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Archived Page 157

May 23, 2010 - May 29, 2010

May 28, 2010 - The Girl Scouts assisted with placing American Flags on the Veteran graves tonight.

Notice #1

2010 - Memorial Day Observance

All Veterans are called to the American Legion/VFW Headquarters -

 Community House at the corner of Rt. 30 and Rt. 85 :

Monday – May 31^th at 8:15

The parade starts at 9:00 AM at the Marlboro Savings Bank and will visit the respective cemeteries to pay tribute and honor those who have served our nation and protected our freedoms.

For more information:

Contact VFW Commander - Steve Whynot ( 508-481-2359  508-481-2359 )

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Notice #2

All Veterans and citizens of Southborough are welcomed to join with VFW Post 3276 and American Legion Post 161 in placing flags on the graves of our Veterans.

Friday – May 28^rd – 6:00 PM (1800 hrs)

Rural Cemetery – Rt. 85.

Please meet near the front of the Maintenance Building.

Help us place a flag on every Veterans grave – in tribute and honor of their service to our country.

Contact Veterans Graves Officer & VFW Commander:

Steve Whynot ( 508-481-2359  508-481-2359 ) for more information.

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 Note #3

 Memorial Day Parade and Observance

Monday - 9:00 AM -  May 31^st

Veterans of VFW Post 3276 and American Legion Post 161 will lead the parade which begins at 9:00 AM. at the Marlboro Savings Bank

Members of the Southborough Men and Militia, Buffalo Soldiers, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the Algonquin Regional High School Band will visit the respective cemeteries to pay tribute and honor those who have served our nation and protected our freedoms.

The Observances will conclude at the All Wars Memorial.

For more information:

Contact VFW Commander - Steve Whynot ( 508-481-2359  508-481-2359 )

May 28, 2010 - Flower contrast against grass.

Sports and Recreation

Algonquin Regional High School

Saturday May. 29
Boys	Varsity	Outdoor Track	@	ALL DISTRICTS @ FITCHBURG STATE COLLEGE		9:00AM
Girls	Varsity	Outdoor Track	@	ALL DISTRICTS @ FITCHBURG STATE COLLEGE		9:00AM

Assabet Valley Regional Vocational High School

Monday May. 31
Girls	Varsity	Softball	@	Franklin County Technical		4:00PM

SOUTHBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2010-2011 GRANTS

Awards over $30,000 to Southborough Schools

May 2010, Southborough, MA:  The Southborough Education Foundation (SEF) awarded over $30,000 in grants to support innovative programs in the various Southborough schools for the 2010-2011 year.  All of the Southborough public schools, including one for Algonquin Regional High School, received grants to continue to improve their teaching of the community’s children and young adults.

"We are excited about the programs our recipients will undertake and we, on behalf of the children who will benefit from these programs, would like to thank the individuals, local businesses, and international companies like EMC who make these grants possible through their generous financial contributions," said SEF President Cathy Cook.  "In difficult budgetary times like now, it is more important than ever to support innovative teaching programs so our next generation can be more effectively taught in today’s environment and become better prepared for the future.” 

This year’s grants ranged from one providing advanced scientific equipment to significantly expand the science offerings and teaching lessons at the high school level to one funding decidedly low-tech but effective displays promoting health issues to the students at the Woodward School.  Individual grants at Finn and Neary will enable programs that leverage the consumer-based technology of the Wii platform and iTouches respectively to assist in the instruction of students with developmental delays or similar issues starting in the fall.  Another Neary grant will assist in making poetry pervasive throughout the school in the spring of 2011.

Both the Woodward School and Trottier will benefit from grants that include new interactive boards being installed in classrooms.  At Trottier, SEF is funding two new interactive boards for use in the World Language Department, enabling students to “virtually visit” foreign lands and do such things as talk to foreign students and navigate foreign cities and museums as “virtual tourists”.  SEF also approved a grant to equip each of the third grade classrooms with interactive boards, marking the first time an entire grade in the school system will be able to leverage this type of interactive technology to share, improve and develop lessons for all of its students.  To date, only a few classrooms among all the schools have had this technology and they have seen significant benefits to teaching their students, especially in the areas of math and science.  Within this grant, SEF also agreed to fund an interactive software program to assist with language skills and editing for third graders.

As alluded to above, the Algonquin High School’s science department received a grant to purchase new science equipment for a program that will allow students to increase their scientific knowledge, data acquisition skills and better integrate math with science, impacting over 500 students.  Rounding out the recipients of this year’s grants was a program at Neary to provide a program emphasizing non-fiction reading and associated cross-class collaboration for all fourth graders.  For more information regarding the grants and the grant recipients, please refer to SEF’s website: www.soutboroughed.edu

The mission of the Southborough Education Foundation is to provide private funding for innovative and challenging programs that enhance the educational excellence of the Southborough public schools.  SEF seeks to foster academic excellence by awarding grants for innovative and creative programs that enhance, but do not duplicate, the standard public school curriculum, and that would otherwise not be funded through the traditional school budget process.  The Foundation seeks grant proposals that will motivate the faculty and students by creating opportunities for inventive educational programming, multidisciplinary team projects and community-focused activities. 

