The Westfield NewsSearch for The Westfield News Westfield350.com The WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT AMBITION.” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com VOL. 86 NO. 151 $1.00 FRIDAY,TUESDAY, APRIL JUNE 30,27, 20172021 VOL. 75 cents 90 NO. 101 Linda Thompson appointed Westfield State University president By PETER CURRIER Staff Writer WESTFIELD — The Westfield State University Board of Trustees voted April 28 to select Linda Thompson, DrPH as the next Westfield State University president. The board now awaits approval from the Board of Higher Education, and if approved she will begin her presidency over the summer. She will be Westfield State’s 21st presi- dent. “Based on Dr. Thompson’s credentials and wealth of expe- rience in influential leadership and collaboration, paired with her highly engaging campus visit with Westfield State’s var- ied constituents, the Board voted to recommend her as the University’s next leader,” said Board of Trustees Chair Kevin Queenin. Thompson will take the position currently held by Dr. Roy The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Westfield hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking April 27 to mark its ‘Building Futures’ H. Saigo, who was appointed to serve as interim president for expansion project. (HOPE E. TREMBLAY/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) one year following the retirement of President Ramon S. Torrecilha. She has served as the Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at UMass Boston since 2017. Before that, she served in a similar position at West Chester University in Boys & Girls Club Pennsylvania. Much of Thompson’s academic and professional experi- ence is in healthcare. She once served as the director of ‘Building Futures’ Baltimore’s Occupational Medicine and Safety department. While there she developed policies that promoted the health of city employees. expansion project She has taught nursing and public health at 10 different colleges and universities. She had been appointed as provost and vice-chancellor at North Carolina A&T State University, breaks ground dean of nursing at Oakland University in Michigan, and associate dean at University of Maryland School of Nursing. By HOPE E. TREMBLAY Thompson also served as Maryland’s Special Secretary for Editor Children, Youth, and Families, where she developed pro- WESTFIELD – The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Boys & Girls Club Board Director Jim Irwin speaks during grams and policies to improve the quality of healthcare for vulnerable children. She was also the chief policy advisor on Westfield hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking April 27 and the April 27 groundbreaking ceremony. (HOPE E. TREMBLAY/ all matters relating to children and youth for the governor of announced that the public can now contribute to its $3.5 mil- THE WESTFIELD NEWS) lion “Building Futures” project. Maryland. The Club is increasing its footprint with a 15,000 square-foot and we were putting kids everywhere,” Parks said of the lack Thompson is also a published author of more than 100 addition which will allow the Club to add 100 children to its of space at that time. books, articles, and abstracts. One of her books: “Losing licensed Kidz Klub childcare program. The addition will In 2011 the Club hosted its Raise the Roof campaign and control: Loving a Black Child with Bipolar Disorder,” has increase the licensed childcare slots to 300 children. worked with Westfield Bank to raise enough money to liter- Club Executive Director William Parks said when the Kids ally raise the gymnasium roof to add another 15,000 square- See University President, Page 3 Klub started in 2006 there were 28 children enrolled. Parks feet of space. held up a framed photo of some of those 28 children during the “We added the space we needed to have 200 kids, and we ceremony and said he keeps that photo in his office as a thought we were good,” Parks said. “Eight years later, we reminder of where the program started and how quickly it needed more space.” grew. “We started with 28, then in 2011 we had over 150 kids — See Boys & Girls Club, Page 3 Info session held for parents on virtual school plans Commonwealth before now. Several dis- who sign up. The district also expects an Second session is tricts are currently looking to establish adult to be present in the child’s remote virtual schools, including Springfield, environment to provide support for learn- planned for May 6 which announced its plans this week. ing, assist with monitoring attendance, By AMY PORTER Dargie said Westfield believes that all and communicate regularly with teachers Staff Writer students should remain connected to their and staff. Teachers who choose to work in WESTFIELD – The first of two inter- community, and having a virtual school the virtual school will be asked to make a active zoom information sessions for gives families who wish to keep their commitment as well, she said. families on the Virtual K-8 School