Mahar Athletes Recognized

As Printed in The Athol Daily News
December 16, 2010

Recently, the Mahar Student Council organized the Annual Thanksgiving Pep Rally. This year, in addition to the school and student council recognizing the football players, cheerleaders and all fall athletes, they also recognized Mahar's Special Olympians.  The football team and student council presented these Olympians with Super Fan sweatshirts. Posing with the Olympians are senior football players for the Senators. Rear, left to right - Gisele Gagne, Tracy Ferrazza, Eddie, Liz Porter, Melitza Meldonado (squatting down). Middle row - Emily, Michelle Paine, Olivia, Mitch, Alicia, Nate, DJ, Sue Ayotte, Brendon. Front row - Evan Paradise, Andrew Chandler, Adam Bergantino, Parker Russell, Isaiah Jones, David Burnham, Andy O'Loughlin, Zach Kohlstrom, Dylan Barnes, Peter Mulder, Richard Anderson. Photo by Rhonda Whitney

Strategic Planning Efforts Tied to Mahar's Successes

As Printed in The Gardner News
December 17, 2010

When asked the question, what do children do in school? Most people would simply answer, “They learn.”

Okay...
Learn what? Learn to read? Learn to add? Learn to think? Learn to reason?

Truth be told, the list of what students actually learn in school has been placed into books – so many that you could fill rooms with them from the floors to the ceilings. Some books are about what students learn in classes, while others focus on what they learn in the hallways, in the cafeteria, or on the sports fields.

Here is a more difficult question: What do schools learn? Quite often when leaders wish to improve schools they explore the practices of the most successful businesses in America. They try to uncover philosophies, paradigms, and practices that have helped their upward movement.

There are five characteristics that tend to present themselves in these companies:

1. They have strong organizational cultures (people believe in one another);

2. They have huge ambitions (far-reaching goals);

3. They try and try (experiment to find what works best);

4. They grow their own leaders (management development);

5. They never stop trying to top prior achievements (never good enough).

In order for these five characteristics to work, organizations (like people) need to continuously adapt, grow, and change with their surroundings. In successful organizations, change is not viewed as a hazard. Rather, change is an opportunity to become better.

In 1995, two authors by the names of Leithwood and Aitken defined “Learning Organizations” as those with groups of people pursing common purposes who are willing to constantly change – in hopes of becoming better.

One would expect that since schools in general are viewed as the center of learning that they would be the organizations most likely to adapt to changes in student populations and new ideas in teaching and learning, but this is often not the case.

For starters, the organizational structure of schools has been the same for many years and those who have worked in these structures often resist change. Even worse, there are often leaders who haven’t the slightest clue about the power of a shared vision and the impact that it can have on teaching, learning, and adapting the educational organization to best fit the needs of learners.

Undoubtedly the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District has made remarkable progress in improving educational opportunities for the students in Orange, Wendell, Petersham, New Salem, and for those who choose to come from other communities via school choice policies.

You may have read about our partnerships with Mount Wachusett Community College (The Gateway to College and Pathways Early College Innovation School), our three in-house alternative programs, the partnership with the CAPS Educational Collaborative, our relationship with the Illinois Institute of Technology, or perhaps our recent improvements in student test scores on the MCAS.

The reason that there are so many successes found in our district is rooted in our strategic planning efforts, which were recently renewed.

In April 2010, the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School initiated the process of updating and revising the district’s Strategic Plan under the guidance of hired consultant and Boston College Professor Emeritus, Dr. George Ladd. To accomplish this task, a steering committee comprised of members from within the school, the school community, and the communities-at-large was selected from a pool of applicants.

The committee was charged with reviewing a number of key areas including: student achievement, personal growth, school climate, collaborations and partnerships, and resources.

Over several months, the eleven-member Strategic Plan Steering Committee met numerous times to update and revise the Strategic Plan.

As part of this course of action, the committee surveyed nearly 800 members of identified stakeholder groups, their constituents, and the community as a whole, to ascertain a much broader perspective. The information collected in this survey guided the committee in updating the school’s core values and the school’s vision and mission statements.

The ultimate purpose of this five-year Strategic Plan is to ensure that the R.C. Mahar Regional School continues to move in a direction congruent with the school’s vision and mission and that the school’s efforts and actions are reflective of the plan’s core values.

Our district is guided by a carefully crafted Mission and Vision. From this mission and vision a set of Core Values was also renewed. While you review these core values think about the fact that any and every decision that is made in our district educationally and fiscally is rooted in these values.

You will then understand why our school has progressed so rapidly, and how our partnerships have developed. It is my pleasure to share our core values with you!

Student Achievement

• We believe all students learn best when actively engaged in the learning process.
• We believe education is about student growth that includes core academics, the arts, cultural awareness, and physical, social and emotional well-being.
• We believe the purpose of education is to enable students to become self-reliant learners and productive, responsible citizens.

Personal Growth

• We believe in promoting personal responsibility in students so they may reach their full potential.

School Climate

• We believe all decisions should be made in the best interest of students while recognizing and welcoming their individual differences.
• We believe in a safe environment built on communication and a shared decision making process that supports curiosity, creativity, respect, and positive attitudes.

Collaborative Partnerships

• We believe in identifying and developing diverse opportunities for students to engage in active learning within their communities.
• We believe the education of a child is the shared responsibility of town, educational, family, and student communities.

Resources

• We believe in school personnel working with family and town communities to provide ongoing information regarding student achievement, school-related activities, and annual budget and expenditures.
• We believe in utilizing fiscally responsible strategies which support teaching and learning to meet the unique needs of students.

The Literacy Project - Orange, MA

Last week I was invited to visit the Orange, MA Literacy Project by one of the members of their Board of Directors, Amy McMahan. The Literacy Project offers free classes to adults in the Massachusetts Towns of Orange, Ware, Northampton, Greenfield, and Amherst in beginning literacy as well as GED preparation. Today, I spent two hours at the Orange, MA location visiting with Director, Cathy King. I also had the pleasure of meeting Haley, Kim, Dan, Alyssa, Jessica, Yaras, Jackie, and Cristal. These students were kind enough to sit and talk with me for about an hour about their experiences and opinions in and about high school.

When I first walked in I was curious about what a GED program looked like. Aside from those offered in the schools in which I have worked, this is the first one that I have seen. I wanted to know what their per pupil expenditure was, where funding came from, how much space they used, what their enrollment was, and how much they paid for the use of the space that they were in. I call these “administrative vitals.” I was curious to know how these figures differed from those that we work with in the day to day operation of the public school. I was provided nearly all of the information that I requested, and then so much more.

I learned that more than half of the 70 young adults enrolled in the Literacy Project (all five towns) are between the ages of 16 and 25. This percentage was more than reflected in the classroom that I visited, and I was a little surprised to learn that four students are over the age of 60. Most of the members of the Literacy Project found their way to the program by word of mouth and others were referred by schools or other state agencies. Administrators often refer to statistics such as these to bring attention to a subject – which is exactly what I am trying to do.

I am almost ashamed to say that in all of the time that I have been working at Mahar, that I never knew that there was a GED program on the same street as our school – just a mile away. After my visitation today, I could not help but think that I should have visited a long time ago. First of all, seven of the eight students who were taking class there today were high school aged. Second, no matter where these young adults went to school or what they were doing before they joined the Literacy Project they are people who are striving to better themselves through education and they are right here with us in the Town of Orange!

When I sat down I explained to the GED candidates that I had a hard time understanding what happens in between the time that first graders are literally climbing on their desks to get their teacher to call on them to answer a question and the time when teenagers that walk away from school entirely. What are schools doing wrong? What can we do different? How can we be better?

Some of the responses were easy. For instance one young lady felt that teachers could be a little bit more flexible, especially in understanding that students have challenges outside of school. “Things go on in life” she said. Using this as a basis for further discussion, I went around the room trying to get just a snapshot of their individual stories. For every issue that was presented around schooling, there was an issue that presented about the times when school is not in session.

For instance, I learned that one of the students changed schools eleven times in less than five years. Then another student told me that one of her administrators told her mother that she would never get a high school diploma. One of the students moved out of her home at the age of 16 prior to losing focus on school. And another told me that her teachers were judgmental of her and her life outside of school. When asked about playing sports, she said that she enjoyed one of them. Then after being kicked off of a team, she never went back. “Teachers should let us learn at our own pace, like we do here” one student remarked. Then another said, “School should be fun. I mean it doesn’t have to be like a dance and everything in lights. Just make it a cool place, you know?”

To answer your question Jessica, yes. I do know. What I hope that you know is that education is not only about how you say hello at the age of five or six (kindergarten), or how you say bye-bye at the age of 17 (graduation). It is a life-long process that you are in. Where you are today is only a Polaroid snapshot - and down the road you, your friends, me and everyone we know will have grown by what we learned along the way. Today, I was fortunate to have learned from you.

