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The Westfield News
“Happiness does not lie i n happiness, but in the achievement of it.”
Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com
— FYODOR DOSTOYEVSKY
75 cents
TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2016
VOL. 85 NO. 69
Finalists for the job of Superintendent of Westfield Public Schools had one hour each to address the nearly 40 members of the public at the City Council chambers. (Photos by Amy Porter)
School superintendent finalists presented to the public By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Finalists for the job of Superintendent of Westfield Public Schools had one hour each to address the nearly 40 members of the public that came to the City Council chambers to hear from them and ask questions. Each candidate gave a brief background of themselvesand answered the big question: “Why Westfield?” Tonight, beginning at 5:30 p.m., the School Committee will interview each candidate. The interviews will be broadcast live on Channel 15, and aired again tomorrow at noon. Stefan Czaporowski, of Florence, is principal of Westfield Technical Academy, and spoke about his proudest accomplishments there, one of which was jumping from a Level 3 to a Level 1 school during his tenure. He has added an adult mentoring program for students, a computer programming program, adult evening classes in manufacturing, and the aviation maintenance program. “The aviation program isn’t a Westfield Technical thing,” he said. “It is a Westfield thing.” He said he has also brought in $1.6 million in grants, outside of the school budget. In addition, he has added honors courses, art and music, and co-opted with St. Mary’s for sports. “Community outreach is something I really believe in,” Czaporowski said. WTA has adopted Russell Elementary School for a year-long program, and will be helping them build raised beds this spring. He also spoke about the gazebo project, which started when he was assistant principal in 2011. He said WTA students are part of the Drug Abuse Task Force, and business technology students will be giving free classes.
He is also starting a Westfield Academy Alumni Association, and increasing business involvement. He said when he started, 50 people were on the general advisory board, which has grown to 185 people. “I envision a district business advisory board,” he said. This fall, Czaporowski was invited to join an advisory committee to help solve Holyoke Technical High School problems. Czaporowski said he believes in community forums for big issues, and a shared decision-making model. “If you can’t tell, I’m very passionate about this town,” he said. He has worked in the district since November, 2008, except for a year in Hatfield as a principal. He said he has the ability to forge a vision, assemble experts and develop a plan. “I’m fortunate to do what I love to do for the past two decades,” he said. “My goal has been to provide students with what they need to be successful.” Czaporowski said he was very gratified that the students were recognized with the Level 1 status designation last fall. “Currently, Westfield High School, Munger Hill and South Middle School are classified as Level 3. As Superintendent of Schools, I will use my collaborate style to bring Westfield High School and Munger Hill out of Level 3 very quickly,” he said. “I would like to attend SEPAC meetings,” He said when asked how he would relate to the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) as the district hires a new Special Education Director. I’ll do anything we can to make it better.” Another parent asked what he would do for high achieving students. He said when he was in Hatfield, they had an X block in seventh and eighth grades
which was extracurricular for some, and extra help for others. “If these students are excelling, maybe they don’t need to take all those classes,” he said, adding he would take them on a field trip to the airport. “I would like to see them get stronger,” when asked about librarians, often on the chopping block when budgets need to be cut. “I would like to see a librarian in every school.” As for what he would do his first 100 days, Czaporowski spoke about the state of computers in the schools. “Our computers are ancient. I could walk away for five minutes in the morning, and it still would not be turned on.” He said he would like to develop a tech plan that includes everyone, including parents and students, who he said were not involved in the last plan. “When I arrived at WTA, I created a school climate committee with teachers,” he said and siad 60 students joined. He surveyed every student and teacher, with 75 percent participation. He also lent the survey out to principals in other schools. He said parents need to feel welcomed at the school. He has an open door policy for anyone who wants to come and speak with him. He was asked how he would continue to implement the changes he made as principal if he became superintendent. “Input is the key. If it’s good for kids, I want to do it,” he said. “If it benefits our students, why not?” “As a tech principal, I try to make it relevant,” he said. “seventy percent of college grads don’t have the skills they need.” He said he would work on professional development, and relevant instruction for teachers.
