Region 10 School Bell - Regional School District 10

Region 10 School Bell
SPRING 2015
A Publication About Region 10 Schools
APRIL ISSUE
Lewis Mills High School Takes Top Honors in
20th Annual Academic Bowl Challenge
·
Lewis S. Mills High School hosted the 20th annual
Academic Bowl Challenge on March 28th. The Academic
Bowl was started twenty years ago by Mr. Jack Hines, the
now retired Executive VP of First Bristol Federal Credit
Union, to give academics a public venue. Each year high
school students from Bristol Central, Bristol Eastern, St.
Paul Catholic, Terryville, and Lewis S. Mills compete in
a General Knowledge “Quiz” Bowl, and in events that
showcase public speaking, poetry, music, and art. This
year’s students were selected by their teachers to work
with Mills teachers/coaches Ms. Kristen Carlson, Mr.
Josh Krampitz, Mr. David Miller and Mrs. Jen Wyzykowski to
prepare for the event.
Admirably representing the Region 10 School District
the Lewis Mills’ Quiz Bowl team, comprised of Jay
Cizeski (captain), Jack Jennetta, Sam Markelon and
Andrew Oldenburg placed first in the lively competition
(top left). A phenomenal painting by Zach Thompson
earned first place in the 2D Art competition (top right),
and Rebecca Shields’ creative sculpture placed first
in 3D Art (bottom left). Emily Sigan’s talented piano
playing and singing earned her a first place award in the
Music category (bottom right). Congratulations to the
winners as well as all of the Lewis Mills students who
were selected to showcase their many talents during this year’s event.
Region 10 Welcomes New Director of Student Learning
The Region 10 School District is pleased to announce that Mrs. Cheri Burke is the new Director of Student Learning. She
succeeds Mr. Bob Choiniere who retired in January after 19 years in our district. Married
with four children, Mrs. Burke brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership skills and
educational experience to Region 10.
Cheri Burke obtained her undergraduate degree at Wheelock College in Boston and
taught elementary education for five years in Framingham, Massachusetts. While in a
classroom setting, she began to see curriculum as the unifying focus for all of her students, “Curriculum is the roadmap for all we do; it should allow teachers to do their jobs
to the best of their ability.” This interest in curriculum reinforced her decision to get her
Masters in Curriculum and Instruction at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
After moving back to Connecticut and getting married, Mrs. Burke worked for ten years
at Charter Oak Elementary in West Hartford as a 3rd grade teacher. It was during this
time that Burke met the woman who would become her mentor, then Charter Oak principal Mrs. Peg Beecher. Beecher encouraged her to get involved with reading instruction and use her talents to help teachers,
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April 9, 2015
Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Neighbors:
As I write to you, it pains me to say, that on April 9th we remain in the
clutches of winter with ice on the trees and slippery road conditions. I am
confident however, that in the coming weeks, the warm rays of the sun will
reach all of you and we can begin to enjoy a delightful, New England spring
and summer season.
During the past few months, the Board of Education has been working
diligently to create the Estimate of Expenses for the 2015/2016 school year.
Our referendum is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5th in each of the town halls
from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. I have provided below, a quick thumbnail
sketch of the most significant items related to the Estimate of Expenses. You
will also be receiving a budget mailer at the end of the month. Both of our communities have continually supported the efforts
of the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Schools, the administration and staff in providing the most cost-effective
education for the Region’s approximate 2,600 students. This year’s Estimate of Expenses presented new challenges, particularly
in the area of health care expenses. I hope that you will take time to review the details which can be found on our webpage.
You may also pick up a copy at either one of the district’s schools, public libraries or first selectman’s office in Harwinton or
Burlington.
It gives me great pleasure to say, that while we expected up to 10 layoffs, those numbers are quickly diminishing as a result of
attrition amongst our staff tied directly to leaves of absence, retirements, and resignations to be closer to home for some of our
teachers. We hope by the close of school in June, to have rehired all of our staff and to continue the long history of no teacher
layoffs in Region 10.
These are indeed exciting times in Region 10. Our students hope that in the coming weeks to be able to utilize our outside
athletic facilities as the snow continues to diminish and the fields begin to dry out. The last day of school is scheduled for
June 22nd which is designated as a half-day. Lewis S. Mills’ seniors will proudly graduate that evening at the Warner Theater
at 6:30 p.m. Our 8th grade student’s special ceremony will be held Friday, June 19th at 6:30 p.m. in the Lewis S. Mills
gymnasium. Our moving up ceremonies for Harwinton Consolidated School and Lake Garda Elementary will be June 17th
and June 18th respectively.
We, in Region 10, remain committed to our goal of establishing, maintaining, and improving the highest standards of quality of
education in Region 10 while simultaneously reflecting the economic challenges faced by the tax payers. As we move forward,
please take time to read about the many positive and wonderful achievements of our staff, students, and parents in Region 10.
We are very proud of their individual and collective accomplishments.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely yours,
Alan Beitman
Superintendent of Schools
Regional School District #10
Board of Education’s
Estimate of Expenses for 2015-16
$37,990,504
An increase of 2.95%
a dollar increase of
$1,088,349
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MILLS SENIOR A FINALIST
IN STATE POETRY CONTEST
Senior Emma Avery
was one of the top five
Connecticut finalists in the
10th annual Poetry Out
Loud contest. Over 6,700
students from 50 schools
in Connecticut took part
in the competition held at
Central Connecticut State
University. The poets who
made it to the state finals
Emma Avery, second from the right, stands with the top were required to memorize
five finalists at the 2015 Poetry Out Loud competition.
three poems and were
judged on their performance and the difficulty of the poems they selected.
Poetry Out Loud is a national contest that encourages the nation’s
youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation.
This program helps students master public speaking skills, build selfconfidence, and learn about their literary heritage.