Excess & Deficiency Account Request Highlights Democracy in Action

Since I began in my role as superintendent in July 2009, I have met with the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School Committee in the Eileen Perkins Media Center at least once each month. In my time with the Mahar School Committee much has been discussed, deliberated, and voted upon in our monthly meetings. In every case the decisions that have been made impacted our school community in positive and uplifting ways. Up until last night, I have been able to make clear recommendations rooted in school improvement, student wellness, and organizational stability.


On the heels of the certification of the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District Excess and Deficiency Account a request came in early November. The Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee of the Town of Orange requested that we lower our assessments to the towns to the tune of $100,000.00 to assist with some unforeseen deficits that presented at the end of the last fiscal year. This would mean that the assessment to the Town of Orange would be lessened by $75,000.00 prior to June 30, 2011 and that the Towns of Petersham, Wendell, and New Salem’s assessments would be lowered by a collective $25,000.00.

Regional school regulations dictate that setting or lowering assessments to towns is strictly a school committee decision. With this in mind, I prepared a short report on what the Excess and Deficiency account is, how funds find their way there, and what they are used for. I also provided information on potential problems with lowering the amount that the district holds in its Excess and Deficiency account. Ultimately, I did all that I could to ensure that the committee had all of the information necessary to make a well informed decision on the use of the funds.

As of this moment there is approximately $590,000.00 in the Excess and Deficiency Account. By law the district can hold up to 5% of its budget in this account. These funds are set aside to pay for any unforeseen expenditure that can range from a roof that has fallen into unforeseen disrepair, emergency litigation, or any other unexpected and necessary expenditure. If the funds are not used in the current fiscal year then they are used to lower the assessments to the towns in the next fiscal year. For instance, $460,397.00 was used from last year’s Excess and Deficiency Account to reduce assessments to the towns in this, our current fiscal year.

At last night’s meeting our school committee deliberated about lowering the assessments to the towns for quite some time. As a matter of fact, this was the second consecutive month in which the request was being considered by the school committee. Unfortunately, just prior to their discussion and deliberation I had to present a $333,000.00 projection for the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s order to repair the Mahar Dam as it was presented in the recently conducted Feasibility Study. As one would expect, after all of the discussion and deliberation the school committee voted not to lower the assessment to the towns in a 6 - 4 vote to deny the motion. Had the motion to lower assessments even made it to a vote, regional school law requires a 2/3 majority to change the budget. That would equate to a 7 – 3 vote, that was just not there.

After the vote was taken I witnessed what I believe to be the classiest statement ever made at a Mahar School Committee meeting. Orange Selectmen, Robert Andrews introduced himself to the committee and thanked them for taking their vote. He told us that he was there in support of the Orange Town Administrator who spoke on behalf of the Selectmen. He mentioned that the vote did not go as he had hoped it would and then he said, “What just happened here is Democracy, and I thank you for it.” There was a moment of silence as what Mr. Andrews said soaked in. You see, when a statement of scorn or disdain was expected by most in the room, the thoughts of a highly actualized leader, citizen, and public servant were heard.

Will Rogers was one of the best known celebrities of the 1920’s. One of his many famous quotes was, “A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people.” With this quote in mind I would like to thank you Mr. Andrews. Last night you gave us all an opportunity to be associated with and learn from you.

Organizing the Disorganized Student

When I was in Junior High School my principal, Mr. LaDuca provided me and my fellow students with time to focus solely on organization.  I can still vividly recall "Backpack Resets" and "Locker Clean Out."  In most schools locker clean out takes place on the day before the last day of school as a time for each student to assist the maintenance crew in preparing the lockers for the next school year.  Mr. LaDuca on the other hand, allowed his students fifteen minutes during the school day every ten weeks to straighten out our individual storage nightmares.

Prior to drafting this blog post, I asked Middle School Dean, Mr. Dion to open some sample lockers so that I could see if my recollection of a messy eigth grade locker has endured the test of time.  As you can see from the picture at the top of this post, it has.  This picture is exactly what I saw in the second locker that Mr. Dion opened.  I do not know who it belongs to, but I know that it is indicative of a topic that needs to be addressed. 

The truth of the matter is the biggest challenge many students face is not learning to read or mastering matematical computation but rather getting organized. Many students have good reasoning ability and well-developed academic skills, but they get failing grades when it comes to the nuts and bolts of learning tp bring the proper materials to class, keep track of papers, use time wisely, write down assignments correctly, and turn them in on time. 

With this in mind the Ralph C. Mahar, Orange Elementary, and Petersham Elementary Parent Advisory Council will sponsor an event directed at helping parents help their students get and stay organized.  The Workshop entitled: “Organizing the Disorganized Student” will be offered in the Eileen Perkins Media Center on December 7, 2010 from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. Participants in the workshop will learn the organizational styles of their children; learn how to choose school supplies most compatible with your children's organizational styles; learn how to effectively organize a school locker; and learn how to get homework home, back to school and into the teacher’s hands.

Workshop presenter, Victoria Elliot, is a licensed School Adjustment Counselor who has worked at Mahar Regional School since the fall of 2006. Mrs. Elliott has worked extensively with a number of students who have struggled or are currently struggling with organizational issues. Since students' grades are often negatively impacted by disorganization, the Mahar Counseling Team decided it would be beneficial to the community for Mrs. Elliott to share her organizational strategies for students in this parent workshop. Mrs. Elliott received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mount Holyoke College and her Master’s Degree in clinical social work from Smith College.

For those unable to attend a daytime program, the workshop will be repeated in the evening January 24, 2011 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.  Light refreshments will be served. For further information contact: Mrs. Page or Mrs. Elliott at 978-544-2535.

The Staples© Commercial With the "That Was Easy" Button

This afternoon when I walked into my office I took special note of the “That Was Easy” button that is on my desk. This small electronic device was made popular by Staples © commercials, and over the past few years the number of “That Was Easy’ buttons in offices across America is likely to have multiplied many times. I found this little noise maker in a cabinet in my first office here at Mahar, and I looked for every possible opportunity to use it. I realized today that it has been quite some time since I have heard its familiar sound and for fun, I pressed it.


As soon as I heard “That Was Easy” I responded, “Not Exactly!” My thoughts immediately went to the work that I have been engaged in with fellow Superintendents, Dr. Patricia Martin from the Petersham Elementary School District, Dr. Paul Burnim from the Orange Elementary Schools, and our consultants Mr. Ken Rocke, and Dr. Steve Hemman from the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools. For the work that we have been doing together there should be another button that when pressed utters, “That Was Challenging” or perhaps “That Was Pretty Complex.”

Together my aforementioned colleagues and I have been working on comprehensive plans to consolidate fiscal, governance, contractual, and data functions of our central offices. This work comes on the heels of our successful consolidation of our three districts’ special education administrative offices. In our shared special education team we have successfully shared professional expertise, services such as Speech and Language Therapy, duties, costs, and have begun to craft a three district counseling corps to meet the social and emotional needs of all students from Pre- K through grade 12.

Since we began working together about a year ago, we have found much common ground. Today we sat together in a Massachusetts Department of Education sponsored workshop put on by the acclaimed National Institute of School Leadership. Several months ago we began a journey together to bring Response to Intervention (RTI) to all of our districts’ classrooms, and together we are analyzing data to improve instruction for our students at all levels. We have been working together with a shared premise – that we can recreate a better system of teaching and learning for the children in our districts by focusing on sharing one piece of our organizations at a time.

For quite some time, each of our school districts have worked “in isolation together” if such a thing is possible. I now find myself thinking of the mathematical fact, “the whole is equal to the sum of its parts” and understand that improving each facet of our individual organizations by combining resources, expertise, experience, and a shared mission with one another, that we will create more promising situations for our students.

Our shared special education team has been made possible with the support of the Ralph C. Mahar Regionalization Planning Committee and our three school committees. The success of the Special Education merger is also rooted in a group of employees who are willing to work together to come up with creative and innovative solutions. In our most recent school committee meetings the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School Committee and Orange School Committees openly discussed and voted the pursuit of consolidated central offices. None of the above has warranted the pressing of the “That Was Easy” button.

I now turn to you, the readers of this blog. If you have any questions about our consolidation effort, please do not hesitate to post them. If appropriate, your question will be seen by all and answered publicly.

Can A Small Town Initiative Pay Off Big for Mahar Students? Yes it Can!

Earlier this year the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School was visited by a number of people from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). Dr. Harvey Kahalas, Dean of the Stuart School of Business at IIT was led with others on a tour of Orange, Massachusetts by our Town Administrator, Rick Kwiatkowski. Dr. Kahalas took particular interest in our small town as he thought that it would be a good fit with IIT’s Sustainable Program in Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (SPEED). Even more exciting was the interest that Dr. Kahalas and the administrators at IIT took in our high school.