WHS senior wins top honors at regional science fair By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Westfield High School senior Christopher Clark has been selected to represent the Commonwealth of Massachusetts at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona on May 8-13, after winning first place overall at the Region I Science Fair at the Massachusetts Collect of Liberal Arts in North Adams earlier this month. He will also participate in the state competition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on May 5-7. Clark said he was nervous as the winners were called at the regional fair. There were two first place winners, and his project was called last, but gained top honors. “It was a very culminating feeling,” he
said. “A really big recognition for all the work that I’ve done.” Clark’s “Algal Biofuel Production” project was a continuation project from his junior year, when Clark explored which algae might prove most useful to grow for biofuel production. He started to work on this year’s project last summer. This year he based his concept on a micro-industrial cost analysis of growing the algae all the way to its conversion to biodiesel, hypothesizing whether growing the algae would yield a sufficient amount of dry mass for production of biodiesel at an equitable cost. The project focused on start to finish, from growing a small culture of algae, to evaporating it in pools. After drying it using evaporation and a food dehydrator, he col-
lected the dry mass, and broke it down to a powdery substance. He then used the FOLCH method of limpid extraction, initially used for limpid extraction of animal cells, to produce a vegetable oil that is flammable. Clark said his project had three parts: scientific, engineering, and cost analysis. He said the results showed that using the method of photobioreactor on an open pond produced a sufficient amount of algae to be useful for biodiesel production. After the Westfield High School science fair in February, where he won third place, he worked on further improvements to the limpid extraction of the oil to produce a liquid usable in a See Science Fair, Page 3
Woman arrested as a fugitive after caught shoplifting entered the store to return the items at the customer service desk. Loss prevention “lost eyes” on the second suspect, but saw that the first suspect was driving around the parking lot and appeared to be “waiting for her partner in crime to emerge from the store,” according to police logs. Police learned that there was an “active extraditable warrant” out of Enfield, Connecticut, for Kristina L. See Shoplifting, Page 3
Westfield Technical Academy Presents
By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A woman caught shoplifting ended up being arrested as a fugitive from justice. Police were called to Walmart, located at 141 Springfield Road, around 1:15 p.m. Friday afternoon for an incident of shoplifting. Loss Prevention observed a woman steal items from the store and get into a vehicle with a Massachusetts license plate where another woman was sitting. The first woman gave the items to the second woman who then
“At WTA, we took academics and integrated it into the shops,” he said. “My big dream is to build one big new high school combining both schools, so we could offer that experience to everyone,” Czaporowski said, noting that both high schools are slated for building programs. He also said he would like to add two new coruses at Westfield High School, in early childhood education and criminal justice, both of which are college tracks. When asked how he would push back against the state’s overabundance of initiatives and testing, he said he would go to superintendent meetings, and hold the politicians accountable. “I’m going to do what’s best for our kids. That’s my priority,” he said. “That’s why I became a teacher. That’s why I’m standing before you today.” Jennifer Willard, director of human resources for Westfield Public Schools, was introduced as having been a principal, assistant principal, math coach and teacher in Massachusetts schools. When asked “Why Westfield?”, the Westfield High School graduate and Westfield resident said, “I am Westfield. I can’t think of any other place I’d rather work.” Willard said she had always wanted to be an educator. After college, she taught in Springfield. When the opportunity came to be the assistant principal at the Southampton Road Elementary School, she jumped at it, saying it was where she learned everything she needed to know before becoming principal of the school. Willard said she helped to build the program with SMART boards in the school, which had already started, helping to make it the first SMART school in Westfield. When she was recruited as director of See Finalists, Page 3
Manslaughter charge for Lombard-Hawthorne By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD – Seth LombardHawthorne, the man accused of selling heroin to a Westfield girl who died from an overdose, has been indicted for manslaughter. James Leydon, public and media relations director for District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni, confirmed today that LombardHawthorne would go before a grand SETH LOMBARD jury with the new charge. -HAWTHORNE “He has been indicted for manslaughter,” Leydon said. Leydon said more information will be available from Gulluni later today. Lombard-Hawthorne, 22, was arrested shortly after 5:30 p.m. Feb. 6 by Westfield Police Department and Massachusetts State Police assigned to Gulluni’s office on charges of distribution of Class A drug and possession of Class A drug just hours after Westfield High School 11th grader Lillian (Lily) Anderson, 16, was found dead from a suspected heroin overdose. “Pending an autopsy, the Commonwealth is contemplating an additional charge of manslaughter based on a series of events, circumstances and facts leading up to the death of this young lady and (pending) post-death investigation by Westfield police and Mass State Police,” Assistant District Attorney Edward Kivari told Westfield District Court Judge Philip Contant last month.
Westfield Technical Academy Auditorium Friday May 6 7:30 PM The National Touring Production of Eaglemania Live in Concert. The Complete Eagle’s Experience with Songs: Take It Easy, Desperado, Lyin Eyes, Hotel California and more. Visit the band at www.eaglemaniaband.wordpress.com. Tickets: Purplepass.com, Rocky’s Ace Hardware, The Press Room, WTA Main Office Sponsored By: