Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
I was the "keynote speaker" at the Riverside Community Care Annual "Heart and Soul Blue Jean Ball"
Riverside Community Care has assisted the Town of South Hadley in our sucide prevention efforts.
Click here
Click here
Saturday, October 9, 2010
S. Hadley debuts youth commission Youth Commission
October 7, 2010
SOUTH HADLEY - South Hadley is in the process of creating a new Youth Commission whose programs would create opportunities for youth in town as well as addressing their problems and challenges.
The Youth Commission will be composed of three adults and up to 15 young people between the ages of 13 and 21, according to Carol Constant, of South Hadley.
Constant is part of a group of South Hadley residents who have been meeting for several months to "come up with a vision of what a youth commission could do. It could be a wonderful place to give youth in the community a voice," said Constant.
She was reluctant to name herself and her colleagues as founders, as she wanted the group to belong to "everyone," but she did say that it came about when South Hadley Select Board members Bruce McCullough and Robert Judge "decided it was good time to start a Youth Commission."
All members of the Commission will be appointed by the Select Board.
The youth component of the Commission is being spearheaded by South Hadley High School student Melanie Demakus, who held an open meeting two Sundays ago to recruit interested youth.
At that time the youngsters, working with adult supervision, decided that their mission was "to empower all youth to become change-makers in our community."
They were at no loss to think up projects that would keep teens busy and entertained. Here are some of the possible projects they came up with for the future: A winter carnival, a mural-painting program, a clean-up campaign at playgrounds, the skating park, the riverfront and homes of the elderly.
The youngsters also proposed hiking or canoeing trips, outings to concerts at area colleges, a movie night, intergenerational crafts groups, dances, games, a "Youth Day" to recognize outstanding young people in South Hadley, improv nights based on the TV show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and a movie project directed, acted and written by South Hadley youth.
The Youth Commission will be as inclusive as possible, the youngsters said.
For more information on the Youth Commission, call the Select Board at (413) 538-5017.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
South Hadley volunteers say "count me in"
Published: Wednesday, September 29, 2010, 11:44 AM Updated: Wednesday, September 29, 2010, 11:49 AM
SOUTH HADLEY – “Count me in.”
That’s what people in South Hadley replied when they got an e-mail asking them to help clean up the Black Stevens conservation area in that town. About 70 of them showed up in June to pull weeds and collect litter.
And “Count Me In” is what the South Hadley group that put out the call have chosen as their name. It’s easy to spot members, who wear yellow T-shirts with the name of the group in blue italics.
Co-founder Stephanie Viens, a South Hadley High School teacher, says it’s a low-pressure organization. People don’t have to show up for meetings. Don’t have to volunteer for a minimum number of hours. Don’t have to apologize about it.
“We’re trying to make it a very open and inclusive group,” says co-founder Tanya Kopec, of South Hadley.
That’s not to say the organizers are lackadaisical. “We met 14 weeks in a row when we started,” said Michael Brouillette, son of co-founder Susan Brouillette and a member himself.
Other founding members of the group include Emily Pritchard (“a ray of sunshine,” according to members of the group), Jim Reidy, Ira Brezinsky and Robert Judge. Not all members live in South Hadley, but all have a connection to the town.
The concept for Count Me In grew from a class on religion and philosophy that Viens taught at South Hadley High School. She had thought deeply about the subject of “transformative justice,” an approach that favors forgiveness and understanding over conflict or revenge.
She and her colleague Sue Brouillette discussed ways of pulling people together in the town they loved.
The heartbreaking death of Phoebe Prince, a teen-ager who hanged herself in January after being bullied by classmates, added some urgency to their goal.
To Viens, healing can happen when people work together side by side to do good.
Though their philosophy may have universal implications, members of Count Me In believe in small projects. For example, some will conduct children’s activities at the high school during the town’s Columbus Day Fair Oct. 11. The group is always on the lookout for more volunteer projects.
And they’re going back to Black Stevens on Oct. 23, where the bridges are in sad repair. “Everyone is welcome,” said Michael Brouillette. “We’ve got a bridge that needs building.”
“Metaphorically and physically,” said Viens.
That’s what people in South Hadley replied when they got an e-mail asking them to help clean up the Black Stevens conservation area in that town. About 70 of them showed up in June to pull weeds and collect litter.
And “Count Me In” is what the South Hadley group that put out the call have chosen as their name. It’s easy to spot members, who wear yellow T-shirts with the name of the group in blue italics.
Co-founder Stephanie Viens, a South Hadley High School teacher, says it’s a low-pressure organization. People don’t have to show up for meetings. Don’t have to volunteer for a minimum number of hours. Don’t have to apologize about it.
“We’re trying to make it a very open and inclusive group,” says co-founder Tanya Kopec, of South Hadley.
That’s not to say the organizers are lackadaisical. “We met 14 weeks in a row when we started,” said Michael Brouillette, son of co-founder Susan Brouillette and a member himself.
Other founding members of the group include Emily Pritchard (“a ray of sunshine,” according to members of the group), Jim Reidy, Ira Brezinsky and Robert Judge. Not all members live in South Hadley, but all have a connection to the town.
The concept for Count Me In grew from a class on religion and philosophy that Viens taught at South Hadley High School. She had thought deeply about the subject of “transformative justice,” an approach that favors forgiveness and understanding over conflict or revenge.
She and her colleague Sue Brouillette discussed ways of pulling people together in the town they loved.
The heartbreaking death of Phoebe Prince, a teen-ager who hanged herself in January after being bullied by classmates, added some urgency to their goal.
To Viens, healing can happen when people work together side by side to do good.
Though their philosophy may have universal implications, members of Count Me In believe in small projects. For example, some will conduct children’s activities at the high school during the town’s Columbus Day Fair Oct. 11. The group is always on the lookout for more volunteer projects.
And they’re going back to Black Stevens on Oct. 23, where the bridges are in sad repair. “Everyone is welcome,” said Michael Brouillette. “We’ve got a bridge that needs building.”
“Metaphorically and physically,” said Viens.
Monday, September 27, 2010
New South Hadley youth group has big ideas
Monday, September 27, 2010
SOUTH HADLEY - At Sunday's inaugural meeting of a new youth group, the turnout was small, but the ideas were big: a mural project at the entrance to town; an annual Youth Day of activities at the schools; a new youth center that would be a spot for weekly dances and movie nights.
The first meeting of South Hadley Heroes, a youth group connected to the town's nascent Youth Commission, produced a flip-chart full of suggestions for how young people can become more connected to the community - and to each other.
"We are here to make a change," said Melanie Demakis, 17, who led Sunday's gathering at the high school library. "We want everyone to join and give ideas for activities that will involve youth of all ages."
About half a dozen young people attended the meeting, along with the same number of adults, including Police Chief David LaBrie and Select Board Vice Chairman Robert Judge. They formed a circle in the center of the library and brainstormed for an hour about activities that could bring young people of varying interests and abilities together.
In addition to the mural project, other suggestions included a cleanup day at Buttery Brook Park, using resources at Mount Holyoke College to benefit local youth, and reviving regular teen dances and other activities that used to be held at various churches and meeting halls in South Hadley.
Town Meeting approved the formation of a Youth Commission last spring in the wake of the bullying-related suicide of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince. Commission members have yet to be appointed. Supporters say they want to solicit ideas from young people before the agency officially starts work.
"We want to have feedback from the youth before we go ahead," said Carol Constant, a Town Meeting member who attended Sunday's session at the high school and who used to be involved in an informal youth center in town. "Our hope is to make it not just recreational, but also about community service and leadership. This is a starting point."
Demakis said she got an email last spring from the high school vice principal about the town's plans to form a Youth Commission. "I went to the first meeting and I was the only teen there," she said. "I was a little overwhelmed but I realized this is something I want to be part of."
She founded South Hadley Heroes as a way to involve fellow students in getting the Youth Commission off the ground. Demakis recruited friends to pass out fliers about the group and to make announcements about Sunday's meeting over the high school's public address system.
Middle-schoolers Grace and Torri Lonergan were the youngest people in attendance on Sunday.
"I think it's great that there is a youth group," said Grace, who is in seventh grade. "I liked the idea of the cleanup day."
Demakis said recruitment efforts for South Hadley Heroes will continue. "I'd like to see a lot of different people join," she said. "We want to plan a lot of events for the youth and to keep the town involved."
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Garden plots show success
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
By PAT CAHILL
SOUTH HADLEY - A garden tour, a talk on heirloom seeds, a taste of homegrown fruits and vegetables, and some big plans for the future were all on the agenda when members of South Hadley Community Gardens, also known as GRO South Hadley - Gardening and Resident Outreach, gathered for a meeting recently at the garden site.
The garden is only in its second summer, but it's attracting a lot of attention along Route 47 at the Town Farm this year, thanks to a new border of colorful perennial flowers and an eye-catching sign created by South Hadley High School students.
"The flowers have been a phenomenal success," said Lawrence ("Larry") Dubois, president of the GRO group.
He was giving a tour of the site to a group that included South Hadley Selectman Robert Judge.
The gardens started last year with 10 growers. Cost to each grower is $20 per season for a plot 10 feet wide and 20 feet deep. This year all 24 plots are taken. Growers range from retirees to a teenage girl and her younger sister.
"We put children to work, too!" joked Ron Milkey, of Chicopee, a member of Western Massachusetts Master Gardeners. The master gardeners maintain a "demonstration garden" at the site to educate growers.
Tending the gardens is a learning process, said Linda W. Young, co-founder of the GRO gardeners.
Last year the the yield was disappointing, she said. Then the gardeners tinkered with the dirt, adding manure and sending samples to the UMass Extension Service. "The soil came back perfect!" said Young.
This year string beans, zucchini, eggplants, cucumbers, tomatoes and many other plants are thriving, and carrots and corn are on the way. Some of the gardeners have already harvested their early vegetables and have planted a second crop.
Dubois pointed out Chinese cucumbers and pink okra as examples of veggies that are not readily available around here. Among the issues the group is working on now is making sure that plants with a tendency to sprawl (squash, for example) don't expand into a neighbor's plot....
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
The Aspire Project
I contributed to a project by The Daily Hampshire Gazette and WHMP called the Aspire Project. The Editor wrote, "South Hadley Selectman and native Bob Judge reflects on his immigrant roots, and the unfriendly welcome received by Irish immigrant Phoebe Prince--and why it is so unlike the reality that exists in modern day South Hadley."
"A Wish for a More Welcoming Shore" - Audio
"A Wish for a More Welcoming Shore" - Text
"A Wish for a More Welcoming Shore" - Audio
"A Wish for a More Welcoming Shore" - Text
Anti-bullying recommendations hailed in South Hadley
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
SOUTH HADLEY - South Hadley School Superintendent Gus Sayer believes four months of work by a special school/community task force has given the district "a real big jump" on efforts to prevent bullying in public schools.
In presenting the final report of the town's Anti-Bullying Task Force to the School Committee Wednesday night, Sayer lauded the "extraordinary" efforts of the group, which began meeting in February, following the bullying-related death of South Hadley High School freshman Phoebe Prince.
"I've never worked with such a large group over such a sustained period," said Sayer, who faced criticism in some quarters for the way the district handled bullying incidents that preceded Prince's death. "Over 100 people came out week after week to work on this report. Everybody really wanted to do right by the schools and really put their heart into this effort."
School Committee members will hold a special meeting June 30 to vote on the task force recommendations for bringing district policies into line with the state's new anti-bullying law. The group's final report also proposes new bullying prevention strategies for South Hadley schools.