was children at home an option other than “This will be a fully functioning school presented April 28. The presentation will homeschooling or having them attend an in our district; its own entity,” said be available on the district’s website and outside virtual school. The Virtual K-8 Christopher Rogers, director of student Facebook page, along with a link to reg- School will be considered a Westfield interventions. He said the expectations ister for a second information session school, and will have curriculum taught for the school will be consistent with planned for May 6 from 6-7 p.m. by Westfield Public School teachers that other schools; the school will follow all Susan Dargie, the district’s director of will abide by state frameworks, and will laws and state regulations and be account- curriculum and instruction, began by cover math, English, science, and social able to the Department of Elementary and answering the question, “why have a vir- studies as well as virtual specials. Secondary Education for MCAS testing tual school.” She said the law has allowed Director of Assessment and and attendance. districts to have a virtual school option, Accountability Denise Ruszala said The school will also follow the same Linda Thompson was appointed the 21st Westfield State but it was not one that had been pursued Westfield is seeking a one-year commit- University president April 28. (WESTFIELD STATE by any school district in the ment to the virtual school from families See Virtual School, Page 5 UNIVERSITY PHOTO) Projects on land subject to wetlands protection approved By AMY PORTER within the 100-foot buffer mittent stream. Diane Turner remain in place. zone occurred on neighbor Staff Writer zone to bordering vegetative said they had limited space An enforcement plan for John Beltrandi’s property, and WESTFIELD — Several wetlands. Conditions included between the stream and the Paul and Melissa Ancelli of the owners have put in a residents received permission installing erosion controls road, and wanted to take down 36 Janelle Drive to restore an request for permission to from the Conservation during construction, that any a shed, vegetate the disturbed area cleared of vegetation in install a chain link fence in Commission on April 27 for disturbed soil be loomed, area and put up a fence and the 100-foot buffer zone to the rear. projects on land subject to the seeded and vegetated, and arbor vitae as borders to the bordering vegetated wetlands Commissioners said the Wetlands Protection Act. leaving the stumps on two house, which was built in was also approved. The restoration needed to be com- Dan Allie’s organic garden dead trees to be cut down. 1785. cleared area will be reseeded pleted before approval of the on leased land within the riv- Installation of ten native plant- Conditions from the com- and the buffer zone restored, fence and a month was rea- erfront area of Powdermill Commission requested that ings and a no mow zone 30 mittee required erosion con- and trees that were cut will be sonable to do the work, after Brook was granted an agricul- the garden, composed of 25 feet from the edge of the wet- trols during construction, the replaced with seven native which Borenstein could tural exemption. There had foot beds farmed with hand lands were also conditions on disturbed soil to be loomed, river birch, maple and flower- schedule a site visit for the been some question as to tools, be no closer than 79 feet the permit. seeded and revegetated with ing crabapple and pear. fencing. Beltrandi agreed whether the portion of the to the river. Gene and Diane Turner of five native shrubs, and a no- Conservation Coordinator with the restoration plan, and land being farmed had been in Michael Barna at 360 1220 Russell Road received a mow zone of 25 feet. A decay- Meredith Borenstein said she asked that the Ancellis sign a continuous agricultural use, as Prospect St. Ext. received per- variance to put in a pool, deck ing sugar maple on the prop- was happy with the written hold harmless agreement the exemption goes away after mission to remove a shed and and fencing within the 100- erty was permitted to be restoration plan. She said the while completing the work on five years of non-use. The two trees and install a garage foot buffer zone to an inter- removed, with the stump to encroachment of the buffer his property. PAGE 2 - FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021 WWW.THEWESTFIELDNEWS.COM THE WESTFIELD NEWS Helicopter and golf balls are central theme of WSU May 7 fundraiser Foundation’s virtual Evening dents by buying golf balls, which will drop from “This year’s theme provides a unique and The University relies on numerous relation- a helicopter on the green of a hole at Tekoa interesting way to raise funds in support of pro- ships to support its students, including commu- of Discovery event to support Country Club in Westfield, as an example of viding expanded options for our STEM (sci- nity partners, corporate sponsors, and the Newton’s law of gravity in action.