The Connecticut Association of Schools held their Celebration of Excellence in the Arts on February 23rd. More
than 2,000 people attended the 2-evening event. Four
Region 10 students from Harwinton Consolidated School
and Lake Garda Elementary School were recognized by
their Art and Music teachers for their talents and
achievements in music and art.
L-R: Samantha Elwell and LGS Art teacher Misty Matthews, Kaelyn McFadden and HCS Music teacher DawnMarie Conroy, Jesse Byrne and LGS Music teacher Tyler
Boyle, Joline Nguyen and HCS Art teacher Liz Spring.
Region 10’s Energy Conservation Program
In its 5th year, Region 10’s Energy Conservation Program continues to be a success. We attribute the reduction in electrical
usage to the efforts of our Region 10 teachers. Their efforts to conserve energy by turning off electrical devices at the end
of the day, or by not turning on items (e.g. computers) whenever daily plans allow, have helped to reduce electrical usage.
These may seem like simple tasks, but think what happens in your own home. How often do you leave a room light on and
no one is in the room? Do you leave your computer on all night? Why?
Several teachers from each school were recently recognized for their consistent conservation efforts and named Region 10
Energy Star Partners: Lewis Mills~ Barbara Angelicola-Manzolli, Daniel Czuchta, Nina Fournier; Har-Bur~ Kathryn
Bracken, Brian deManbey, Priscilla Johnson; Harwinton Consolidated~ Kristin Coffman, Cherie Linquist, Catherine
McIntire; Lake Garda~ Stephanie Bufano, Jennifer Fox, Kathy Wesolowski.
~submitted by David Crompton, Energy Manager
BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL TEAM
WINS BERKSHIRE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT TITLE
There is a saying “the third time’s the charm,” and that was certainly true for
the Lewis Mills boys basketball team. After Northwestern won the regular season
games 44-41 on January 6th and 56-51 on February 19th, the Spartans had a
third meeting against Northwestern on March 6th and took full advantage of this
opportunity.
Behind Senior Zack Ventres’ 20 points, six of them 3-pointers, and Senior
Nate Cook’s 14 points and game clinching free throws, Lewis Mills knocked
off Northwestern 59-55 in the Berkshire League Tournament Championship.
Northwestern brought the score to within one point, 56-55 with 21 seconds
to play, but Cook made three free throws in the final 17 seconds to ensure the
victory. This championship was especially exciting as Lewis Mills last won the
Berkshire League Tournament title during the 1996-97 season; those are the
same years the Seniors on this team were born!
In addition to the win, Cook (pictured, cutting down the net) was voted
First Team, ALL STATE and 1st Team, Berkshire League; Senior Justin
Pease was named 2nd Team, Berkshire League. Congratulations to the entire
boys basketball team, especially Seniors Nate Cook, John Geissler, Grant
McGregor, Justin Pease and Zack Ventres for a season to remember!
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~ New Director of Student Learning, continued from page 1
which led Burke to attend Central Connecticut State University and get her Certificate in Reading Instruction and Remedial
Reading. She soon found herself as the International Baccalaureate Coordinator after Charter Oak became a magnet school.
Looking to grow her professional experiences, she went to CCSU to complete her Advanced Degree in Educational Leadership to obtain her administrative certificate. Burke then took a secondary level position in Ellington, working on curriculum
for middle school and high school students and was soon hired as the Principal at Seymour Elementary in East Granby. During
her 3 1/2 years in that administrative role, Burke was introduced to the Common Core, SBAC testing and teacher evaluations
which were being rolled out by the State of Connecticut.
When a colleague brought the Director of Student Learning position in Region 10 to her attention, Burke was intrigued. She
knew that taking on a role of this magnitude would entail a “mind shift,” but she wanted a leadership role with a philosophy
similar to her own, “I believed that I was the right person for the position and that Region 10 was right for me.” Burke feels
that this role will help her provide validation to the changes that are occurring in education, “I feel I am helping bring a coherence to what we are doing, every decision we make during this time of change is focused on our students.” Burke also notes
that one of her strengths is communicating effectively, “Being transparent as to the ‘what and why’ in decision making builds
relationships with people. It really boils down to what is best for the kids.”
Since starting her job in January Burke reflects, “I have found this district to be passionate about our kids, the school is embedded in a strong community and the families are committed to their children’s education.” That way of thinking lends itself
to the Maya Angelou quote Burke has on the wall of her new office, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when
you know better, do better.” We are looking forward to Mrs. Burke helping Region 10 students and staff “do better.”
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when
you know better, do better.” ~Maya Angelou
Thank You, Volunteers!
(L-R) Tracy Scarborough, HCS Principal Megan Mazzei,
HCS Asst. Principal Rebecca Kennedy, LGS Principal Jack
Gedney, HBMS Asst. Principal Peter Bogen, Nancy Gottfried,
Kim Falconer, Elizabeth O’Connell, Caryn Martinelli, Melanie
Wilhelm, and Alyssa Colasanto
On March 4th, seven volunteers from Har-Bur Middle School, Lake Garda
Elementary School and Harwinton Consolidated School were honored at the
Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) Volunteer Banquet at the Aqua Turf Club.
CAS proudly celebrates this event annually to publicly acknowledge the work
of parents and other volunteers for their contributions to schools across the state.
Over 450 participants from 68 elementary, middle and high schools were honored.
Karen List, Retired Superintendent from West Hartford, was the guest speaker.
In her speech she explained, “Whether it is box tops, or baskets, or classroom
projects, the volunteers are the key to keeping our schools up and running.” She
shared that “Giving - of money, of time, of effort, empowers all of us. Yet I realize
that most of you volunteer out of the goodness of your hearts, not because you
think it will lower your blood pressure or make you feel more powerful in the
world. You volunteer because you’re that kind of person - giving, altruistic, aware
of life’s true priorities.” Many thanks to all of the Region 10 volunteers!