Key recommendations include:
· expanding the district's anti-bullying program beyond the ninth grade, where it now ends, and boosting anti-bullying education at all grade levels;
· establishing a new anonymous reporting system for bullying incidents and a requirement that school administrators investigate such incidents within one school day of being notified;
· adopting a "Community Code of Conduct" emphasizing respect and tolerance that will be posted in all public buildings in South Hadley;
· reconvening the task force's 29-member steering committee, made up of teachers, administrators, parents, community leaders and municipal officials, to monitor implementation of new anti-bullying policies.
The report defines bullying as repeated use of "written, verbal or electronic expression," physical acts or "deliberate acts of exclusion" that cause physical or emotional harm. It prohibits bullying that takes place on school grounds or off, if those incidents contribute to a "hostile environment" at school or disrupt the educational process.
School Committee Chairwoman JoAnn Jordan questioned how school leaders can enforce rules about bullying incidents that don't occur on school property.
High school Principal Dan Smith, a member of the task force, responded that the language in the prohibition section comes from the state's new anti-bullying law. "It simply means that if incidents are reported here to us in school, even if they happen outside of school, we can add that together" in deciding how to respond, he said.
Sayer emphasized that the work of the task force - and the school district - on the bullying issue is far from over. Over the summer, school administrators will be developing a specific plan to address bullying, as required by the state's new law - deciding on anti-bullying curricula and developing ways to evaluate the effectiveness of the new anti-bullying policies.
"But we have a real big jump on other communities because of the work of this task force," he added.
South Hadley Selectboard Vice Chairman Bob Judge was one of several task force members who attended Tuesday's School Committee meeting. For him, the most important part of the group's work is its focus on involving the broader community in preventing bullying.
"How does the community of South Hadley take this report and adopt it for the town?" Judge said. "That's what I'm most interested in."
Saturday, June 12, 2010
"Localocracy is coming to South Hadley"
Friday, June 11, 2010
Localocracy is coming to South Hadley. The online website, which provides a public forum for residents to discuss issues facing their hometown, was recently endorsed by the Selectboard and is in the process of trying to gather enough participants to launch a test site before opening operations to the entire community.
The website, founded by Conor White-Sullivan and Aaron Soules, both students at the University of Massachusetts, was launched earlier this year in Amherst after the pair received a $10,000 Innovation Challenge grant from the university. The group's expansion into South Hadley comes after the duo received a second Innovation Challenge grant - this time totaling $12,500.
"Localocracy is a site where registered voters can vote on real issues and rank the best reasons for supporting their side," White-Sullivan said. "It is a platform for the entire community where everyone can see both sides of the issue."
The organization decided to establish a South Hadley site at the request of the town, which was looking for a way to promote respectful dialogue following the suicide of South Hadley High School freshman Phoebe Prince in January, White-Sullivan said.
"I was attracted to the feature that requires each person to identify themselves by name," Selectboard Vice Chairman Bob Judge said. He argued that websites and blogs where readers can post anonymous comments have poisoned debate in South Hadley.
"Anybody who is going to put their name out there, I would hope, will think about what they say: Do I want to call someone stupid or lay blame, for instance."
Localocracy is looking for 50 members of the community to participate in a test site that will help determine how the South Hadley site will be run, White-Sullivan said. Once that process is complete, a public site will be established for the entire community.
On the organization's Amherst site, a particular subject of debate is posted. Users then write their comments about that issue, and other users rank those comments according to how much they agree with them. The most popular comments appear at the top of the page.
"This is just another vehicle of communication, and the more vehicles the better," said Judge.
Individuals interested in participating in the project can contact contact@localocracy.org or selectboard@southhadley.org. The organization is online at www.localocracy.org.
###
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Selectboard Seeks Opinions through "Localocracy”
June, 2, 2010
South Hadley, MA--- The South Hadley Selectboard has endorsed an experiment to obtain opinions from residents.
Selectboard Chair John Hine announced that at its May 18 meeting, the Board endorsed a trial of http://localocracy.org for South Hadley.
According to Vice-Chair Robert Judge, the website drew a story on local public radio and has been endorsed by the Amherst Town Manager and State Senator Stan Rosenberg.
The founders of Localocracy, Conor White-Sullivan and Aaron Soules, presented the idea to the S. Hadley Selectboard at the May meeting. “There appeared to be a consensus on the Board and in the audience that we should take the next step,” said Hine. That next step is to get at least 50 S. Hadley residents with an email address to agree to participate in the trial or “beta,” as it is known.
According to White-Sullivan, "We want to create a way not just to distribute ideas but to allow citizens to find the best ideas and have a voice themselves." The idea is to set up a nonpartisan site that poses questions on local issues and accepts opinions from readers. But unlike some blogs and local Web sites, those responders must use their real names and be residents of the town. Participants will be able to rank others' ideas so that viewers can tell which arguments other readers have found persuasive.
Judge said, “On the internet, most people would prefer a place where they can know they are interacting with people who have a real stake in their community, and not an anonymous screen name representing someone who may not live here.”
The Amherst site can be viewed at http://localocracy.com Any South Hadley resident who would like to participate in the South Hadley trial should send an email to Selectboard@SouthHadley.org.
South Hadley, MA--- The South Hadley Selectboard has endorsed an experiment to obtain opinions from residents.
Selectboard Chair John Hine announced that at its May 18 meeting, the Board endorsed a trial of http://localocracy.org for South Hadley.
According to Vice-Chair Robert Judge, the website drew a story on local public radio and has been endorsed by the Amherst Town Manager and State Senator Stan Rosenberg.
The founders of Localocracy, Conor White-Sullivan and Aaron Soules, presented the idea to the S. Hadley Selectboard at the May meeting. “There appeared to be a consensus on the Board and in the audience that we should take the next step,” said Hine. That next step is to get at least 50 S. Hadley residents with an email address to agree to participate in the trial or “beta,” as it is known.
According to White-Sullivan, "We want to create a way not just to distribute ideas but to allow citizens to find the best ideas and have a voice themselves." The idea is to set up a nonpartisan site that poses questions on local issues and accepts opinions from readers. But unlike some blogs and local Web sites, those responders must use their real names and be residents of the town. Participants will be able to rank others' ideas so that viewers can tell which arguments other readers have found persuasive.
Judge said, “On the internet, most people would prefer a place where they can know they are interacting with people who have a real stake in their community, and not an anonymous screen name representing someone who may not live here.”
The Amherst site can be viewed at http://localocracy.com Any South Hadley resident who would like to participate in the South Hadley trial should send an email to Selectboard@SouthHadley.org.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: South Hadley nears code of conduct
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: South Hadley nears code of conduct
by Chad Cain
by Chad Cain
SOUTH HADLEY - The town is on the verge of adopting a new code of conduct, a step that members of an anti-bullying task force view as one of its most important initiatives in the aftermath of an alleged bullying-related suicide.
The code, crafted by a Community Programs subgroup of the Anti-Bullying Task Force, would be prominently displayed at various public places for residents and visitors to see. It reads, "I will respect myself and my community by acting with responsibility, courtesy, integrity, and kindness."
The code further asks people to follow several basic guidelines that spell out the word "respect." Those guidelines include respond with integrity and kindness, embrace diversity, stand up courageously for others, promote a climate of safety, eliminate hurtful words and rumors, care for and listen to others with compassion and take responsibility for your actions.
South Hadley High School teachers Amy Foley and Tina Lesniak presented the code, modeled after a similar policy in place in Alberta, Canada, to the Select Board Tuesday, and also will present it to the School Committee.
Then work will begin to get the word out to the community. In addition to traditional methods such as bumper stickers, T-shirts and magnets, volunteers will conduct a door-to-door canvass of town on Saturday, June 12, to share the new policy with residents.
"I think the most important thing is to go out into the community and get feedback and ideas," Lesniak told the board.
The code will be "honored and encouraged at all community events, including athletic events." Once adopted, Foley said the task force will recommend posting it in various public places, including schools, town offices and community buildings.
Officials said the code of conduct is one of several positive steps being taken in the community in the aftermath of a tragic death. Fifteen-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself in January after allegedly being tormented by schoolmates. In addition to the code of conduct, other initiatives on the horizon involve creation of a youth commission and establishing a suicide-prevention coalition.
"My feeling is there is a lot of support in the town, more so than is reflected in the press," Foley said.
Additionally, a community meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, May 27, in the high school auditorium.
The meeting will attempt to harness people's need to act and to engage them in a conversation about what direction the town should head following the Prince tragedy and what events they would like to see that might help the community come together, Foley said.
Youth commission
After voters at Town Meeting earlier this month gave selectmen the go-ahead to create a youth commission, the Selectboard spent some time Tuesday discussing what the commission's mission will be and how it will be structured.
Such commissions can survey issues facing young people in town and make recommendations about actions that can be taken.
Member Bruce MacCullagh, who has been researching other communities with such commissions, floated the idea of a nine-member commission that would include three youths and a member or designated representative from the School Committee, Selectboard, Council on Aging, Board of Health, Recreation Commission and Police Department.
Member Marilyn G. Ishler didn't think the Council of Aging should be represented on the commission, and Vice Chairman Robert G. Judge questioned the idea of setting aside seats for any specific organizations.
MacCullagh, however, said those groups could designate residents to sit on the commission instead of filling the slots with one of their own.
In the end, the board agreed to bring in representatives from youth commissions in neighboring communities to get some additional ideas on what the town's commission should look like.
Efforts to establish a suicide-prevention coalition are also on the horizon. Judge and four representatives from the South Hadley schools this week are attending a statewide conference hosted by the state public health department's Suicide-Prevention Program, including one workshop on how to form such coalitions.
Judge said that after the conference ends today, he and those from the school district who attended will discuss what steps should be taken in order to propose a coalition.
Chad Cain can be reached at ccain@gazettenet.com.
The code, crafted by a Community Programs subgroup of the Anti-Bullying Task Force, would be prominently displayed at various public places for residents and visitors to see. It reads, "I will respect myself and my community by acting with responsibility, courtesy, integrity, and kindness."
The code further asks people to follow several basic guidelines that spell out the word "respect." Those guidelines include respond with integrity and kindness, embrace diversity, stand up courageously for others, promote a climate of safety, eliminate hurtful words and rumors, care for and listen to others with compassion and take responsibility for your actions.
South Hadley High School teachers Amy Foley and Tina Lesniak presented the code, modeled after a similar policy in place in Alberta, Canada, to the Select Board Tuesday, and also will present it to the School Committee.
Then work will begin to get the word out to the community. In addition to traditional methods such as bumper stickers, T-shirts and magnets, volunteers will conduct a door-to-door canvass of town on Saturday, June 12, to share the new policy with residents.
"I think the most important thing is to go out into the community and get feedback and ideas," Lesniak told the board.
The code will be "honored and encouraged at all community events, including athletic events." Once adopted, Foley said the task force will recommend posting it in various public places, including schools, town offices and community buildings.
Officials said the code of conduct is one of several positive steps being taken in the community in the aftermath of a tragic death. Fifteen-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself in January after allegedly being tormented by schoolmates. In addition to the code of conduct, other initiatives on the horizon involve creation of a youth commission and establishing a suicide-prevention coalition.
"My feeling is there is a lot of support in the town, more so than is reflected in the press," Foley said.
Additionally, a community meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, May 27, in the high school auditorium.
The meeting will attempt to harness people's need to act and to engage them in a conversation about what direction the town should head following the Prince tragedy and what events they would like to see that might help the community come together, Foley said.
Youth commission
After voters at Town Meeting earlier this month gave selectmen the go-ahead to create a youth commission, the Selectboard spent some time Tuesday discussing what the commission's mission will be and how it will be structured.
Such commissions can survey issues facing young people in town and make recommendations about actions that can be taken.
Member Bruce MacCullagh, who has been researching other communities with such commissions, floated the idea of a nine-member commission that would include three youths and a member or designated representative from the School Committee, Selectboard, Council on Aging, Board of Health, Recreation Commission and Police Department.
