Friday, July 17, 2009 copyright VII XVII, MMIX
Perton's letter to parents of Galvin Middle School students
-WAKEFIELD
-John Perton, principal of Galvin Middle School, was reelected for a second term as principal by the School Board on July 7. His second term as principal goes into effect August 11. In response, he wrote and issued this election letter to parents of Galvin students. Perton will be eligible for a third term, pending his job and location status (i.e., if he still lives in Wakefield and has not been fired or removed/replaced by a superintendent) before the 2011-2012 school year.
Perton's letter:
JOHN PERTON
JULY 17, 2009
My fellow Wakefieldians, I continue to serve as Principal of Galvin Middle School as of my School Board reelection July 7. In my second term, I plan to continue the fiscal molding that outlined my first. Wakefield is a town strapped for funds, especially when it comes to the schools. My goal will be, always was, to create an environment in which students can blossom both socially and academically without putting a dent in the valuable fiscal year funds of the town. We, as a town, need to distribute the fiscal year funds equally to all our departments and do the best for each department with what we are each given without groveling for more. That was my basis for my first two years of service, and it will be this way again. The Perton service you're used to and--as confirmed by a 81% approval rating in a March 2009 poll--pleased with, but with some changes to improve the school, to, hopefully, a blue-ribbon status like the one we so proudly shepherded during the 1970s and 1980s. These are:
1. Better student-staff member correlation. The staff and the students both must learn to be less edgy and more respectful with each other. I plan to do this by implementing a "discussion program," wherein students and teachers would take a little nugget of their time each week to talk in a noneducational manner, as well as in a casual atmosphere. It would, undoubtedly, take alittle whle for everyone to warm up to this idea, but we all know that once we got used to it, it would be a terrific way to enhance the connectivity between the teachers and the students, as this bond is so important in order to help students blossom.
2. Transferring funding for teaching those wacky standards to more important lessons, which would ideally be embedded in an outreach program wherein students of all ethics, social classes, and "in crowds" can come together to form a lasting bond. This could be done in such ways as, say, partnering up these differing kinds of students on class assignments. I feel it is important to tear down the poster on the wall of all of our students' brains that middle school is a "food chain."
3. Listening to all the suggestions of all of the teachers, young AND old, amateurs AND veterans, and taking them into account. All teachers here have the best interest: drenching children with lessons that they can carry throughout life. Anyone who does not conform to this educational mantra will have the door held open for them and we will see them out of our school. Thank you, and may God bless America, and may he keep his watch over the good town of Wakefield, Massachusetts.
AMONSON FIRED
Also deported to Woburn
-WAKEFIELD
-Galvin Middle School History teacher Mark Amonson was fired by the Wakefield School Board Thursday for misuse of position and vulgarity in such misuse after being robbed while walking to school on Monday, May 4, being stripped of nearly all of his clothing, and making the "idiotic," as called by one School Board member, decision to continue on to school despite the incident, horrifying and scarring his students. A Wakefield court, in addition, sentenced Amonson to 30 to 90 days of deportment to Woburn on charges of engaging in an obscene act. Amonson will be arrested if he attempts reentry to Wakefield, and he has been suspended from the Middlesex County Middle School District for life. Moltosekevich, Amonson's lawyer hired from a local law firm, said Thursday, "It really is a sad ending. This poor man did nothing wrong, and yet he has been shunned by his beloved town of Wakefield and deported from it on grounds that are extremely unfair." Amonson's family issued a joint statement with Moltosekevich to Item which reads, "We are deeply regretful that such a thing would happen to Mark. The fault is not his, he was, and, we hope, will continue to be, if his academic career can in any way continue, a wonderful teacher, and he does not deserve this punishment."
Merck family impresses David Merck's innocence
-WAKEFIELD
-The Merck family issued a statament Thursday claiming David Merck's innocence in the Dennison case. Family members insist that of the three coconspirators, Merck was "chosen to be the fall guy even though he committed no crimes." The Dennison case drags on, with all three principal conspirators in custody.
Study shows Wakefieldians are losing political interest
-WAKEFIELD
-A study has shown that over 41% of Wakefieldians are "losing interest" in the political actions that the town takes. The study, conducted by W.A. Merimac of Merimac Bros. mental analysis services, says that this is a common response in our brains not to pay more, but rather less attention to political happenings when political turmoil exists. "It's not that these people want to be ignorant," says Merimac, "rather that we have sort of a drawn out fight-or-flight response because it's such an awkward, complicated situation. If things get worse, people will only end up becoming more ignorant."
