Search for The Westfield News
WEATHER TONIGHT Showers. Low of 43.
The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016
VOL. 85 NO. 28
“Your friend
will argue with you.” — ALEXANDER SOLZHENITSYN
75 cents
Gateway parents turn out for visioning forum
Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School Committee members Theodore Locke and George LeBlanc listen to discussion during last night’s meeting. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School Committee members Jeffrey Houle and Pamela Petschke. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
Study OK’d that could close or find new use for Granville Village School By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Southwick-TollandGranville Regional School Committee voted to move forward on a study of the school buildings last night, which could close or find another use for the Granville Village School. Under the regional agreement, a study is allowed of all buildings to determine, among other things, the need for each building. Granville Village School has had declining enrollment and this year, seventh and eighth grade students moved to the Southwick Regional School. Currently, there are just eight first graders at the school. School Committee member Pamela Petschke, who represents Granville, was the only member to vote against starting the study. “I can’t vote for initiating this study,” Petschke said, citing the will of Granville residents. The timing of the study was a concern for
Petschke, who said at the last meeting it seemed that once the Southwick campus renovation projects was nearly complete, the heat was turned up on closing the Village School. “It sends a negative message to Granville residents,” she said. Committee member George LaBlanc proposed the study and said it was not necessarily in order to close the school and the timing had little to do with the renovation project. LeBlanc said he brought it forward now simply because the committee is discussing the budget and funds should be set aside for the study. “We’re not looking to do this for September 2016,” said LeBlanc. Several residents of Granville spoke out against closing the school and asked several questions, which Superintendent John Barry said could not be answered without the study. Granville resident Meg Putnam asked about costs to conduct the study, as well as
the financial benefit of sending the students to the Southwick campus. Brian Durphy asked why the study was being brought up now. “I never thought this was an issue,” he said. “If you’re looking into how to best utilize the school, that’s fine, but not shutting it down.” Putnam said if they close the school, they are “condemning Granville.” Petschke said she believes that if transportation was not an issue, more families in Southwick and Granville would choose to send their children to the Granville Village School. Now, anyone who chooses that school must provide transportation. She urged the committee to reconsider and said the Village School offers “a unique learning environment.” Barry said last month that he hopes the study would not only look at closing the school, but options to keep it open.
See Tech Plan, Page 8
See Visioning, Page 7
Russell parent Lyndsey Papillon said there should be more events like the forum to give parents the opportunity to collaborate.
School Board to send tech plan to City Council By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – At Monday’s School Committee meeting, Kevin Sullivan made a motion to support the 2015-2018 Strategic Technology Plan that has been prepared by Ron Rix, Westfield Public Schools Director of Technology and Business Services, and to move it to the next stop at the City Council. The motion passed. Rix has been working on the Strategic Technology Plan since last spring. Last week, the Technology and Finance subcommittees chaired by Cynthia Sullivan and Kevin Sullivan held a joint meeting to go over the plan in detail, according to Rix. The plan, which was posted Tuesday on the website at www.schoolsofwestield.org under the Technology Department link, contains a line item budget with a bottom line of $3.6 million. “We haven’t invested in technology in the last six or seven years,” Rix said. He said that one of the things they’re asking for the City Council to consider is bonding for it, and bringing in a major
By AMY PORTER Correspondent HUNTINGTON – About 70 parents and 40 children joined Gateway administration and teachers Tuesday for a 2025 visioning meeting that began with dinner and offered child care, and was funded by the Gateway Educational Foundation. Gateway Superintendent Dr. David B. Hopson said that offering babysitting, provided by Gateway paraprofessionals along with National Honor Society volunteers, was the only way to get young parents out. “They’re the ones that should be involved as we look ahead 10 years,” Hopson said. Following dinner, adults were gathered into small groups with discussion questions. Hopson explained that the district had done a similar visioning process in 2005, asking what Gateway should be in 5 or 10 years. They were then asked to share their top three comments and concerns to the larger gathering. Most groups commented on the sense of community and beautiful facility at Gateway, where everybody knows all the children, and
(Photo by Amy Porter)
Officials at embattled Great Barrington school to speak out
WNG FILE PHOTO
Man severely injured after Huntington fire HUNTINGTON (WWLP) – Barr Hill and Church roads were closed Tuesday night while firefighters put out a farmhouse fire in Huntington. Huntington Fire Chief Gary Dahill said one man was severely burned in the fire, and was rushed to Baystate Medical Center. He said another woman and her dog who lived in a separate house in the back made it out okay. The home suffered water and smoke damage. The back of the house suffered the most damage. Fire departments from Huntington, Russell, Chester and Westhampton all responded to the fire alarm. The State Fire Marshall’s office is investigating the cause of the fire.
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. (AP) — People associated with a Berkshire County school for boys with autism and behavioral disorders are speaking out for the first time since five staff members were charged with abusing students. Administrators and parents of some students at the Eagleton School in Great Barrington have scheduled a news conference for Wednesday afternoon. The five staffers were arrested last weekend and released on personal recognizance at their arraignments. They face several charges including assault and battery on a disabled person. Eagleton founder and executive director Bruce Bona said in a statement he is "disheartened and very concerned that the actions of our staff have come under question." The school remains open following visits by two state education regulatory agencies. No adverse regulatory action has been taken against the school.