Member Marilyn G. Ishler didn't think the Council of Aging should be represented on the commission, and Vice Chairman Robert G. Judge questioned the idea of setting aside seats for any specific organizations.
MacCullagh, however, said those groups could designate residents to sit on the commission instead of filling the slots with one of their own.
In the end, the board agreed to bring in representatives from youth commissions in neighboring communities to get some additional ideas on what the town's commission should look like.
Efforts to establish a suicide-prevention coalition are also on the horizon. Judge and four representatives from the South Hadley schools this week are attending a statewide conference hosted by the state public health department's Suicide-Prevention Program, including one workshop on how to form such coalitions.
Judge said that after the conference ends today, he and those from the school district who attended will discuss what steps should be taken in order to propose a coalition.
Chad Cain can be reached at ccain@gazettenet.com.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Being part of solution
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
It is notable that in tough economic times for the state and municipalities, Easthampton's four school unions have agreed to a one-year contract extension with no cost-of-living increase.
The action by the 240 teachers, custodians and other staff will save the district $200,000. It will allow Easthampton to avoid layoffs and, in conjunction with other special accounts money, will help bring back a teaching position and the jobs of a guidance counselor and several aides.
In the last several years, with reductions in state aid and rising costs, municipal leaders have called for help from school and municipal unions. Most such requests have been rejected; few have stepped up in as big a way as Easthampton's school personnel. They understand - as do employees in many workplaces right now - that they must be part of the financial solution.
Easthampton Education Association President Meredith Balise noted that the concession is not easy for members, who face the same increased costs and economic struggles as everyone else. The agreement asks their families to make do with less.
In a statement she wrote: "We all hope that this action of goodwill allows the schools to remain stable in providing necessary services to students."
With teacher layoffs being discussed around the region, Easthampton stands as a model for shared sacrifice. We join school committee members, the superintendent and the mayor in thanking them for stepping up on behalf of the students.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
South Hadley may begin suicide prevention coalition
by Matt Rocheleau
SOUTH HADLEY - Town officials are looking into establishing a suicide-prevention coalition, which would become the third initiative implemented in response to an alleged bullying-related suicide.
"We've had a tragedy in our town that woke up not only South Hadley, but also the nation and maybe the world," said Selectboard member Marilyn G. Ishler.
Two mental health support centers - the Behavioral Health Network based in Springfield and Riverside Community Care of Dedham - have been assisting South Hadley schools since 15-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself in January after being bullied by classmates, some of who are now facing criminal charges for their alleged harassment.
Last month, members from both support centers as well as the state's Suicide Prevention Program director met with various South Hadley leaders who appeared to reach a consensus that the town should take action to prevent suicide, said Selectboard Vice Chairman Robert G. Judge, who is also the board's representative to the town's anti-bullying task force.
"The more we learned, the more we agreed we need to form a coalition," Ishler said.
Following that meeting, Judge mentioned the idea of creating a suicide-prevention coalition in South Hadley to his colleagues in late April.
To further explore this idea, Judge said he plans to attend portions of a two-day, statewide conference next week hosted by the state public health department's Suicide-Prevention Program.
The ninth annual "Suicide Prevention Across the Lifespan: A Strategic Approach for Your Community" begins May 18 in Marlborough. There, Judge said he plans to attend workshops including one called "Community Coalitions: Getting The Work Done," which, according to a conference announcement, will include an overview of "what community coalitions are doing in suicide prevention throughout the country," as well as what such coalitions are doing locally.
Later in the day on May 18, Judge hopes to more formally propose the coalition's creation to Selectboard members at a scheduled meeting. Board members may vote to create a suicide-prevention coalition as soon as that evening, Judge said.
"It's not only the high school kids we have to look at," said Ishler, adding that suicide can be an issue for teens, adults and seniors alike. "We should take advantage of people's interest now to help get more support and to get more involved in bettering our community."
Selectboard Chairman John R. Hine echoed that sentiment.
"I think (a suicide prevention coalition) is something that's worthwhile to pursue," he said. "This is really a broad-based, community-based effort because suicide is an issue with more than just kids."
South Hadley created an anti-bullying task force in February, and at the annual Town Meeting on Saturday voters overwhelmingly approved the establishment of a youth commission.
"We've had a tragedy in our town that woke up not only South Hadley, but also the nation and maybe the world," said Selectboard member Marilyn G. Ishler.
Two mental health support centers - the Behavioral Health Network based in Springfield and Riverside Community Care of Dedham - have been assisting South Hadley schools since 15-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself in January after being bullied by classmates, some of who are now facing criminal charges for their alleged harassment.
Last month, members from both support centers as well as the state's Suicide Prevention Program director met with various South Hadley leaders who appeared to reach a consensus that the town should take action to prevent suicide, said Selectboard Vice Chairman Robert G. Judge, who is also the board's representative to the town's anti-bullying task force.
"The more we learned, the more we agreed we need to form a coalition," Ishler said.
Following that meeting, Judge mentioned the idea of creating a suicide-prevention coalition in South Hadley to his colleagues in late April.
To further explore this idea, Judge said he plans to attend portions of a two-day, statewide conference next week hosted by the state public health department's Suicide-Prevention Program.
The ninth annual "Suicide Prevention Across the Lifespan: A Strategic Approach for Your Community" begins May 18 in Marlborough. There, Judge said he plans to attend workshops including one called "Community Coalitions: Getting The Work Done," which, according to a conference announcement, will include an overview of "what community coalitions are doing in suicide prevention throughout the country," as well as what such coalitions are doing locally.
Later in the day on May 18, Judge hopes to more formally propose the coalition's creation to Selectboard members at a scheduled meeting. Board members may vote to create a suicide-prevention coalition as soon as that evening, Judge said.
"It's not only the high school kids we have to look at," said Ishler, adding that suicide can be an issue for teens, adults and seniors alike. "We should take advantage of people's interest now to help get more support and to get more involved in bettering our community."
Selectboard Chairman John R. Hine echoed that sentiment.
"I think (a suicide prevention coalition) is something that's worthwhile to pursue," he said. "This is really a broad-based, community-based effort because suicide is an issue with more than just kids."
South Hadley created an anti-bullying task force in February, and at the annual Town Meeting on Saturday voters overwhelmingly approved the establishment of a youth commission.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Fiscal concerns rule at South Hadley TM
Fiscal concerns rule at South Hadley TM
by Daily Hampshire Gazette
SOUTH HADLEY - Fiscal concerns dominated the debate and subsequent voting at a lengthy, 55-article annual Town Meeting in South Hadley Saturday.
As recommended by the appropriations committee, $75,000 was slashed from next year's schools budget. The school budget accounts for nearly half of the town's overall $39 million budget.
Town Meeting members debated that issue and a $20,000 economic revitalization plan appropriation, which was turned down, for around an hour apiece, said Select Board Vice Chairman Robert G. Judge. Members also rejected the purchase of a $150,000 dump truck, a $50,000 appropriation to review and revise the zoning bylaw, a $36,000 measure to replace a freezer at Mosier School, a $25,000 replacement of floor tiles at the high school, and the replacement of toilet partitions at the middle and Mosier schools, he said.
The $20,000 appropriation, which would go toward an economic revitalization plan for South Hadley Falls, and the $50,000 zoning bylaw review and revisions might be reconsidered at the fall Town Meeting, said Select Board Chairman John R. Hine.
Those who voiced a lack of support for the revitalization plan appropriation felt there were not enough specifics about how the $20,000 would be spent, which is something the Select Board hopes to address should the measure reappear on the fall meeting's warrant, Hine said.
"Capital items that weren't approved were not because they are not good items, but because of a shortage of money," said Judge. "We believe that next year's budget (FY12)will be even tighter than this year. We can't spend all of our savings this year. Everyone knows that, and that's the concern."
Much of the voting on spending-related articles followed the financially conservative recommendations made by the appropriations committee, added Hine.
The meeting at Town Hall ran from 9:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but despite its unusually long duration, quorum was kept throughout and the debate remained civil and polite, which has not always been the case, Judge said.
Call for youth activities board
In response to the much publicized bullying that allegedly led to a high school student's suicide, voters easily approved the formation of a commission to organize activities for the community's youth.
The Select Board will appoint between three and 21 members to the commission in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 8E, but it will also seek input from residents and from other communities with similar commissions on how to best structure the board, Hine said.
"Some people feel there are not enough activities for the youth outside of schools, and I can understand that. I believe a youth commission can be a part of solving problem" said Judge, who is also the Select Board representative to the town's anti-bullying task force, prior to Saturday's meeting.
The creation of five other boards and commissions also passed, while a motion to move Town Meeting from Saturday to two weeknights and two zoning bylaw amendments were defeated.
Also, resident and Family Cuts hair salon owner Mary Sudyka won the annual Lions Club Citizen of the Year Award for her volunteer efforts in collecting donations and running fundraisers for various causes.
As recommended by the appropriations committee, $75,000 was slashed from next year's schools budget. The school budget accounts for nearly half of the town's overall $39 million budget.
Town Meeting members debated that issue and a $20,000 economic revitalization plan appropriation, which was turned down, for around an hour apiece, said Select Board Vice Chairman Robert G. Judge. Members also rejected the purchase of a $150,000 dump truck, a $50,000 appropriation to review and revise the zoning bylaw, a $36,000 measure to replace a freezer at Mosier School, a $25,000 replacement of floor tiles at the high school, and the replacement of toilet partitions at the middle and Mosier schools, he said.
The $20,000 appropriation, which would go toward an economic revitalization plan for South Hadley Falls, and the $50,000 zoning bylaw review and revisions might be reconsidered at the fall Town Meeting, said Select Board Chairman John R. Hine.
Those who voiced a lack of support for the revitalization plan appropriation felt there were not enough specifics about how the $20,000 would be spent, which is something the Select Board hopes to address should the measure reappear on the fall meeting's warrant, Hine said.
"Capital items that weren't approved were not because they are not good items, but because of a shortage of money," said Judge. "We believe that next year's budget (FY12)will be even tighter than this year. We can't spend all of our savings this year. Everyone knows that, and that's the concern."
Much of the voting on spending-related articles followed the financially conservative recommendations made by the appropriations committee, added Hine.
The meeting at Town Hall ran from 9:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but despite its unusually long duration, quorum was kept throughout and the debate remained civil and polite, which has not always been the case, Judge said.
Call for youth activities board
In response to the much publicized bullying that allegedly led to a high school student's suicide, voters easily approved the formation of a commission to organize activities for the community's youth.
The Select Board will appoint between three and 21 members to the commission in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 8E, but it will also seek input from residents and from other communities with similar commissions on how to best structure the board, Hine said.
"Some people feel there are not enough activities for the youth outside of schools, and I can understand that. I believe a youth commission can be a part of solving problem" said Judge, who is also the Select Board representative to the town's anti-bullying task force, prior to Saturday's meeting.
The creation of five other boards and commissions also passed, while a motion to move Town Meeting from Saturday to two weeknights and two zoning bylaw amendments were defeated.
Also, resident and Family Cuts hair salon owner Mary Sudyka won the annual Lions Club Citizen of the Year Award for her volunteer efforts in collecting donations and running fundraisers for various causes.
Friday, May 7, 2010
South Hadley to vote on establishing a Youth Commission
Youth concerns up for vote in South Hadley
by Daily Hampshire Gazette
SOUTH HADLEY - In response to bullying that allegedly led to a high school student's suicide, one of the 55 articles at Saturday's annual Town Meeting will ask voters to approve the formation of a commission to organize activities for the community's youth.
"Some people feel there are not enough activities for the youth outside of schools, and I can understand that. I believe a youth commission can be a part of solving the problem," said Select Board Vice Chairman Robert G. Judge, who is also the board's representative to the town's anti-bullying task force. "We probably should have done this year a year ago."
