Madison Beaudoin, Kendra Kochol, Samantha Purushotham, Ariel Perry, and advisor Karen Cavanaugh. Back, Tim Perry, Conor Brush, Jack Terray, Matt Gundersen, Ryan Kosienski, Sam Thomson, and Andrew Gallagher. Missing: Dan Borkowski.

The Southington High School Unified Theater club was honored with the teamwork award at the Rockstar Banquet in Bloomfield in May. The local theater group joins students with and without disabilities, and this year’s production was “A Knight Around the World.” The group was selected from hundreds of Unified theater groups across the state. Front, from left, Emily Daley, Madison Beaudoin, Kendra Kochol, Samantha Purushotham, Ariel Perry, and advisor Karen Cavanaugh. Back, Tim Perry, Conor Brush, Jack Terray, Matt Gundersen, Ryan Kosienski, Sam Thomson, and Andrew Gallagher. Missing: Dan Borkowski.

The Southington public schools athletic department announced new registration guidelines for the 2017 fall sports season. Athletes will have the added convenience of online registration through FamilyID (www.familyid.com).

FamilyID is a secure registration platform that provides athletes with an easy, user-friendly way to register for middle school and high school programs. The FamilyID system keeps track of profile information to allow each family member to apply for multiple programs throughout the year.

All athletes that are interested in participating in fall sports must register online. There will be no more handing out and collecting of emergency information sheets—which means no more yellow cards.

To register, an applicant must have had a physical exam within the past 13 months which was signed by a physician. It also must be in effect for the entire length of the sports season. If a student’s physical expires during the season, they will not be able to play until a new physical exam is received.

To complete the online registration, applicants will need to include doctor’s information, health insurance information, emergency contact names, and phone numbers. To register, visit www.familyid.com/southington-athletics.

Under the “Programs” title, click on the link of the program you want to sign up for and use your FamilyID login.

Athletes can log into familyid.com at any time to update information and check registration(s). The school nurse will approve registrations after a review of the physical from the doctor.

Registration for high school fall sports is now open. The deadline for registration is Monday, Aug. 14, but the school nurse will be in the office on Tuesday, Aug. 15 to approve physicals. The high school fall sports season is scheduled to begin on Thursday, Aug. 24. (Football begins on Friday, Aug. 18.)

Cross country programs for Kennedy Middle School and DePaolo Middle School are also using FamilyID.

All online registration and updated physicals must be completed and submitted to the nurse’s office before a student can tryout or practice.

For more information or questions, contact Lee McLean in the Southington High School athletic department, on Monday to Friday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. She can be reached at (860) 628-3229, ext. 425 or lmclean@southingtonschools.org.

For questions about FamilyID, contact 1-888-800-5583, ext. 1, or support@familyid.com.

Note: At the Thursday, Aug. 10 board of education meeting, the job description and position was approved unanimously by the board.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

Southington Public Schools is looking to hire a teacher for hearing impaired students in the school system. The Board of Education plans to address the topic during their Aug. 10 meeting in hopes of implementing the new staff member for the first day of school.

The district contracts with the American School for the Deaf (ASD) in West Hartford and Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) Soundbridge in Wethersfield to accommodate hearing impaired students, but policy changes prompted Southington officials to be proactive.

“The American School for the Deaf changed their policy and won’t be providing services in local districts,” Superintendent Timothy Connellan said.

This affects certain students in the district who received aid in their schools from a professional at ASD. Connellan said that some students were serviced in Southington, while others attended programs at Soundbridge or ASD. Soundbridge is a regional program that promotes listening and speaking in children with hearing loss. Just like other CREC locations, local school districts are responsible for transportation and tuition costs associated with sending a child there.

“Instead of paying money to ASD, funds will come from the purchase services account to have an in-house person that can provide to multiple students,” Connellan said. “With this restructuring, we will better service the students without additional costs. It gives us flexibility.”

If the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for a student calls for them to be educated full time or part time at another school, such as ASD or CREC Soundbridge, the student would still be transported to that location and receive services at that school. Hiring a teacher of the hearing impaired in Southington would preclude the need to have consultation services be provided from an outside source.

A job description was approved by the BOE policy and personnel committee, and they will seek approval of the position during the regular BOE meeting on Aug. 10. Connellan said the goal is to have the new staff member start on the first day of school.

