SHS Principal Martin Semmel has been named as the new Plymouth superintendent.

By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER

Back-to-back state football championships, a state marching band championship, a nationally-recognized robotics team, and an increase in students taking AP classes are just a few of the accomplishments Southington High School (SHS) principal Martin Semmel is proud to have been a part of.

Semmel reflected on the success Southington High School has had over recent years, as he will be leaving his position as principal to become the Superintendent of Plymouth-Terryville for 2015-2016 school year.

Semmel said, first and foremost, that his most rewarding experiences have come from interacting with the students in Southington.

“I think the most important thing that I will always have at the heart of what I will do is the kids,” said Semmel. “I love coming to work every day and just seeing our students. Just their presence reminds me about why we’re all here.”

The current SHS principal said that he is also most proud of the way SHS challenges its students academically and works to prepare students for the next step in their lives.

“We’ve really tried to make sure that every single student gets challenged and that they’re prepared for whatever happens after high school,” said Semmel. “We’ve increased the number of students taking AP classes dramatically.”

Semmel said that success in extracurricular activities in the athletics department and specifically robotics has just been the icing on the cake for him.

“I’m also excited about all the success besides academically, we’ve also had a lot of success athletically,” said Semmel. “All the hard work from student athletes and coaches is something I’ll continue to be proud… As for the robotics team, we’re pretty much known nationally in robotics. We’re definitely feared in the Northeast.”

Semmel said that the teachers he has worked with at SHS have greatly contributed to the success of the school. “I’ve seen how seriously our teachers take teaching the kids here and how engaged they are in trying to improve their own instruction for the benefit of our kids,” he said.

As a resident of Southington, Semmel said that he has enjoyed living in a town where he is principal, because it has allowed parents and students to get to know him as a person and build trust with them.

“People have seen me on different levels here in town,” said Semmel. “They might know me as a coach of a softball team in town or a soccer team. People in town might know me as a band backer.”

Semmel said the only thing he won’t miss is feeling like he has to be well-dressed everywhere he goes in town. “Now I can go to Stop and Shop in sweatpants and not be worried about it,” he joked.

Although he won’t be living in Plymouth, Semmel said he will be making an effort to learn the town and get to know the people.

“To me, it doesn’t matter where I’m working,” said Semmel. “The goal is to help the students of that location—in this case Plymouth—to get the most they can out of their education.”

The current SHS principal said that he thinks he will handle the transition from principal to superintendent well, because he has already had to deal with transitions throughout his career.

“The hardest transition I ever had to make was when I left the classroom to become assistant principal,” said Semmel. “You get to see the same kids day in and day out and you work with them with their struggles. You do the same as an assistant principal and a principal, but not always as directly.”

As a superintendent, Semmel said that he is going to make a point to try to develop relationships with the students and teachers at all of schools.

“You can’t lead a district unless you understand who you’re trying to lead,” he said. “Without being in the classrooms you won’t necessarily truly understand what you’re trying to accomplish.”

Semmel earned his doctorate degree and Superintendent certification from UCONN.

Working under former Southington Superintendent Dr. Joseph Erardi and being taught at the University of Connecticut by former superintendent of Farmington Public Schools Bob Villanova, Semmel said both his education and work experience have provided him with good examples of superintendents.

Additionally, Semmel said working at the central office level within Southington Public School by being on different committees has also prepared him for his new position.

As for how he hopes to be remembered as a principal of SHS, Semmel said that he hopes he’s seen as a person who cared and nurtured the success of his students.

“I hope that I’m seen as a person who had high expectations for the entire system, and that we challenged our students to even higher expectations,” said Semmel. “And we won a few state championships along the way, of course.”

Superintendent Tim Connellan shared a timeline for filling the SHS principal vacancy at the most recent Board of Education meeting.

Connellan said that the job would be posted on Mon, Feb. 23 for about a month. Following the application process will be two rounds of interviews during the weeks of April 20 and April 27.

The interview by the Board of Education will take place on May 12 and the Board will appoint a May 14 with a start date of July 1.

By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER

The Middle School Building Committee and construction companies working on the middle school renovation projects are seeking to add generators and courtyard upgrades to the existing projects.

The Board of Education has approved the preliminary drawings and specifics for the middle school renovation projects. Now, the  BOE has recommended sending representatives from Fletcher Thompson, Newfield Construction and the Southington Public Schools to a Plan Completion Test (PCT) meeting with the Office of School Facilities (OSF) on March 4 to get the additions to the project approved by the state.

“At this meeting we need approval from them so we can go out to bid for our generators and some other items,” said Director of Operations Pete Romano.

The representatives will be bringing the complete drawings and bid specifications for the generator project and courtyard upgrade project in each of the two schools to the PCT. Mark Hopper, principal and project manager from Fletcher Thompson working on the middle schools, spoke to the board about each of the projects.

“The generator project was part of the original drawings and specifications,” said Hopper.

However, Hopper said that the generators were listed as a bid alternate and wasn’t included in the final stages of the project. He explained that it was because the building committee believed that there were grants available to cover the cost of the two generators.

“At the time the generators were not included as an effort went forth by the town to see if we could secure grants,” said Hopper. “Unfortunately the grants were not able to be secured, so we want to put the generators back into the project.”

Board of Education Members Patricia Johnson and Terry Lombardi questioned if the Board would be able to afford the change to the budget.

