B2 LOCAL SE Union- Friday, June 5, 1998 Schools hope for computer ur purchase loan The towns will have to approve the change of plan, which regional school officials believe will cost less than a lease. By ANGELA CARBONE 4 Staff writer HAMPDEN The regional school committee is going to have to go back to the two towns if it wants to buy new computers for the district. Richard Scortino, business manager, is recommending the district buy, rather than lease, new computers. The computer purchase is part of a plan to improve technology throughout the district's schools. The plan for the coming school year is to obtain 125 to 135 computers, either through lease or purchase, said Barbara Knight, technology coordinator.
A total of 104 of the new PCs will be installed at the Wilbraham Middle School. The district's middle and elementary schools currently use primarily Macintosh computers, while the high school has mostly PCs, Knight said. The ultimate goal is to get all the schools to be PC oriented, she said. Next year, all the computers, whether PC or Mac, will be using Microsoft Office, which will help keep the computer learning equal, she said. The changeover to PCs is to occur first at the Wilbraham Middle School because its staff is ready for the switch, Knight said.
"Thornton Burgess (the district's other middle school) has had Macs a little longer," she said. The Macintosh computers in use at the Wilbraham Middle School will go to Thornton Burgess and the district's elementary schools. That will increase the number of computers in every classroom, she said. The other 11 to 21 PCs will be used to set up another computer lab at the high school, this time on the second floor, she said. The current school budget contains $48,750 for computers, Scortino said.
That could cover a lease agreement, but if the school district buys computers, it will need to seek a loan. Scortino favors buying the computers because the interest rate on such a loan would be low, about 3.9 percent. With leasing, the town would be paying the 12- to 14-percent interest for the leasing company. Also, the town would own the computers at the end of the four years and would be able either to refurbish them, if needed, or use them at another school. "Think of it in terms of leasing a brand-new car.
On a short-term lease, you're going to be paying for he said. Scortino told the school committee Tuesday that if the purchase option is chosen, the committee will need to notify the boards of selectmen in both towns. If the boards do not object to the proposal within 60 days, the district can apply for the low-interest loan. He is hopeful the towns will. agree.
"I think technology is a priority in the district," he said. The school committee plans to vote on whether to buy or lease the computers at its next meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday. Historic: Board rejects relocation of Union Bell Continued from Page BI Saleh, who left last night's housing authority meeting in tears, later declined to comment on the vote. At the board's request, she presented a drawing of how the bell would look placed in front of the high school. The drawing depicted the bell both near the entrance to the high school and near Chapin Street.
Saleh also gave the board a letter from Construction, which has offered to move the bell for free, stating the firm anticipates no problems in moving the bell because it has worked with heavy equipment for years. The firm also offered to carry liability insurance on the move. LHA Chairman Brian Dobek said he did not want to see the situation degenerate into a battle between the older people at the Senior Center and the Ludlow High School senior class. "I don't believe anybody set out to draw a line in the sand," Dobek said. Dobek said he believes the bell should remain in the Ludlow Village Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Moving it would be like moving Plymouth Rock, Dobek said. Also voting in favor of keeping the bell where it is were authority board members Eugene R. Yelle, John Carnavale and Carol A. Romaniak. Dobek said he recognized the names of people of all ages on the petition that Fonseca presented to the board.
Ten people attended the meeting at the Wilson Street Housing Development. Examination: Both sides to appeal Continued from Page B1 The test will be 50 Lawyers for both sides are due back in Suffolk Superior Court today to argue motions in a lawsuit idled by McGee last month on behalf of his five clients- Deputy Chiefs Daniel Spellacy and William Fitchet, and Capts. Elmer McMahon, Joseph Parylak and Charles Arpin. McGee is attempting to overturn the Civil Service ruling on the grounds that it improperly allowed Meara to remain as chief while the new exams are being prepared, and also failed to strike down the city's selection process. For their part, city lawyers are also attacking the ruling, arguing that Meara's appointment should have been allowed to stand and that additional written tests required by the commission are unnecessary.
At today's hearing, lawyers from the Law Department will argue that McGee's lawsuit should be thrown out because the plaintifis have not exhausted their administrative appeals before Civil Service. 1 The Commission ruled two weeks ago that a written examination covering state laws, court rulings and city police policies must be given to all candidates for the job. The test will be 50 questions, pass-fail, and anyone flunking will be disqualified from the chief's College work Staff photo by DAVID MOLNAR Dave Wilcox of Suffield, uses a gas-powered trimmer to cut the grass along a fence on the Springfield College campus. He works for the college's facilities and campus services. Committee keeps '99 graduation date By ANGELA CARBONE Staff writer HAMPDEN Because it couldn't book Symphony Hall at a later date, the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee decided to leave next year's graduation date as June 11.
The committee took up the issue because of a concern about a shorter second semester, Schools Superintendent Brenda Dietrich said. The possibility of rescheduling graduation was brought up by a change in the school calendar, Dietrich said. Originally, the school committee's planned calendar contained only one week of vaca-' tion in the spring, as the calendar provided this year. But the committee adopted a two-week spring vacation schedule after surveys of parents and teachers showed support for two weeks. "Because of block scheduling, we're cutting one semester by a significant amount of time" by having the graduation on June 11, said School Committee Chairwoman Paula Tingle.