News from the Board of Education
Former Lewis Mills English teacher, Mr. John Vecchitto, has been elected to the Region 10 Board Of Education in the position formerly filled by Mrs. Theresa Foley who resigned in February. Mr. Vecchitto was elected at a special town meeting and
will fill the vacancy until the next election in November, where his name will appear on the ballot. John states, “I’m pleased to
be serving Harwinton as a board member and prepared to meet the challenges of the position.”
John has an extensive background in education, possessing certificates in both teaching and administration. He has participated
in the UCONN Executive Leadership Program, Harvard Principals’ Academy, Harvard Zero Project, Bard Institute of Writing
and Thinking, and CCSU Educational Leadership Program throughout his career. To balance his academia, John is an avid gardener and currently enrolled in the UConn Extension Service Master Gardeners’ Program. John’s wife, Julie, works in the Communications Office at Hotchkiss School and they have a daughter, Jennifer, who works as a teacher in San Lorenzo, California.
John states that he was interested in the BOE even before Theresa Foley’s position opened, “I knew I had a depth of understanding about education and its many issues that I wished to continue to share. I also possess an inside-perspective of the
Region. I remain an advocate for student-centered learning as I have throughout my career.”
When asked about his goals as the newest BOE member John replied, “My immediate goal is to help develop this year’s budget, balancing students’, parents’, educators’, and tax-payer’s interests.” This year’s budget referendum will be held on Tuesday,
May 5th from 6am-8pm, with voting at both Burlington’s and Harwinton’s Town Hall.
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Harwinton Consolidated Participates in Idita-read
On February 4th, as part of I Love To Read Month, Harwinton Consolidated students headed outside to meet Connecticut dog sled mushers Julia
and Lauren and their team of husky sled dogs. The mushers explained the
sport of dog sledding, answered questions, and gave students a chance
to pet the huskies. The huskies’ visit was the kick-off to a month-long
reading challenge, spearheaded by school librarian Gail Nelson, in which
all classrooms compete as dog sled teams that travel a bulletin board map
of the Alaskan Iditarod Race. For every hour a student read outside of
school, their team’s sled advanced two miles along the map’s trail.
Students in grades 2–4 traveled along the 1,000 mile Iditarod trail from
Anchorage to Nome, while students in kindergarten-1st grade worked to
complete the 160 mile Iditarod Jr. trail. Third grade’s Team Rybak won
the 2nd-4th grade race after traveling 957 miles, reading 237 hours! There was a three-way tie for the K-1st grade race with Team
Evans, Team Hedrick, and Team Nowell all reading more than 100 hours! Winning teams joined Principal Megan Mazzei and
Paws, the HCS husky mascot, for a fun lunch. Overall, HCS students compiled nearly 2,000 hours of reading in February.
Region 10 Takes Home Honors at History Day in CT
Over 200 students from surrounding communities participated in the History Day in Connecticut regional competition on March
7th. Students presented their projects to a panel of judges, using this year’s theme of “Leadership and Legacy in History.” Students
chose to enter their projects into one of five categories in the Junior Division (6-8 grade) or Senior Division (9-12 grade). The
categories were: exhibits, documentaries, websites, papers and performances.
Four Lewis Mills students took awards in the Senior Division: Kim Lawton and Kendall Butler took 1st place in Group
Website for The Korean War: Matthew Ridgway; Theo Camara took 2nd place in
the Individual Documentary category for Woodie Guthrie: Voice of America; and
Mat Triplett took 3rd place in Senior Paper for The Legacy of Adolf Hitler.
Fifteen Har-Bur Middle School students took awards in the Junior Division: Greg
Logan and Ben Hall took 1st place in Group Website for 3 Strikes and Segregation
is Out; Jack Joiner, Andrew Baccaro, Patrick Kelliher and Bailey Miceli took
1st place in Group Performance for Al Capone’s Ups and Downs; Julia Malejczck,
Sami Plebanek, Brooke Kvedar and Jackie Johnson took 2nd place in Junior
Group Exhibit for King Hammurabi: The Ultimate Judge; Tyler Kolenda and
Kyle Schultz took 3rd place in Junior Group Documentary for The Life and Legacy
of JFK; Ian Formeister, Luke Jones-Aubert and Austin McQuilkin took 3rd
place in Junior Group Website for Xerxes: His Life and Legacy.
The top three qualifiers from each category will be competing in the State History
Day Contest which will be held on May 9th at Central Connecticut State University
HBMS’ Group Performance participants, Patrick
Kelleher, Jack Joiner, Andrew Baccaro and Bailey
in New Britain. The top two finishers from the state competition will be invited to
Miceli, talk with the History Day judges about their
the National History Day contest in June at the University of Maryland.
performance.
Connecticut Rhyme Celebration
On March 18th, students from Lake Garda, Harwinton Consolidated and
Har-Bur Middle School attended the 24th annual CT COLT (Council of
Language Teachers) Rhyme Celebration in Hartford. CT COLT strongly
supports early language learning and the teaching of foreign languages.
Foreign language teachers Alecia Bohan, Carol Brault, Mary Brown,
Sabrina Martin and Marcy Schulman helped their students learn and
memorize poems in Spanish and French. Students recited the Spanish poems, “Soy una pizza,” “Bajen la pinata,” and “La cena sana,” (which was
written by Mrs. Schulman) and the French poem, “Comptine des bisous
pour Maman.” Region 10’s World Language teachers would like to give
a special thanks to Marcy Schulman who retired two years ago after teaching 30 years in the district. She returned this year and
teaches Spanish to 10 classes of 3rd and 4th graders at Harwinton Consolidated. When asked why she returned to teaching she
said, “Personally, I like the challenge of developing lessons, and I missed the interaction with my students and colleagues.”