More foreign currency found
-WAKEFIELD
-The police department received an additional three calls for foreign currency Thursday, in addition to six on Wednesday. A Walter Street resident reported $26 worth of European Union bills at 4:11 p.m. An Auburn Street resident reported $29 worth of Irish currency at 4:29 p.m. Foreign currency calls wrapped up at 6:26 p.m. with a notice from an Eaton Court resident reporting a finding of $59 worth of currency from Kenya.
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A quiet break from altercations involving youths came to an abrupt end when police found seven youths engaged in nothing much short of physical combat at the Yueull School at 3:13 p.m. yesterday. On spotting police, the youths appeared spooked and left the scene almost immediately, except for one youth who gave his name and address and then fled the scene as well. The Yueull School playground was empty by 3:30 p.m.
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In other business yesterday (Thursday) and this morning, police:
Wakefield Merchants fall to Lexington Blue Sox like Vicksburg to the Union in a 19-7 obliteration
-WAKEFIELD
-The Wakefield Merchants fell to Lexington last night at Fernald Field, with pitcher Jack Cholley giving up 8 runs. Wakefield took the early lead, but the Blue Sox battled back to cream the Merchants. In the first, Jick Rollins of Wakefield hit a booming triple that set up a 2-run homer by Wilhelm Xavier Toniato. Patrick Wastzer got out of a rundown at second at John Shelburne drove in 2 runs on an inside-the-park home run. In the bottom 4th, Danny Traterie singled and Bruce Walls took a walk to set up a 3-run shot by Phillip Akora. But that was the end of Wakefield's domination. Zak Pillsbury grand slammed after Cholley gave up a single, a walk, and a walk by way of striking a batter in the shoulder in the 5th. The top 6th found Jason Rundo and Ryan Boller smacking solo shots, followed by Cholley giving up another grand slam, this one by Raymond Riggi. Khalylle [pronounced like Khalil] Brine made a diving catch to stop a Wakefield solo homer in the bottom 8th after a grand slam in the top 8th. Three consecutive doubles drove in 2 runs for the Blue Sox. In the bottom 9th, Lexington ace Kerry Kyle Stone pitched nine straight strikes to shut down any last chance of retaliation.
The Blue Sox hit an astonishing 3 grand slams.
The Merchants started off their six-game homestand 0-1. The homestand continues Sunday night at Fernald Field against the Gloucester Fishermen, with first pitch at 7:37.
So far, 24 games into the season, the Merchants have been performing much better on the road (11-3) then at home (3-7). Some Merchants players have complained to Fernald Field staff that "the lighting is too dim, causing pitchers to misthrow." Before game time yesterday, the Blue Sox made a similar complaint. Stadium staff are working on replacing the light bulbs to make them brighter, which should be done about a week from now, about halfway into the current homestand. "The Merchants should only have to play one or two more games under the dim lighting if all goes well," said a Fernald Field official.
JULY 17, 2009
My fellow Wakefieldians, I continue to serve as Principal of Galvin Middle School as of my School Board reelection July 7. In my second term, I plan to continue the fiscal molding that outlined my first. Wakefield is a town strapped for funds, especially when it comes to the schools. My goal will be, always was, to create an environment in which students can blossom both socially and academically without putting a dent in the valuable fiscal year funds of the town. We, as a town, need to distribute the fiscal year funds equally to all our departments and do the best for each department with what we are each given without groveling for more. That was my basis for my first two years of service, and it will be this way again. The Perton service you're used to and--as confirmed by a 81% approval rating in a March 2009 poll--pleased with, but with some changes to improve the school, to, hopefully, a blue-ribbon status like the one we so proudly shepherded during the 1970s and 1980s. These are:
1. Better student-staff member correlation. The staff and the students both must learn to be less edgy and more respectful with each other. I plan to do this by implementing a "discussion program," wherein students and teachers would take a little nugget of their time each week to talk in a noneducational manner, as well as in a casual atmosphere. It would, undoubtedly, take alittle whle for everyone to warm up to this idea, but we all know that once we got used to it, it would be a terrific way to enhance the connectivity between the teachers and the students, as this bond is so important in order to help students blossom.