He said he has heard only support for the initiative, and, if it is approved, the Select Board would later appoint three to 21 members to the commission in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 8E.
"Many people in South Hadley want to take action on this now," Judge said.
Budget issues, planning board proposals, the creation of five new boards and commissions - not including the youth commission - and possible changes to the structure of South Hadley's Town Meeting will also be on the warrant for Saturday's meeting, slated for 9:15 a.m. in the Town Hall auditorium.
Most of the warrant articles are relatively standard and have seen little debate in the days leading up to Town Meeting, with the exception of a $20,000 appropriation that would go toward an economic revitalization plan for South Hadley Falls, Judge said.
Next year's $39.2 million budget, about half of which is for the schools budget, will also be up for vote.
"Departments are coming in with no (budget) increases, tiny increases or decreases, so I don't think there will be much opposition on the budget," said Judge.
But he added that many residents are weary of spending, given budget pressures that most municipalities are facing along with expectations of future cuts to local aid.
"Some people feel there are not enough activities for the youth outside of schools, and I can understand that. I believe a youth commission can be a part of solving the problem," said Select Board Vice Chairman Robert G. Judge, who is also the board's representative to the town's anti-bullying task force. "We probably should have done this year a year ago."
He said he has heard only support for the initiative, and, if it is approved, the Select Board would later appoint three to 21 members to the commission in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 8E.
"Many people in South Hadley want to take action on this now," Judge said.
Budget issues, planning board proposals, the creation of five new boards and commissions - not including the youth commission - and possible changes to the structure of South Hadley's Town Meeting will also be on the warrant for Saturday's meeting, slated for 9:15 a.m. in the Town Hall auditorium.
Most of the warrant articles are relatively standard and have seen little debate in the days leading up to Town Meeting, with the exception of a $20,000 appropriation that would go toward an economic revitalization plan for South Hadley Falls, Judge said.
Next year's $39.2 million budget, about half of which is for the schools budget, will also be up for vote.
"Departments are coming in with no (budget) increases, tiny increases or decreases, so I don't think there will be much opposition on the budget," said Judge.
But he added that many residents are weary of spending, given budget pressures that most municipalities are facing along with expectations of future cuts to local aid.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tax on meals pays off for Valley cities, towns who opted in
Friday, April 30, 2010
While some Valley communities debate the merits of adopting a new local tax on restaurant meals, the half-dozen cities and towns that have taken the leap are beginning to reap the benefits.
The meals tax, lauded as one of the few ways for municipalities to generate money, is producing better-than-expected results for Northampton and Hadley, and early figures for Amherst show the town is receiving slightly less than it anticipated.
According to the state Department of Revenue, Northampton received $179,500 for the five months from October through February. Should that pace continue through the end of the fiscal year on June 30, the city will approach or exceed DOR's projected estimate of $378,000.
Hadley has collected nearly $81,000 in meal tax revenue, already exceeding the $80,000 DOR predicted the tax would bring in for the town.
Northampton officials earlier this week were concerned that their figures showed a total of only $119,000 received from the state. Those numbers, if accurate, would have meant $80,000 less at the end of the fiscal year than budgeted.
Finance Director Christopher Pile, however, discovered on Thursday that the city accidentally transposed the meals tax payments with that of the payments for an increased tax on hotel rooms. Both taxes are on target to hit estimates by the end of the fiscal year, he said.
"This is a definitely a boost to Northampton, having this option," said Pile. "It was a good thing. It's something we asked for years ago. We finally got it, and it's helping."
Bliss said the department used Census data to estimate how much money municipalities would receive by adopting the new tax. The DOR could not use the meals tax that restaurateurs have paid for years as a guide because that money has never been broken down by geography. Restaurant chains often pay in one lump sum for restaurants they own in various communities throughout the state, Bliss said.
"We always felt it was kind of a conservative estimate," he said. "Generally the estimates have been close, and some communities have done better, actually."
But not all. Amherst has collected $106,800 thus far, and is projected to fall about $25,000 short of its $225,000 estimate, said John Musante, assistant town manager.
Municipal officials lobbied the state for years to allow them to implement local options taxes, particularly on restaurant meals and hotel rooms. Legislators had balked at the idea until last spring's unprecedented budget crisis at both the state and local levels.
The meals tax, which went into effect Oct. 1, added a 0.75 local tax on to the state's 6.25 percent sales tax. Lawmakers also allowed municipalities to increase the local tax on hotel rooms from 4 to 6 percent.
Of the 77 communities that have adopted the taxes, nine are in Hampshire and Franklin counties. In addition to Northampton, Amherst and Hadley, the towns of Hatfield, Deerfield, Sunderland, Gill, Orange and Whately are also imposing the tax.
Several communities have rejected the tax, including South Hadley, Southampton and Easthampton, although officials in the latter community are considering reviving the issue later this spring.
The program started off with a bang, producing more money than anticipated during its first month for the municipalities that adopted it, according to DOR figures.
Adopting the meals tax has been a controversial issue for some cities and towns, particularly as restaurant owners speak out against the measure that has coincided with a difficult time in their industry.
Many of those owners noted that while the local options tax is only .75 percent, it came just two months after state officials increased the state sales tax from 5 to 6.25 percent. That combined 2 percent increase would be enough to convince patrons to stay home, they said.
Meanwhile, a proposal to reduce the state's sales tax and meals tax from 6.25 percent back to 5 percent was killed by House legislators on Wednesday.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
A proposal for a South Hadley Coalition to Prevent Suicide
Board member's ouster demanded
Thursday, April 29, 2010
By FRED CONTRADA
SOUTH HADLEY - Turmoil from the April 14 School Committee meeting spilled over to Wednesday night's meeting as a member of the public demanded the ouster of committee member Edward J. Boisselle...
In a related matter, Selectman Robert G. Judge has suggested the establishment of a coalition to prevent suicide. Judge is the board's representative to the School Department's Anti-Bullying Task Force established shortly after Prince's death.
Judge said at Tuesday's Selectboard meeting that such a coalition was recommended by Riverside Community Care, of Needham, and the Behavioral Health Network of Western Massachusetts. Those two groups have been working with the schools and the task force to prevent further suicides.
Judge plans to attend a Massachusetts Department of Public Health conference on suicide prevention in May.
"Anti-bullying policy nearly completed for South Hadley High School" - Click HERE
Posted by abc40 WGGB-TV on April 27, 2010 at 07:45 PM
With 300 people showing up to the first meeting and nearly eight subgroups dealing with school policies, the official anti-bullying policy is nearly complete; Robert Judge, selectman and task force member, discusses the process.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
South Hadley Unveils Draft Of Anti-Bullying Policy
By WBUR NEWS & WIRE SERVICESPublished April 27, 2010 UPDATED 6:32 PM SHARE:
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. — The South Hadley school administration has unveiled a draft of a new anti-bullying policy.
The draft made public was drawn up by a 31-person task force appointed in February after 15-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself following what prosecutors described as “relentless” bullying by fellow students.
The policy would require school staff to report any instances of possible bullying to school administrators.
The Springfield Republican reports that the draft defines bullying as severe or repeated use by other students of written, verbal or electronic communication, or a physical act or gesture. It must cause physical or emotional harm, create a hostile environment, infringe on the person’s rights or disrupt the educational process.
South Hadley Selectman Bob Judge says the task force chose not to require the notification of police, but the town will defer to the anti-bullying bill being finalized on Beacon Hill.
“If it does finally call for that in the final bill, then obviously our policy will be made consistent with that,” Judge said.
Judge says new rules could be in place by next fall, but that changing school culture may take longer.
“We’re trying to get at the behavior of people — young people and adults, frankly — which have been formed over a long period of time,” Judge said. “And it’s going to take a long period of time for people to change their behavior, too.”
Six students are facing charges in connection with Prince’s death.
The task force is scheduled to meet several more times before finalizing the policy.
With 300 people showing up to the first meeting and nearly eight subgroups dealing with school policies, the official anti-bullying policy is nearly complete; Robert Judge, selectman and task force member, discusses the process.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
South Hadley Unveils Draft Of Anti-Bullying Policy
By WBUR NEWS & WIRE SERVICESPublished April 27, 2010 UPDATED 6:32 PM SHARE:
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. — The South Hadley school administration has unveiled a draft of a new anti-bullying policy.
The draft made public was drawn up by a 31-person task force appointed in February after 15-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself following what prosecutors described as “relentless” bullying by fellow students.
The policy would require school staff to report any instances of possible bullying to school administrators.
The Springfield Republican reports that the draft defines bullying as severe or repeated use by other students of written, verbal or electronic communication, or a physical act or gesture. It must cause physical or emotional harm, create a hostile environment, infringe on the person’s rights or disrupt the educational process.
South Hadley Selectman Bob Judge says the task force chose not to require the notification of police, but the town will defer to the anti-bullying bill being finalized on Beacon Hill.
“If it does finally call for that in the final bill, then obviously our policy will be made consistent with that,” Judge said.
Judge says new rules could be in place by next fall, but that changing school culture may take longer.
“We’re trying to get at the behavior of people — young people and adults, frankly — which have been formed over a long period of time,” Judge said. “And it’s going to take a long period of time for people to change their behavior, too.”
Six students are facing charges in connection with Prince’s death.
The task force is scheduled to meet several more times before finalizing the policy.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
RE: SHCTV15 Update
John, Priscilla, and Andrew:
I just watched it. Good job. Well done. Thank you.
- Bob Judge
From: IBREZINSKY
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2010 5:26 PM
To: Subject: Fwd: SHCTV15 Update
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2010 5:26 PM
To: Subject: Fwd: SHCTV15 Update
Please pass the word!
New Program Airs Monday!
SHCTV15 is proud to offer a brand new, locally based program called "To The Point". New episodes will air every Monday at 7pm and then be re-aired on Wednesdays at 8pm. Each show will focus on a topic of importance to our town and will be discussed by community members. Tune in to stay informed about the town you live in. We plan to take the show live in the near future to allow for live interaction with citizens during the show through email, texting and phone calls. If you have any topics you would like to see discussed on "To The Point", email them to the station.
Watch the first episode on the always important town budget this Monday, April 19th at 7pm.
It's all available at www.SHCTV15.com
Thanks for watching!
Sincerely,
The SHCTV15 Staff
SHCTV15 is proud to offer a brand new, locally based program called "To The Point". New episodes will air every Monday at 7pm and then be re-aired on Wednesdays at 8pm. Each show will focus on a topic of importance to our town and will be discussed by community members. Tune in to stay informed about the town you live in. We plan to take the show live in the near future to allow for live interaction with citizens during the show through email, texting and phone calls. If you have any topics you would like to see discussed on "To The Point", email them to the station.
Watch the first episode on the always important town budget this Monday, April 19th at 7pm.
It's all available at www.SHCTV15.com
Thanks for watching!
Sincerely,
The SHCTV15 Staff
Task Force website
From: Daniel Brown <dbrown01075@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Mar 10, 2010 at 4:03 PM
Subject: task force website
To:
I have set up the following website to gather documents, links and resources relevant to the work of the anti-bullying task force:
shcitizenship.org
I would appreciate your help in letting your subgroups know about the site. If you have documents, links or suggestions for the site, please send them to me at this email address, or use on the comments feature on the site.
Thanks,
Dan Brown
Date: Wed, Mar 10, 2010 at 4:03 PM
Subject: task force website
To:
I have set up the following website to gather documents, links and resources relevant to the work of the anti-bullying task force:
shcitizenship.org
I would appreciate your help in letting your subgroups know about the site. If you have documents, links or suggestions for the site, please send them to me at this email address, or use on the comments feature on the site.