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Mills Students Host Senior Citizen Prom
Lewis S. Mills High School’s National Foreign Language Honor Society
hosted their 3rd Annual Senior Citizen Prom on January 16th. Members
of NFLHS treated 28 senior citizens from Burlington and Harwinton to a
special afternoon. The Prom began with several student-led musical performances, including singing, piano playing and a song performed with
American Sign Language. With the help of Family and Consumer Sciences
instructor Mrs. Barbara Denza, NFLHS students made lasagna roll-ups,
salad and desserts for their guests, eating with them while getting to know
one another. For entertainment, several games of BINGO were played and
then there was, of course, dancing. The Mills students taught the seniors
the Macarena, had them join in on a few line dances and slowed down the
music for a partner dance. Mills Spanish teacher and NFLHS advisor Ms.
Sarah Allen stated, “I am very impressed with the officers and others who
organized the Senior Citizen Prom. The kids did this all on their own; from the choice of food, the photographer, creating musical performances, gathering prizes for BINGO, to selecting the dance music, their hard work led to the success of this event.”
On February 19th, the Lewis Mills Unified Sports basketball team played a game
against Torrington’s Unified Sports team. The athletes showcased their basketball
skills during the doubleheader of the Lewis Mills and Northwestern girls and boys
basketball games. The Special Olympics Unified Sports Program provides a forum
for positive social interaction between mentally disabled and non-disabled students.
All Unified Sports athletes and their partners are of similar age and matched by sport
skill ability.
This same night, both high schools’ students and faculty wore purple shirts to show
their support for Project Purple, an initiative whose purpose is to raise awareness
about the dangers of substance abuse. The founder of Project Purple, Chris Herren,
is a former NBA player who suffered from addiction to drugs and alcohol during his
NBA career. Mr. Herren will be coming to Lewis Mills High School on May 26th to
share his story with the students.
5th Annual Shine On 5K Benefits
The Karen DuCotey Fund for Kids
The 5th annual Shine On 5K Race will take place this year on Sunday, May 17th at 1:00pm at Lewis Mills High School.
There will be a Certified 5K race/walk, a 1 mile Fun Run and a no cost ¼ mile Dolphin Dash! There will be new prizes and as
always a fun carnival like family atmosphere.
We continue to be blessed by the amazing energy and support from local businesses and community members. Due to the success from past races and other generous contributions, The Karen DuCotey Fund for Kids (operated by The Main Street Community Foundation) has grown to over $30,000!
We are happy to be able to use this money in Karen’s honor to provide emergency response fund grants for children and
families in Region 10. Funds from the race are also used for the Karen DuCotey Memorial Award which is given annually to a
college bound Lewis Mills senior interested in becoming an elementary educator. Karen (Jodoin) DuCotey was an elementary
school teacher at Lake Garda Elementary School and attended Lake Garda herself as a child.
For online race registration or sponsorship information visit www.shineon5k.com or www.burlingtonctparksandrec.com.
Can’t make it this year but would still like to donate? Mail a check to: Shine On 5k, c/o Burlington Parks and Recreation, 200
Spielman Highway, Burlington, CT 06013 ~submitted by The Shine On 5K Race Committee
Main Street Community Foundation CEO, Susan Sadecki,
holds a check presented to her by the third and fourth graders
who comprise Lake Garda’s Student Council. Lake Garda Students were encouraged to bring in coins to vote for their favorite Super Bowl team. Parent volunteers manned the buckets as
students entered the lunch room and deposited their coins into
a bucket for the Patriots or the Seahawks. Students and faculty
raised $638.00 to benefit the Karen DuCotey Fund for Kids,
which helps Region 10 students in need of immediate assistance
due to a particular life situation or unexpected financial hardship. Student Council is advised by 3rd grade teacher Allison
Czapla and ESL instructor Daria Avery.
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Exchange Students Reflect Upon Experiences
✤ When I first decided to come to the US for a year I never thought that I would end up living in Burlington, Connecticut. I really wished to go somewhere warm, as Florida or California, I’m not really a cold weather fan. Or at least a more known state.
But when they told my that I was coming to Connecticut I just packed my warmer clothes and got ready for a cold long winter.
I arrived to the US on August 29th and started school September 2nd. My first day on school wasn’t bad. I created my own
schedule, a thing that we can’t do in Spanish high school, and got a fast explanation about how it worked. I was with another exchange student from Spain and she looked as confused as me so it wasn’t that bad. In every class I attended kids would introduce
themselves and come talk to me. They were really friendly and open. After a week of school I joined the volleyball team, where
I met lots of new friends. I also started helping with middle school spanish classes, where I usually go once every two weeks. I
also joined the ski club during the winter time. During my time here I’ve met really good friends and gone to high school events
as Mills Got Talent, Mr Mills, and the homecoming dance. All of these activities that we don’t have in Spanish high schools.
Another thing that I had to do in order of living here, in the US, was to get adapted into another family’s life. That was one of
the things that really scared me. I’ve had other exchange experiences, but never as long as this one. I’ve had good and not as
good experiences with my previous host families during those exchanges, so I was excited and nervous to meet the people that
would be my family for the next year. They’ve turn out to be great people that I hope I’ll keep in touch years after this experience
is over. They’ve make me feel totally included on the family life and they’ve made their home feel as mine too. I’ve also visited
lots of interesting places, I’ve had the chance of going to New York, Boston, Yale, Pennsylvania and even Canada.
This exchange program is a great experience for learning another culture, making new friends and visiting lots of places while
learning a new language. It also has taught me how to be more independent, having my whole family living 6,000 Km from here.
I would totally recommend it to anybody who asks. So I guess that coming to Burlington, a cold small town in Connecticut with
not too many things to do, isn’t that bad. ~ Blanca Rodrigo, exchange student from Madrid, Spain
✤ The 2014 Spanish Exchange Program was an experience that I will certainly never forget. One reason for its significance
in my memory is Spain’s culture. In just ten days the exchange opened my eyes (and taste buds) to a whole new lifestyle. For
example, I was able to try so many new foods and loved the majority of them. Not only do Spaniards eat five meals a day, they
eat different foods than we do in the United States. On the weekends our “host siblings” took the group to tapas restaurants.