“We are, I think, running below our amount that was approved by a bond issue,” said Hopper. “We are undertaking this procedure to be able to get the cost included in the project outside of the change order process, which is an important distinction.”

Hopper also explained that the function of these generators is for emergency use. The town would be able use these schools as centers in the event of an emergency.

The principal and project manager from Fletcher Thompson also spoke about the importance of upgrading the courtyards to not only match the new aesthetic of the school’s renovation, but also to reduce the amount of maintenance required for the courtyards at each school.

The courtyards are designed to bring natural light into the classrooms and are not used for educational purposes for a number of reasons.

“If the courtyard was not there, then we would have interior classrooms without any exterior walls with natural light,” said Hopper. “From a functional aesthetic standpoint that’s why the courtyard is there.”

Romano added that the maintenance in the courtyards has required special attention, so the plans suggest that the courtyard be turned into an area with artificial turf.

“The issues that we have now is that the area is very difficult for us to maintain. It is an area where a lot of weeds grow,” said Romano. “We cannot use any herbicides or insecticides to treat that, so we have to manually do that by hand.”

He explained that although artificial turf does usually require maintenance, for the purpose of the area it would require little to none at all. The courtyards are not used at all for educational purposes, because of their locations. There is no room for modification of the space, and it would be able to be made ADA compliant.

“There is maintenance to an artificial turf when it’s used for a sporting purpose, but in this area it’s not going to get used for that,” said Romano.

According to Romano, the Middle School construction projects are both on track and going smoothly. The furniture for both of the Media Center was delivered and installed and the current phase of construction will be completed at DePaolo in the beginning of March and at JFK at the end of March.

“We’ll be receiving more furniture and really starting to wind down with what’s going on with construction,” said Romano.

Southington Education Foundation President Jan Galati meets with members of Southington High School’s book club program.

By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER

A group of Southington High School students who participate in book clubs shared their experiences with Southington Education Foundation (SEF) board members during a reception to celebrate a $2,500 SEF grant for the book club programs.

“My guidance counselor recommended me to join book club to increase my reading and to improve my English skill, so I joined book club,” said ELL student and SHS senior Rong Chen. “It helps me a lot and gives me really meaningful experiences, because these books that Mrs. Paul and Mrs. Simpson provide are the books that are accepted by many other teenagers my age. I enjoy these books because we find out common books we are all interested in, and we get to share our knowledge and opinions on them.”

SHS literacy specialist Stacey Simpson and Teacher of the Year Jen Paul led the reception because they run the book club program, which started with a small group of girls last year and has grown to include 70 students.

“I just wanted to thank you again. You’ve really kept this program going,” Paul said to the SEF board members. “It started with eight girls last year in September and has transformed into 70 kids. Reading has just really come back into the lives of a lot of the kids and we need that to keeping going, because at some point my husband was going to say stop using the credit card to buy thousands of dollars’ worth of books.”

The two literacy specialists applied through the SEF grant process to fund the purchase of books relating to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) field.

“It’s gotten me to read more, and it’s got me to think more about the things that we are reading,” said SHS senior Elizabeth Veilleux.

Veilleux, among many other of the students, spoke about here experience participating in the Virtual Book Club, where the SHS book club and third and fourth grader students from Thalberg Elementary School read the same book and correspond to each other online.

“With the elementary student’s we’re working with right now, it’s given me a great chance to see them grow and not only just them, but also myself,” said Veilleux. “I’m seeing things that I wouldn’t have unless I talk to them and see the books through their eyes.”

Along with the student testimonies, Simpson and Paul shared some video footage of the SHS book clubs, discussing the books and asking questions to the students at Thalberg Elementary School through video chat. Jan Galati from SEF said that it was a first to have someone give a presentation to the Board, because they typically are the ones to present.

“It brought to my mind how many different aspects there are to the book club,” said Galati. “Interacting with the third and fourth grade students, collaborating among the teenagers in the book club, and just their excitement with the book clubs is amazing, because they’re doing an enrichment activity where they really have to work hard.”

DePaolo Middle School recently announced their February Students of the Month.

In sixth grade, Abby Sowa, Kevin Le, and Mason Krupinski were selected by their teams.

Abby is the daughter of Kathleen and Paul Sowa and received the Presidential Award for academic excellence in fifth grade. She is in the school band and played on the girls’ soccer team in the fall. Abby currently plays on the school basketball team.

Kevin is the son of Hoang and Kim Chi Le and was recognized at a Principal’s Breakfast for citizenship. Kevin has earned high honors at DePaolo and is a part of the school orchestra.

Mason is the son of Jeff and Melanie Krupinski and has earned high honors at DePaolo. He is a member of the YMCA and is a Boy Scout. Mason has volunteered to assist the Wounded Warrier project and is an orientation guide at DePaolo.

In seventh grade Rielley Coles, Jordan Bishman, and Martyna Tomczyk were selected by their teams.

Rielley is the daughter of Christina Forgione and Garry Coles and has consistently earned high honors at DePaolo. She was selected to be a part of the National Junior Honor Society and Mathcounts. Rielley is a peer advocate, in the drama club, and is part of the STEPS ABC team.

Jordan is the daughter of John and Nathalie Bishman and has consistently earned high honors at DePaolo. He was a part of the school cross country team in the fall and is an Animal Helper. Jordan is in the National Junior Honor Society and was recognized at a Principal’s Breakfast.