Dr. Kahalas sat with me and asked me a very simple question; “How would you like for some of your graduates to attend IIT in Chicago?” “Of course” I responded. But I was very skeptical. First, IIT is located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Second, IIT is a very difficult school for any student to earn admission to, and third, IIT is a very expensive school to attend. The list of IIT graduates includes CEOs from all over the country, Presidents of companies, Vice presidents, and Chairmen of Boards of Directors. One of IIT’s graduates is the Vice President of Toyota Motors Automotive Operations. This college has been referred to as the MIT of the Midwest.

The special offer that was proposed to our school makes available to graduates from Ralph C. Mahar Regional High School an opportunity to attend IIT at a rate that is affordable and for some students nearly for free. Currently, tuition, room and board, and other fees for a student who attends IIT is approximately $32,000.00 per year. IIT has extended to our graduates an opportunity to attend IIT on their Presidential Scholarship which can cover most of this cost. For students who are financially eligible, that cost may turn out to be free.
What’s the catch? The proposed Sustainable Program in Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (SPEED) project has been designed recognizing that the future of small towns is in the hands of today’s youth. Therefore, any student who attends IIT as a part of this partnership will be expected to come back to Orange during the summer months of his/her college experience and use his/her IIT education to help the Town of Orange create jobs, save energy, or engage in some other activity that will create successful outcomes for the residents of our Town.

IIT believes that “A town’s longevity and vitality, and the survival of its culture and values, are determined by its ability to educate a new generation of young leaders who believe in their community’s future and who are willing to shape it with innovative ideas and entrepreneurial spirit. The SPEED program is centered on the belief that providing young people with an outstanding education that allows them to reach their highest potential is important for individuals and their community alike.

Last week I flew to Chicago with our Town Administrator and a local entrepreneur. We were given a tour of two of IIT’s three campuses. We had personal meetings with Stuart School of Business Dean, Harvey Kahalas, Vice-Provost for Undergraduate Admissions, Gerald Doyle, and more than twenty administrators, professors, and staff at IIT. We also sat with University Provost, Alan Cramb for hours discussing the possibilities generated by our partnership. It was clear to me that these individuals believe that they can and will make an impact on small towns in America. I made it as clear as I could to them that our school district is proud to be part of this picture.

The Provost, Vice-Provost, and Dean of the Business School took particular interest in our newly created Pathways Early College Innovation School. They expressed an interest in meeting with me and with the administrators at Mount Wachusett Community College about the prospect of graduates of this program attending IIT. After all, a graduate from the Pathways program is a graduate of Ralph C. Mahar High School, which qualifies these students for the SPEED program at IIT. I will be meeting with administrators at Mount Wachusett Community College next week to discuss this program becoming a reality for students in our area.

I have said this before, and I will say it again. We do not educate in a vacuum. Partnerships have been a key to the many successes that the Mahar district has had in recent years, and they just keep coming. Yesterday we signed an agreement in which the American International College (AIC) will be renting our facility in the evenings beginning in January to teach graduate education classes. Our collaboration with the CAPS Educational Collaborative continues to provide exciting educational possibilities for high-need students, and it appears as though our relationship with Mount Wachusett Community College is about to grow once again.

If you are interested in your child earning an Associates Degree along with his/her high school diploma free of charge, please call my office. If you are interested in your child attending the Illinois Institute of Technology at a severely reduced rate (or free) please call my office. And finally, if you are just interested in becoming a part of the Mahar School Community, do not hesitate to call. I am willing to share with you our Mission, Commitments, and Beliefs so that you may decide if they can work for your family and for your children.

2011 John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Winners at Mahar

Sent to All Local Papers: October 20, 2010

At 10:00 AM on October 20, 2010 thirty-six students in grade twelve at Ralph C. Mahar Regional High School were called to a meeting in the Charlotte Ryan Theater. There, they were met by Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District Superintendent, Michael Baldassarre; Principal, Scott Hemlin; and Guidance Counselor Caitlin McKenna. These students were informed that they had been named recipients of the John and Abigail Adams Scholarships for their performance on their Grade 10 MCAS Examinations during the 2008 – 2009 School Year.

There are a number of criteria that a student must meet to be eligible for this honor. First, a student must score in the Advanced category in either the Mathematics or the English language arts section of the grade 10 MCAS test and score in the Proficient or Advanced category on the second subject (Mathematics or English language arts); and must have a combined MCAS score on these assessments that ranks in the top 25% in their school district. Superintendent Baldassarre informed the students named below telling them, “I hope that you see how cooperation, hard work, and preparation bring about circumstances such as these. When you are willing to put in the effort as you have, your success is as predictable as sun in the summer and snow in the winter. ”

Students who are named recipients of the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship are entitled to four years of free tuition upon their acceptance to participating Massachusetts public institutions of higher education, such as a University of Massachusetts campus or a community college beginning with the fall 2011 semester. Sadly, this scholarship does not cover the cost of college fees, which can be up to four times more costly than tuition, room and board, textbooks, and other expenses.

Ralph C. Mahar Regional High School 2011 John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Winners:

Tamieka Adams
Richard Anderson
Christine Annable
Dylan Barnes
Adam Bergantino
Michael Bergman
Jaimee Briggs
Abigail Coffin
Kristina Daly
Krista Frank
Laura Garrity
Heather Hunt
Isaiah Jones
Karissa Kilhart
Kendra Kilian
Andrea Kolodziej
Nathan LeBlanc
Amanda Marion
Tyler McGrath
Ryan Mongeau
Stephanie Murcell
Colin O’Brien
Andrew O’Loughlin
Breanna Poirier
Hanah Pultorak
Christine Richardson
Matthew Robinson
Steven Rooney
Parker Russell
Victoria Simmington
Kayleigh Soucie
Melissa St. Laurent
Dana Stowell
Kasey Rorchia
David Valiquette-LaLonde
John Waters Jr.

K-9 Search at Mahar Today

Sent to All Local News Agencies, October 6, 2010

At 9:40 AM on October 6, 2010 the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School’s Administration in conjunction with the Orange Police Department conducted a K-9 search of the Regional School. K-9 Handlers from the Towns of Belchertown and Montague assisted Orange Police Officer, Clay Rushford in the search of the Mahar facility. Mahar Superintendent, Michael Baldassarre indicated that K-9 searches are done routinely in at Mahar Regional to ensure that students are discouraged from bringing substances to school. “We do all that we can to discourage substance abuse. Substance use is counterproductive to all that we do in school, and we take measures to communicate this to our students” said Baldassarre.

The students and staff are accustomed to K-9 searches of lockers and other public areas of the building. Searches such as these can take place several times during a school year. Today’s search was slightly different from those in the past, however. On April 6, 2010 the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School Committee approved a policy that allows canines to enter and search classrooms once they are cleared of students and staff. Since the K-9 is trained to sniff the air in common areas, searches such as these have been ruled by the United States Supreme Court to be a non-intrusive way to search public facilities for drugs and illegal contraband.

“Today’s search included four randomly selected classrooms. I am happy to report that no drugs or contraband were discovered and there was no need to question a single student” said Mahar Principal Scott Hemlin. Should the K-9 have been alerted by the smell around any locker or personal belonging, the Mahar administration would then follow a protocol that was also approved by the school committee in April, 2010. Today though, there was no need to continue with any further investigation. School Resource Officer, Chad Softic would not comment on when the next search of the facility will take place.

Congressman John Olver Visits Mahar

On Friday, September 24, 2010 Congressman John Olver paid a visit to the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School. While there, he watched the Mahar Senators win their fifteenth consecutive game (dating back to 2009) by a score of 52 – 0 over Palmer High Schools’ Panthers. Congressman Olver was treated to a special surprise in between the first and second quarters of the game when he was called out to the 50 yard line to receive an award. The Ralph C. Mahar School Community honored him for his assistance in procuring more than $200,000.00 in federal funding to pay for the fully handicapped accessible seating that was installed a little more than one year ago.

Congressman Olver was met on the field by Mahar School Committee Chair, Maureen Donelan (left), Superintendent, Michael Baldassarre (presenting award), and Mahar Principal, Scott Hemlin (left). Fittingly, Olver’s friend and colleague, State Representative Christopher Donelan offered kind remarks about Olver and ended my naming the Congressman “An Honorary Mahar Senator.” Donelan worked closely with Congressman Olver to procure the funding necessary to complement the 2005 multi-million dollar Mahar renovation with the handicapped accessible bleachers. Donelan was also honored by Mahar for his works in a September 2009 ceremony.