Tapas are small, appetizer like dishes that are eaten for dinner. Waiters would come around with plates, each with a different
type of tapas on it. Some had sea food, some had cheeses and meats, and there were some that had foods that I had never seen
before; nevertheless we all tried every type. A huge component of culture is food and the exchange allowed me to have a once in
a lifetime experience with the Spanish culture. If given the chance, I would return to Algeciras in a heartbeat because being immersed in a foreign culture is such a fun, spontaneous, and eye opening adventure. ~Emma Krysanski, Junior, Lewis S. Mills HS
Swiss Intern Program
Cultural Extravaganza
For four weeks in
January, five fourth-year
students from the Swiss
University in Basel
came to Lake Garda and
Har-Bur MS as teaching interns. This unique
program was brought to
Region 10 three years ago
by Lake Garda Principal
Jack Gedney, “Region
10 is the only district in the country with a program like
this. In their fourth year, the students get to choose where
they want to go. Connecticut is the only English-speaking
program available to them.” Interns can also choose from
programs at German-speaking embassy schools in places
like Russia, Australia and Thailand.
Saskia Mosimann (pictured) was in Ms. Laurie Claflin’s
5th grade class at Har-Bur. “I appreciate the opportunity to
come here. I love working with Mrs. Claflin. She’s great,
open-minded and lets me bring in my own ideas to the
classroom.” Ms. Claflin adds, “Saskia has been educating
the students about school and life in her country and how
it differs from ours. She is also teaching German to the
students during their free time; 25 kids have joined her to
share in her culture.”
The National Foreign Language Honor Society of Lewis S.
Mills High School held their annual Cultural Talent Extravaganza under advisor Sarah Allen. The event entails a meal
with dishes from all around the world and later a performance
where anyone can display their cultural talents. Dishes were
from: Italy, Puerto Rico, Korea, Poland, and Mexico. This
year “Puppettude” was brought in to perform two lovely
songs with puppets as the opening
act. Following them were several
students with acts ranging from
cultural raps, to songs in other
languages, to dances from other
cultures. To add to the excitement first and second place prizes
were awarded. Tom DiSorbo and
Logan Worley placed first with
their cultural rap battle winning a
$100 cash prize. Noelle Sonstrom
(pictured) placed second with a
musical performance in Spanish as well as a Hawaiian dance.
Each year all proceeds from the event go toward supporting
Doctors Without Borders, an organization that helps people
worldwide where the need is greatest, delivering emergency
medical aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters
or exclusion from health care. This year the Society was able
to meet their goal of $1,000! ~submitted by Kara Schatz, NFLHS
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Lewis S. Mills Alumni...Where Are They Now?
✤ Michael Cohen ‘09, Syracuse University ‘13, a sports enterprise writer for the Memphis (TN) Commercial Appeal, has
been named the winner of the US Basketball Writers Association’s Rising Star Award, which is presented annually by the
USBWA to a member under 30 years of age who demonstrates journalistic excellence.
✤ James Mann ‘09, Southern Connecticut State University ‘14, was recently hired at Har-Bur Middle School as the Kids
In The Middle (KIM) Coordinator. James states, “I plan on using my enthusiasm for community, teamwork, and kindness
towards others to help students gain experiences like I had, and create new ones. I am excited to give back my passion and
enthusiasm to the school system that raised me.”
✤ Stephen Sikora ’10, Boston College ’14, graduated with degrees in Economics and Finance and a minor in Philosophy.
He was President of BC’s Economics Association and an Opinions and Sports columnist for BC’s student newspaper. Stephen
began working in New York City last fall for CreditSights, a global investment research firm specializing in fixed income
analysis. He is a junior research analyst on the Technology, Media and Telecom team, with a current focus on the Cable/Satellite and Telecom industries.
✤ Wyatt Toczko ’14, was recently inducted into the University of Connecticut’s Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. Students are eligible for membership if they possess a GPA of 3.5 or better during their first term in college. ALD’s mission is
to encourage superior academic achievement, promote intelligent living, a high standard of learning, and to assist students in
recognizing and developing meaningful goals in society.
✤ Michael Mudgett ‘14, made Dean’s List at Johns Hopkins University. Students who earn a term grade point average of 3.5
or above qualify for this honor.
Make A Mark Enrichment Fund Annual Summary
Since it’s inception in 2009, and through your generous support, the Make A Mark Enrichment Fund has awarded 22 individual grants, totaling $14,850. In addition, the Fund also sponsors the “Make A Move” Regional Chess Club, and has hosted
the annual Community Chess Tournament and the Johnnycake Music Fest since 2011 and 2012 respectively. The intended
goal of Make A Mark is to continue funding innovative educational endeavors; projects not normally funded by the Region 10
Board of Education. The deadline to apply for this year’s grants is July 2nd. This past year the Make A Mark Fund, under the
umbrella of the Main Street Community Foundation, awarded four grants to the Region 10 School District:
“LSM Book Club” ~Wesley Coughlin, student at Lewis S. Mills High School
“Project WEB” ~ Martha Rouleau, Assistant Principal at Har-Bur Middle School
“Trestle Tree” ~ Phyllis Jones, K-12 PE/Health Coordinator at Region 10 School District
“Project Purple” ~ Silvia Ouellette, Assistant Principal at Lewis S. Mills High School
These grants and events would not be possible without those who supported the Make A Mark Enrichment Fund with monetary donations and volunteer hours, as well as the 2014-2015 financial contributors: Tom Agresta and Miwako Ohta-Agresta,
Woody and Kate Anderson, AXA Foundation, Alan and Caroline Beitman, Janet Bergstrom, Kirsten and Tim Bergstrom, Tanya
and Kerry Biggs, Jordan Carr, Francis Chiaramonte, Michael and Karen Chowaniec, Chubb & Son, Stephanie and Dean
Cowger, Lisa Cozzi, Michael Criss, David and Eileen Crompton, Farmington Bank, Theresa and Glenn Foley, Bud and Lilly
Funk , Dennis and Nancy Gottfried, Sophia and Richard Grant, William and Barbara Grindal, Kristen and Bruce Guillemette,
Keirsten and Adam Hallet, Mark and Carmela Hansen, Harwinton Consolidated School PTA, Harwinton Women’s Club,
Dwight Harris, Brian and Susan Ignatowski, Brooke and Ben Joiner, Bryan and Carrie King, Cyndi and Andy Klimkoski, Sandy and Ann Mazeau, Tania and Brian McNaboe, Richard and Patricia Miller, Robert and Louise O’Donnell, Laura and Terry
Perrault, Regional School District #10, Vincent and Gina Scherbner, Theodore C. Shafer, Marc and Kiera Soucy, Richard and
Jayne Stocker, Thomaston Savings Bank, The Travelers Companies, Margaret Tylutki, United Technologies, Colleen Ververis,
Michael and Shelley Watts.
If you are interested in making a taxdeductible contribution to the Make A Mark
Enrichment Fund, consider honoring a Region 10 staff member by making a donation
in their name. Make A Mark will provide a
certificate stating that a gift has been made
in that person’s honor; your child can present
the certificate to his or her teacher/coach.
For more information about the Make A
Mark Enrichment Fund, please visit www.
makeamarkr10.org.
2015 Chess Tournament Results:
Beginner~ 1st: Wesley Coughlin,
2nd: Matt Riordan
Advanced Beginner~ 1st: Jack Stocker,
2nd: Wesley Legere
Intermediate~ 1st: Mark Woodcox,
2nd: Alan Raymond
Swiss-Style~ 1st: Daniel Dudzik,
2nd: Jay Cizeski
The Chess Tournament is for all ages and abilities!
8 Region 10 School Bell
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The “A” List:
Achievements, Accomplishments,
Accolades and Awards
 In celebration of “Youth Art Month,” you are invited to
view the fabulous artwork of many Region 10 students at the
Harwinton Public Library. The show will run through April
and features artists from Lake Garda Elementary, Harwinton
Consolidated School and Har-Bur Middle School.
 Congratulations to the captains of the following spring
sports (selected as of press time): MILLS: Crew~ Benn
Kelly, Nick McGough, Tom Walker, Sage Iacovazzi, Emily Nedley, Sierra Thibault; Softball~ Emma Kryzanski,
Karlie Neuhausser, Paige Reid; Boys Tennis~ Jay Cizeski, Holden Robinson; Girls Tennis~ Kristen Angiletta,
Julia DiGuiseppe, Maddy Florian; Boys Volleyball ~ Tim
Forella, Tom DiSorbo.
 The HYSA boys 7/8 A travel basketball team won its
third consecutive Rt. 44 Basketball Championship defeating
Middlebury 54-46 on March 15th! The boys capped off a
tremendous year going 24-2 and ending with an undefeated
league record. The team has posted 83 wins over the past
four seasons. Team members from Har-Bur Middle School
are: Holden Cowger, Lukas Dudzik, Alex Gallagher, Matt
Geissler, Nathan King, Quin Kirsten, Grayson LaBerge,
Cooper Mattiello, Colby Norton, and Josh Schibi.
 Congratulations to the following Mills athletes who broke
school records this winter! Diving~ Shawn Magill, a 6 dive
score 179.10; Girls Indoor Track 4x800m relay~ Nicole
Crockett, Julia Rich, Jillian Keegan and Kristin Sullivan,
10:55.71; Boys Indoor Track 4x400m relay~ Jesse QuinnAlger, Jackson Morrow, Cooper Smelski and Jack Keegan,
3:51.01; Sprint Medley relay~ Jack Keegan, Wes Coughlin,
Cooper Smelski and Jackson Morrow, 3:57.29; Distance
Medley relay 1200-400-800-1600m~ Nate Virovoy, Wes
Coughlin, Cooper Smelski and Jackson Morrow, 12:07.62
 On March 17th, 11 students traveled to Lyman Hall HS in
Wallingford, CT to recite poems in Chinese, French, Spanish and Sign Language. They represented Region 10 at the
annual CT Council of Language Teachers’ Poetry Recitation
Contest. Participating students included Gabriele Bagdonas, Jon Jennetta, Maxwell Lagasse, Carly Moris, Jesse
Quinn-Alger, Siena Stickney and Morgan Sokol. Our winners included Emily Nedley, Gold Medal for ASL II; Natalie
Plebanek, Silver Medal for Polish (native speaker category);
Melanie Senk, Bronze Medal for Spanish IV and Mary Kate
Cormier, Bronze Medal for French II. We are proud of you!
 LGS students were treated to a magical performance of
“The Dragon King” by Tanglewood Marionettes, a nationally touring marionette theater company. Large, hand-crafted
marionettes and colorful sets brought the classic tale to life.
 HBMS welcomes these new family additions: 7th grade
Science teacher Derek Santoro and his wife Chrissy welcomed Gianna on January 3rd; Archer Barry was born to
Wellness instructor Killeen Leonard and her husband Blake
on January 12th; 6th grade Student Support Services’ Erika
Brady and her husband Robert welcomed Rosalee Marie
on January 16th; 6th grade Language Arts teacher Heather
Rayner and her husband Charlie welcomed Charles Peyton
on January 26th~ he is also the grandson of Student Support Services’ administrative assistant Pat Distasio. There
are also three new babies at HCS: Mia Kathleen was born to
preschool teacher Shannon Driscoll and her husband Marc
Cohen on January 5th; Tori Jay was welcomed by 2nd grade
teacher Tina Rogers and her husband Marcus on January
10th; tutor Greta Lindquist-Merlino and her husband Joe
welcomed Jude Eric on March 25th.