The Foundation supports these grants through membership fees, private donations, generous corporate grants, the annual Southborough Spelling Bee and several individual events.  Since its inception, SEF has distributed over $200,000 worth of grants to the Southborough school system.  For more information regarding SEF, please go to www.southboroughed.org or contact Kathy Cook at kcook@fusiongroup.org.

SOUTHBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION GRANTS 2010-2011

LabQuest: An Innovative Approach to Data Acquistion and Spectroscopy,

Christine Thompson, Algonquin Regional High School- $2,000.00 

Four Vernier LabQuests, one visible wavelength spectrometer and 2 pH probes have been awarded to the ARHS Science Department.  This project will increase students' scientific knowledge, data acquisition skills, integrate mathematics and develop analytical skills.  Obtaining this data acquisition equipment will allow students to collect, graph and analyze scientific data. LabQuest equipment will directly benefit 520 Algonquin Regional High School students in its first year and greatly enhance the 6 current courses and help to prepare students for science after high school and in college.

World Language/Specials SMART Boards

Jeff Drake, Trottier Middle School-$7440.00

The addition of SMART Board technology to the World Language Department will provide windows of opportunity for all of the World Languages students to take virtual trips around the world, teleconference with students around the world, navigate and sight see; all without leaving the classroom! This technology will strengthen student's vocabulary in French, Spanish and Latin. Approximately 400 students will have access to this technology; 300 French Students and Spanish students in the 7^th and 8^th grades, 60 Latin students, and virtually the entire 6^th grade participating in exploratory French and Spanish.

Getting “In Touch” with the Curriculum Using Ipod Touch Handheld Device

Mrs. Sarah Collins, Mrs. Lynn Maynard, Mrs, Deborah Manning, P. Brent Trottier Middle School-$4866.95

This program will significantly benefit students who require specially designed instruction through the use of  technology in order to make effective progress in school.  Getting “In Touch” will allow students to utilize specific tools and applications of the iTouch as it pertains to designated content and curriculum assignments.

Non-Fiction Know How

Amy Dolan, David Finneran, Kristin Theve, Margaret Neary Elementary School-$8481.15

This program will allow students to access and interact with non-fiction to improve critical thinking and inquiry based research skills. Students will become involved in a year long, cross-classroom learning experience and be offered a dynamic opportunity to participate in several grade-wide initiatives and creative interest-based projects based on this expansion and exposure to non-fiction.

Living Poetry Anthology: “Poetry, like bread, is for everyone”

Nicole Boloz, Margaret Neary Elementary School-$681.19

Bringing poetry to life at Neary will help in creating and maintaining our learning community, and develop students' intellectual curiosity, enjoyment of poetry, and critical thinking skills.  Students will research poetry books and create unique displays of poems  to create a living anthology throughout the school.

Eno Interactive Whiteboards Interactive Editing

The Third Grade Team, Albert S. Woodward Memorial School-$8412.67

Four whiteboards have been awarded to enhance the learning experience of third grade students at Woodward School. These high-tech multimedia interactive boards will have a dramatic impact on the excitement of learning and capture the student's attention beyond the traditional lessons. The addition of the Interactive Editing component will enhance the whiteboard technology software by adding a critical component of editing. Students will create monthly newsletters, edit their work using Easitech software and skills learned from the interactive editing books and newsletters will be posted on the third grade website.

2010 MINI GRANTS:

WII Can Move

Nancy Ahrabi-Nejad, Mary Finn School - $474.88

The goal of this project is to increase physical activity and social communication opportunities for children with and without disabilities through peer modeling and positive interactive play activities using a Wii gaming system under the supervision of adult facilitators. Research has proven video modeling to be an effective technique to teach play skills to children with developmental delays.

Let's Put it All on the Table

Mary Ellen Duggan, Albert S. Woodward Memorial School-$308.00

Let's Put it All on the Table is an innovative project that will encompass the competencies of the second and third grade health curriculum via informative signs on the cafeteria tables. Each cafeteria table and the table in the teachers' lounge will have a weekly table top frame displaying a flyer about a health related topic and monthly CARE theme. This innovative and instructional approach will lead to a more health conscious, well informed school community.

National CPR Week

Fact Sheet

Sudden Cardiac Arrest

• EMS treats nearly 300,000 victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year in the U.S.

• Less than eight percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive.

• Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time. Many victims appear healthy with no known heart disease or other risk factors.

• Sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when electrical impulses in the heart become rapid or chaotic, which causes the heart to suddenly stop beating. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is blocked. A heart attack may cause cardiac arrest.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

• Less than one-third of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR.

• Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.

• The American Heart Association trains more than 12 million people in CPR annually, including healthcare professionals and the general public.

• The most effective rate for chest compressions is 100 compressions per minute – the same rhythm as the beat of the BeeGee’s song, “Stayin’ Alive.”

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)

• Unless CPR and defibrillation are provided within minutes of collapse, few attempts at resuscitation are successful.