But Dietrich told the school board that it was too late to get another weekend night scheduled for Symphony Hall next year. Dietrich said the school could have held commencement at Symphony Hall on a weeknight, but there hadn't been any support for it. "A mid-week graduation just doesn't cut it," Tingles said. Another option would have been to hold graduation outside, but the community prefers the tradition of keeping it in Symphony Hall, she said. "It's a lovely said School Committee member Pamela Burch.
A survey of staff, student gov- 44 Because of block scheduling, we're cutting one semester by a significant amount of time. School Committee Chairwoman Paula Tingle ernment representatives and the high school council showed significant support to keep, graduation at Symphony Hall on June 11 next year, Dietrich said. School Committee member Douglas Boyd questioned whether one additional week of classes at the end of a senior year would mean much. "It's been 20-something years ago, but I don't recall the last cou-' ple of months (of senior year) being very productive, despite the best efforts of the staff," he said. School Committee member Joel Berman said in speaking with Minnechaug Regional High School Principal Robert Johnson, Johnson had said the committee probably would need two years to book a new date on a weekend evening.
think this is just another case of being backed into a corner. We can make no decision but what the high school wants," he said. Tingle suggested the school committee should look at changing the graduation date for the class of 2000 when they start work on the 1999-2000 calendar this August. I "I think this should be a part of every calendar discussion," she said. Woman denies heroin charges NORTHAMPTON A Springfield woman stopped on Route 5 for a traffic violation by State Police who then found 10 packets of heroin, in her car has pleaded innocent to drug charges, according to police.
Cynthia F. Crockwell, 37, of 104 Olive faces a possession School Springfield MONDAY: Breaded chicken filet on a bun, oven-fried potatoes, pears. TUESDAY: Deli turkey sandwich pasta veggie salad, pineapple. Wednesday: Hot dog on a bun, vegetarian beans, carrot sticks, fruit. THURSDAY: Hot ham cheese sandwich, corn, applesauce.
FRIDAY: Cheese pizza, fruit juice, peaches. Longmeadow Elementary and Middle schools MONDAY: Bagel butter jelly, yogurt, veggie sticks, fruit. TUESDAY: Pizza, tossed salad, fruit, cookie. WEDNESDAY: Hot dog, roll, pasta salad, juice, fruit. Blueberry Hill field day.
THURSDAY: Chicken shoe strings, potatoes, hot vegetables, Soft bread sticks marinara sauce, salad, fruit. High School MONDAY: Pizza, tossed salad, fruit. TUESDAY: French toast sticks, sausage, ham sticks, orange wedges, oven potatoes, applesauce. WEDNESDAY: Shoestring chicken, potatoes, hot vegetables, bread, fruit. THURSDAY: Pasta parmesan, salad, bread, fruit.
FRIDAY: Cheese quesadillas, steamed rice, salsa, corn, cookie. Center School MONDAY: Nacho chips cheese sauce, salsa, bread, corn, fruit. TUESDAY: Pizza, tossed salad, fruit, cookie. WEDNESDAY: Hot dog, roll, tater tots, hot vegetable, fruit. THURSDAY: Shoestring chicken, potatoes, vegetable, fruit.
FRIDAY: Soft bread sticks baked marinara sauce, tossed salad, fruit. E. Longmeadow MONDAY: Orange juice, french toast sticks, maple syrup, ham sticks, applesauce. TUESDAY: Taco boat cheese, lettuce, tomato corn, fruit. WEDNESDAY: Turkey sub pickle, tomato, lettuce, potato puffs, apricots.
THURSDAY: Ravioli, vegetable, salad, roll, cookie. FRIDAY: Pepperoni pizza, garden salad Italian dressing, watermelon. Ludlow Elementary schools nuggets, rotini, peas, fruit. TUESDAY: Tacos, shell, rice, sherbert cup. WEDNESDAY: Cook's choice.
THURSDAY: Shepherd's pie, hamburg, corn, potato, gravy, roll, watermelon. FRIDAY: Grilled cheese, macaroni salad, carrot celery stick, fruit crisp. High School and middle schools MONDAY: Chicken nuggets, rotini, peas, fruit. menus TUESDAY: Tacos, rice, sherbert cup. WEDNESDAY: Cook's choice.
THURSDAY: Shepherd's pie, hamburg, corn, potato, gravy, roll, watermelon. FRIDAY: Chicken patty on a roll, macaroni salad, green beans, cookie. Hampden and Wilbraham Minnechaug MONDAY: Chicken nuggets, sweet sour sauce, potato puffs, corn, bread, fruit. TUESDAY: tomato, green beans, oven fries, fruit. WEDNESDAY: Bagel pizza, fresh salad, fruit.
THURSDAY: Chicken potato puffs, vegetable fruit. FRIDAY: Chicken salad bagel plate, lettuce tomato, macaroni salad, fruit. Mile Tree MONDAY: Chicken nuggets, sweet sour sauce, potato puffs, corn, bread, fruit. 114 TUESDAY: roll, oven fries, green beans, fruit. WEDNESDAY: Pizza sticks, tossed salad, fruit.