Indicators of School Success

Published in The Gardner News: September 24, 2010


A little more than a week ago the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education publicly released MCAS scores from the Spring 2010 for the Commonwealth’s public schools. Increasingly since the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act, these scores have been used by the media, parents, and school officials as an indicator of how effective each school is at teaching students how to read, write, and do arithmetic. Score summaries and other data pertinent to school effectiveness such as drop out rates and suspension rates are available for any public school. You can view these “School and District Profiles” by visiting: http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/

For the faculty and staff in the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School the release of MCAS data provided a feeling that the school is on the right path with regard to curriculum and instruction. At the beginning of the 2009 – 2010 academic year, programmatic changes at the middle school to add direct instructional time in the areas of mathematics and language arts paid off. In grade seven in particular, there were a total of 69 scores of “proficient” and “advanced” on the 2009 combined Mathematics and Language Arts MCAS examinations. In 2010 the number of grade seven “proficient” and “advanced” rose to 105. So, the number of students scoring “proficient” and “advanced” in grade 7 went up by more than 50% in one school year!

Sadly though, many schools use MCAS data as the sole source for measuring their effectiveness. At Mahar however, this is not the case. In a recent school committee report, I was proud to point out that in the 2006 – 2007 school year our administrative offices handled nearly 2,000 disciplinary referrals. In the 2009 – 2010 school year the administrative offices processed only slightly more than 900 disciplinary referrals. A reduction of more than 1,000 referrals per year over a three year period equates to more time in class for our students. Also, our faculty and staff have noted how our student body increasingly displays behaviors associated with respecting themselves, their school, and their peers.

Last week our varsity football season opened in Holyoke, MA. While we are proud that our team won its first game of the season and fourteenth straight, we are more proud of the correspondence that our Athletic Director and Head Football Coach, Jim Woodward received from the Athletic Director at Holyoke. He wrote, “Your players also showed a great deal of sportsmanship on and off the field.” An unsolicited comment such as this from a colleague who is miles and miles away is yet another indicator of the school success that is characterized in the Mahar Regional School District.

While test scores are a fine indicator of school success, I have always believed that the success of a school community is not only displayed with numbers on a website. The success of a school community is felt in the hearts and minds of the students, parents, faculty, administrators, and staff. We take school climate and school culture very seriously at Mahar. It is our constant hope that the successes we continue to have in our classrooms become conversations in our families’ living rooms.

To learn more about the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School, please visit www.rcmahar.org. The Ralph C. Mahar Regional School accepts students from towns outside of our member towns of Orange, Wendell, New Salem, and Petersham under the Commonwealth’s School Choice Law. If you are interested in choosing Mahar, please feel free to contact me in my office at 978-544-2920 or E-mail me at mbaldassarre@rcmahar.org.

Invitation to Complete the Core Values Survey

Since April 2010 a committee established by the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District has been meeting to update and revise the district’s strategic plan. As a part of this process, The 2010 Strategic Plan Core Value Survey has been developed by the “Strategic Planning Steering Committee” to gather input from members of the whole school community. Information from completed surveys will assist the committee in identifying and prioritizing the communities’ beliefs and ensuring that they are incorporated into the new strategic plan.

Your opinions and suggestions are critical to the preparation of what will become the next five-year strategic plan for the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District. This plan is being designed to improve the overall educational experience for the students of the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School and it will serve as the foundation upon which decisions are made. The ultimate goal of the strategic plan is to ensure that the R.C. Mahar Regional School continues to move in a direction congruent with the school’s vision and mission and to ensure that the school’s efforts and actions are reflective of the plan’s core values and beliefs.

Copies of the core value survey can be picked up and dropped off at the Town Halls, Schools, Libraries, and Senior Centers in Orange, Wendell, Petersham, and New Salem. The survey may also be completed online by visiting the school’s website at www.rcmahar.org and clicking on the Core Value Survey link. This survey will be available between Monday, September 13, 2010 and Wednesday, October 13, 2010.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey.

In this photo:

Ralph C. Mahar Regional School Superintendent Michael Baldassarre (left) talks about the Pathways Early College Innovation School with Governor Deval Patrick, State Representative Christopher Donelan, Orange Teachers Assocation President, Kelli Gervais and District Attorney Candidate, Dave Sullivan.

To learn about the Pathways Early College Innovation School and the Innovation Schools Initiative in Massachusetts the link below will take you to the July 23, 2010 feature that appeared on WFCR (NPR).

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wfcr/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1679351/WFCR.Local.Features/Flexibility.and.%27Charter.Like%27.Options.for.Districts.with.MA.Innovation.Schools

Displays of Leadership: Dr. Edward McCaul

I recall some time ago when Southwest Airlines CEO, Gary Kelly was videoed working at a Southwest baggage drop off counter at an airport. His actions were caught on camera and used in Southwest Airline commercials, and seemed to be a hit among customers and Southwest employees alike. Earlier this year CBS began airing a show called “Undercover Boss”, a program in which the head of an organization shows up to work with a disguise on and learns of employee behaviors that are often untoward in the world of business.

Early last year, former Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District Superintendent surprised staff members in the Westbrook Public Schools when he took a rake and went outside of the Central Office Building in Westbrook, ME to do his part to clean up leaves and debris that were in front of the building. In doing so, Dr. Namin expressed to the faculty and staff in his district how important that he felt a neat and orderly presentation was for parents and students. I have learned and continued to learn that small actions such as these can make a huge difference in the attitudes and beliefs of those who work in every facet of a school or any other organization for that matter.

Tremendous research on the topic of Leadership now exists along with publications and websites that were created and maintained by successful leaders in all facets of business and education. The Institute of Leader Arts has a website that provides 30 pieces of advice to would be leaders. I have posted the website at the bottom of this post. Some of the highlights are:

Make others feel important. People will follow you when you make them feel important, not when you make yourself feel important.

Promote your vision. No one will follow you simply because you decide you want to lead. You must have a clear idea where you want to take the group you lead - then you must promote it and convince those you lead that the goal is worthwhile.

See and be seen. You've got to get around to really know what's going on, to fix what's wrong, and to capitalize on what's right. It's also the only way those you lead can be sure you're for real.

Recently I was told about a school district in which the budget was so tight that it was not possible for the teachers and staff to enjoy a cup of coffee or juice prior to their welcome back assembly as they have for dozens of years. Rather than go out and purchase a few pounds of coffee, a couple of gallons of juice and some pastries, the leader of the district informed all of the staff in writing that the organization would not be able to supply the usual accompaniment of juice, coffee, and cookies before their opening day assembly. A more equipped leader might have spent a small portion of his/her $150,000.00 + salary on a small token of appreciation for those who do the bulk of the work and just said, “Thank you for all that you do.”

So why do I point all of this out today?

On Friday I noticed my friend and colleague, CAPS Educational Collaborative Executive Director, Dr. Edward McCaul in and around our school several times. At one point he was wearing polo shirt, and then later in the day he was wearing his sports coat, a dress shirt and a tie. Then at the end of the day he was outside with his polo shirt on again, only this time over his dress shirt and tie. I went out to ask him what he was doing. I discovered that in the absence of one of the bus drivers he decided that he would drive the wheelchair van to pick students up and drop them off at home. Many people might find this surprising, but I did not.

Actions such as this define Dr. McCaul as the type of leader that we all have the potential to be. Our actions do not always have to be as profound as an Executive Director who decides to also drive the busses. It could be in a Superintendent who believes that his or her staff deserves a cup of coffee. It can be in a seventh grader who stops in the hall to pick up debris on the floor that he or she did not put there. It is in a Director of Food Services who also does the dishes and in a counselor who drives to the home of a student for a signature on a form. This leadership is in all of us, and each and every time it is displayed our school becomes an even better place to be.

http://www.stuffofheroes.com/30_vital_leadership_actions.htm

Day Two Already???

For the faculty and staff in the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District their first day of work was Tuesday and the 2010 – 2011 School Year officially began when our students filed into their classrooms yesterday. As has been my yearly tradition since the night before I entered Mrs. Volpe’s Kindergarten classroom, I spent the night before my first day tossing and turning. There is so much excitement in a new school year.

For our Students
In many cases our students spend their summers with a smaller group of peers. The first day back to school offers each of them an opportunity to reconnect with friends that they may not have seen for more than two months. They wonder how they will get along with their new teachers and whether or not the classes they are in are going to be hard. I heard one middle school student talking to her friend in the hallway yesterday, “I hope Mrs. Normandin doesn’t give a lot of homework.” “She does” I responded. She didn’t say anything, but looked very disappointed.

I watched yesterday as our new students in seventh grade peered at their schedules and then looked up taking in all of their new surroundings. Moments later I saw the juniors and seniors in the hallway hugging. In more than one instance I had to ask some of the boys not to jump on one another’s backs. I guess this is their way of saying, “Hello” to a friend who was sadly missed when school was not in session.

For Our Teachers
The first day of work for teachers was Tuesday, August 24. Yet on Friday and on Monday so many of them were in their classrooms setting up seating arrangements, bulletin boards, and reacquainting with their work. More than one expressed to me the impossibility of sleep with so much stirring in their minds about the start of the new school year. “They better be ready to work” said one seventh grade teacher. Since our students come in to seventh grade from three different school districts there is always the unknown of how they will all be when they are together.