Thanks,
Dan Brown
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Boston Globe: Anger turns toward staff in bullying case
SOUTH HADLEY — Enraged by revelations that staff members at South Hadley High School knew that Phoebe Prince was the target of withering harassment long before her death, residents and public officials yesterday angrily accused the school system of neglecting vulnerable students and called on top administrators to resign.
“Now we find out they knew all along, and did nothing,’’ said Joe Marois, who runs a local construction company. “People are just bewildered they didn’t step in, and are wondering why they weren’t included with the students in the prosecution.’’
School officials, who had previously asserted they knew little about the bullying until after Prince’s death, said in a statement yesterday that they had removed an “additional small group of students’’ from school — the students were not identified — and upgraded the system for tracking bullying incidents. But officials said nothing to address questions about their role in handling the Prince case.
State Representative John W. Scibak, who represents South Hadley, slammed school officials for their silence, and said the public deserves a full accounting of why administrators didn’t act on the harassment reports.
“I’m looking for answers,’’ he said. “Families have a reasonable expectation that these kinds of complaints will be act ed on, and they are entitled to a full explanation of what transpired. People wanted answers two months ago.’’
The outrage stemmed from new details of a monthslong campaign of verbal abuse and physical threats that Prince endured before hanging herself Jan 14. Those details were released Monday by Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel. She announced charges against nine teenagers in connection with Prince’s death and excoriated school officials for failing to intercede, despite the fact the harassment was known to a number of faculty, staff, and administrators.
Scheibel also said that Prince’s mother had spoken with at least two school staff members about the bullying, which the superintendent of schools, Gus Sayer, had previously denied.
The discrepancy infuriated residents, who criticized school officials for turning a blind eye to Prince’s persecution, then claiming they hardly knew about it.
“They lied to the community,’’ said Darby O’Brien, whose stepdaughter is a senior at South Hadley High School. “They lied about how long it had gone on, and they lied that the mother had never come forward. If they had stepped in, this could have been prevented. But they failed miserably, and I don’t think you can trust them to protect the safety of the students.’’
In the school district’s statement yesterday, Christine Sweklo, assistant superintendent for the South Hadley Public Schools, said that administrators had launched a review of the district’s bullying policies and would begin entering reports of harassment — and the subsequent responses — into an electronic database.
Sayer, who aides said was out of town, the high school principal, and several School Committee members did not return phone calls yesterday.
Many residents exhorted school officials to answer Scheibel’s criticism directly and provide detailed explanations for their actions.
“We are practically begging for answers, and they have none,’’ said Erica Laughlin, a 39-year-old mother of four. “We are absolutely fit to be tied that none of the staff is being held accountable. This has apparently been an issue for a long time, and I still don’t see anyone taking responsibility.’’
Many noted that Sayer told a School Committee meeting in February that it was regrettable Prince’s family didn’t report several incidents to school officials in the weeks prior to her death.
He also told the Globe in January that Prince was primarily harassed online and through text-messages. Scheibel said the harassment was primarily carried on during the school day.
Prince hanged herself in the stairwell outside her family’s apartment shortly after arriving home from school on a day of what Scheibel described as tortuous abuse, some of it witnessed by a teacher who did not alert administrators until after her death.
The teenagers, who include three juveniles, face charges ranging from criminal harassment and civil rights violations to stalking and statutory rape. Relatives of the teenagers who have been charged could not be reached for comment or declined to comment.
Although the Prince issue was not discussed at last night’s Select Board meeting, several board members addressed the matter afterward.
“I guess I would look to the School Committee and the school administration to review the matter further,’’ said board chairman John R. Hine. “The [School] Committee is the authority for running the school department, so this is their area. I certainly hope they make every effort to investigate further that administrators knew what had been going on.’’
Town meeting members Michael Keane and his wife, Kathleen, said they were frustrated that the town officials were silent on the matter during the meeting.
“It’s very disappointing to see no one in our town has the guts to stand up and say anything,’’ said Michael Keane, who has lived in South Hadley since emigrating from Ireland in 1963. “I think the town is still soul-searching.’’
He said the lackluster response by school and town administrators is “embarrassing for the town and it’s embarrassing to us.’’
Select Board member Robert G. Judge declined to give his thoughts on the indictment of the students or on the accountability of school administrators. “I have no reason to second guess the DA. I just don’t know enough’’ about the situation, he said. “I know people are very interested in the indictments and if the school knew more, but I’m more interested in how to prevent this from happening again.’’
Several bullying specialists said the multiple harassment reports should have put staff members on high alert.
“Once it happens more than once, a red flag should go up,’’ said Elizabeth Englander, who directs the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center. “There has to be communication and standardized procedures so cases like this don’t fall through the cracks, and that’s what appears to have happened here.’’
Specialists said the school’s poor response is not unusual and highlights the need for mandated reporting laws and training on bullying prevention. But others said the severity of the harassment leveled at Prince, and the number of students involved, suggested a systemic, deep-rooted problem.
“If you have nine kids who are charged, it’s a culture,’’ said Elizabeth Stassinos, criminal justice professor at Westfield State College. “There’s . . . permission from everyone involved. This happened right in front of them.’’
Others said the accused teenagers’ parents deserve blame.
“It starts at home,’’ said Janna Darrow-Rioux, who has a son at the high school and has been involved in antibullying efforts. “I don’t blame the school. I think they did as much as they could during a very difficult situation. People often look for an established organization to blame rather than individuals.’’
At the Crack of Dawn restaurant, which was abuzz over a case that has thrust a small town into a harsh public limelight, people said the town is ill-at-ease with the growing scrutiny.
“This happens in other areas, not here,’’ said Shaun Moran, 44, who works at the restaurant. “They’re embarrassed by the whole situation.’’
For a town that had just begun to recover from the shock and grief of Prince’s death, the severity of the charges sent many residents reeling.
“Everyone was taken aback by this,’’ said Paul Beecher, the town administrator. “I don’t think anyone knew the extent of it. It has reopened, I suspect, wounds that started to heal.’’
“Now we find out they knew all along, and did nothing,’’ said Joe Marois, who runs a local construction company. “People are just bewildered they didn’t step in, and are wondering why they weren’t included with the students in the prosecution.’’
School officials, who had previously asserted they knew little about the bullying until after Prince’s death, said in a statement yesterday that they had removed an “additional small group of students’’ from school — the students were not identified — and upgraded the system for tracking bullying incidents. But officials said nothing to address questions about their role in handling the Prince case.
State Representative John W. Scibak, who represents South Hadley, slammed school officials for their silence, and said the public deserves a full accounting of why administrators didn’t act on the harassment reports.
“I’m looking for answers,’’ he said. “Families have a reasonable expectation that these kinds of complaints will be act ed on, and they are entitled to a full explanation of what transpired. People wanted answers two months ago.’’
The outrage stemmed from new details of a monthslong campaign of verbal abuse and physical threats that Prince endured before hanging herself Jan 14. Those details were released Monday by Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel. She announced charges against nine teenagers in connection with Prince’s death and excoriated school officials for failing to intercede, despite the fact the harassment was known to a number of faculty, staff, and administrators.
Scheibel also said that Prince’s mother had spoken with at least two school staff members about the bullying, which the superintendent of schools, Gus Sayer, had previously denied.
The discrepancy infuriated residents, who criticized school officials for turning a blind eye to Prince’s persecution, then claiming they hardly knew about it.
“They lied to the community,’’ said Darby O’Brien, whose stepdaughter is a senior at South Hadley High School. “They lied about how long it had gone on, and they lied that the mother had never come forward. If they had stepped in, this could have been prevented. But they failed miserably, and I don’t think you can trust them to protect the safety of the students.’’
In the school district’s statement yesterday, Christine Sweklo, assistant superintendent for the South Hadley Public Schools, said that administrators had launched a review of the district’s bullying policies and would begin entering reports of harassment — and the subsequent responses — into an electronic database.
Sayer, who aides said was out of town, the high school principal, and several School Committee members did not return phone calls yesterday.
Many residents exhorted school officials to answer Scheibel’s criticism directly and provide detailed explanations for their actions.
“We are practically begging for answers, and they have none,’’ said Erica Laughlin, a 39-year-old mother of four. “We are absolutely fit to be tied that none of the staff is being held accountable. This has apparently been an issue for a long time, and I still don’t see anyone taking responsibility.’’
Many noted that Sayer told a School Committee meeting in February that it was regrettable Prince’s family didn’t report several incidents to school officials in the weeks prior to her death.
He also told the Globe in January that Prince was primarily harassed online and through text-messages. Scheibel said the harassment was primarily carried on during the school day.
Prince hanged herself in the stairwell outside her family’s apartment shortly after arriving home from school on a day of what Scheibel described as tortuous abuse, some of it witnessed by a teacher who did not alert administrators until after her death.
The teenagers, who include three juveniles, face charges ranging from criminal harassment and civil rights violations to stalking and statutory rape. Relatives of the teenagers who have been charged could not be reached for comment or declined to comment.
Although the Prince issue was not discussed at last night’s Select Board meeting, several board members addressed the matter afterward.
“I guess I would look to the School Committee and the school administration to review the matter further,’’ said board chairman John R. Hine. “The [School] Committee is the authority for running the school department, so this is their area. I certainly hope they make every effort to investigate further that administrators knew what had been going on.’’
Town meeting members Michael Keane and his wife, Kathleen, said they were frustrated that the town officials were silent on the matter during the meeting.
“It’s very disappointing to see no one in our town has the guts to stand up and say anything,’’ said Michael Keane, who has lived in South Hadley since emigrating from Ireland in 1963. “I think the town is still soul-searching.’’
He said the lackluster response by school and town administrators is “embarrassing for the town and it’s embarrassing to us.’’
Select Board member Robert G. Judge declined to give his thoughts on the indictment of the students or on the accountability of school administrators. “I have no reason to second guess the DA. I just don’t know enough’’ about the situation, he said. “I know people are very interested in the indictments and if the school knew more, but I’m more interested in how to prevent this from happening again.’’
Several bullying specialists said the multiple harassment reports should have put staff members on high alert.
“Once it happens more than once, a red flag should go up,’’ said Elizabeth Englander, who directs the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center. “There has to be communication and standardized procedures so cases like this don’t fall through the cracks, and that’s what appears to have happened here.’’
Specialists said the school’s poor response is not unusual and highlights the need for mandated reporting laws and training on bullying prevention. But others said the severity of the harassment leveled at Prince, and the number of students involved, suggested a systemic, deep-rooted problem.
“If you have nine kids who are charged, it’s a culture,’’ said Elizabeth Stassinos, criminal justice professor at Westfield State College. “There’s . . . permission from everyone involved. This happened right in front of them.’’
Others said the accused teenagers’ parents deserve blame.
“It starts at home,’’ said Janna Darrow-Rioux, who has a son at the high school and has been involved in antibullying efforts. “I don’t blame the school. I think they did as much as they could during a very difficult situation. People often look for an established organization to blame rather than individuals.’’
At the Crack of Dawn restaurant, which was abuzz over a case that has thrust a small town into a harsh public limelight, people said the town is ill-at-ease with the growing scrutiny.
“This happens in other areas, not here,’’ said Shaun Moran, 44, who works at the restaurant. “They’re embarrassed by the whole situation.’’
For a town that had just begun to recover from the shock and grief of Prince’s death, the severity of the charges sent many residents reeling.
“Everyone was taken aback by this,’’ said Paul Beecher, the town administrator. “I don’t think anyone knew the extent of it. It has reopened, I suspect, wounds that started to heal.’’
Monday, March 29, 2010
9 Charged With Bullying Mass. Teen Who Killed Self
9 Charged With Bullying Mass. Teen Who Killed Self
STEPHANIE REITZ, Associated Press Writer
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (AP) ― Insults and threats followed 15-year-old Phoebe Prince almost from her first day at South Hadley High School, targeting the Irish immigrant in the halls, library and in vicious cell phone text messages.