 Lewis Mills Art instructor Jen Wyzykowski is collecting
clean, colored, screw-on bottle/jar caps of any size for an art
project. Please send your caps to her attention at Mills.
 Eight teams from Region 10 took part in the FIRST LEGO
League Regional Expo on January 31st. Teams brought their
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) projects
to share, displayed their work, and participated in many fun
engineering based activities. Area educators, FIRST mentors,
and robotics students from CCSU served as reviewers and
assigned each team an award based upon their work.
 Congratulations to the Lewis Mills Girls Varsity Basketball
team members who made Berkshire League All-Stars: 1st
team, Natalie Ruel and 2nd team, Ruta Martisauskaite.
 Lake Garda
students participated in the
Jump Rope for
Heart event
in February.
Their efforts
raised a total
of $8,159.58
for the American Heart
Association!
 Do you have a band instrument at home that is not being
used? Please consider donating it to the Region 10 Fine Arts
Department; it will be loaned to a Region 10 student in need.
All types of instruments can be donated and a tax deduction
form will be provided upon request. Contact Mr. John Deeb
at [email protected] if you are willing to help.
Region 10 School Bell 9
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The “A” List:
Achievements, Accomplishments,
Accolades and Awards
 Congratulations to the Har-Bur basketball teams for their
outstanding seasons. Coached by Rob Cook, the boys’ team
finished with a 16-1 record. The girls’ team, coached by Bob
Samudosky, ended their season undefeated at 15-0. Husky
hoops would like to thank the Har-Bur cheer squad, coached
by Lisa Melingonis, for their energy and performances during
their home games.
 Congratulations to Junior Kate Seelye who participated
in the Connecticut
High School Fencing
Championships on
March 7th, finishing
29th in Women’s epee.
Highlights included
going up 2-0 vs. the #1
ranked fencer (before
a disappointing 3-5
loss) in the qualifying
round, and winning the
first direct elimination
Kate Seelye, on right, scoring a “touch”
or point.
round bout 15-7 before
losing in the 2nd round to the #5 ranked fencer. Kate fences
with Farmington Valley Fencing Academy in Bloomfield, but
represents Lewis Mills at high school events.
 Twenty-six students from Mills’ FBLA chapter competed
at the State Leadership Conference on March 30th. 1st Place,
Desktop Publishing~ Julia Arel and Jillian Mazon; 4th Place,
Word Processing~ Hannah Chadwick; 5th Place, Securities
and Investments~ Dominika Fillpczuk; and 5th Place, Business Presentation~ Robert Lay, Daniel Cosgrove and Jillian
Keegan. Julia Arel and Jillian Mazon qualified to compete at
the National Leadership Conference this June in Chicago, IL!
 Congratulations to LSM actors Emma Avery, Joey Calabrese, Nick Calabrese, Jessica Gormley, Jacob Honig and
Charlie Rau who performed in the play, The Laramie Project,
at the Warner Theater in February. You were amazing! .
 Take 5 members want to thank HBMS for participating in
their Heart for a Heart fundraiser. The students worked for
over two hours tying heart messages to pencils with a ribbon,
before delivering the Valentine Heart Grams to students and
staff. The generosity and enthusiasm for this event was amazing as $350 was raised for the American Heart Association!
 Congratulations to the LSM Swim & Dive Team for Winning the Berkshire League’s Ted Alex Sportsmanship Award!
At Mills, sportsmanship speaks to the character of the players and how they represent themselves, their team, and their
school on and off the playing field. Way to go, Spartans!
 This year, several National Foreign Language Honor Society students have consistently assisted and supported 6th-8th
grade students after school, via peer tutoring. These students
use their expertise in Spanish to aid with understanding and
to provide additional practice. The peer tutors are Julia Arel,
Tom DiSorbo, Emma Kryzanski, Kaylie Meadows and
Jenna Sadecki. Their help is very much appreciated by the
middle school students and their teachers.
 On March 28th the Lewis Mills Science Team competed in
the Connecticut Regional Science Olympiad. Congratulations
to the teams that finished in the top percentiles of the forty
teams competing for their events: Hanako Agresta and Kayleigh Watson~ Protein Modeling; Jett Ledesma and Rowdy
Gagnon~ Fossils; and Ethan Surveski~ The Scrambler.
 From February 13-16, 41 French and Spanish 8th grade
students from HBMS participated in the third annual trip
to Quebec City, Canada. Highlights included attending the
Winter Carnaval, dogsledding, touring the Morrin Cultural
Center, line dancing and a tour at the Maple Sugar Shack, a
visit to an artisanal chocolate factory and viewing the frozen
Montmorency Falls. Students also went tobogganing, enjoyed
free time each day to eat and shop in the historic district, and a
Sunday tour of the Ice Hotel.
 The Coordinated School Health Team hosted a Minute to
Win It event on
March 27th. 12
teams comprised of 2-6
people competed against
the clock in 12
challenges. The
event raised
$475.00 for the
American Heart
Association.
 There are some incredibly talented musicians at Lewis
Mills! Congratulations to the winners of Mills Got Talent:
1st place~ Too Far Gone (band): Eric Uhl, Zak Fitzsimons,
Ed Kloczko, Brian Dooley and Taylor Copeland; 2nd place
(tie)~ Joe Conticello and his bandmates (band), Dan Cosgrove and Jake Wall (beatbox/rap); 3rd place (tie)~ Tori
Solkowski (guitar/singing), Jacob Honig (piano/singing).
Editor’s Note: The Winter issue profiled Mills students who
created artwork for Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. The
article should have stated that Mrs. Jen Wyzykowski’s art
students participated in this project alongside Mr. Woodcox’s.
10 Region 10 School Bell
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Community
Bulletin Board
PROJECT GRADUATION
TAG SALE & BOTTLE DRIVE
Johnnycake Music Fest to
be Held June 6th, 3-9pm
SATURDAY MAY 2nd
8:30am – 2:00pm
HARWINTON FAIRGROUNDS
Admission: $1.00 or $5.00 for 8am “Early Birds”
The 4th annual Johnnycake Music Festival will
be held on Saturday, June 6th from 3-9 pm at
Johnnycake Mountain Farm in Burlington.
The family friendly event features entertainment and
musical appearances by Cajun Ray & The Steamers,
as well as a variety of local talent. Sponsored by the
Burlington Lions Club, the Music Fest will benefit the
Region 10 Make A Mark Enrichment Fund. Be sure
to bring blankets and chairs to enjoy the festivities in
comfort. Feel free to supply your own picnic or enjoy
the variety of food available for purchase. Last year’s
event drew over 1,000 people of all ages!
Suggested donation is $5/person or $20/family.
For more information please contact:
Shelley Watts at [email protected] or
Kelly Fecteau at [email protected]
To learn more about MAM: www.makeamarkr10.org.
You can help by donating cans, bottles and items on
April 30th and May 1st, between 5-8pm.
Please no clothes/encyclopedias/paint/gasoline/
computers/tv’s.
Questions: Contact Cindy Muhl, (860) 307-0358
All proceeds benefit Lewis S. Mills’ Project
Graduation Party to help keep our students and
community safe.
ATTENTION: LEWIS S. MILLS ALUMNI
Share your news with the Region 10 Community!
Submit your alumni accolades to the School Bell
at [email protected]
SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS WANTED
Regional School District #10 is looking for individuals who are interested in substitute teacher or teaching
assistant positions on an as-needed, daily basis. The district is particularly interested in hiring individuals
who are looking to obtain a long-term, part-time daily substitute position. Interested candidates should hold
a bachelor’s degree and may apply online at www.region10ct.org under Employment Opportunities.
2016 REGION 10 TEACHER OF
THE YEAR NOMINATIONS
The 2016 Region 10 Teacher of the Year nomination forms are
now available. If you have not received the form and would like
one, please contact Central Office at (860) 673-2538.
Nominees for Teacher of the Year should be exceptionally
skilled and dedicated, working in grades Pre-K through 12, and
employed for a minimum of three years in the Region 10 school
district. Nominees should have the respect of parents, students,
and co-workers and have the ability to inspire a love of learning
for students of all backgrounds and abilities.
The individual chosen as Region 10’s Teacher of the Year will
become our candidate for the 2016 Connecticut Teacher of the
Year honors. Nomination forms are due by May 1, 2015.
Region 10 has many wonderful teachers. Now is the time
to honor them and let them know we value their many
contributions. Your participation in this process is appreciated.
Lewis Mills Booster Club
Senior Student-Athlete
Picnic June 11th
WANTED:
All Class of 2015 students who participated
on at least one sports team this year for
Lewis S. Mills High School.
The annual LSM Booster Club Senior
Student-Athlete Picnic will be held on
Thursday, June 11th at 5:30pm in the Lewis
S. Mills High School cafeteria.
All Class of 2015 athletes and their families
are invited. The Spring Athletic Awards
program will follow the picnic at 6:30pm
in the Lewis Mills auditorium.
Region 10 School Bell 11
115773 SPRING BELL 2015.indd 11
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h o o l D istri
c
Ha
r
wi
Regional School District 10
24 Lyon Road
Burlington, Connecticut 06013
(860) 673-2538
www.region10ct.org
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Permit #43
Torrington, CT
CT
•
•
o. 1 0
Re gio n
tN
al
Sc
nto
n & Bur l ingt
on
,
Region 10 Schools
Board of Education
2014-2015
Joseph Arcuri, Chair
127 Harmony Hill Road
Harwinton, CT 06791
REGION 10 RESIDENT
RURAL ROUTE
Susan Baccaro
54 Hart Street
Burlington, CT 06013
Beth Duffy
187 North Road
Harwinton, CT 06791
Thomas Fausel, Secretary
62 Harwinton Heights Road
Harwinton, CT 06791
Bruce Guillemette
497 Jerome Avenue
Burlington, CT 06013
Brooke Joiner
61 Hart Street
Burlington, CT 06013
Paul Omichinski, Treasurer
69 Gilbert Lane
Burlington, CT 06013
Ellie Parente
50 Stage Coach Road
Burlington, CT 06013
Phillip Penn, Vice Chair
2 Hollyberry Lane
Burlington, CT 06013
John Vecchitto
233 Terryville Road
Harwinton, CT 06791
Lewis S. Mills
Student Representatives
Jenna Sadecki
Eric Uhl
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Safety is everyone’s concern. Please share any concerns with us by calling:
(860) 673-2538, option #9
All information will be considered confidential.
Mr. Gene Torrence, School Resource Officer, (860) 673-0423 ext. 10603
Mr. Alan Beitman, Superintendent of Schools
[email protected]
(860) 673-2538, option #3
Regional School District #10 does not discriminate in any employment practice,
education program, or educational activity on the basis of race, color, religious creed,
sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity
or expression, disability (including, but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or
present history of mental disorder, physical disability or learning disability), genetic
information, or any other basis prohibited by Connecticut state and/or federal nondiscrimination laws. Regional School District #10 does not unlawfully discriminate in
employment and licensing against qualified persons with a prior criminal conviction.
Regional School District #10 is committed to a policy of equal opportunity/affirmative
action for all qualified persons and equal access to youth groups. Inquiries regarding Regional School District #10’s nondiscrimination policies and practices should be
directed to:
Cheri Burke, Director of Student Learning
24 Lyon Road, Burlington, CT 06013
860-673-2538 [email protected]
School Bell Editor
Stephanie Cowger
(860)673-2538 ext. 10200
[email protected]
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