Martyna is the daughter of Grzegorz and Lidia Tomczyk and was also recognized as a student of the month in elementary school. She is an elementary school assistant and is a DePaolo cheerleader. Martyna has consistently been on the honor roll and is in the school band.

In eighth grade Hayden Nadeau, Joshua Badgley, and Olivia Potter were selected by their teams.

Hayden is the son of Jon and Amy Nadeau and has earned the honor roll all three years at DePaolo. He has volunteered at Calendar House as a part of the DePaolo Leadership Program. Hayden is also part of the yearbook committee.

Joshua is the son of Jon and Lisa Badgley and has consistently earned high honors throughout middle school. He volunteers with the Central CT United Way and has been a part of the Leadership Program for the past three years. Josh is on the DePaolo basketball team and is a part of the STEPS ABC team.

Olivia is the daughter of Dorothy Potter and is an honor roll student. She is a part of the school chorus and concert choir. Olivia is in the drama club and part of the Mary Our Queen youth group.

In Unified Arts, Brianna Pearson, Rebecca Nunn, and Kevin Perez were selected.

Brianna is the daughter of Pamela and Jason Pearson and was recognized at a Principal’s Breakfast this year. She assisted with a clean-up at Panthorn Park and is an elementary school helper. Brianna plays for the Southington Lightning softball team and helps out the younger players.

Rebecca is the daughter of Katherine and Thomas Nunn and has consistently earned high honors. She volunteers at Calendar House and the food pantry and walked in a marathon to support cancer research. Rebecca is on the yearbook committee and is in the ski club.

Kevin is the son of Carmen Castertano. He is in the school chorus and was selected for the concert choir. Kevin is also involved in drama club.

The Southington Arts and Crafts Association is seeking applicants for the organization’s annual scholarship.

The $1,000 scholarship is awarded to high school seniors residing in Southington who will be pursuing a degree program in a visual art and/or craft related field. Applications for the scholarship may be obtained from the Southington High School guidance office or by contacting the association’s scholarship chairperson at (860) 621-4890.

March 14 is the deadline for submitting the completed application. The application material will be judged by association representatives, and will be celebrated in May at the annual Southington Arts and Crafts Scholarship dinner. Funds for the scholarship are issued upon the successful completion of the first semester.

For more information about the organization, visit www.southingtonartsandcrafts.com

Brian Stranieri, courtesy of Southington Public Schools

Southington High School Assistant Principal Brian Stranieri has been appointed as the Interim Principal of Southington High School effective on March 14.

Stranieri began his career in education at Southington High School in September 1982 and has served as Assistant Principal since September 2002.  During his 13 years in administration, Stranieri has been responsible for directly overseeing the educational well-being of thousands of Southington High School students.

“Please join me in congratulating Mr. Stranieri on this appointment and in supporting him as he and the Administrative Team continue their work in establishing Southington High School as one of the premier comprehensive high schools in Connecticut,” Southington Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connellan said in a press release.

By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER

The first ever cultural fairs were hosted at both John F. Kennedy Middle School and Joseph A. DePaolo Middle School on Thursday, Feb. 26. The two after-school events offered “A Taste of Culture” for students, parents and faculty in honor of the STEPS February Asset of the month, cultural competence.

According to a flyer for the event, cultural competence provides students with a “knowledge and comfort with people from different cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds.”

Students were invited to share their family’s culture by bring in food, clothing and music for the event. Participants set up their own booths with information about their heritage, recipes of their food and displayed the flag of the place they were representing.

The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students at JFK Middle School shared their food from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. in the cafeteria. There were treats ranging from Puerto Rican rice and peas to Italian cookies

One student made a French Quiche Lorraine, which is a savory pie made with a rich custard filling with bacon and cheese. Three other students called their booth the “Constitution Café” and served all-American food like hotdogs and pancakes.

Irish heritage was also represented at the Kennedy event with apple cake, shortbread cookies, and Irish cream bundt cake.

The celebration at DePaolo began at 5 p.m. with a musical performance of the Italian National Anthem.

School counselor Steve Nyerick said there were over 30 different countries represented at the DePaolo Middle School Taste of Culture. Not only did middle school students share their culture, adult ESL students were invited to participate as well.

Adult ESL Teacher Peg Donohue asked her students if they would like to participate and received a good response, especially since some of the adult ESL students have children who attend DePaolo. The ESL students that participated in “A Taste of Culture” represented the countries of China, Pakistan, Ukraine, Albania, Kosovo, Peru, Yemen, Columbia, Italy, Peru, Puerto Rico, Egypt and Brazil.

DePaolo Middle School World Language Teacher and Asset Building Communicator Bethany Rosin said that the idea to do a cultural fair originally came from the students, so she wasn’t surprised by the interest from the student body when sign-up flyers went out.

“We live in a global world, and it’s so important to recognize other cultures,” said Rosin. “It’s not just understanding that other cultures exist, but it’s having that competence of what those cultures are like. I think the sharing here is wonderful. We’re getting to experience a lot of different foods, customs, and cultures.”

Photos by LINDSAY CAREY

By TAMMI NAUDUS
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

This past weekend area high school students took part in the second of 10 F.I.R.S.T. (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competitions (FRC). The weekend saw 35 area teams accompanied by the robots that they created.

Southington’s Cyber Knights went home with the Chairman’s Award.