2. Transferring funding for teaching those wacky standards to more important lessons, which would ideally be embedded in an outreach program wherein students of all ethics, social classes, and "in crowds" can come together to form a lasting bond. This could be done in such ways as, say, partnering up these differing kinds of students on class assignments. I feel it is important to tear down the poster on the wall of all of our students' brains that middle school is a "food chain."
3. Listening to all the suggestions of all of the teachers, young AND old, amateurs AND veterans, and taking them into account. All teachers here have the best interest: drenching children with lessons that they can carry throughout life. Anyone who does not conform to this educational mantra will have the door held open for them and we will see them out of our school. Thank you, and may God bless America, and may he keep his watch over the good town of Wakefield, Massachusetts.
AMONSON FIRED
Also deported to Woburn
-WAKEFIELD
-Galvin Middle School History teacher Mark Amonson was fired by the Wakefield School Board Thursday for misuse of position and vulgarity in such misuse after being robbed while walking to school on Monday, May 4, being stripped of nearly all of his clothing, and making the "idiotic," as called by one School Board member, decision to continue on to school despite the incident, horrifying and scarring his students. A Wakefield court, in addition, sentenced Amonson to 30 to 90 days of deportment to Woburn on charges of engaging in an obscene act. Amonson will be arrested if he attempts reentry to Wakefield, and he has been suspended from the Middlesex County Middle School District for life. Moltosekevich, Amonson's lawyer hired from a local law firm, said Thursday, "It really is a sad ending. This poor man did nothing wrong, and yet he has been shunned by his beloved town of Wakefield and deported from it on grounds that are extremely unfair." Amonson's family issued a joint statement with Moltosekevich to Item which reads, "We are deeply regretful that such a thing would happen to Mark. The fault is not his, he was, and, we hope, will continue to be, if his academic career can in any way continue, a wonderful teacher, and he does not deserve this punishment."
Merck family impresses David Merck's innocence
-WAKEFIELD
-The Merck family issued a statament Thursday claiming David Merck's innocence in the Dennison case. Family members insist that of the three coconspirators, Merck was "chosen to be the fall guy even though he committed no crimes." The Dennison case drags on, with all three principal conspirators in custody.
Study shows Wakefieldians are losing political interest
-WAKEFIELD
-A study has shown that over 41% of Wakefieldians are "losing interest" in the political actions that the town takes. The study, conducted by W.A. Merimac of Merimac Bros. mental analysis services, says that this is a common response in our brains not to pay more, but rather less attention to political happenings when political turmoil exists. "It's not that these people want to be ignorant," says Merimac, "rather that we have sort of a drawn out fight-or-flight response because it's such an awkward, complicated situation. If things get worse, people will only end up becoming more ignorant."
More foreign currency found
-WAKEFIELD
-The police department received an additional three calls for foreign currency Thursday, in addition to six on Wednesday. A Walter Street resident reported $26 worth of European Union bills at 4:11 p.m. An Auburn Street resident reported $29 worth of Irish currency at 4:29 p.m. Foreign currency calls wrapped up at 6:26 p.m. with a notice from an Eaton Court resident reporting a finding of $59 worth of currency from Kenya.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A quiet break from altercations involving youths came to an abrupt end when police found seven youths engaged in nothing much short of physical combat at the Yueull School at 3:13 p.m. yesterday. On spotting police, the youths appeared spooked and left the scene almost immediately, except for one youth who gave his name and address and then fled the scene as well. The Yueull School playground was empty by 3:30 p.m.
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In other business yesterday (Thursday) and this morning, police:
- logged that a man suffering from heat exhaustion declined medical treatment when it was offered to him on the Common at 12:00 p.m. exactly. The man gave his address and phone number; a call to the phone number revealed the man was home and being treated by his wife for the heat exhaustion.
- reported that hangups to the police department were of recurring frequency between about 12:21 and 12:56 p.m.
- responded to a minor, no-injuries car crash on the Parker St. onramp to Yankee Division Highway (Interstate 95) at 2:16 p.m.. Keith Brackins, 28, of 218 Hilsbrogh Way, Reading, was driving a 2003 Toyota that lost brake control and slammed into the rear end of a 1995 Plymout driven by Stanley Rotomorr, 19, 343 Main Street. The Plymouth also lost control and crashed into some landscaping.
