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.