Volume 18, Issue 28
Serving Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall
Friday, October 21, 2011
First selectman candidates in the hot seat at Exchange Club forum By Cheri Kelley Town Times
First selectman candidates (l-r) Roger Kleeman and Laura Francis in Durham and Lucy Petrella and Jon Brayshaw in Middlefield. Photo by Cheri Kelley
BOE looks at changing curriculum, population By Mark Dionne Special to the Town Times At Regional School District 13’s (RSD13) regular Board of Education (BOE) meeting on Oct. 12, Superintendent Sue Viccaro led the board through discussions of the changes in state curriculum standards and student population. Like the rest of Connecticut, RSD13 has been put on a three-year timetable to transition from the Connecticut Mastery Tests (CMTs) to Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Students currently in kindergarten will never take the CMTs, since those standardized tests will be dropped when they reach grade three. Viccaro’s presentation concentrated on the elementary grades and cited numerous areas requiring curriculum changes to prepare students for the CCSS. The new standards have fewer elements but require greater mastery. “There are fewer standards in the [kindergarten] math curriculum, but they are much deeper,” Vic-
caro said. In order for future kindergarten classes to meet the new standards, Viccaro said, “They need to be in a full-day program. There is not a doubt in my mind.” RSD13’s curriculum will undergo an overhaul, adding and dropping elements that have previously been part of the classroom. Preliminary work to investigate this transition led Viccaro to conclude, “This is not work for the faint of heart.” Viccaro predicted that there will need to be significantly more funds in professional development, specifically citing the need to unite elementary teachers spread among three buildings. “This is no small undertaking.” Member Merrill Adams expressed concern about pulling teachers away from classroom time. Plans for the curriculum overhaul and associated professional development were not finalized. Student population declines The 2011-12 student body See BOE, page 17
Do you know whom you will vote for in the Nov. 8 election? Have you considered the candidates running for first selectman and thought about what you’d like to see in your town government? On Thursday, Oct. 13, about 50 people attended the Durham/Middlefield Exchange Club’s forum at the Durham Firehouse to figure out their answers to the above questions. It was a
chance for the candidates running for the position of first selectman in both towns to tell the community about themselves, what they plan to do if elected to office for the next term and why they feel they are qualified. Lucy Petrella, a Democrat and challenger for first selectman in Middlefield, went first. Petrella has lived in Middlefield for 25 years, has been married for 43 years and is a retired teacher. As a teacher, she worked with kids in kindergarten through
eighth grade in both special and regular education classrooms. She feels that it is her background in teaching that gives her the skills needed to be a first selectman with a “proactive leadership approach, who will make timely decisions.” Petrella has an action plan that covers many areas, including economic development, asset management, a specific plan of maintenance, seniors’ needs, education and emergency management. See Candidates, page 3
Locals run half-marathon These four Middlefield and Durham locals ran in Hartford’s half-marathon on Saturday, Oct. 15. From left to right: Bert Plant, Chloe Poisson, Ben Plant and Collin Plant. Submitted by Pat Bandzes
No two days the same for RSD13 Teacher of the Year By Cheri Kelley Town Times Jan Wenzel, art teacher at Coginchaug Regional High School (CRHS), is humbled by receiving Regional School District 13’s (RSD13) Teacher of the Year title for the 2011-12 school year. CRHS principal Andre Hauser explained why he nominated Wenzel: “Jan’s most important contribution is that she really and truly believes in and nurtures the potential of every single student who walks through her door. No matter how great students’ challenges are, Jan can
Jan Wenzel find, nurture and describe in detail both their specific artistic talents and what
makes them interesting and unique people. Thanks to this and to Jan’s completely open and accepting nature, I believe that there are students who come to school each day just for the chance to work with her. And that is what makes Jan Wenzel the Teacher of the Year.” This year is the beginning of Wenzel’s 23rd year teaching; she has taught all over the state, including in Windsor Locks, Westport and Milford. Within RSD13, Wenzel taught at Strong Middle School for 13 years and has See Teacher, page 17