Once hired, the teacher will travel to any school in Southington that has students requiring their service. Since ASD can no longer provide work outside of their campus, Southington students can continue to receive accommodations with the new teacher.

“The person would work in multiple schools throughout the district,” Connellan said. “They would serve as many students in-district as possible given the constraints of the hours available in the school day or week.”

The superintendent said that there may still be need for some outside consultation services “due to the sheer number of students requiring support hours, but that outside consultation will be greatly reduced.”

The BOE meets on Thursday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Weichsel Center to take action on approving the position. If it is approved, SPS administration will review candidates and hire someone for September.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Tunxis Community College
271 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington, CT 06032
(860) 773-1300

Registration for the fall semester is under way at Tunxis Community College in Farmington.

Tunxis offers over 60 associate degrees and certificates that prepare students for transfer to four-year degrees and transition into the workforce with such programs as: accelerated business administration; computer information systems; criminal justice; early childhood education; energy management, engineering; graphic design; liberal arts and sciences; pathways to teaching careers, and technology. For those who seek the flexibility of learning off-campus, online degree programs and certificates are also available.

Financial aid and payment plans are available for those full- and part-time credit students who qualify.

TCC’s Transfer Ticket associate degrees provide seamless transfer and a low-cost pathway to a bachelor’s degree at the Connecticut State Universities and Charter Oak State College.

Continuing education (credit-free) registration is ongoing, offering career training for professions such as certified nurse aide; medical assistant; phlebotomy technician; pharmacy technician; central sterile processing technician; patient care technician and veterinary assistant. Some programs are approved for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding through the Connecticut Department of Labor. Professional development and personal interest courses are also available. For continuing education courses, there are a variety of convenient ways to register.

Tunxis Community College is located at the junction of Routes 6 and 177. Visit the Tunxis website at tunxis.edu.

For information on how to apply and register, contact the admissions office at (860) 773-1490 or visit tunxis.edu/apply. Late registration will take place on Friday, Aug. 25.

By JEN CARDINES

STAFF WRITER

Cheers, tears, and middle school peers encompassed the Board of Education last Thursday, Aug. 10. In a series of motions, the board unanimously approved a partnership with the Southington Middle School Athletics Association (SMSAA) which will function as a booster club to support athletics at Kennedy and DePaolo middle schools.

After budget cuts forced the board to cut middle school sports funding for the upcoming school year, students and parents, along with BOE members and faculty, joined forces to “save middle school sports.”

Last week, they accomplished their goal to keep the middle school sports program uninterrupted despite the budgetary constraints.

As co-chairs of the middle school activities committee—which met weekly throughout the summer to strategize—board members Patricia Queen and Zaya Oshana led the discussion.

“Southington Public Schools will run the programs, which include the hiring and evaluation of coaches, scheduling and transportation, and the establishment of payment for the events,” Oshana said. “The funding for the coaches’ stipend is going to be collected and submitted before the start of each season to ensure that there is funding to pay for the coaches.”

A $100 dollar activity fee will be charged to each student for each sport they participate in. An online paying system for parents to pay the fee will be available, much like the lunch program where parents pre-pay for their child’s breakfast and lunches.

“One of the main reasons money will be collected in that way is to protect the confidentiality of students and families that could not afford this fee,” said Queen.

If a student is unable to afford the cost, they will not be excluded from the program. SMSAA is raising money to help offset those costs.

“Surrounding communities have comparable and in some cases a more expensive fee,” said Mike Taylor, a local parent who spoke against cutting sports at previous BOE meetings and helped create SMSAA. He represents DePaolo on the executive board.

Taylor delivered an in-depth presentation during the Aug 10 meeting, seeking approval of the association’s three-year plan to sustain after-school sports teams. The model anticipates restoring as many middle school sports programs in the first year as funding allows.

Next year, SMSAA hopes to restore schedules that were unable to be fully funded in the first year and look for opportunities to expand activities.

“There’s all sorts of opportunities and ideas out there, but is there an opportunity to not only replace what was lost, but in fact get something else on the calendar,” Taylor said.

By year three, the booster club wants to establish intramural programs that would be open to all students at both schools.