Phoebe, ostracized for having a brief relationship with a popular boy, reached her breaking point and hanged herself after one particularly hellish day in January — a day that, according to officials, included being hounded with slurs and pelted with a beverage container as she walked home from school.
Now, nine teenagers face charges in what a prosecutor called "unrelenting" bullying, including two teen boys charged with statutory rape and a clique of girls charged with stalking, criminal harassment and violating Phoebe's civil rights.
School officials won't be charged, even though authorities say they knew about the bullying and that Phoebe's mother brought her concerns to at least two of them.
Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel, who announced the charges Monday, said the events before Phoebe's death on Jan. 14 were "the culmination of a nearly three-month campaign of verbally assaultive behavior and threats of physical harm" widely known among the student body.
"The investigation revealed relentless activity directed toward Phoebe, designed to humiliate her and to make it impossible for her to remain at school," Scheibel said. "The bullying, for her, became intolerable."
Scheibel said the case is still under investigation and that one other person could be charged. It wasn't immediately known Monday whether the teens who have been charged have attorneys.
Scheibel said the harassment began in September, occurring primarily in school and in person, although some of it surfaced on Facebook and in other electronic forms. At least four students and two faculty members intervened to try to stop it or report it to administrators, she said.
Schiebel refused to discuss the circumstances of the rape charges.
No school officials are being charged because they had "a lack of understanding of harassment associated with teen dating relationships," and the school's code of conduct was interpreted and enforced in an "inconsistent" way, Scheibel said.
"Nevertheless, the actions — or inactions — of some adults at the school are troublesome," she said.
A message seeking comment was left Monday for South Hadley Schools Superintendent Gus A. Sayer.
Phoebe was born in Bedford, England and moved to County Clare, Ireland, when she was 2. She moved last summer to South Hadley, home to Mount Holyoke College, because the family had relatives there.
Her family has since moved away and could not immediately be located for comment. Scheibel spoke for them at a news conference to announce the charges.
"The Prince family has asked that the public refrain from vigilantism in favor of allowing the judicial system an opportunity to provide a measure of justice for Phoebe," she said.
Some students accused of participating in the bullying have been disciplined by the school and will not be returning to classes.
The Massachusetts Legislature cited Prince's death and the apparent suicide of 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover of Springfield last year when members passed anti-bullying legislation earlier this month.
South Hadley is among several college towns in western Massachusetts that pride themselves on their urbane cultural offerings, good schools and safe streets. After Phoebe's death, the community formed an anti-bullying task force that drew more than 400 people to its first meeting in February.
Robert Judge, a South Hadley selectman and task force member, said hundreds of people have become involved in hope that something good comes from the incident.
"Like most towns, we like to think of ourselves as a good place to live, and then this happens and your reputation is sullied nationally and even internationally, and people look at you differently, and they make assumptions," Judge said.
Scheibel said the teens will be issued summonses to appear in court on yet-undetermined dates. The teens who face criminal charges under the indictments announced Monday are:
— Sean Mulveyhill, 17, of South Hadley. Charged with statutory rape, violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly. A woman who answered the phone at his home Monday would not identify herself and told The Associated Press, "You don't know the full story."
— Kayla Narey, 17, of South Hadley. Charged with violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly. A message left at a number listed to a Narey family was not immediately returned; another line was out of service.
— Austin Renaud, 18, of Springfield. Charged with statutory rape. A telephone number could not immediately be found.
— Ashley Longe, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury. A telephone number could not immediately be found.
— Sharon Chanon Velazquez, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with stalking and violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury. There was no telephone listing.
— Flannery Mullins, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with stalking and violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury. A message left at a Mullins home was not immediately returned.
Three 16-year-old South Hadley girls, whose names were not released, face delinquency charges that include the civil rights offense, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly.
__
AP writer Denise Lavoie and Mark Pratt in Boston contributed to this report.
STEPHANIE REITZ, Associated Press Writer
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (AP) ― Insults and threats followed 15-year-old Phoebe Prince almost from her first day at South Hadley High School, targeting the Irish immigrant in the halls, library and in vicious cell phone text messages.
Phoebe, ostracized for having a brief relationship with a popular boy, reached her breaking point and hanged herself after one particularly hellish day in January — a day that, according to officials, included being hounded with slurs and pelted with a beverage container as she walked home from school.
Now, nine teenagers face charges in what a prosecutor called "unrelenting" bullying, including two teen boys charged with statutory rape and a clique of girls charged with stalking, criminal harassment and violating Phoebe's civil rights.
School officials won't be charged, even though authorities say they knew about the bullying and that Phoebe's mother brought her concerns to at least two of them.
Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel, who announced the charges Monday, said the events before Phoebe's death on Jan. 14 were "the culmination of a nearly three-month campaign of verbally assaultive behavior and threats of physical harm" widely known among the student body.
"The investigation revealed relentless activity directed toward Phoebe, designed to humiliate her and to make it impossible for her to remain at school," Scheibel said. "The bullying, for her, became intolerable."
Scheibel said the case is still under investigation and that one other person could be charged. It wasn't immediately known Monday whether the teens who have been charged have attorneys.
Scheibel said the harassment began in September, occurring primarily in school and in person, although some of it surfaced on Facebook and in other electronic forms. At least four students and two faculty members intervened to try to stop it or report it to administrators, she said.
Schiebel refused to discuss the circumstances of the rape charges.
No school officials are being charged because they had "a lack of understanding of harassment associated with teen dating relationships," and the school's code of conduct was interpreted and enforced in an "inconsistent" way, Scheibel said.
"Nevertheless, the actions — or inactions — of some adults at the school are troublesome," she said.
A message seeking comment was left Monday for South Hadley Schools Superintendent Gus A. Sayer.
Phoebe was born in Bedford, England and moved to County Clare, Ireland, when she was 2. She moved last summer to South Hadley, home to Mount Holyoke College, because the family had relatives there.
Her family has since moved away and could not immediately be located for comment. Scheibel spoke for them at a news conference to announce the charges.
"The Prince family has asked that the public refrain from vigilantism in favor of allowing the judicial system an opportunity to provide a measure of justice for Phoebe," she said.
Some students accused of participating in the bullying have been disciplined by the school and will not be returning to classes.
The Massachusetts Legislature cited Prince's death and the apparent suicide of 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover of Springfield last year when members passed anti-bullying legislation earlier this month.
South Hadley is among several college towns in western Massachusetts that pride themselves on their urbane cultural offerings, good schools and safe streets. After Phoebe's death, the community formed an anti-bullying task force that drew more than 400 people to its first meeting in February.
Robert Judge, a South Hadley selectman and task force member, said hundreds of people have become involved in hope that something good comes from the incident.
"Like most towns, we like to think of ourselves as a good place to live, and then this happens and your reputation is sullied nationally and even internationally, and people look at you differently, and they make assumptions," Judge said.
Scheibel said the teens will be issued summonses to appear in court on yet-undetermined dates. The teens who face criminal charges under the indictments announced Monday are:
— Sean Mulveyhill, 17, of South Hadley. Charged with statutory rape, violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly. A woman who answered the phone at his home Monday would not identify herself and told The Associated Press, "You don't know the full story."
— Kayla Narey, 17, of South Hadley. Charged with violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly. A message left at a number listed to a Narey family was not immediately returned; another line was out of service.
— Austin Renaud, 18, of Springfield. Charged with statutory rape. A telephone number could not immediately be found.
— Ashley Longe, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury. A telephone number could not immediately be found.
— Sharon Chanon Velazquez, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with stalking and violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury. There was no telephone listing.
— Flannery Mullins, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with stalking and violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury. A message left at a Mullins home was not immediately returned.
Three 16-year-old South Hadley girls, whose names were not released, face delinquency charges that include the civil rights offense, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly.
__
AP writer Denise Lavoie and Mark Pratt in Boston contributed to this report.
Significant announcement in Phoebe Prince case
Boston Herald
Significant’ announcement in Phoebe Prince case
Town on edge as DA set to speak today
By Edward Mason & Jessica Van Sack
Monday, March 29, 2010
The emotionally shaken small town of South Hadley is anxiously hoping for justice for Phoebe Prince today, as the district attorney is expected to reveal the results of her criminal investigation nearly 11 weeks after the young Irish girl allegedly hanged herself in response to merciless bullying.
“There needs to be some punishment for those kids (who bullied Prince). They need to be held accountable,” said Jeannine O’Brien, a South Hadley mom. “If nothing is done, nothing will change.”
Prince, 15, was reportedly found hanged Jan. 14 after allegedly enduring weeks of torment from bullies on Facebook and in the halls of South Hadley High School.
This morning, Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel is expected to announce the results of her probe into the death of Prince, said Elizabeth Dunphy Farris, an assistant district attorney, raising expectations in a town on edge.
“Everybody in town has been focused on this,” said Robert G. Judge, a South Hadley selectman who is also on the town’s anti-bullying task force. “And everybody knows about the anxiety of parents of students and teachers in the schools. Frankly, the stress upon students themselves has been in some ways as great.”
Many hope Scheibel’s announcement today will get the town moving toward closure after dealing with the horrific tragedy that brought with it unwanted international scrutiny.
“Everybody is crying out for justice and resolution,” said Mitch Brouillard, a South Hadley parent.
Scheibel did not return calls for comment, but the languid pace of her probe - coupled with a secretive school investigation in which the bullies were never identified or their punishment disclosed - has stirred worries no one would be held accountable in the young girl’s death.
“I pray there’s justice for Phoebe Prince,” said Donna Tower of South Hadley. “But there’s a great deal of frustration among the people in South Hadley. A lot of people - including teenagers - think nothing is going to happen.”
Prince’s death has drawn the media spotlight on the scourge of bullying, and how targets are relentlessly pursued on the Internet. It also stirred Beacon Hill lawmakers to move on long-stalled anti-bullying legislation. An anti-bullying bill is close to reaching Gov. Deval Patrick’s desk.
Judge said he hopes something positive will come from Prince’s tragic death.
“I hope the community is looking at this tragedy as an opportunity from which we can learn and pull together more closely as a town,” he said. “I hope that will happen.”
---------------------------------------
Marie Szaniszlo contributed to this report.
Significant’ announcement in Phoebe Prince case
Town on edge as DA set to speak today
By Edward Mason & Jessica Van Sack
Monday, March 29, 2010
The emotionally shaken small town of South Hadley is anxiously hoping for justice for Phoebe Prince today, as the district attorney is expected to reveal the results of her criminal investigation nearly 11 weeks after the young Irish girl allegedly hanged herself in response to merciless bullying.
“There needs to be some punishment for those kids (who bullied Prince). They need to be held accountable,” said Jeannine O’Brien, a South Hadley mom. “If nothing is done, nothing will change.”
Prince, 15, was reportedly found hanged Jan. 14 after allegedly enduring weeks of torment from bullies on Facebook and in the halls of South Hadley High School.
This morning, Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth D. Scheibel is expected to announce the results of her probe into the death of Prince, said Elizabeth Dunphy Farris, an assistant district attorney, raising expectations in a town on edge.
“Everybody in town has been focused on this,” said Robert G. Judge, a South Hadley selectman who is also on the town’s anti-bullying task force. “And everybody knows about the anxiety of parents of students and teachers in the schools. Frankly, the stress upon students themselves has been in some ways as great.”
Many hope Scheibel’s announcement today will get the town moving toward closure after dealing with the horrific tragedy that brought with it unwanted international scrutiny.
“Everybody is crying out for justice and resolution,” said Mitch Brouillard, a South Hadley parent.
Scheibel did not return calls for comment, but the languid pace of her probe - coupled with a secretive school investigation in which the bullies were never identified or their punishment disclosed - has stirred worries no one would be held accountable in the young girl’s death.