Each team had been working since the beginning of January to design, program, create, and test robots. Piper Weingart of Torrington and member of the local Operation P.E.A.C.E. team explained, “The first Saturday in January we get a game and instruction manuals. We have to build a robot to play the game. We get six weeks from that Saturday in January. Then we have to bag the robot. The week before competition we can do a little bit of modification, but not a huge amount. Then we come to compete, and then bag it again. We cannot touch it between competitions.”

This year’s game was called Recycle Rush. Robots scored points by stacking totes on scoring platforms, capping those stacks with recycling containers then properly disposing of pool noodles, representing litter. Each member of the team has a different job to do. There is a coach, who works as the driver’s eyes on the field; the Drivers, who work to control the robot and its mechanisms; and the last person in the game is called the human player. This person’s job is to interact physically with the robot itself. Gwen Gorman, a senior at Southington High, and member of the Cyber Knights explained, “I stand at the feeder station. I have to pick up the totes and basically put them in play to the robot. The robot then stacks them internally on the field.”

There is a lot of camaraderie among the students. “This team is the best team I have ever been on.” explained Cyber Knight Natiya Washer, while hugging her teammate, “They not only excel at this sport, but they excel at making sure every member are the best person they can be.” The team has to work together without division to brainstorm ideas and make their robot a success.

“We all share ideas, and cooperate to make it happen,” said Jacob Vicinus, a member of the Plainville Digital Devils.

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman was present at the opening ceremonies. She said, “You’re all doing what everybody expects people to do now. That is, study science, technology, engineering, and math. They are pushing for that a lot in this state, because that is what the future is all about.”

Photos by Tammi Naudus

The Cyber Knights won the Chairman’s Award in Waterbury. From left, Gwen Gorman, Ellie Lefkovich, Brian Petrucci, Nick Rappi, Tyler Brinton, Kyle Barry, and Bailey Kahl.

Southington’s FIRST Robotics Team 195, the CyberKnights, won the Chairman’s Award at this season’s first district event in Waterbury. This prestigious award was created to recognize teams that demonstrate the greatest commitment to spreading passion about science and technology into their communities and schools.

Team 195 was recognized for building partnerships with their community, youth, veterans, other FIRST Teams, alumni, and sponsors. They had an entire sub-team of students and mentors working tirelessly on the submission to this award alone, as it involves a written essay, a video, and a presentation given to the judges at the competition.

This award guarantees Team 195 a spot in the New England District Championship in Worchester, Mass. in April, where they will compete with other Chairman’s Award winners from throughout New England for the opportunity to advance to the World Championship in St. Louis.

Thalberg School fourth and fifth grade members of Genevieve’s Teaching Garden Club partnered with the Orchard Valley Garden Club for a community garden project. The students created beautiful floral designs with instructions, supplies, and assistance from Southington’s Orchard Valley Garden Club. The “Sending Love” designs were delivered to residents at Southington Care. The “Strawberry Ice Cream Soda with Whip Cream on Top” designs were delivered to residents at The Orchards. All designs were accompanied with hand made cards personalized by the students.

The Kennedy Middle School Science Department recently announced the winners of their recent science fair and Invention Convention. The event has increased tenfold in recent years and the showings spanned two nights in mid-February. The contest was open to students of the school in grades 6-8.

The following students were selected by judges to move on to the state science fair competition:

Grade eight winners were: Abigail Barbour for “‪‪To Crochet or Knot”; ‪‪Mary Bilodeau for “‪‪Burning Biofuels”; Mia Langston-Abigail LoPresti for “‪‪Structure vs. Nature”; and ‪‪Julia Jackman-Sarah Mathew for “Gas Released by Yeast.”

Grade seven winners were: ‪‪Tara Brock-Hannah Sousa for “‪‪‪‪Got White”; ‪‪Matthew Maciejewski for “Pore My Way to Cleaner Water”; ‪‪Sarah Falcetti-Kiralyn Wadman for “Ramps and Textures”; and ‪Trevor Messina for “How Accurate Local Weather Can Be.”

The following students were selected by judges to move on to the state Invention Convention competition:

The grade eight winner was Ally Stanton for “Tuft Taker.”

Grade seven winners were: Chloe Grabowski for‪‪‪ “Squeeze Brush”; Greta Panke for‪‪ “Edible Waterbubble”; Alex McPartland for “‪‪Robo Waiter”; and Caprina Pugliese for ‪‪”Cup Lips.”

Grade six winners were: Maya Ciaffaglione for “Pump It”; Meghan Hammarlund for “Swimmer’s Shield”; and Hailey Comparone for “Bunfun 2000.”

Collected books pile up at the house of Alexa Taylor. The books are bound for a Liberian school ravaged by civil war.

By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER

Inspired by a church’s mission, two local teens took it upon themselves to make a difference in the lives of students who are less fortunate.

National Honors Society (NHS) seniors Alexa Taylor and Ryan Padden collected 400 hundred books for a Liberian school.

St. Margaret’s school is a K-12 Catholic school in Liberia that was raided during a civil war. As a result, the school lost a lot of educational supplies.

Taylor, who is a member of Mary Our Queen, watched her church begin to sponsor this school over the last two years. Mary Our Queen has collected shoes, sports equipment, and books for the Liberian school.

“I thought since we’re collecting books at my church, why not collect them at school, too?” said Taylor.

Although this book drive has been her biggest contribution to the Liberian school, this is not the first time Taylor has run a drive for them. During her sophomore year, Taylor helped the school by running a supply drive through the student council.

“There’s all this conflict going on in Liberia, so I thought if we could help in some way that would be good,” said Taylor.

