The Berlin
Cit itiz ize en Volume 13, Number 51
Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
BOE issues progress report By Olivia L. Lawrence Associate Editor The Board of Education has issued a new progress report that sets out a number of goals for students, staff and board members as well as the district’s facilities. President Gary Brochu introduced the document at the district’s annual meeting in the fall noting that it was “the first progress report” and one that will be updated annually. The report sets goals for a number of times under the categories of: student achievement; BOE communication; facilities and educational adequacy; BOE governance; BOE self-evaluation and evaluation of the superintendent. These “key indicators of success” attempts to go beyond a reliance on standardized test scores as a way of measuring the district’s progress, Brochu said. For example, while test results and graduation rates are one indicator of achievement, the success of students five years post-graduation is another piece of information that would help policy makers and staff shape pro-
grams. The goal is to survey high school graduates five years after graduation to determine their status as it relates to college and career. BHS is working with the National Student Clearinghouse which offers a program called “StudentTracker for High Schools.” The program asks questions such as: What colleges do students attend; how long do educational efforts persist; did they transfer between colleges and graduate; what degrees do they earn; and what courses of study do they pursue. In addition, the guidance department has a 12 question survey for graduates and there is access to the survey on Facebook. To date, 170 graduates have registered and about 60 have taken the survey. The board has a goal of establishing reciprocal communication “that is accessible and understandable and that unites all citizens around the belief that high quality public education is a community’s most valuable asset.”
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Santa’s Express delivers
Photo by Lee Roski
Santa’s Express, sponsored by the Kensington Fire Department, enjoyed another great year delivering presents, and smiles, to the children of Berlin. 2009 was the best year yet for Santa’s Express, according to the KFD.
See BOE, page 6
Berlin couple creates a magical Christmas village for the holidays By Olivia L. Lawrence Associate Editor
Cary and Ginger Arotsky survey the Christmas village they created at their new Berlin home.
A couple who recently relocated to Berlin brought a house full of Christmas spirit along with them. Cary and Ginger Arotsky have a vast collection of holiday items at their place at The Regency at Berlin just off the Berlin turnpike. The spectacular display makes this season something to behold at their home. The couple, who have been together for 22 years, moved to Berlin in 2007. Over the years, their Christmas villages and other col-
lectibles have been featured in numerous news stories. Their former home in Hampden was featured in a spot on HGTV “House Hunters” series. Cary Arotsky described the animated Christmas figure presentation, in the bay window of his house, “like a Macy’s window.” A mixed race couple, the Arotskys have accumulated dozens of black Santas — many of them gifts. A dozen black Santas line the staircase. On the tree in the living room,
See Christmas, page 10