I just walked the halls of the middle school and the high school. I stopped in the Guidance Office, the Special Education Office, and the library. It is as if today is just the 182nd day of last school year. There was action in every class. Guidance counselors had students and parents in their offices making final adjustments to schedules, and Mrs. Thorn is providing new students with their official Eileen Perkins Media Center orientation. The phones are ringing, parents are dropping off lunches, and our quiet bureaucratic summer is now a fully energized organization.

There are many positive changes happening this year. I will be blogging about them in the coming days. I am so excited for this year – for our faculty, faculty, parents, and community, but mostly for our students. Welcome back everyone, and best wishes for a successful school year!

Welcome Back to Faculty and Staff

It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome you to the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District’s 2010 – 2011 Academic Year. I hope that you enjoyed a restful summer and that you were provided many opportunities to revive and renew. I can attest that my own sense of purpose with regard to providing our students with opportunities to maximize their human potential via a strong education is more alive than it has ever been. It is my hope that you will join me in this endeavor as we embark on the next year of our journey together.

There is no doubt that the accountability standards placed upon us have brought increased and often unwelcomed pressure to our daily work lives. The pressures placed upon educators to improve student outcomes have brought about a certain “blame game.” It appears as though the only consistent message is that educators are not doing enough or are not good enough to meet the demands of the government, the media, or the communities who depend on the American Education System to make a difference.

The pressures mentioned above bring about many responses from those in positions such as ours. Some choose to attribute underperformance to an inadequately funded education system while others point to the breakdown of families. Lately many politicians have pointed to the existence and nature of teacher unions as the problem while those in colleges and universities have held the entire American Educational Model as broken or flawed when compared to those in other countries. There may be some truth to these macro-level responses along with micro-level issues such as the influence of technology in the lives of our students.

As early as 1935, an author by the name of Harry McKown recognized that schools are in the most unique position to impact the development of individuals and society as a whole. He wrote, “Because of its strategic position, as represented by setting, materials, personnel, and leadership, it [school] can assist in the development of profitable experiences through the building of concepts (generalized thinking) and confacts (generalized conduct) that will be valuable in somewhat situations outside.” I believe that these words serve to solidify our positions as educators. Seventy-five years ago, Mr. McKown recognized that schools can and will make a difference.

This is not a time to blame. This is a time for us to accept our responsibility as those who are best poised to impact, improve, and provide promise for our students, their families, and this community. We are stakeholders who will continue to see issues develop, and when we put forth the effort to be accountable, responsible, and engaged, we have and will continue to make tremendous progress in seeing our clearly defined vision and mission becoming a reality for every student in our school district.

Pathways Early College Innovation School: Information Sessions

Clicking the link at the bottom of this post will take you to this morning’s feature on NPR about the Pathways Early College Innovation School. This new program will be launched this fall. It is yet another collaboration with Mount Wachusett Community College that will provide our students and students around Central Massachusetts with the opportunity to earn their Associates Degrees at the same time that they receive their high school diplomas.

For parents and students who are interested in this new program the following is a schedule for information sessions that will be held at Mount Wachusett Community College:

Tuesday, July 27, 1 p.m., Room 125
Wednesday, July 28, 6 p.m., Room 125
Thursday, July 29, 10 a.m., Room 125

Tuesday, August 10, 1 p.m., Room 202
Wednesday, August 11, 6 p.m., Room 202
Thursday, August 12, 10 a.m., Room 202

Tuesday, August 17, 1 p.m., Room 202
Wednesday, August 18, 6 p.m., Room 202
Thursday, August 19, 10 a.m., Room 202

Tuesday, August 24, 1 p.m., Room 202

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wfcr/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1679351/WFCR.Local.Features/Flexibility.and.%27Charter.Like%27.Options.for.Districts.with.MA.Innovation.Schools

Fire on Prentiss Street

When I was a little boy I remember standing in front of Central Lanes in Niagara Falls, NY while it burned to the ground. My older brother and I were on a Saturday morning bowling league, and I recall the sadness of knowing that we would be taking some time off from our weekend activity. Actually, Central Lanes was never rebuilt so my dreams of making the Professional Bowling Association could never be realized. In the days after the fire, my brother and I would sneak into the wreckage to find bowling balls, pins, and other bowling related paraphernalia.

That was the only time that I can recall seeing what the devastation of a fire looks like from the inside. Central Lanes burned down in the early 1980’s. My memory of the fire at the bowling alley revived when I walked through the fire at Ralph C. Mahar Administrative Assistant, Elaine Mitchell’s home last week. During one of last week’s storms, lightning struck Elaine’s home and within moments the entire second floor was engulfed in flames. As you can see in the photo, what was once a bedroom is now a wet charred pile of insulation, wood, and other materials used to build a home.

It was with good fortune that Elaine and her family were not home that evening. Not being in the house when the lightning struck provided the guarantee that no one was hurt. The day after the fire, one of our colleagues went to TD BankNorth in Orange and opened an account named “The Mitchell Family Fire Fund.” It is going to take a long time for Elaine and her family to get everything back to normal. While their home is being repaired/rebuilt they will be displaced and have many obstacles to overcome. Any assistance that the Mahar Community can provide will be much appreciated.

Strategic Planning Process is Underway

The first meeting of the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District Strategic Planning Committee was held on May 27, 2010. At this first meeting committee members came to a consensus in the identification of Stakeholder Groups and named liaisons for each. Once this was accomplished an open discussion regarding the core values of the district took place. The Stakeholder Groups and Liaisons are:

Group I: Parents – Liaison: Chante Jillson

Group II: Collaborative Agencies - Liaison: Susan Wallace

Group III: Local Businesses – Liaisons: Olinto Paoletti and Rick Kwiatkowski

Group IV: Educational Agencies – Liaison: Dr. Edward McCaul

Group V: Fire and Police – Liaison: Officer Chad Softic

Group VI: Students – Liaison: Adam Bergantino

Group VII: Elected Officials – Liaisons: Robert Andrews and Rick Kwiatkowski

Group VIII: Organizations and Clubs – Liaison: Olinto Paoletti

Group IX: School Council – Liaison: Chante Jillson

Group X: School Committee – Liaisons: Judy Curley and Scott Hemlin

Group XI: Mahar Staff – Liaison: Matthew Parsons

Group XII: Sports Boosters – Liaison: Chad Softic

The next meeting of the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District Strategic Planning Committee will be held on June 30 at 4:00 PM in the Eileen Perkins Media Center at the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School. Any person who is interested in speaking with the any of the above named Stakeholder Group Liaisons is encouraged to contact the Superintendent’s Office at the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School at 978-544-2920.

Gardner News Article: Published June 11, 2010

This past Saturday I attended the Retirement Banquet for the Teachers and Staff who will be closing out their long and distinguished careers in the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District. As I prepared my congratulatory speech for these consummate professionals, I came to know that our seven retirees worked a combined 222 years in the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School. I could not help to stop and reflect on how many students were served by these individuals or think about the total number of lessons that were given by my esteemed, soon to retire colleagues.

Our seven retirees along with all of the other educators who began their teaching careers in the 1970’s have been witness to and lived through the continuous flux that has surrounded the American Education System for a very long time. When our most veteran retiree, Mrs. Softic started teaching in 1971 federal legislation had yet to be passed to require individuals with disabilities be included in the education of their same aged peers. The students did not have cellular phones, video games, or I-pods, and nor were there computers in the classrooms to assist in the instruction of curriculum. In many cases, the only curriculum to speak of was the one that the teacher decided to implement each day.

In 1971 the starting pay for a teacher at Mahar was $6,500.00. If a teacher hired in 1971 were to receive a 3% raise each year, every year until 2010, he or she would be taking home approximately $20,000.00 per year after 39 years of full-time service. And let us not forget that when teachers were hired in 1971 there were still educational requirements that they must have in order to get teaching jobs. Now, in 2010, a teacher must have a Bachelors Degree, must have had some formal education in the area of teaching and learning, must pass tests for educational licensure, and must obtain a Masters Degree within the first five years of hire.

Today, the expectations of the teaching profession are being compared to the expectations of the world of business. This can be found in the focus on results and outcomes on tests of basic skills with the accompaniment of rewards for excellence and penalties for underperformance. To be blunt, the Federal Government is telling schools that they must improve and the improvement of a school is based on how well students do on tests of basic skills in the areas of reading, writing, and arithmetic. The demands of the Federal Government are being adhered to by each state’s Department of Education and we are all working to improve student outcomes while at the same time providing your children with a place that is first and foremost, safe.