Taylor teamed up with her good friend, Padden, to head the annual NHS book drive.

“Every year NHS has a book drive, so we thought it would be good to do it for this charity,” said Padden.

With 400 books crowding Taylor’s dining room, the duo said they are done collecting.

“Over the weekend we got together at Alexa’s house and stacked all the books into piles of 10,” said Padden. “There were 40 piles, which was cool because we weren’t expecting that many.”

Taylor said the shipping rate right now is too high, so they are waiting until they have enough funds to send the shipment to Liberia.

DePaolo Middle School’s students of the month for March. Front, from left, Bobby Lasbury, Jon Breski, Natalia Adamczyk, Faith Kosior, and Sandra Robel. Back, Asst. Principal Chris Palmieri, Scott Putnam, Cole Lespier, Jacob DelMonte, Betul Agirman, Alessia Ricigliano. Missing from the photo are Sam Miranda and Michayla Turner.

DePaolo Middle School has announced their Students of the Month for March.

In sixth grade Bobby Lasbury, Faith Kosior, and Cole Lespier were selected by their teams.

Bobby is the son of Robert and Amy Lasbury and received the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence last year. He is a community service volunteer, ran on the school cross country team, and is in the drama club. Outside of school, Bobby plays baseball and basketball for the town.

Faith is the daughter of Anthony and Deborah Kosior and received the Arts Award at Flanders last year. She is an animal helper and played on the school volleyball team. Faith is in ski club and the school band.

Cole is the son of Steven and Jennifer Lespier and has maintained high honors since starting at DePaolo. He received the Presidential Outstanding Excellence Award last year at Kelley Elementary School. Cole is in the Lego club at DePaolo.

In seventh grade Jacob DelMonte, Jon Breski, and Betul Agirman were selected by their teams.

Jacob is the son of Damon and Alisa DelMonte and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society. He is in Mathcounts and is a Peer Advocate. Jacob played on the school soccer team and plays football, basketball, and baseball for the town.

Jon is the son of Richard and Deana Breski and is an honor roll student. He raised money for the Salvation Army and was selected for the state science fair. Jon plays football, basketball, and baseball.

Betul is the daughter of Ismail and Halime Agirman and is part of the DePaolo Factor Team. She participated in the Partners in Science Program at Central Connecticut State University and competed in the first Lego League.

In eighth grade Sandra Robel, Alessia Ricigliano, and Natalia Adamczyk were selected by their teams.

Sandra is the daughter of Dalia Robel and was recognized at a Principal’s Breakfast for Academic Achievement. She participated in the “Sandwich Run” for her church and assisted at her church’s Egyptian Festival. Sandra participated in the school environmental club.

Alessia Ricigliano is the daughter of Angelo and Rosa Ricigliano and is an honor roll student. She assisted at her church’s fundraiser and volunteered at a stable this past summer. Alessia is also involved in Art for a Cause at Kelley Elementary School.

Natalia is the daughter of Ireneusz and Magdalena Adamczyk and has consistently earned the honor roll since sixth grade. She ran on the school cross country team for the past two years. Natalia attends Polish school every Saturday and dances at Dance City and the Arts.

In Unified Arts, Scott Putnam, Samuel Miranda, and Michayla Turner were selected.

Scott is the son of Josie and Scott Putnam and is an honor roll student. He volunteers at the First Congregational Church and assists his dad coaching at Southington Valley Midget Football. Scott is a library assistant and is in the Lego club at DePaolo.

Sam is the son of Paul and Heather Miranda and is an honor roll student. He has volunteered at the Meriden Soup Kitchen and is in the drama club. Sam played on the school soccer team and plays baseball and soccer for the town.

Michayla is the daughter of Deborah Turner and is an honor roll student. She is a part of the Giving Back Girls and participated in a Bread for Life food drive. Michayla ran on the school cross country team and is a library assistant.

Photos by TAMMI NAUDUS

Actors at Southington High School prepare for this weekend’s premiere of “Urinetown.” The off-beat play imagines a world which regulates water so much that they charge for toilet use. The show will be performed on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Tickets are $10 ($8 for students and seniors). The play is PG-13, so it may not be suitable for young children.

The Board of Education passed the installation and dedication of a walkway at Southington High School to former athletic director Dom D’Angelo.

After a two year period of research, the committee proposed to install a walkway in honor of  D’Angelo who served in the military as a veteran and in Southington as an educator, a mentor, a coach, and athletic director. The vote was 8 to 1.

A committee had been comprised to look into the Southington High School walkway project in order to honor D’Angelo with a dedication as an individual who contributed greatly to the town and the school in particular.

Southington Board of Education members Colleen Clark, Terry Lombardi, and Terri Carmody served on this committee, along with community representatives Rob Thomson and Mike DeFeo, and a representative from the high school administration, Brian Stranieri.

Long time Southington resident D’Angelo’s served in many capacities. D’Angelo was a decorated WWII veteran, the founder of Southington Midget Football and the Biddy Basketball leagues, the first athletic director at YMCA, the commissioner of Park and Recreation Board for 25 years, a social studies teacher, a football coach with an outstanding record, SHS athletic director, and a Southington Sports Hall of Fame Inaugural Class inductee.

“If you noticed Dom had a lot to do with not just the high school, but the community itself,” said Stranieri.

The entrance to the athletic complex at SHS will be designated as “Dom D’Angelo Way” and a plaque will be placed there listing all of his accomplishments during the years that he served the Southington community.