The booster club plans to hold fundraising events throughout the year while also seeking scholarships from local organizations such as the Joe & Kay Calvanese Foundation and Dick’s Sporting Goods “Sports Matter” program.

Before the BOE members voted to approve the initiative, many commented on the determination of students and parents to make it all possible. When cutting middle school sports was even rumored on the agenda, scores of Southington residents poured into meetings to speak against it.

“You didn’t think we were listening, but we were listening to all these comments,” BOE member Terry Lombardi said. “It was the strength of that voice that really impacted us.”

While the public school budget for 2017-18 could not support sports programs, SMSAA came together for any effort that could help.

“You just saved our middle school sports,” Oshana said before the room began clapping.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Jen Cardines, email her at JCardines@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Schools across Connecticut will begin the 2017-18 year next week and state police advise locals to use caution. Bus and pedestrian traffic will pick up once the school year begins.

Connecticut State Troopers urge drivers, parents and children to prepare for back to school safety.

As over half-a-million Connecticut children head back to school over the next few weeks, Connecticut State Troopers urge all parents and guardians to discuss school, traffic, and personal safety with their children.

Troopers also caution all drivers to be aware of back to school bus, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic.  Drivers are urged to use extra caution as they travel on Connecticut’s roadways, and to be alert to children who may be hurrying to and from school.

Under state law, it is mandatory that drivers stop for school buses that have their flashing red warning lights activated, whether they are approaching or following the school bus.

The yellow flashing lights are a warning to drivers that the bus will be stopping to pick up and/or drop-off students.  Drivers should anticipate that the red flashing lights will come on shortly after seeing the yellow flashing lights as the bus comes to a stop.  The red flashing lights on a school bus indicate that the bus is stopped and students are either getting on or off the bus.

Failure to obey this law not only puts our children at great risk, but it carries a hefty penalty for drivers. Fines for passing a school bus that has its flashing red warning lights activated starts at $465 for a first offense.

Parents should also remind their children to wait for their bus in a safe place, out of the travel portion of the roadway, and only cross the street after looking both ways, even if the red lights are activated.  Urge children to tell an adult and the police about anything that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable on the way to/from school and while they’re in school.

Children should be reminded not to speak to, or get into the vehicles of people they don’t know.

All Resident State Troopers and Troopers on patrol will periodically monitor school bus stops to help ensure the safety of all students as they travel back to school to begin the 2017-2018 school year.

NOW thru AUG. 30

SOUTHINGTON

GOAT WALK AND FARM TOUR. Wednesdays, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Bradley Mountain Farm, 537 Shuttle Meadow Rd. Two hour tour. Stroll through pastures and follow the trail at Crescent Lake. Includes one complementary bag of goat food for each guest. Walking sticks available. Wear comfortable sturdy clothing. Children under 12 must be supervised by an adult. Adults, $20. (Children helpers $15). Tickets are non-refundable unless it rains on the day of the event. Contact: (860) 385-GOAT or info@bradleymountainsoaps.com

THURSDAY, SEPT. 14

SOUTHINGTON

WHEN I’M IN CHARGE. 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at the Southington Youth Services office, 196 N. Main St. The course is intended for Southington youth in grades 4-6 and teaches them how to keep safe when they are left at home on their own.  It is taught by Red Cross certified instructor, Terri Benoit. Registration is first-come, first-served. A small fee to attend. RSVP Youth Services, (860) 276-6281.

ONGOING

SOUTHINGTON

SOUTHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL PRESCHOOL PROGRAM. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Southington High School. Openings available for 3, 4, and 5 year old children. Cost is $45 per semester. Call Erin Proctor, (860) 628-3229, ext. 345 or email at eproctor@ southingtonschools.org.

PLANTSVILLE COMMUNITY NURSERY SCHOOL. Open to 3-year-olds, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m., or 4-year-olds, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. (860) 628-8878 or pcns1955@gmail.com.

VILLAGE GREEN NURSERY SCHOOL. Offers a 2.5-hour 3-year-old program on Tuesdays and Thursdays and a 4-year-old program on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. In addition to the typical 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. program, the 4-year-olds have the option for an extended day program from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nan Sheridan at (860) 628-6958 or vgnsstaff@gmail.com.