“I pray there’s justice for Phoebe Prince,” said Donna Tower of South Hadley. “But there’s a great deal of frustration among the people in South Hadley. A lot of people - including teenagers - think nothing is going to happen.”
Prince’s death has drawn the media spotlight on the scourge of bullying, and how targets are relentlessly pursued on the Internet. It also stirred Beacon Hill lawmakers to move on long-stalled anti-bullying legislation. An anti-bullying bill is close to reaching Gov. Deval Patrick’s desk.
Judge said he hopes something positive will come from Prince’s tragic death.
“I hope the community is looking at this tragedy as an opportunity from which we can learn and pull together more closely as a town,” he said. “I hope that will happen.”
---------------------------------------
Marie Szaniszlo contributed to this report.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
What Parents Need to Know about Child and Adolescent Depression- Community Workshop - March 22, 2010
From: S. Clark [mailto:sclark@shschools.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 2:05 PM
To: 'Amy Foley'; 'Amy Sullivan'; 'Becky Mazur'; 'Bill Evans'; 'Bob Judge'; 'Chris Glenn'; 'Chris Sweklo'; 'Cindy Boyle'; 'Dan and Carol Brown'; 'Dan Smith'; 'David Gallagher'; David Labrie; 'Eleanor Small'; 'Emily Pritchard'; 'Emma Mulvaney'; 'Erica Faginski-Stark'; 'Gus Sayer'; 'Janna Darrow-Roux'; 'Jennifer Mullins'; 'Jennifer Tucker'; 'Jill Flanders'; 'Kelly St. Clair'; 'Lorraine Liantonio'; 'Maria Torres'; 'Maureen Clark'; 'Mike Pettengill'; 'Nancy Farnsworth'; 'Pam Stevens'; 'Ryan Lemieux'
Subject: Community Workshop - March 22, 2010
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 2:05 PM
To: 'Amy Foley'; 'Amy Sullivan'; 'Becky Mazur'; 'Bill Evans'; 'Bob Judge'; 'Chris Glenn'; 'Chris Sweklo'; 'Cindy Boyle'; 'Dan and Carol Brown'; 'Dan Smith'; 'David Gallagher'; David Labrie; 'Eleanor Small'; 'Emily Pritchard'; 'Emma Mulvaney'; 'Erica Faginski-Stark'; 'Gus Sayer'; 'Janna Darrow-Roux'; 'Jennifer Mullins'; 'Jennifer Tucker'; 'Jill Flanders'; 'Kelly St. Clair'; 'Lorraine Liantonio'; 'Maria Torres'; 'Maureen Clark'; 'Mike Pettengill'; 'Nancy Farnsworth'; 'Pam Stevens'; 'Ryan Lemieux'
Subject: Community Workshop - March 22, 2010
One of the outgrowths of the Anti-Bullying Task Force has been a new relationship with the Riverside Trauma Center around suicide prevention. The Center has agreed to provide a workshop for our community on Monday, March 22 at 6:30 PM in the High School Auditorium. The presenters will be Jim McCauley and Larry Berkowitz and the title of their workshop is, "What Parents Need to Know about Child and Adolescent Depression."
We thought that this would be an important event that members of our Task Force, as well as many parents, would want to hear. Accordingly, we would like to cancel the Steering Committee meeting scheduled for Monday night and instead invite members of the Steering Committee to attend this workshop, which is an important part of our work.
We will resume Steering Committee meetings on Monday, April 5. By that time some of the Task Force groups should be getting close to completing their reports. When we meet on April 5 we will talk about what we would like to include in the Steering Committee's summary report and, if they are available, also begin to discuss the Task Force group reports.
The next meeting of the eight Task Force groups will take place on Monday, March 29.
Dr. Gus A. Sayer
Superintendent of Schools
Thursday, March 18, 2010
"More politicians using social media -- including blogs, Facebook and Twitter -- to connect with constituents"
By Patrick Johnson, The Republican
March 19, 2010, 5:10PM
AMHERST - Not long after her April 2008 election to the Amherst School Committee, Catherine A. Sanderson thought she’d create a simple, little blog to keep voters informed about what the committee was doing and to gain voter feed back. “Those were my noble goals,” she said of the origin of her blog, myschoolcommitteeblog.blogspot.com.
In a matter of months, her simple, little blog grew and grew to the point of becoming neither simple nor little.
Her two to three posts per month grew to as many as 20, the monthly visitors tally reached as high as 10,000, and individual posts could generate as many as 150 reader comments.
It's become a lot of work, but Sanderson said the blog has more than accomplished its original purpose. “I ran on a platform of more communication and more transparency,” Sanderson said. “It’s hard to not communicate and not be transparent when you’re on a blog telling people, ‘Here is how I am going to vote and why.’”
Sanderson is one of many politicians at the local, state and federal levels who are realizing the importance of using new media to connect with the voters.
The late media critic A.J. Liebling once famously declared, “Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.” But the abundance of simple blogging platforms, such as Wordpress or Google’s Blogger, and social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, make it so anyone can be their own publisher.
“There’s no filter,” said Westfield Mayor Daniel Knapik, who maintains Facebook and Twitter accounts. “People can get their message out to people exactly as they intend without it being altered, shortened or taken out of context.”
Across the state, politicians at every level and party are using social media to schmooze with voters and constituents alike.
“I use (Facebook) to keep in touch with friends and constituents. Hopefully, they are the same thing,” said Rep. Donald F. Humason Jr., R-Westfield.
Other local politicians doubling as bloggers include Northampton City Councilor Angela Plassman and Holyoke City Councilors Kevin Jourdain and Rebecca Lisi.
Sanderson said her efforts to reach voters directly has not been free from critics. There are some people who like her blog and some who hate it, she said.
Entrenched in the “hate it” camp, she said, are her husband, who complains it is too time consuming, and some of her School Committee colleagues.
“There are people on the committee who think it gives me a disproportionate amount of attention. That is 100 percent true,” she said.
If they want more attention, they should start their own blogs, she said. “Anyone can do it.”
In the same way, the ease of conveying information to your own personal network of friends, fans and followers makes Facebook and Twitter a natural among politicians at all levels of government and on both sides of the aisle.
In Massachusetts, Scott P. Brown has only been a senator for a little more than a month, but he's tops among Bay State politicians in terms of social networking. Brown's Facebook page has attracted 211,00 "fans", and his number of followers on Twitter stands at 22,000.
No one else is even close. Sen. John F. Kerry, for example, logs in with 9,000 Facebook fans and 4,900 Twitter followers.
Gov. Deval L. Patrick has nearly 5,000 friends and over 12,000 fans on Facebook and 10,000 Twitter followers. That may not seem like much compared to Brown, but it's more than any of his opponents in the upcoming gubernatorial race.
A report issued in February by the Congressional Research Service concluded that members of Congress are rapidly and avidly taking to forms of social media that did not exist 15 years ago. The advantages for each are the distribution speed (immediate) and cost (minimal).
Not coincidentally, the report notes, bulk mailings from Congress have dropped by 50 percent during this time.
Recent surveys have 205 of 538 members of Congress on Twitter accounts and 349 on Facebook.
Among members of Congress, one study noted usage varied greatly. During a two-month study, 16 congressmen tweeted at least 100 times in a 61-day span, including one who alone tallied 290.
But there were also several other members of Congress who had few if any tweets. That would probably include Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, D-Newton, who on June 18 posted his first and presumably last tweet: “I have one ambition: to retire before it becomes essential to tweet.”
That day may be drawing nearer and nearer.
With the exception of U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester, every member of the Massachusetts delegation has a Facebook page, but just five of the 12 are on Twitter, and only two, Brown and Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., he of @Markeymemo, post with anything approaching regularity.
Among state legislators, those from Western Massachusetts have been slow to embrace Twitter, said state Sen. Benjamin Downing, D-Pittsfield.
Downing, who has 142 followers and tweets regularly, said Twitter and Facebook are becoming essential tools for politicians.
Facebook is great for organizing supporters, rallies and events, while Twitter specializes in getting messages to supporters very quickly. Traditional means - including press releases, interviews with the press, and public appearances - are still important, he said.
“It’s not about bypassing the media; it’s about supplementing it,” he said.
But effective use of social media can be enough to boost a candidate over the top, he said. Downing cited how Brown, during the special Senate election, was posting on Twitter and Facebook constantly, and by doing so helped create a sense of momentum among voters that carried him to victory.
The Brown campaign, and even President Obama’s successful run at the White House, show “just how powerful the social media can be if you harness it,” Downing said.
Agawam state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin recently announced her campaign for re-election via Twitter and Facebook.
Although she called herself a novice at each, she sees both as good ways to connect with voters.
“I’m learning more and more about Facebook. It’s a slow process. Twitter is my next mountain to climb,” she said.
Humason said he logs onto Facebook once or twice a week, but he draws the line at Twitter.
He said he is not so full of himself that he believes people need to know exactly what he is doing at any given moment.
Although he has a Blackberry and is theoretically capable of walking and texting at the same time, Humason said he has no desire to start lest he walk face first into a wall at the Statehouse.
Humason also questioned whether all this access to politicians through social media actually creates more transparency.
“Why are we trying to be transparent by twittering all the time?” he asked “Why don’t we do something that’s really transparent?”
For starters, he said, the Legislature should discuss the budget out in the open and stop using parliamentary tricks such as scheduling votes late into the night, he said.
Also leery of social media is state Rep. Ellen Story, D-Amherst. Although she represents one of the most Internet-savvy sections of the region, if not the state, Story said she places little stock in the social media. She is neither on Facebook nor Twitter, and has no plans to be.
“I don’t think it’s necessary and in many cases a complete waste of time,” she said. “I’m in meetings with people who are texting all the time. It’s annoying and rude.”
To those who say Story is inaccessible, she says, “My telephone number is in the phone book, and it’s in the newspaper.”
That’s her home number, she pointed out, not her regional office. She said when people reach her at home, they usually apologize as if they got through to her by mistake. “I have to say ‘No, this is the right number,’” she said.
Story said she prefers to do her social networking the traditional way: by actually going out and socializing with people.
“I like to go to events. I like to talk to people,” she said. “I see people in Stop & Shop and talk to them.”
Story said she even likes to talk to reporters.
“You’re the second one I’ve talked to today,” she said during a recent telephone call to her home.
March 19, 2010, 5:10PM
AMHERST - Not long after her April 2008 election to the Amherst School Committee, Catherine A. Sanderson thought she’d create a simple, little blog to keep voters informed about what the committee was doing and to gain voter feed back. “Those were my noble goals,” she said of the origin of her blog, myschoolcommitteeblog.blogspot.com.
In a matter of months, her simple, little blog grew and grew to the point of becoming neither simple nor little.
Her two to three posts per month grew to as many as 20, the monthly visitors tally reached as high as 10,000, and individual posts could generate as many as 150 reader comments.
It's become a lot of work, but Sanderson said the blog has more than accomplished its original purpose. “I ran on a platform of more communication and more transparency,” Sanderson said. “It’s hard to not communicate and not be transparent when you’re on a blog telling people, ‘Here is how I am going to vote and why.’”
Sanderson is one of many politicians at the local, state and federal levels who are realizing the importance of using new media to connect with the voters.
The late media critic A.J. Liebling once famously declared, “Freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.” But the abundance of simple blogging platforms, such as Wordpress or Google’s Blogger, and social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, make it so anyone can be their own publisher.
“There’s no filter,” said Westfield Mayor Daniel Knapik, who maintains Facebook and Twitter accounts. “People can get their message out to people exactly as they intend without it being altered, shortened or taken out of context.”
Across the state, politicians at every level and party are using social media to schmooze with voters and constituents alike.