1 THURSDAY: Chicken pattie, lettuce potato puffs, vegetable fruit. FRIDAY: Plain toppings, raspberry yogurt, chicken salad, vegetable sticks, fruit. Middle, Memorial, Soule Road, Thornton W. Burgess and Green Meadows MONDAY: Middle: Chicken nuggets, choice of sauce, rice, raw vegetable choice, bread, fruit. Memorial: Chicken nuggets, choice of sauce, rice, corn, bread, fruit.
Soule Road: Turkey tenders, potato puffs, raw vegetable sticks, fruit. T. Burgess Green Meadows: Sloppy Joe on roll, oven fries, raw vegetable choice, pickle, fruit. TUESDAY: Middle: Turkey pastrami cheese on roll, oven fries, pickle, fruit. Memorial: French toast or waffles, sausage, raw vegetable choice, applesauce.
Soule Road: French toast sticks, sausage, strawberries or syrup, carrots, fruit. -y 74 T. Burgess Green Meadows: Steak grinder, potato puffs, carrot sticks, jello WEDNESDAY: Middle: Pizza, tossed salad, fruit. Memorial: Hot baked beans, oven fries, raw vegetable fruit. Soule Road: Pizza sticks," oven fries, corn, fruit.
T. Burgess Green Meadows: Waffles, choice of top- pings, sausage, carrot sticks, applesauce. THURSDAY: Middle: hero in grinder roll, BBQ sauce, potato puffs, carrot sticks, watermelon. Memorial: Har cheese on roll, carrot sticks, pudding. Soule Road: Rotini of sauce, tossed salad, bread, fruit.
T. Burgess Green Meadows: Macaroni cheese, peas, roll, fruit. FRIDAY: Middle: Turkey grinder, potato chips, carrot, fruit. Memorial: Pizza, tossed salad, fruit. Soule Road: Cold cuts on roll, raw vegetable sticks, lite popcorn, ice cream cup.
T. Burgess Green Meadows: Peanut butter fluff sandwich, raw vegetable sticks, cookie. I .11 Israeli flag marks anniversary questions, pass-fail, and anyone flunking will be disqualified from the chief's competition. competition. But the test scores will not be counted on the candidates final rankings a stipulation that McGee plans to appeal as part of his lawsuit on the grounds that it virtually guarantees that Meara, the first women 'police chief in a major New England city, will be allowed to keep her job.
For Meara and Spellacy, their performance at the so-called assessment center, where the verbal and role- playing portions were administered, will count for 90 percent, with another 10 percent bonus for experience serving as chief. Spellacy served as acting chief before Meara's appointment. For the other eight candidates, their performance will count for 100 percent of their final grade. Besides the five plaintiffs in McGee's lawsuit, the other candidates are Capts. Gerald M.
Foley, Mark E. Kenney, Peter J. Dillon and Robert J. Donovan. SPRINGFIELD The Israeli flag was raised at the triangle at noon yesterday to launch the Jewish community's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel.
As the flag flapped in the brisk midday wind, more than 40 children from Yeshiva Academy and Heritage Academy sang the "Star Spangled Banner" and "Hatikvah," the Israeli national anthem. A small crowd of onlookers gathered at the triangle at Sumner Avenue and Belmont Street. Ann Pava, chairman of the anniversary committee, said the Jewish community had been invited to raise the flag by merchants in the Main Street Corp. "It's a loving and wonderful experience to be invited by the general community to help celebrate Israel's birthday," Pava said. Ruth B.
Flynn, chairman of the promotion committee for "X' Main Street said the flag would foster cultural diversity in the neighborhood. Tr The Vietnamese community raised a flag in April, Flynn said. The flag will remain flying over the triangle until Sunday. The birthday bash will include a parade at 2 p.m. marching down Sumner Avenue to Dickinson Street.
A carnival and fair will be held at the JCC on Dickinson St. at 3 p.m., with a concert following at 6 p.m. All are welcome. Lordy, Lordy, Look Who's 40 Jessica Mary! Love, Mom The Gang charge and a possession to distribute charge. She was released yesterday from Northampton District Court on $100 bail, pending her July 21 pretrial hearing.
State police stopped Crockwell because of an equipment violation. Crockwell had no license and consented to a search, police said. 413-734-6696 FAX 731-0084 Gray 22 Springfield. Sheldon MA Street 01107 Inc. SUMMER KIDS PROGRAM 10000 will sponsor a Child for one week Program begins July 6th.
Call Sr. Martha Ann FRESH FRUIT and VEGETABLES KORAN'S FARM 160 East Hill Monson, MA (413) 267-3396 Strawberries Coming Soon. Bedding Vegetable Plants Hanging Baskets Perennials Herbs Yankee Candles Boyd's Bears, Bearstones, Dollstones, Folkstones Dept. 56 Snowbabies Charming Tails Hours: Monday-Friday 10-6; Saturday Sunday 9-6 4..