- received a call from a Sweetser Street resident at 2:51 p.m. reporting his mailbox had been smashed.
- reported that a 4:05 p.m. call from Thorndike Road concerning youths throwing a parcel into the air was unfounded.
- disregarded a call from a Quannapowitt Parkway resident, very possibly the same resident who called Wednesday complaining about squirrels "behaving unusually," that came at 4:09 p.m. about more "unusual behavior" of squirrels.
- asked people to leave the scene of an unidentified scene on an unidentified road at an unidentified time, estimated about 5:00 p.m. The police officers' reasons for taking the actions were unidentified, as were the names of the complement involved.
- found a dog romping without a leash at 6:22 p.m. The dog had no name tag. Several minutes into the investigation, a woman discreetly removed the dog from the street.
- responded to a call made by an adolescent youth who was left home alone for about ten minutes; he had gone down into his cellar for a moment and came back up to see both front windows of his 4th Street home smashed. No items were reported stolen when police arrived at 6:24 p.m.; the youth's parents had arrived home by that time.
- logged at 6:49 p.m. that a black sweatshirt was reported stolen from a car parked on Dillaway Street.
- found a youth purportedly standing in the middle of the street on Dellano Lane to be gone when police arrived at 6:50 p.m.
- sent youths in front of Pyburn Oil Co. on their way at 8:16 p.m.
- found nothing to be wrong on Kearney Lane at 9:22 p.m. after a resident on that street reported that she "needed assistance," then hung up.
- moved a carving of a zebra that had been left abandoned in the middle of Catalpa Street at 10:11 p.m.
- deported a screaming man on Eustis Ave. Extension to Vale View Road at 11:10 p.m., where the screaming continued. Police deported the man to Brook Street, where the screaming continued shortly, then stopped without further police intervention being needed.
- logged at 5:43 a.m. this morning that youths were reportedly fishing on Lake Quannapowitt. The caller explained that the youths all had fishing licenses but that he was not sure when the lake was opened for fishing. Police explained that fishing hours on the lake are from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., meaning technically the youths had not committed any violations.
Wakefield Merchants fall to Lexington Blue Sox like Vicksburg to the Union in a 19-7 obliteration
-WAKEFIELD
-The Wakefield Merchants fell to Lexington last night at Fernald Field, with pitcher Jack Cholley giving up 8 runs. Wakefield took the early lead, but the Blue Sox battled back to cream the Merchants. In the first, Jick Rollins of Wakefield hit a booming triple that set up a 2-run homer by Wilhelm Xavier Toniato. Patrick Wastzer got out of a rundown at second at John Shelburne drove in 2 runs on an inside-the-park home run. In the bottom 4th, Danny Traterie singled and Bruce Walls took a walk to set up a 3-run shot by Phillip Akora. But that was the end of Wakefield's domination. Zak Pillsbury grand slammed after Cholley gave up a single, a walk, and a walk by way of striking a batter in the shoulder in the 5th. The top 6th found Jason Rundo and Ryan Boller smacking solo shots, followed by Cholley giving up another grand slam, this one by Raymond Riggi. Khalylle [pronounced like Khalil] Brine made a diving catch to stop a Wakefield solo homer in the bottom 8th after a grand slam in the top 8th. Three consecutive doubles drove in 2 runs for the Blue Sox. In the bottom 9th, Lexington ace Kerry Kyle Stone pitched nine straight strikes to shut down any last chance of retaliation.
The Blue Sox hit an astonishing 3 grand slams.
The Merchants started off their six-game homestand 0-1. The homestand continues Sunday night at Fernald Field against the Gloucester Fishermen, with first pitch at 7:37.
So far, 24 games into the season, the Merchants have been performing much better on the road (11-3) then at home (3-7). Some Merchants players have complained to Fernald Field staff that "the lighting is too dim, causing pitchers to misthrow." Before game time yesterday, the Blue Sox made a similar complaint. Stadium staff are working on replacing the light bulbs to make them brighter, which should be done about a week from now, about halfway into the current homestand. "The Merchants should only have to play one or two more games under the dim lighting if all goes well," said a Fernald Field official.