“I use (Facebook) to keep in touch with friends and constituents. Hopefully, they are the same thing,” said Rep. Donald F. Humason Jr., R-Westfield.
Other local politicians doubling as bloggers include Northampton City Councilor Angela Plassman and Holyoke City Councilors Kevin Jourdain and Rebecca Lisi.
Sanderson said her efforts to reach voters directly has not been free from critics. There are some people who like her blog and some who hate it, she said.
Entrenched in the “hate it” camp, she said, are her husband, who complains it is too time consuming, and some of her School Committee colleagues.
“There are people on the committee who think it gives me a disproportionate amount of attention. That is 100 percent true,” she said.
If they want more attention, they should start their own blogs, she said. “Anyone can do it.”
In the same way, the ease of conveying information to your own personal network of friends, fans and followers makes Facebook and Twitter a natural among politicians at all levels of government and on both sides of the aisle.
In Massachusetts, Scott P. Brown has only been a senator for a little more than a month, but he's tops among Bay State politicians in terms of social networking. Brown's Facebook page has attracted 211,00 "fans", and his number of followers on Twitter stands at 22,000.
No one else is even close. Sen. John F. Kerry, for example, logs in with 9,000 Facebook fans and 4,900 Twitter followers.
Gov. Deval L. Patrick has nearly 5,000 friends and over 12,000 fans on Facebook and 10,000 Twitter followers. That may not seem like much compared to Brown, but it's more than any of his opponents in the upcoming gubernatorial race.
A report issued in February by the Congressional Research Service concluded that members of Congress are rapidly and avidly taking to forms of social media that did not exist 15 years ago. The advantages for each are the distribution speed (immediate) and cost (minimal).
Not coincidentally, the report notes, bulk mailings from Congress have dropped by 50 percent during this time.
Recent surveys have 205 of 538 members of Congress on Twitter accounts and 349 on Facebook.
Among members of Congress, one study noted usage varied greatly. During a two-month study, 16 congressmen tweeted at least 100 times in a 61-day span, including one who alone tallied 290.
But there were also several other members of Congress who had few if any tweets. That would probably include Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, D-Newton, who on June 18 posted his first and presumably last tweet: “I have one ambition: to retire before it becomes essential to tweet.”
That day may be drawing nearer and nearer.
With the exception of U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester, every member of the Massachusetts delegation has a Facebook page, but just five of the 12 are on Twitter, and only two, Brown and Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., he of @Markeymemo, post with anything approaching regularity.
Among state legislators, those from Western Massachusetts have been slow to embrace Twitter, said state Sen. Benjamin Downing, D-Pittsfield.
Downing, who has 142 followers and tweets regularly, said Twitter and Facebook are becoming essential tools for politicians.
Facebook is great for organizing supporters, rallies and events, while Twitter specializes in getting messages to supporters very quickly. Traditional means - including press releases, interviews with the press, and public appearances - are still important, he said.
“It’s not about bypassing the media; it’s about supplementing it,” he said.
But effective use of social media can be enough to boost a candidate over the top, he said. Downing cited how Brown, during the special Senate election, was posting on Twitter and Facebook constantly, and by doing so helped create a sense of momentum among voters that carried him to victory.
The Brown campaign, and even President Obama’s successful run at the White House, show “just how powerful the social media can be if you harness it,” Downing said.
Agawam state Rep. Rosemary Sandlin recently announced her campaign for re-election via Twitter and Facebook.
Although she called herself a novice at each, she sees both as good ways to connect with voters.
“I’m learning more and more about Facebook. It’s a slow process. Twitter is my next mountain to climb,” she said.
Humason said he logs onto Facebook once or twice a week, but he draws the line at Twitter.
He said he is not so full of himself that he believes people need to know exactly what he is doing at any given moment.
Although he has a Blackberry and is theoretically capable of walking and texting at the same time, Humason said he has no desire to start lest he walk face first into a wall at the Statehouse.
Humason also questioned whether all this access to politicians through social media actually creates more transparency.
“Why are we trying to be transparent by twittering all the time?” he asked “Why don’t we do something that’s really transparent?”
For starters, he said, the Legislature should discuss the budget out in the open and stop using parliamentary tricks such as scheduling votes late into the night, he said.
Also leery of social media is state Rep. Ellen Story, D-Amherst. Although she represents one of the most Internet-savvy sections of the region, if not the state, Story said she places little stock in the social media. She is neither on Facebook nor Twitter, and has no plans to be.
“I don’t think it’s necessary and in many cases a complete waste of time,” she said. “I’m in meetings with people who are texting all the time. It’s annoying and rude.”
To those who say Story is inaccessible, she says, “My telephone number is in the phone book, and it’s in the newspaper.”
That’s her home number, she pointed out, not her regional office. She said when people reach her at home, they usually apologize as if they got through to her by mistake. “I have to say ‘No, this is the right number,’” she said.
Story said she prefers to do her social networking the traditional way: by actually going out and socializing with people.
“I like to go to events. I like to talk to people,” she said. “I see people in Stop & Shop and talk to them.”
Story said she even likes to talk to reporters.
“You’re the second one I’ve talked to today,” she said during a recent telephone call to her home.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
South Hadley welcomes leaders - Daily Hampshire Gazette - March 4, 2010
To the editor:
The Feb. 24 edition of a local newspaper contained a story titled, "South Hadley races settled," which referred to the uncontested April 2010 town election. The story quoted a member of last year's Charter Commission stating that change is needed to encourage more people to get involved in town government.
The story quoted her as saying the lack of contested races "is an ongoing testament about the lack of leadership in this town."
I supported the recommendation of the Charter Commission and I still think that "change is needed" in the structure of our town government. However, fortunately, we do have individuals and organizations that provide leadership in South Hadley.
Good examples include the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee, the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, and most recently, the Selectboard in its proposal to form a Youth Commission and in its work with the School Committee to address the need for greater civility in our community.
If you think that a public official is not providing "leadership" you should contact that official, express your opinion to him or her and ask if you can help to bring about the change you seek. Apart from elected officials, many organizations contribute "leadership" to our community, including Know Your Town, groups working to improve local food distribution, local political organizations and others. Getting in contact with these local officials and community service organizations is easy.
If a resident wants more leadership in South Hadley, he or she can set an example for others by providing leadership in whatever aspects of our community's life is of most interest. For those who do not wish to run for office, consider joining one of our good nonprofit organizations or participating in the several ad hoc initiatives under way to improve our town. South Hadley needs and welcomes more leaders!
Robert G. Judge
South Hadley
Friday, February 26, 2010
"Thoughts, volunteers sought for youth panel"
by steve
Before establishing a youth commission, the Selectboard wants to find out what people think of the idea and how many are willing to serve.
The board presented the idea of forming a commission at the bullying task force meeting Tuesday. The board will accept letters or emails from people who want to serve on a youth commission.
"I'd like to know what the reaction is from other people in town and the schools," said John Hine, Selectboard chairman. "The commission does no good if there aren't people committed to the cause," he said.
A youth commission would look at issues facing youths in town and, working with town departments and the School Department, propose ways to help. "What do we need for the long term? What can we do?" are the questions the commission should ask, said Selectboard member Bruce MacCallaugh.
A commission would consist of three to 21 people, with at least one being a high school student. It would be on par with other town commissions, such as the Historical Commission or Recreation Commission, that have budgets approved through the Selectboard and Town Meeting, but the board is not eyeing spending money at this time.
"There's no cost to us for establishing a commission, so I don't see what we wouldn't," said Selectboard member Robert Judge. Having a commission might make the town eligible for state and federal grants, he said.
The board presented the idea of forming a commission at the bullying task force meeting Tuesday. The board will accept letters or emails from people who want to serve on a youth commission.
"I'd like to know what the reaction is from other people in town and the schools," said John Hine, Selectboard chairman. "The commission does no good if there aren't people committed to the cause," he said.
A youth commission would look at issues facing youths in town and, working with town departments and the School Department, propose ways to help. "What do we need for the long term? What can we do?" are the questions the commission should ask, said Selectboard member Bruce MacCallaugh.
A commission would consist of three to 21 people, with at least one being a high school student. It would be on par with other town commissions, such as the Historical Commission or Recreation Commission, that have budgets approved through the Selectboard and Town Meeting, but the board is not eyeing spending money at this time.
"There's no cost to us for establishing a commission, so I don't see what we wouldn't," said Selectboard member Robert Judge. Having a commission might make the town eligible for state and federal grants, he said.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
In Our Opinion: Leadership, not blame
In Our Opinion: Leadership, not blame
by Daily Hampshire Gazette
If only it were as easy as firing somebody to get rid of the scourge that is school bullying. Apparently the South Hadley parents who are organizing a protest at the school tonight - seeking signatures on a petition calling for the ouster of Superintendent Gus Sayer and South Hadley High School Principal Daniel Smith - think it is.
What we need here is clear thinking, not retribution, which got us into this situation.
Tonight's protest was planned to coincide with the first meeting of an anti-bullying task force at 6:30 p.m. at South Hadley High School. The group's charge is big: Map out a community response to the high school's bullying problem, as it came to light in connection with a young woman named Phoebe Prince.
Prince, 15, committed suicide in her home Jan. 14 after enduring weeks of bullying from students who by now no longer attend the school, according to school officials.
Ever since Prince's death, anger over the way the school department handled the situation has simmered, boiling over at times in public gatherings. Over the past month, in widely discussed online posts, people named and unnamed have slammed school officials for their handling of the case, both before and after Prince hung herself.
They take issue with the way the school has communicated with the public about the tragedy and its aftermath. They criticize the speed with which punishment has been handed down to the students identified as her bullies.
All these matters are fair game for heated discussions. But there are a couple things to consider. The question of an administrator's ouster is best left for the context of a performance evaluation. If they don't have parent feedback as part of that evaluation process already, schools should consider adding it. And on the question of punishment, schools need to be fair, and officials can't dispense punishment based on Facebook posts. That's as it should be.
On the wider issue of bullying at South Hadley High, if people are solely focused on laying blame, they may miss an opportunity. There could be scant time or energy left to come up with a creative plan to change a culture that allowed bullying to go on unchecked and unchallenged until a lost and hurting 15-year-old freshman felt she had no option but to end her life.
That tragic act is a wake-up call for everyone that something is very wrong, but not just in the office of the administrators. For that matter, why not ask all parents what they are doing to monitor their teenagers' postings on Facebook, or what is contained in the many text messages they send out.
The death of Phoebe Prince indicates that something went wrong from the classroom to the school committee board room to the high school hallways to the kitchen tables of South Hadley High School parents.
One South Hadley parent told a Gazette reporter that the unbridled anger towards administrators on Facebook stems from parents' frustrations that they "don't have any other voice."
Well, they do have a voice. They should go to the anti-bullying task force meeting tonight.
But if they're going to talk, they should also listen. A first step would be for people to stop attacking each other.
Another is to stop being defensive. They also will need to keep in mind that finding a solution to a public menace like bullying - a phenomenon which everyone agrees has been around forever - is not going to be easy.
Another is to stop being defensive. They also will need to keep in mind that finding a solution to a public menace like bullying - a phenomenon which everyone agrees has been around forever - is not going to be easy.
It is certainly not as simple as firing someone or accepting a forced letter of resignation. That is not only unrealistic, it lets people walk away from the table before achieving long-lasting change. That change depends on a grassroots effort involving youth, parents, teachers, assistants, secretaries, librarians, janitors and administrators. In other words, everybody.
Maybe, as critics have said, tonight's task force meeting hasn't been well organized. But it's a starting point. It will be a tragedy if people remain outside drumming up ill will rather than going inside to roll up their sleeves in an effort to seek solutions to an entrenched, problem.
That would mean Phoebe Prince died in vain, only compounding the tragedy of her death.
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