The fiscal crises that are being faced by each town are calling upon local officials and local school leaders to make reductions to school budgets. Educators are being called upon by the Department of Education to do more, and then called upon by Town Governments to do more with less. So it is through improved effectiveness and increased efficiency that we make the educational environment safer with fewer counselors and have our students read and write better with fewer teachers. Adding to the dilemma that some suggest lowering the salaries of those who might be successful in the completion of these tasks, the field of education becomes less attractive to those who would be deemed the best and the brightest teachers. The most qualified simply go elsewhere and become employed doing other things.

What happens next?

Student test scores fall.

School culture plummets.

Families choose to send their children to other public school districts via School Choice.

Those who can afford private schools for their children exercise this option.

There is then less funding for essential services such as bussing, counseling, and mediation.

Losing sports teams.

Drop out rate increases.

Schools become characterized by violence and drugs.

Property values decrease.

Those who can afford homes elsewhere leave.

Tax base decreases.

Go back to the top of this list and start the process again.

I am proud to say that this is not the case in the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District. We boast a school committee that displays the understanding that a strong school system is the axis on which an entire community can transform and improve. We have clarity in our belief that a strong school attracts the attention of families who seek the best for their children. We are driven by a strategic plan that provides an inspirational and motivational compass. Many in the area are now aware that Mahar is a great school – and the school committee and administration is on a path to make it even better.

If you would like for your children to be part of our excellent programs, our championship sports teams, or feel that that they would benefit from the support of our outstanding Coordinated Counseling Team or Special Education Department, please do not hesitate to contact us. With the completion of the 2010 – 2011 Schools’ Master Schedules complete, we are looking to fill seats that we have available for students to come to Mahar via Massachusetts School Choice Policies. It would be my pleasure to schedule a tour of our multi-million dollar facility and answer any questions that you may have. For more information please visit http://www.rcmahar.org/.

State Representative Christopher Donelan's Keynote Address - Commencement 2010

Distinguished platform guests, class officers, faculty and staff, parents and friends and members of the class of 2010.

So tonight is the big night. I have to say that this class, of 2010, is probably one of the more talented, both in academics and athletics, than any I have seen at this school. You deserve our applause.

I want to thank the class of 2010 for inviting me to be a part of this special night.
Having kids of my own here at Mahar, I know most of you. I have attended your games, some of you have camped out on my living room floor.

I have written college recommendation letters for a lot of you, So I am honored to be a part of your special ceremony and I want to take advantage of that honor by using my time tonight to speak directly to you and pass along a few thoughts I hope will help you as you begin the next journey of your life.

As you contemplate your future and prepare for the several steps you have yet to take in life, allow yourself to remember all of the people, places and interactions you have had in life.

Your family and friends. Priests or ministers. The staff at Mahar and the friends you have made here.

All of the contacts and experiences you have in life are what weave the fabric of your being.

Who you are, your values, your goals are all influenced by the interactions you have and what you bring away from those interactions.
This goes for past interactions, current experiences and it will apply to all future interactions.

So here is a thought that you can feel free to use whenever you are trying to figure out where you are going and how you are going to get there.

“Life isn’t about finding yourself, Life is about creating yourself.” George Bernard Shaw said this and there is so much wisdom in that short statement.


You do not find values, you form them. You do not find knowledge you aquire it. You do not find character, you build it.

Who you are today you did not find, you are the product of your creation and that creation has its foundation in all of the interactions you have had right here.

Think about your experiences at Mahar. The goal here has been to educate you. To teach you and prepare you for life.

Here you have acquired the knowledge and skills you will need to create yourself: dedication, hard work and self discipline. Here you have been challenged to change and grow.


What is fascinating about today is that this is just the beginning. The job of creating yourself has just begun, and as you leave here, I want you to remember that the process of creating yourself never ends. As long as we experience life, we continue to grow and change. The creation is ongoing.

So as you contemplate your choices and look at all your options, I want to ask you to consider public service as a path toward continuing that creation.

Getting involved in your community is very rewarding. Volunteering, working in the service sector or being in elected office offer ways that we can contribute to our quality of life. It is a way of influencing the creation of others.

I started in public life a month after my college graduation. I accepted a position as a police officer in my community and eventually worked in the criminal justice field for 16 years before changing course. I am now completing four terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

One thing I have learned along the way is that there is no shortage of complainers, but there is a severe shortage of people willing to get involved.

This leads me to the second thought I wanted to share with you. Think about this one. “The world is run by those who show up.”

The first time I heard that I chuckled to myself until I realized how true it is.

Think about local government. Your school committee or board of selectmen. Think about the state House or the White House. Those in charge choose to show up, and now they make decisions that shape our community, our Commonwealth and our country. The question is, will any of you decide to show up?

It is our hope that you will. That is why so many of us in this community worked so hard to build this beautiful academic and athletic facility, so that the many talented students who pass through these doors will be the future leaders of America.

It is our hope that you will be the men and women who will make the right choices, rather than the easy ones. That you will be the ones willing to show up.

Some of you might wonder if these thoughts really apply to you. Can a graduate from a small high school in the tiny town of Orange really do anything that will make a difference?
I had those same thoughts when I sat with my classmates on this stage waiting to receive my Mahar diploma.

Draw inspiration from a story I want to tell you about a man who did make a difference. He is someone you are all familiar with, but none of you know. A man who often inspires me.

He graduated from Orange High School in 1930. He had greater challenges than most of us. He was legally deaf and needed braces on his legs to help him walk.

He went off to college and, despite his handicaps, he excelled , earning his bachelors degree and eventually a law degree. He returned to his small town and taught high school for a time but then decided that he wanted more. He wanted to make people’s lives better.

He was a strong believer in intergenerational responsibility; that is the obligation of each generation to leave our community stronger for the next. He wanted to be one of those people who show up.

He ran for state representative. He lost. But think about it. It is the early 1930’s. He is deaf and struggles to walk.
Many gave him credit for trying and left it at that, but trying wasn’t enough for this young man. He was determined. He ran again for state representative the next available opportunity. He worked harder and longer.. and this time he won.

Now picture his arrival in Boston. He gets off the train, he has difficulty hearing, there are no handicap ramps to ease his steps and he comes from a part of the state where there are more cows than people.

If he was noticed at all it was because the city folks were looking down their noses at him. That was alright. No excuses. He would just work harder than everybody else.

He served in The House of Representatives from 1938 until 1944 when He was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate.

This small town boy was using all he had learned in high school, college and in daily interactions to create himself.

I could keep you here all night listing his accomplishments, instead I will simply tell you that he went on to serve with distinction for 18 years in the Massachusetts Senate rising to the position of Chairman of Senate Ways and Means, arguably one of the three most powerful men in State government.
During that time he wrote and passed the law that created regional schools in Massachusetts and he wrote and passed the law that created the University of Massachusetts.

Think about this for a moment. This one man transformed education in Massachusetts.

Every person who has had the benefit of a good education because they were able to attend a regional school has him to thank,

and nearly 50 years after his death, thousands still benefit from their University of Massachusetts Degree, because he chose to show up and use his leadership and vision to create a state university in Massachusetts.

He was a young man from the small town of Orange. You all know his name, but I would bet most of you did not know his story. He was Senator Ralph C. Mahar.

This high school you are graduating from tonight serves as a monument to Senator Mahar and his dedication to education and to future generations. This school also serves as a monument to you and your potential.

And if you have the opportunity to visit the University of Massachusetts, there is a round building next to the Isenberg School of Management, the Ralph C. Mahar Auditorium. Again, a monument to a great man from a small town who chose to show up.

In 1962, Senator Mahar was the guest speaker at this very podium, talking to the graduates of the high school that had just been named in his honor. He said to them;

“"May you always have faith in yourselves whatever hardships may develop in the years ahead.
May you be individuals in the sense that you make up your minds, that you think straight and that you stand on your own two feet. May you have a sense of social conscience which shows concern for your fellow man.”
He was telling those graduates to create themselves.

When you leave here tonight for the last time, remember the story I have told you. Let nothing hold you back. Be the one willing to show up. Forget about finding yourself, go out there and create yourself…. and with the grace of God and your hard work – I know each of you will create something special.

Superintendent's Commencement Address 2010 - It Takes A Village

Thank you to The Ralph C. Mahar Concert Band and Director, Mr. William Choe for providing us with the musical accompaniments for our ceremony today.

Thank you to Mrs. Kilhart, Ms. Smith and Ms. Smith, Ms. McKenna, our director of Facilities Mr. Bates and his crew for creating the appropriate atmosphere for celebration.

Thank you State Representative Donelan for your words of inspiration and for your continued leadership in our school community. Please know that we are saddened by your departure from the State Legislature. But should you engage your new position as Sherriff with the same fervor that you as you have the role of Representative, we know that Franklin County is in hands that are sure to keep us safe.