• Even if CPR is performed, defibrillation with an AED is required to stop the abnormal rhythm and restore a normal heart rhythm.

• New technology has made AEDs simple and user-friendly. Clear audio and visual cues tell users what to do when using an AED and coach people through CPR. A shock is delivered only if the victim needs it.

• AEDs are now widely available in public places such as schools, airports and workplaces.

 Teens/Youth

• About 5,800 children 18 years old and under suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year from all causes – including trauma, cardiovascular causes and sudden infant death syndrome.

• The incidence of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest in high school athletes ranges from .28 to 1 death per 100,000 high school athletes annually in the U.S.

• The American Heart Association does not have a minimum age requirement for people to learn CPR. The ability to perform CPR is based more on body strength rather than age.

• Studies have shown that children as young as 9 years old can learn and retain CPR skills.

Sports and Recreation

Algonquin Regional High School

Saturday May. 29
Boys	Varsity	Outdoor Track	@	ALL DISTRICTS @ FITCHBURG STATE COLLEGE		9:00AM
Girls	Varsity	Outdoor Track	@	ALL DISTRICTS @ FITCHBURG STATE COLLEGE		9:00AM

Assabet Valley Regional Vocational High School

TOMORROW'S EVENTS - Friday May. 28
Girls	JV	Softball	VS	Tahanto Reg. High School		3:30PM
Boys	JV	Baseball	VS	Tahanto Reg. High School		3:30PM
Boys	Varsity	Baseball	@	Tahanto Reg. High School		3:30PM
Girls	Varsity	Softball	@	Tahanto Reg. High School		3:30PM

May 26 2010 This Great Blue Heron was found fishing and stalking prey along the Sudbury River.

Summer Nights Committee Plans for 7^th Year

Southborough – The Southborough Summer Nights Committee has partnered again this year with Southborough Recreation to bring residents together for a spectacular evening of entertainment and family fun at the annual Summer Nights Festival.  This year will mark the seventh anniversary of the locally funded event which will be held August 29^th at the Neary School.

Each year the event gets bigger and better with added attractions and amusements.  “Every year we are able to do things a little bit better based on what we learned the year before.” said Doreen Ferguson, Director of Southborough Recreation.  “Last year we noticed that the lines for food were too long, so this year we have added more food vendors and food choices.”  Barbeque items from Mr. Jack’s Catering and hamburgers and hotdogs hot-grilled by members of a local historical club have been added to the menu.  The Committee is also planning to add more games and entertainment geared toward older kids and teens attending the event.

Support from the community continues to be strong for this event which is funded entirely by donations.  “Our local businesses have been incredibly generous.” said Robin Martin, Co-Chairman of the Summer Nights Committee.  “Almost all of last year’s sponsors agreed to support the event again this year.  It is this kind of loyalty that makes this event a reality each year.”  The largest ticket item for which funding must be secured each year is the fantastic fireworks display.  Again this year, funding for the fireworks display is being co-sponsored by Bill Depietri of Capitol Group Properties and the non-profit organization, Friends of Southborough Recreation. Capitol Group Properties has been Summer Night’s largest annual supporter since its inception seven years ago. The Friends of Southborough Recreation, established and run by residents Melissa Shields, Jill Dratch and Kate Poultney, is co-sponsoring the fireworks for its second year. 

There are several other local business that step up annually to help fund the inflatable amusements and entertainment that are offered free of charge at the festival.  The Rock Wall, Moon Walk, Pony Rides and Dunk Tank are some of the fun options that would not be possible with out the generous support of St. Mary’s Credit Union and Brendon Properties, as well as Fay School, Southborough House of Pizza, Wellen Construction, Long Cadillac Hummer Saab, Tomasso’s Trattoria and Italian Market, Middlesex Savings Bank, Choice Car Wash and Yama Zakura.  Mamas N Divas Nail Lounge, a new full-service nail salon in Westborough, has joined as a sponsor this year.

Support from the community is not limited to monetary donations.  An event this large requires a commitment from the town as a whole.  The Committee relies heavily on the assistance of the Police, Fire, Emergency Management and Public Works Departments.  The Fire Department provides the truck and sets up the popular Bubble Romp for the children and must be on hand for the fireworks display.  The Police assist with parking, safety and crowd management.  The Public Works Department helps with many aspects of setting up before the event and cleaning up after.  “We really appreciate all the help and support the Town departments provide to us at this event.  It’s a great example of how we can all work well together.” said Ferguson. 

As with any publically funded event, the Committee is always looking for additional supporters.   “Unfortunately, we did lose our sponsor for the live band this year, so we are still looking for a local business that might want to step up and make this important donation.” said Martin.  Live music at Summer Nights is provided by The Infractions, a Massachusetts band from Duxbury, who entertains the crowd with their repertoire of 60’s, 70’s and 80’s music throughout the night. This is The Infractions sixth year at the Summer Nights festival.  The Committee is also hoping to find a sponsor to add a new attraction for teens known as the Dance Revolution. 

For information about the event or to become a sponsor, please contact Robin Martin at 508-333-1221.