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Westfield Education to Business Alliance sets goals for the year By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – At the Westfield Education to Business Alliance’s (WE2BA) first meeting since breaking for the summer, held last Thursday at Mestek, 45 district and business leaders came together to review their progress and make plans for the coming year. Westfield Public Schools superintendent Stefan Czaporowski talked about the career events and elementary career days that were held last year. In the elementary schools, businesses and parents went into the classrooms. “Most of the presentations were absolutely phenomenal,” he said. He said students heard about careers they might be interested in. The next career fair that is planned for the middle school will be a different model. Chris Tolpa, English language arts supervisor said they will be asking businesses to come in and inform teachers about their work, and give relevant hands-on examples. The middle school career fair will be held in the North Middle School gymnasium on October 17. Tolpa said the goal is to form collaborative relationships and see how businesses and the schools can work together. Businesses are asked to bring their own tables to the event, which 120 middle school teachers are expected to attend. Chamber of Commerce director Kate Phelon said that teachers want to know what skill sets are needed in the workplace. She said the Chamber will be sending out flyers for the career
45 business and school representatives came together for a WE2BA meeting on Thursday. (Photo by Stefan Czaporowski) fair, and businesses can contact her to sign up. Phelon said she is inviting the Secretary of Education and Workforce Development to what she described will be “a cool event.” The combined high school career fair at Westfield State University will be planned again for both Westfield High School and Westfield Technical Academy. Last June, 46 companies participated, showcasing their work. Phelon said the goal for this year’s event will be 75 companies. She said that businesses should focus on informing students about what skill
Maureen Viturale, Pam Dougherty, and Cathy Frye are putting the finishing touches on a program for grandparents raising grandchildren at the Westfield Senior Center.
See WE2BA, Page 3
New music teacher at Munger Hill has local ties
(file photo).
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren looking for help By DAN DESROCHERS Correspondent WESTFIELD—In spite of support from the community and some elected officials, a support group called Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Westfield is still struggling financially, according to Maureen Viturale of the group. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, a group started about 12 years ago by Westfield school adjustment counselors Cathy Frye and Viturale, still needs help financially to assist grandparents in the raising of their grandchildren, according to Viturale. The group provides support and information for the families through workshops, speeches and get-togethers for grandparents and the children they care for. And according to Viturale, the group wants to provide more for grandparents and families within the group. “There’s so many other things we would like to provide,” Viturale said. “We hope to fund programs for kids, enrichment activities, also pay speakers, travel costs (for grandparents), anything to help.” However, Viturale said that there is just not enough money within their budget. She said they have just $740 left in their budget now, and in a good year it averages just $1,500 for the budget. This money goes toward a number of activities currently being provided to the “10 consistent families” in the program, according to Viturale, as well as for public outreach and informational events. Some of the events include an annual picnic at Stanley Park, which Viturale said has about 40 people attend yearly, as well as a Christmas
sets are needed in their line of work, and bring lists of openings. Czaporowski said from the district’s perspective, even if students are planning to go to college, letting them know what skills they are looking for in prospective employees is helpful. “This is the bridging we’re doing,” Phelon said. She asked all the principals to let the chamber know the dates of career fairs they are planning, and she will send out eblasts to members. Czaporowski said he is also planning to continue staff tours of businesses, held in the mornings from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Another goal is to continue the district-wide focus on workforce development through internships and job shadowing. Czaporowski said they are looking at different curriculum teaching soft skills and professional competencies to help prepare students for jobs. College and career counselor Tara Bean will be working with students from both WHS and WTA to help them find opportunities. She may be reached at t.bean@ schoolsofwestfield.org. Another program to be continued this year will be mentorships with individual students. Last year through WE2BA, 22 people were trained and met with students on average 45 minutes per week one-on-one as mentors. Tina Macy, the district’s VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools) coordinator, said the
party where presents are given to the children within the group. In addition, the group has helped to defray costs for some of the children for school-related items and activities, such as sports fees and school pictures. The group has also established a lending library within the Westfield Senior Center so grandparents have access to materials to assist them in their unique situation. According to Viturale, the funds for the group’s activities include coming from grants from the Sarah Gillett Services for the Elderly, Inc., as well as a “dress down day” done in the city, in conjunction with Westfield schools. According to Westfield Mayor Brian Sullivan, the dress-down day raised $150 for the group this year. “Those are our primary funding resources,” she said. “We have no financial backing other than the charity of strangers,” she added. On the state level, Viturale said that the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren provides educational services, such as workshops and will come to the region and are free to attend, as well as support for legislation, but no funding is available through them. If you would like to donate, Viturale said that it can be made to the Grandparents Enrichment Fund at Berkshire Bank, and if you would like more information on how to become involved you can call (413)237-6673 and speak with Viturale. The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Baptist Church on Elm Street, with childcare also provided.