Mr. Goodhind – Thank you for the last three years of leadership. We wish you the best as you return to your roots as an elementary school principal. I will be calling you in the fall when our MCAS scores are released to thank you for a job well done.

ORA NA AZU NWA – This statement was made famous in 1996 when Hillary Clinton wrote and spoke about it. It is an African Proverb that means – IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD.

Moms and Dads, Friends and Families – much went into this moment - the students that are sitting here about to receive their diplomas – It all started about 18 years ago with the work that you did as families in your homes.

Then there was Kindergarten, First, Second Grade and so on. In the Spirit of “It Takes a Village” Thank you Superintendents Burnim, Martin, and Wickman, Principals Hunter, Haggerty, Haigh, Softic, and Phillips and the teachers and staff at Swift River, Petersham Center, Dexter Park, Butterfield, and Fisher Hill Elementary Schools for teaching these young ladies and men how to write, read, add, subtract, and treat others with respect. Mahar could not succeed without your continued efforts and works.

And Thank you Mr. Hemlin, Ms. Curley, Mr. Trill and all of the Mahar faculty and staff. Our work as educators is important. We hope that our graduates continue with success that brought them here today. We hope that they will continue to learn and grow. We hope that they will come back to our community, open businesses, buy homes, and be leaders. Give us reasons to build new and bigger schools, and new libraries to accompany those that we already have.

There are many more who need to hear and read these words of Thanks.

Thank you to the Mahar School Committee for the policy decisions that allowed these students to sit here today.

Thank you to Mr. Kwiatkowski, Ms. Bull, and Mrs. Alrdrich for you leadership in our four towns and for your continued support of our Regional School District.
Thank you to the Seeds of Solidarity for our school gardens and the Mahar After Prom Party Group for giving our seniors a safe place and enjoyable evening after the prom.

Thank you to President Daniel Asquino and Mount Wachusett Community College for opportunities for our students to earn college credits during the school day and for our partnership in the nationally recognized drop out prevention program – The Gateway to College.

There are a number of students graduating today because of the support of the Communities Collaborative and Director Jim Regan. Having personally witnessed Mr. Regan’s work, I can say that it is a travesty that the funding for his organization is no more. Jim, you made a difference and you need to hear me say that. ORA NA AZU NWA my friend. It takes a village.
Thank you to the Orange Historical Society for opening your doors for our student to research the history of this beautiful Town.

Thank you to Wal Mart for allowing our students to raise funds at your store.

Carol Stockwell, Alice White, Anne Grosky, Michael Roche, Nate Bruer, Lori Seymour and Ellen Softic please stand up. I could spend the evening talking about your works alone. Thank you for a combined 222 years of service to our students and their families. Join me in a round of applause for our retirees.

Thank you to Chief Spear, Officer Softic and the Orange Police Department along with The Community Coalition for Teens, Dial SELF, Quabbin Mediation, Cydi Boyle and the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office and NELCWIT for your work in providing proactive solutions for safety and wellness for our teens.

There was a time not long ago when our students with specific learning needs had to board a van each morning and go to Gardner so that they could get the quality education that they deserve. Now, these students come to school with their same aged peers right here at Mahar and they take part in the highest quality education that I have seen. Thank you Dr. McCaul and the CAPS Educational Collaborative for making this possible. While these young men and young ladies are recipients of the excellent education that you provide – they are teaching our whole school community life’s most important lessons – those of perseverance and possibility.
This school, this education, and the experiences of these graduates do not happen all by themselves. What we are here to celebrate is the work of the people and organizations that I thanked, and all of those who I missed in this speech.

I hope that more people and organizations will join us in the next academic year. ORA NA AZU NWA – IT TAKES A VILLAGE.

Thank you.

NHS Awards Ceremony Keynote Speech - May 17, 2010

I was asked to post my keynote speech from the NHS Awards ceremony at the Elks Club on Monday Night:

Delivered May 17, 2010

Good Evening. Before I begin, please allow me to express my gratitude to Mr. Bjorn, Nic Guerra, and to the Ralph C. Mahar National Honor Society for selecting me as this year’s keynote speaker. To be honest, I never thought I would see the day when I would be invited to speak to a group of people. Often in my life, and even more lately, I have asked myself – How did I get here? How is it that I am involved in this situation? I mean I think I’ve made it a habit to plan for things – but honestly, I never planned for this. Some of you might be surprised to know that when I started college, my intention was to become a social worker – and not a teacher, principal, special education director, or a superintendent.

So, did I get here by luck or chance, or was it something else? Thomas Jefferson said, “I am a great believer in luck, and the harder I work, the more I have of it.” President Jefferson knew then what we all know now – it was never luck. Luck comes in lottery tickets, and in games of chance and that is about it. You aren’t lucky to be here. Rather this night is the natural consequence of hard work, sacrifice, perseverance, discipline, and focus. We can all recognize the potential energy in this room.

Whether you are in grade 10, 11, or 12 – you have been defined by your membership in the National Honor Society as those who are most likely to succeed. You have all of the preconditions for success – you are nourished properly and cared for by your families who are sitting around you. You have the work ethic, the giftedness, or a combination of both that allowed you the opportunity to have the grades and recommendations necessary to be a member of this distinguished group. But because of your age in relation to mine, and to your parents, and to your grandparents – we still cannot say for sure if you will be successful. But that depends on how you define success.

Right now I can say for sure of the soon to be graduates that are here tonight:
· 1 will study art at MWCC
· 2 will go to UMASS
· 1 to Assumption
· 1 to St. Joe’s
· 1 to Massachusetts College for Liberal Arts
· 1 to Bridgewater State
· 2 to WPI for Engineering
· 1 to Babson
· 1 to Fitchburg State to study Special Education
· 1 to New England School of Business
· And 1 all the way to Western Carolina University

Someday an old friend may come to you and ask you what you do, or who you have become. Of these 13 seniors, the response could be:

I am an artist.
I am the Marketing Director for (Name your company)
I am a lawyer
I am a History Teacher
I am a Math Teacher
I am the Vice President of my company
I am the Director of Special Education at Mahar (I say that to Nicole since I heard she is going to school to be a Special Educator)

After you respond to the question, you will hear it. Someone will say “Wow you really are lucky!” Before you hear the question and before you answer remember me telling you this tonight. Are you lucky because you came to school every day? Are you lucky because you did and do all that is asked of you by your teachers and your families? Are you lucky because you do extra? Are you lucky because you will not accept failure? There is no luck in “Try”, no luck in “Work”, and very very little opportunity for luck in success.

I had a nice speech to deliver tonight about success, but it changed at about 10 AM this morning. I began my day at St. Mary’s Church on Congress Street in Orange, where I faced some cold and hard reminders about life. I was reminded that life is more like a series of Polaroid pictures than it is about a video that is always running. Each choice that we make is a snapshot that leads us to the next…and then to the next. If you took a picture of me when I was 15, you would find a boy washing dishes at the Pine Plaza Restaurant in Niagara Falls, NY – doing homework while waiting for the potatoes to boil so that I could peel and cut them into what would become home fries. Each of us has a snapshot of that time – and this morning while I sat at the funeral for a boy I knew – I wondered about his snapshots.

This morning, that young man reminded me that life is not perfect. We live in a world where hopes and dreams are constantly shattered by wars and fighting, by addiction, by accidents, by illness, by hate, by anger, and by greed. In some cases dreams can just slip away as we struggle to get through each day over a long period of time. But a simple change in perspective can bring joy to our lives everyday, if we are willing to do just two simple things….Take little bites, and chew them well.

My father used to say this to me when I was a little boy, he said it to my sisters, and now I hear him saying it to his grandchildren. He says this because he did not want us to choke on our food. I have found that this statement can mean so much more. Take little bites and chew them well.
Let’s take the song “100 Years” by Five for Fighting. If you haven’t heard it, I encourage you to seek it out in the near future. For me, it affirmed my understanding that life isn’t perfect, but that there are perfect moments, and there are also our dreams. Our dreams can be as perfect as we want them to be. I will use just a couple of the song’s lyrics to guide this point.

I’m 15 for a moment – just dreaming

Most of us in this room have already been fifteen. It went by so fast – and yes, at fifteen we did dream didn’t we? Remember all the requirements at fifteen? Wake up, get ready, go to school, go to practice, go home, eat dinner, do your homework, go to bed. Well, not exactly. When I look back at fifteen I remember my friends, my teammates, certain conversations. I remember a dance, and a first kiss. I remember the moments of perfection. Of course we remember the tragedies too – but at fifteen we didn’t stop the dreaming.

I’m 22 for a moment – and she feels better than ever and I’m just dreaming

At twenty-two there were more requirements – working 40 or more hours a week. Paying the phone bill, the electric bill, the gas bill, rent, auto insurance, gasoline, an occasional parking ticket. I remember the Oklahoma City Bombing when I was 22 too. I also remember my grandmother’s smile, my sister’s recital, and Sunday dinners with my parents. More perfect moments and still there were my dreams.

