From meeting the new school service dog, strong MCAS scores, and celebrating the district’s first Feinstein Foundation Golden ticket award, the Marion School Committee on December 5 was filled with good news.
Sippican Elementary School third-grader Rose O’Brien, a Feinstein school for her good deeds, won a random drawing that helped garner $5,000 for the school and $500 for a charity of O’Brien’s choice.
O’Brien, who says she helps take care of her grandmother, chose to donate the $500 to the town’s Council on Aging.
At first, I didn’t even know I was winning and later in the day they told me I was a winner,” O’Brien told the School Committee, adding that she wants to help “the old people of the community.”
“It was a perfect fit, and we are so excited,” Sippican Principal Lynn Dessert said at last Thursday’s meeting. “I am really excited about Rose’s choice, and I had a conversation with Rose about what she thought was important.”
“Our youngest generation here at Suppican will be helping our older generation at the Council on Aging,” School Superintendent Michael Nelson said.
Sippican Assistant Principal Gregory Thomas also reported on some positive charitable work of students. He said $2,000 was donated by the Feinstein Foundation to the food pantry. Another $2,000 was donated for the school’s giving tree on which students conduct good deeds, write about it and it goes on a tree.
Along with charitable acts, Marion students were touted for their solid work on last year’s MCAS tests.
Dessert and Sharlene Fedorowicz, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, reported that most students in grades 3 through 6 surpassed the state average in English, Mathematics, and Science.
Only Grade 4 did not experience strong growth, but Federowicz stressed that those students started kindergarten remotely and spent Grade 1 learning through masks worn by both teachers and staff.
She and other school leaders credited extra learning programs and a revamped curriculum toward the town surpassing the state average.
On that note, the School Committee later that evening voted to approve a $3,900 grant it has received from the state for professional development – something that also will harness growth in teaching and learning.
In other news, the School Committee was introduced to Sippican’s new, most popular staff member: Norman the service dog.
School Resource Officer Jonathan Tracy said Norman, an 8-month-old golden labrador retriever, has walked students to class and has greeted many visitors at the SRO office.
His presence in the school has helped brighten the day of many students, some of whom have had bad days lifted up by the school’s new furry friend.
“The benefits of it – I have seen every single day,” Tracy said, adding that kids having tough days have been escorted to class by Norman.
“He is very well behaved and loves the kids,” Tracy said.
School officials said they plan on making “Norman” stuffed animals and awarding hard-working students – aptly calling it the Norman Award.
The School Committee also introduced new art teacher Joanne Smith, a longtime art teacher who started in the district in 1997.
Smith said she was happy to rejoin the tri-town family, where she started as an educator.
Nelson said he visited her art class and was happy to see the great art experiences of the students.
The School Committee voted to dispose of old and some old and outdated math and science textbooks. Nelson said, citing his conversation with Dessert, that the advent of online learning has made some of these books obsolete. He said disposing of them will free up classroom and storage spaces.
The School Committee will meet again on January 30 at the Sippican Elementary School.
Marion School Committee
By Jeffrey D. Wagner