By AMY PORTER Correspondent WESTFIELD – Tyler Cook was recently hired as the new general music instructor for K-5 for Munger Hill and Abner Gibbs Elementary Schools. Cook will teach chorus and Orff music education for three days at Munger and two days at Abner Gibbs. He will also lead the fourth and fifth grade chorus. Munger Hill principal Salvatore Frieri said they had a lot of applications, over 30, for the position. He said they had an awesome search committee, and leaned heavily on Patrick Kennedy, instrumental music director at Westfield High School, to help them make the selection. Cook, who is 25 and from Montgomery (although he just moved to Westfield), has a lot of local ties. He is a 2010 graduate of Gateway Regional, and studied at Greenfield Community College before transferring to Westfield State University. He graduated Westfield in 2016 as a combined piano and music education major. He also started his music studies with private lessons at Performance Music in Westfield. Some residents may have seen Cook perMunger Hill principal Salvatore Frieri and Tyler Cook, the new music instructor for Munger Hill and Abner Gibbs. (Photo by Amy Porter)
Tyler Cook said he “can’t wait to get started” his teaching career in Westfield. (Photo by Amy
form “Rhapsody in Blue” with the Wind Symphony on the Dever Stage on the night of November 17, 2015, when the announcement was made that Dr. Catherine Dower would donate $1 million to establish the center for the performing arts. Following his performance, Cook recognized Dr. Dower in the audience, calling her a role model who lived a life of positive action, and made exceptional contributions to music at Westfield State. The previous year, Cook placed first in the Crescendo International Piano Competition, allowing him to perform at the first-place winners’ recital at Carnegie Hall. Cook will teach 600 students between the two schools, 400 at Munger Hill alone. “As a first year teacher, this is perfect. I couldn’t imagine anything better right now. It’s a great start for me,” Cook said this week. Having been a student teacher at an elementary school in Springfield, and also giving
Porter)
See Munger Hill Music, Page 3
Select Board proposing bylaw for personal watercraft
The Select Board is planning on proposing a town bylaw for the personal watercraft policy on North Pond. (WNG File Photo)
By GREG FITZPATRICK Correspondent SOUTHWICK – At last Monday’s Select Board meeting, Chairman Doug Moglin proposed that the Select Board form a town bylaw and policy for personal watercraft on the North Pond section of Congamond Lake. Moglin then suggested that they reach out to the Lake Management Committee as well as the public to get input. The board believes that by taking this particular route it is the best choice for the residents, since creating a town bylaw will avoid bringing this issue to a court of
law. “It’ll be much quicker, easier and it’ll save the taxpayers at lot of money,” said Select Board Clerk Russ Fox. According to Fox, once the bylaw is formed and brought forth to town counsel, either a special town meeting or annual town meeting would take place so the residents can take a vote on the bylaw. Moglin said that the hope is that the town bylaw would present an opportunity to have an official ruling on the matter. “No one has the authority right now,” said Moglin. This entire situation stems back to
when Harbormaster David Ricardi posted on the Southwick Police Department’s Facebook Page on May 18 that there had been a change made in the enforcement policy for personal watercraft use on North Pond. Since then, there have been a number of meetings held by the Lake Management Committee, residents voicing their opinions during the public comment section of Select Board meetings, and as well as a petition that was formed by a resident to make an attempt to keep personal watercraft from being used on North Pond.