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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
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Hart to focus on teens at Southwick Library
See SPL Teens, Page 8
Brett Outchcunis, a professional yo-yo performer, demonstrates his artistic skills at the Southwick Public Library. Programming for teens and young adults will be part of the job for the new Young Adult Librarian Jacklyn Hart. (File Photo)
— SIMONE WEIL
75 cents
TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2016
VOL. 85 NO. 58
By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – March is all about teens at the Southwick Library. Jacklyn Hart is the new young adult librarian and she has several events for area teens to have fun, learn, and be part of the library this month. The Teen Lounge is an opportunity for students in grades 7-12 to have a safe place to hang out with friends, or make new ones. The Teen Lounge meets March 9 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. and participants can play on the Wii system and enjoy snacks. This month’s Teen Lounge falls during Teen Tech Week which is held every year in March. This year’s theme is “Create It At Your Library.” During the Teen Lounge, students can try out the library’s new 3D printing pen and make some fun crafts with Duct tape. Teen Tech Week Scavenger Hunt at the Southwick Public Library is also in March. Hart encouraged teens to stop by the Young Adult department during Teen Tech Week and the
“The intelligent man who is proud of his intelligence is like the condemned man who is proud of his large cell.”
Off-duty Southwick cop and K9 help catch 2 suspected burglars Members of the South Middle School student government gave a presentation to the School Committee on their week-long activities to stop bullying. “They’re a wonderful group of students,” said Principal Justin Baker. “They’ve done so much for our school this year.” He said 300 students came to the ice cream social they held as part of their event. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Superintendent candidates to be interviewed this week By AMY PORTER Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The preliminary screening committee for the new Superintendent of the Westfield Public School district met last week to review applications for the position, and to determine the number of candidates to invite for interviews, according to chair Ramon Diaz, Jr. at Monday’s School Committee meeting. Diaz said fifteen people applied for the position. The committee will conduct their interviews on Wednesday and Thursday, and by Friday, they hope to have the list of finalists. Once the finalists have been contacted, their names will be made public, and dates will be set for interviews with the School Committee, which will be made public. “I’m excited about them,” Diaz said. “We have a very qualified group of candidates.” Diaz said the process was very fair, and initially, all resumes were reviewed without names attached. Besides Diaz, members of the preliminary screening committee are parents Melissa Rutkowski and Amber Danahey, teachers Lori Lyncosky and Matt Wroth, administrator Denise Ruszala, special education representative Betsy Philpot, principals Kathy O’Donnell and Katherine Bourque, police captain Michael McCabe, and Ronald Sullivan of the custodial union. Superintendent Suzanne Scallion gave a preview of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) audit report for the schools, which will be made public later this month. Speaking about the executive summary, she said most notably the audit found that Westfield Public School District has evolved from a system of schools operating highly independently to a school system. She said that the English language arts and math curriculums were found to be fully aligned to state standards. Among recommendations to the school are improvements to science facilities. “Overall, the report is something that we should feel very proud of,” Scallion said. “It’s good to have them look at our programs and see where we can continue to grow.”
The School Committee also voted their approval of the Statement of Interest (SOI) for building programs for both the Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy which will be sent to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). The City Council also gave their approval last Thursday. WPS Director of Business Services Ronald Rix said the SOIs are the first step of the process for building and renovation of school buildings. He said they are proposing a renovation to both schools, focusing on new science labs, enhancing technology, and securing entrances and exits. “In reality, they won’t even approve the SOI until the elementary school is built,” Rix said, because the authority only allows one building project at a time. Rix said the SOI’s are submitted and updated every year, revising 2011 schematics for the high school, which would be the next project. Rix said there have been no major updates to the high school since it was built in 1973. Scallion also said that she has posted the position of Administrator of Special Education and Student Support Services for the district, due to the upcoming retirement of Patricia Byrnes. Scallion said there are a number of Special Education searches going on right now that are not filled. She said she is hoping that the new superintendent will be on board to meet the candidates for the position. Scallion also reported on recent activity to the Anonymous Alert system which is online at www. schoolsofwestfield.org. Scallion said the schools have received at least 12 significant leads through this system for dealers, users and pushers. She said that students, parents and member of the community have used the system. “We absolutely don’t have to know who you are,” Scallion said. “Our Internet is keeping our kids safe. This has been a very valuable tool of late.” Scallion said the first thing that happens on a tip is that the parents are called. “We had one officer escort a student last week,” she said. “As a result of the community forum, we found a bed.”
By CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY Staff Writer WESTFIELD – Thanks to the quick thinking and actions of an off duty police officer and his K9, two Springfield men suspected of breaking into a house were caught last week. It happened around 9:30 a.m. the morning of March 1. Southwick Police Officer Thomas Krutka noticed a suspicious motor vehicle parked near 26 Pontoosic Road. The next thing Krutka said he saw was two subjects running from a residence through the woods towards Feeding Hills Road. He also noted that the door to the residence had been pried open. Even though Krutka was off duty, he called for backup and pursued the suspects with the assistance of his K9 partner, Jax. Within ten minutes, Westfield Police Officer Dermot Hurley had one subject detained. About 15 minutes later, thanks to Jax and Krutka, Hurley detained the second suspect. Carlos A. Sanchez-Martir, 26, of 72 Prospect St., Springfield and Julio L. Santiago, II, 32, of 32 Osgood, Springfield, were arrested and each charged with felony breaking and entering daytime, malicious destruction of property under $250 and larceny over $250. Westfield Police cleared the house, found no other suspects and contacted the homeowner. Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at christinec @thewestfieldnewsgroup.com
Southwick Police Officer Thomas Krutka and his K9 partner Jax work the area near ECI Corporation on Mainline Drive in Westfield where an armed suspect was seen crossing In 2013. The armed man robbed a Rite-Aid store on East Silver Street and fled on foot. (WNG file photo)
Police seek 4 suspects identified in Westfield Walmart theft WESTFIELD (WWLP) – Westfield police detectives posted to their Facebook page Monday asking for the public’s help in finding four suspects wanted in connection with a theft of hundreds of dollars in merchandise from the city’s Walmart store. It worked – in a matter of hours police posted an update to the original post. “The community has come through, once again. Thank you
to everyone who contacted us with information! All four parties have been positively identified.” Westfield Police Detective Rick Mazza said that three men and one woman appeared to have been working together on the March 2 theft. The woman was seen leaving the store with a shopping carriage full of food items and a baby car seat. The value of the stolen merchandise is estimated to be more than $350.