Fundraising for this project will begin immediately. The layout and construction for this project will commence in April and is projected to end in August with a dedication ceremony at the first home football game in September.

Sydney Cusson, Emily Goulet, Caitlin Taylor, and Hannah Lasbury perform their on-line broadcast from DePaolo Middle School.

By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER

Two social studies teachers at each of the local middle schools orchestrated a unique collaborative research project between DePaolo Middle School and John F. Kennedy Middle School.

DePaolo Social Studies Teacher Patricia Kenefick, DePaolo Literacy Specialist Jean Graff and John F. Kennedy Middle School social studies teacher Amy Fontaine worked together to put 100 students into 25 groups. Each group was tasked with covering a country from North Africa or the Middle East. They were charged with researching that country in their textbooks and on the internet.

Each student in the group chose to research a different aspect of life in the country, like religion, education, government, sports, and fashion as reporters in a recorded newscast. The result was a collaborative multi-media effort.

“They each had things that they had to do, and then they put the whole thing together after their research to write up a script and put on the show,” said Kenefick.

In addition to recording the newscast, the students used laptops provided by the school to edit their projects on iMovie. They also made short movie trailers using iMovie to preview some of the things they would talk about in their newscast.

“I like to incorporate the technology now that we have it,” said Kenefick, whose students are going to be making their own websites in their next unit of study, South Africa. “The kids are so into technology, so it sparks learning in the classroom.”

For the viewing of the newscasts, the students brought in food from their country and some also wore the traditional dress of that country.

Not only did the students exercise their research skills and working together as a group, they also used an internet chat to correspond and compare information with students working on the same project at the other middle school.

“They learned how to comment and help each other out across town with their projects,” said Kenefick.

Many of the students said that they learned a lot about other cultures from this project, things that were not familiar to them growing up in America.

“It was really interesting because we got to learn about what life was like in these countries, and it was very different from our life here,” said Lili McKinstry, who covered Afghanistan. “We got to learn what the education was like there and the religion, and how their government works, the kind of sports that the play and the food that they eat. It was really cool.”

Some students said they realized how much more freedom people have in America than in other countries.

“We learned about how their governments run and how they dress—like what the women can wear and what they can’t wear—and how much more rights the men have over the women,” said DePaolo student Kyle Buchanan, who covered Syria. “It’s a lot different there than it is here because women have a lot more rights in the U.S. Women can wear what they want here, but there they can’t show any body parts but their eyes [in Syria].”

Learning about these countries also brought up some eye-opening realizations for the students about how difficult life can be outside of the U.S.

“We also found out about the struggles they have,” said DePaolo student Mackenzie Brown. “In Morroco, many people have died of hunger or thirst because the government is not able to produce enough money.”

Other students said that they realized the difference in customs and traditions in the everyday life of the people like how in some countries the norm is to eat on the floor using your hands rather than utensils.

“I thought it was cool to compare like what times they go to school and what times we go to school—if they even have school,” said DePaolo student Lauryn Reinhardt. “I also learned that in our winter it’s their summer, so they go different months than us.”

One student said she learned a lot just by collaborating with other students throughout the project, and she said that watching other group’s newscasts was a major highlight of the project.

“I really liked watching other people’s newscasts, because it was different than how we did ours,” said DePaolo student Sarah McAuliffe. “It was cool seeing how other people did it and what they brought in to show about their countries.”

Overall, this multi-faceted project led students to look at people who are different than them in a more positive light.

“Even though the people are different than us, I feel like that their culture is special because they’re one-of-a-kind,” said DePaolo student Jeanes Nguyen. “They get to celebrate a type of tradition that’s unique, and they get to do it with their family.”

By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER

The Board of Education recognized students from the Southington High School (SHS) Art Department for winning awards in the Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards Show held at the University of Hartford.

SHS Art teacher Tom Horanzy said described the six students who won as having “shown great skill, great creativity and a passion for art work” at the celebration of excellence for the students at the Board of Education meeting on March 12.

With over four hundred participants in the awards show, six students from SHS won awards ranging from gold key, silver key, and honorable mention. One student even won two awards.

Shelby Thurston won a gold key for her charcoal self-portrait. Sarah Kaufmann won a silver key for a digital photograph “Haunted.”

Skye Farago won two awards, a silver key for her oil pastel drawing “Blossom Tree” as well as an honorable mention for her charcoal self-portrait “Criss Cross Apple Sauce.”

Allie Abacherli received an honorable mention for her oil pastel “Carousel Horse,” and Steven Drozen received an honorable mention for his self-portrait “Me N Stuff.” Jocelyn Gregor received an honorable mention oil pastel drawing of a forest picture called “Quinniapiac in the Back,” which depicts the Quinnipiac River in the background of the drawing.

“As a parent who had a daughter that took art at Southington High School for many years, I know the work that you put in and the example you set is one that we in Southington are proud of,” said Board of Education Chairman Brian Goralski at the celebration of excellence ceremony. Goralski also said that these students’ achievement reflects positively on the art program in the Southington Public School system.

“On the behalf of the Board, I want to tell you that one of the greatest prides we have is seeing our artists here that stay in Southington and don’t choose a magnet school, don’t choose to go somewhere else, that stay here and show how great our department and our program is,” Goralski said. “You represented our school with great dignity to have [six] of you win in a state wide competition shows that we have great things in this district.”

Skye Farago displays her awards from the Connecticut Scholastic Art Awards Show. She won a silver key for her oil pastel drawing “Blossom Tree” and an honorable mention for her charcoal self-portrait. Photo by Lindsay Carey.

“Carousel Horse” by Allie Abacherli (Honorable mention)

“Quinnipiac in the Back” by Jocelyn Gregor (Honorable mention)

“Haunted” by Sarah Kaufmann (Silver Key winner)

Self portrait by Shelby Thurston (Gold Key winner)

“Blossom” by Sky Farago (Silver key winner)

Self portrait by Skye Farago (Honorable mention)

Self portrait by Steven Dorzens (Honorable mention)

After 29 years in the Southington school system, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Karen Smith has announced her retirement at the end of the school year.

By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER

From tutor to math teacher to principal of two elementary schools before finally landing in the role of assistant superintendent of schools, a 29-year career in Southington education is coming to an end.

Assistant Superinten-dent of Schools Karen Smith is retiring, effective on June 30. She said that the highlight of her career has been working with children from pre-K through high school.

Within the last year, Smith took on the challenge of serving as interim superintendent for four months to see the district through the hiring process after Dr. Joseph Erardi left the school system.

“I was very lucky that I had a long history in the school system, so I knew who to go to get information,” said Smith. “It’s good to have someone with local experience to hold things together.”

Smith said it helped that she knew all of the building administrators from her time as principal and assistant superintendent. The Board of Education was another source she tapped into during that time.

“My four months as interim superintendent was not done alone. I led the team, but it was it was clearly a team effort,” she said. “We have a very effective board of education, these are folks who have been elected and re-elected—some of them many times—and they were there to help.”

Superintendent Timothy Connellan said Smith has been a helpful resource to him as he stepped into his position.

“It’s just been a tremendous gift for me and I know it was gift, because she was perhaps ready to move on to the next phase of life sooner, and I feel fortunate that she stayed on to help me with this transition,” said Connellan at the Board of Education meeting on March 12. “I can’t say enough about what Karen brings to this district. I have no idea how we are going to replace the institutional knowledge and the skill, the gentle and sometimes not so gentle questioning that takes and most of all the passion for the work that she brings.”

Smith said that although she loves her profession, she’s been working in education for almost three decades. The assistant superintendent said that she is ready to spend more time with her family, especially with three grandchildren between the ages of four and six.

“I, along with my husband, would really enjoy an opportunity to spend more time with them,” she said.

If possible, Smith said she would be interested in short term opportunities in education like working on an interim basis.

“I love my profession so much, I would consider that should the opportunity present itself,” said Smith.

As her role of assistant superintendent comes to an end, a reflective Smith said that she hopes she is viewed as an educator who kept children at the center of her work.

“I hope to be remembered as someone who always put children first no matter what, budget or anything. Children always come first,” she said. “And also that children are more than test scores.”

To comment on this story or to reach staff writer Lindsay Carey, email her at LCarey@SouthingtonObserver.com.

By LINDSAY CAREY
STAFF WRITER

The Board of Education discussed ways to increase enrollment in technology, engineering, and manufacturing electives at Southington High School during the Curriculum and Instruction Committee Report.

Terri Carmody shared that the Curriculum and Instruction committee visited a few classrooms in the Technology Department at Southington High School, including an automotive class, wood shop, a metal work class, engineering class, and a construction class. She also said the curriculum committee visited Project Lead the Way and saw a robotic arm that the students are working on.

“I saw the kids really working hard and learning things,” said Carmody.

However, during the visit Carmody said the board learned of a deficiency in enrollment in that department by speaking with the teachers.

“Manufacturers are coming to the schools telling us that we need kids with these skills and that’s where the jobs are,” said Carmody.

Board of Education member David Derynoski, who has a background in engineering and business and has been a technology advocate as a member of the technology advisory board at SHS, also spoke about the need to inform students more about a career path in manufacturing, technology, and engineering.

Derynoski said that there are some companies, including his own, who are in such great need of employees that they have started classes in association with Tunxis Community College to teach students CNC machining and basic machining skills.

“Just our medium-sized company, over the next eighteen months, we’re looking to hire an excess of 200 machinists,” said Derynoski. He said that with an aging work force, there are a lot of companies that are all looking for help.

Derynoski said there is a marketing issue within the schools that needs to be addressed in order to effectively nurture interest in these fields and guide students into a fulfilling career.

“We need to be able to get out there and get to the students and their parents—for those that feel that, maybe, college isn’t for them,” Derynoski said. “Maybe they don’t have the basic understanding of what’s out there or even where they want to go, but we have to give that opportunity for them to at least try it because a little bit of interest can grow into something that could be very rewarding.”

Derynoski said that the Technology Advisory Board has started visiting the middle schools annually and talking to the classes about possible careers in technology, manufacturing, and construction. The board is hoping that these visits will spark an interest, so that when they go to the high school, it may impact their elective selection. He noted that more regular visits may be necessary.

Board of Education member Terry Lombardi said that she believes there should be more awareness and development for this at the middle school level.

“I think that sometimes when students get to the high school it may be too late,” said Lombardi.

Board of Education Chairman Brian Goralski said that one way they could increase the interest is in middle school students would be to make sure middle school students are included at the annual Engineering Expo.

Lombardi also said that the department should work on establishing a better image for these career options, because some people are just so set on college after high school and don’t know anything else.

To Lombardi’s point, Derynoski noted that these jobs pay more than minimum wage and can provide people with a good living.

Board of Education member Patricia Johnson suggested that they begin to take an interdepartmental approach to increase enrollment in this department.

“Students in math classes could see what their projected use would be in some of these areas in tech education and of course engineering, and so this interdepartmental contribution would be helpful,” said Johnson.

After receiving these suggestions from the Board of Education, the Curriculum and Instruction Committee will continue to work with the department at the high school on ways to increase enrollment in these electives.

John F. Kennedy Middle School announced its February students of the month. Front, from left, Andrew Kudla, Nadile Germain, Samantha Peluso, Cassidy Vinal, and Mujo Kurtovic. Back, Mr. Steven Madancy, Adam Kosko, Elena Famiglietti, Abigail Lo Presti, Jordan Rinaldi, Ty Selinske, Ryan Slesinski, and Mrs. Susanne Vitcavage. Missing from the photo: Christian Drost.

John F. Kennedy Middle School in Plantsville recently announced the names of its February students of the month. Teachers nominated these students for their academic improvement on performance, exemplary citizenship, and/or participation in extracurricular activities.

Sixth grade students of the month are Nadilie Germain, Mujo Kurtovic, and Samantha Peluso.

An extremely hard worker, Nadilie is a well-rounded student who always puts forth great effort and serves as a willing helper to all. She is a member of the chorus, the Newspaper Club, the Writers Club, and the Asset Building Committee. Outside school, Nadilie enjoys dancing, baking, and skiing.

Mujo is an exceptionally hard-working student who goes above and beyond in class on a daily basis. He prides himself on presenting his best efforts. In his free time, he enjoys reading and playing soccer.

Samantha is a kind and outgoing student who stands ready to help both adults and peers. She is a hard worker and always prepared for class. Samantha plays town basketball, babysits, helps with chores, and likes to listen to music. When the weather is favorable, she enjoys being outside.

Seventh grade students of the month are Christian Drost, Adam Kosko, and Andrew Kudla.

Christian is extremely hardworking and always consistent. He is a creative student who is always eager to learn and is a member of Minecraft.

Adam is a polite, positive, and kind young man who works very hard. He consistently tries his best. He is a member of the Red Cross Club and serves as a water boy for the Kingswood Oxford football team, as a sandwich maker for the homeless, and as a yard worker for a brain tumor charity. Outside school, Adam belongs to a tennis club, rides his bike, plays with Legos, and drives remote control cars.

Throughout the year Andrew has continued to distinguish himself from his peers with an outstanding personality and a high level of dedication to his studies. He is an honor roll student, a member of Junior Next Steps, the Drama Club, the National Junior Honor Society, the soccer team, and Peer Advocates. Andrew plays town soccer, baseball, and basketball. He volunteers for Relay for Life, Bread for Life, the STEPS car wash, and on behalf of disabled children. His goal is to support the community and its residents.

Eighth grade students of the month are Elena Famiglietti, Abigail Lo Presti, Jordan Rinaldi, Ty Selinske, and Cassidy Vinal.

Elena is a hardworking, conscientious student who actively participates in class and always puts forth her best effort. She is a member of the Builders Club, the Color Guard, and Friends of Rachel, the National Junior Honor Society, the Ski/Snowboard Club, the yearbook and the band. Elena takes town swimming and dance, volunteers at the Food Pantry, is a lector at her church, and lists knitting as her hobby.

Abigail is a focused, determined, and responsible student who is also an Eighth Grade Unified Arts Student of the Month. She distinguishes herself with the high quality projects she submits to her teachers. She is a member of the Environmental Club, the National Junior Honor Society, band, swing choir, and plays on the volleyball team. Abigail is an honor roll student, a member of the Kennedy MATHCOUNTS team that competed recently at the county level at the University of Hartford. She also teaches Sunday school at her church.

Jordan is the Eighth Grade World Language Student of the Month. An excellent student, he always puts forth his best effort. He demonstrates strong skills in world language, and he offers help to students in need. He is an honor roll student, a member of the National Junior Honor Society, the Ping Pong Club, the cross country team, and the JFK library volunteers. Jordan was also a member of the JFK MATHCOUNTS team that competed recently on the county level at the University of Hartford. He plays town baseball and basketball and volunteers at his church, the YMCA Junior Leaders Club and as a junior umpire for Southington South baseball. In addition to sports, Jordan enjoys vacationing with his family and hanging out with his neighbors.

Ty is a bright, kind, and engaged student who has a vast amount of conceptual knowledge. He is an honor roll student and a member of the Fishing Club. Ty plays town baseball and football, boxes with the Falcon’s Nest, and serves on the YMCA’s Junior Leadership committee. Outside school, Ty likes to bowl and hang out with his friends.

Ryan works very hard in all his classes, and he demonstrates a deep desire to succeed academically. He is a member of the cross country team, and the Stock Market Club, and he plays town baseball. As a volunteer, Ryan helps at Strong School, the Southington Library, and his church’s CCD program. His other interests are playing the guitar, skiing, fishing, and running.

Cassidy is also an Eighth Grade Unified Arts Student of the Month. She is a hardworking young lady and an enthusiastic participant in the Kennedy Orchestra. She is a member of the Color Guard, Con Brio and is an honor roll student. Cassidy plays travel soccer and volunteers with surround sound at Southington High School. Her other interests are rock climbing, swimming, and gymnastics.