I’m 33 for a moment – still the man but you see I’m of age, family on my mind

This is just about as far as I can go with experience credits. I remember learning that there are people who lie and and there are people who cheat. Sadly you will learn this too, if you haven’t already. I learned that there are people in the world who will do anything that they can to improve their positions financially or politically, no matter who is affected by their actions or how. In this difficult and painful time there were still the perfect moments of breaking bread with all of my family and all of my friends. There was perfection in hearing the words, “I do.” And don’t forget, I still had my dreams.

I’m 45 for a moment – counting the years of my life

It seems at this part there are many people who are dissatisfied. The terminology is “mid-life crisis.” It’s the time when some feel as though they have not done all that they had set out to and perhaps feel unremarkable. I don’t know this for sure because I haven’t been there yet, but I am preparing myself by observing:

I know the mother of a severely disabled child has much to worry about – yet she finds perfection in that child’s smile, and feels the undying love in the hugs and kisses of her baby. And yes, through both the difficulties and those moments of perfection, that mommy still dreams.

Half time goes by (the age of 50)
Suddenly you’re wise
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone

In that time between 15 and 67, life will throw so much at you. But you have already proven that you are fighters – and no matter how hard it gets you will find perfect moments, and you will follow your dreams.

Right now, here in this room, we are together living a perfect moment. The students here tonight are amidst a snapshot – a moment, right now is a just little bite. When I say chew it well – I am just telling you to enjoy it as much as you can, and never forget it. Tomorrow when you wake up set out on a journey to find as many perfect moments, moments just like this. Maybe your dream is a beach house on stilts, could be a family of your own, or perhaps a trip around the world. No matter what your dream is and whether or not you able to get there, don’t ever forget to enjoy, to digest perfect moments along the way.

Back to the song:
I’m 99 for a moment – dying for just another moment – and I’m still dreaming

Even at 99 we can dream. What are your perfect moments? What will your snapshots look like? To the students in the NHS – the stage is set for you to be great. Don’t pass on your opportunity. What are your dreams? What will you do tomorrow morning to make them come true?

Greenfield Recorder - May 7, 2010 - A Response

Earlier this week I received a call from the Orange Town Administrator in which he invited me to attend an emergency meeting at Orange Town Hall on Saturday morning, May 8th. Mr. Kwiatkowski informed me that the topic of discussion at the meeting would be the projected budget shortfall for the Town of Orange in the 2011 Fiscal Year. I informed Mr. Kwiatkowski that I would be in attendance and I asked him if the Orange Finance Committee or Selectmen would like for me to bring anything. By anything, I not only meant the Mahar budget materials and information about our organization. I was also willing to bring the coffee and donuts that could help set the stage for meaningful dialogue about how we would work together to create the best situation for the families in the Town of Orange.

This morning [Friday] a staff member at Mahar came into my office and handed me the front page of the Local section of the Greenfield Recorder. She said to me, “Sorry to ruin your day…but you have to read this.” I carefully read the article that was written about the budget crisis in the Town of Orange, and then I read it again. Orange Finance Committee Member Jane Pierce speaking of the teachers at Mahar was quoted; “I feel if we have more excellent teachers then there are fewer needed. Doesn’t it sort of beg to a larger class size?” The reason that I read this twice was that I could not believe what she [Ms. Pierce] said. I have been in communication via E-mail with Ms. Pierce this week and I have been preparing a Mahar class size report for her. I thought that we were working together…but then I read her quote.

One of my mentors taught me that a public action should always receive a public response. With this in mind I am compelled to respond to the statements made by Ms. Pierce publicly. To be fair, if you did not read the article in Friday’s Recorder please stop reading this and go back and read it before you proceed in reading my response. If you did read it and my response is of interest to you, please continue. I am writing this article on behalf of the students who attend our school, their families, our staff, and the four towns that make up the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District. It is also important to say that more than 75% of the students who attend Mahar reside in the town of Orange.

There are really only two points that I need to make. The first is that when one talks about the Ralph C. Mahar Regional School in terms of “they” you would expect that the person who is speaking does not reside in the Towns of Orange, Wendell, Petersham, or New Salem. It would be okay for a person from Athol, Gill, Turners Falls, Montague, or Amherst to talk about Ralph C. Mahar in terms of “They” but not for a person from Orange. The Ralph C. Mahar Regional School is here for the education of the children and young adults from Orange and our other member towns. I don’t call our teachers “the professionals.” Rather, I refer to them as “Our professionals.” Mahar is Orange. Mahar is Wendell. Mahar is New Salem. Mahar is Petersham. I have an agreement that was drafted in 1956 and later amended to back these statements up.

Second, I am going into Saturday morning’s meeting with a different paradigm than the one that Ms. Pierce conveyed in her statements to the Greenfield Recorder. I am going in to the meeting with the intent of building and sustaining synergy with my colleagues from the Town of Orange. I want to be part of a solution rather than part of an argument that has gone on for years. Rather than remind readers about what a wonderful school community Mahar is and rather than write about the ills of educating children in crowded classrooms, I am choosing to write about the need to change some hearts and some minds. Mahar should not be viewed separately from the communities of Orange, Wendell, New Salem and Petersham.

Breaking Down Bullying

The unfortunate suicide of South Hadley teen, Phoebe Prince has brought about a renewed sense of purpose for school officials, legislators, those in law enforcement, parents, teachers, and students. Events such as those that recently took place in South Hadley, MA have a way of setting off a chain of events that forever change the landscape of the day to day operation of schools in America. I can compare the anti-bullying vigilance of recent days to the exponential increase in lockdown drills and implementation of Emergency Planning that took place in schools after the events at Columbine High School in 1999.

Never before has the actions of bullies been so clearly defined. In the book “The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander” Barbara Coloroso (2008) describes three elements of situations that involve bullies and those being bullied. First, the situation always involves an imbalance of power. That is that the offender is often bigger, older, stronger, more verbally equipped, or has more capital with peers. Second, the bully always acts with intent to harm. The offender means to inflict some type of physical or psychological pain on the victim or victims, and it is never an accident. Third, in instances of bullying both the offender and the victim know that the bullying can and most likely will occur again. This threat of further aggression is often the reason that bullying goes unreported to adults.

Coloroso (2008) asserts that the terror that is generated from the above mentioned actions renders victims powerless. Once this terror exists there is potential for extreme acts of aggression, retaliation, and a cycle of violence that can come from either the offender or the victim. School administrators and teachers now intimately aware and focused on the interactions of students with one another in classrooms, in the hallways, in the cafeteria, and on the sports fields have been hyper vigilant about ensuring that students are not engaging in these behaviors.

When crises such as those in South Hadley strikes the public school system groups of people whom I refer to as “Crisis Entrepreneurs” move quickly. These are groups of people and corporations who profit from seriously unfortunate events. To date, I have received about a dozen invitations to seminars and weekend retreats to meet with “professionals” about mitigating the problems caused by bullying in schools. One of these conferences was $600.00 per person to attend, and it came with a weekend stay at a four star hotel. These invitations come to me by fax, by E-mail, and in via the US Postage service. The faxes go in the recycle bin along with the mail, and the E-mails go directly to the junk E-mail box.

The Ralph C. Mahar Regional School has a department that focuses specifically on Student Support Services. Among this group of highly qualified professionals are veteran school counselors, a school psychologist, licensed school social workers, and a support team facilitator. This group meets weekly to discuss the interactions of individual and groups of students, their behavior in and outside of school, and proactive approaches to stopping violence while ensuring school wide social-emotional wellness. At Mahar, we understand a very simple fact: If students are not well, learning cannot and will not take place. How could a student who fears for his or her safety focus subjects like Algebra, Geometry, Chemistry, or anything else for that matter?

The No Child Left Behind Act calls upon school administrators to focus on student drop out rates, performance on state assessments, graduation rates, and specifically the performance of students in selected populations such as Special Education, English Language Learners, and those from Low Income Families. Take the pressure of these accountability standards and when added to the previous and approaching budget crises the public schools are faced with an entirely new set of problems. There is only so much funding, and where should it go? Do we risk lower test scores to keep our students safe? Do we focus on their wellness even though it might mean that class sizes may go up in our schools?

To me the answer is simple. The safety of our students comes first. Those who are best poised to ensure student safety are those who are trained to listen to them and when needed, act as their voices. I recognize that we are in a budget crisis – but I will not allow any reduction in funding to fall on the backs of our children who are in need of the most support. Those who are reading this article who have been bullied or been bullies know that bullying is not isolated to schools. Perhaps there are bullies in our adult lives too. It is my hope that the proactive approach of Mahar and the proactive approaches of other public schools will not only keep our students safe now, but educate them for a future in which they go out of their way to help, rather than hurt others.