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 TUESDAY,TUESDAY, AUGUST JUNE 27, 3,2017 2021 VOL. 75 cents 90 NO. 183 Schools reviewing new state COVID guidance By AMY PORTER except students who cannot for Staff Writer medical conditions or behavior School officials in Westfield needs. Masks are not necessary and Southwick say they are outdoors, and may be removed reviewing the state’s new guid- when eating indoors. ance on COVID-19 masking and DESE also “strongly recom- vaccination for the 2021-22 mends” that unvaccinated staff school year. and unvaccinated students in On July 30, the state grades 7 and above, and unvac- Department of Elementary and cinated visitors, wear masks Secondary Education issued indoors. updated guidance on COVID-19 DESE “recommends” that prevention for students returning school community. schools allow vaccinated stu- to school in the fall, based on “We will be in touch in the dents to remain unmasked. Any statements issued by the Centers coming days and weeks as individuals at higher risk for Emma Avery – with help from her mother and grandmother – baked 300 large for Disease Control. The CDC reopening plans are finalized severe disease from COVID, or chocolate chip cookies for a fundraiser that allowed her to purchase an Old guidance supports the use of and will continue to keep you with a household member at Sturbridge Village museum pass for the Westfield Athenaeum. (KIM AVERY vaccines as the primary mitiga- informed as new guidance from high risk, are encouraged to PHOTO) tion measure in schools, and also the state is released,” Willard mask. Any child who prefers to continues to recommend mask- wrote. mask at school should be sup- ing in K-12 schools, but does not Westfield School ported in this choice, DESE said. Chocolate chip cookies – mandate either. Superintendent Stefan All students and staff are The July 30 memo does state Czaporowski also said the dis- “required” to wear masks on that all districts and schools will trict would review the guidance school buses, and in school the perfect recipe for raising be required to be in-person full- with the School Committee and health offices. time five days a week this fall. Public Health Director Joseph Districts and schools are In a July 30 communication to Rouse to determine their next “highly encouraged” to maintain funds for museum pass parents about the new guidance, steps. or establish a robust plan for Southwick-Tolland-Granville In the updated guidance, COVID-19 testing in schools, By LORI SZEPELAK Athenaeum. School Superintendent Jennifer DESE, speaking in concert with including both diagnostic testing Correspondent “Everyone who bought cookies were C. Willard said the district is the Department of Public Health, and screening (pooled) testing WESTFIELD — Since Emma Avery generous with their donations,” said actively reviewing the new rec- “strongly recommends” that all for students and staff. DESE and was 4, she has been fascinated by the Avery, noting she also plans to conduct ommendations and working to students in kindergarten through history – and especially the baking the cookie fundraiser for at least the identify the impacts for the grade 6 wear masks indoors, See COVID Update, Page 5 aspect – of what life was like in early next two years. 19th century New England as depicted “We are extremely excited that Emma at Old Sturbridge Village. Avery raised money for a Sturbridge “Since I was little I always enjoyed Village pass, because it is a wonderful visiting Old Sturbridge Village with my pass to a fantastic museum, but it is also grandmother,” said Avery, who is now one of the more expensive museum 15 and will be entering Westfield High passes in the area,” said Kelsey Socha, School in the fall. head of adult services at the Athenaeum. Avery noted that her trips to the vil- Socha noted that the Friends of the lage have always included spring excur- Westfield Athenaeum pay for most of sions to see the baby animals and to the museum passes. enjoy the candlelight tours during the “They voted to purchase a requested holiday season. list of museum passes in their July “I’ve always been interested in bak- meeting, and we’ve since ordered the ing so I also enjoy visiting the village passes that they voted to renew,” said homes to see how meals were pre- Socha. “We are waiting for the physical pared,” she said. passes to come from the museums Over the years, the Avery family has before listing them on our website, but used museum passes offered through they should be coming in the very near the Westfield Athenaeum to visit Old future.” Sturbridge Village as well as the Current museum passes available for Springfield Museums. library patrons to use include the USS Since Avery’s mother, Kim, is a Constitution Museum (free admission Westfield Public Schools teacher and for up to nine guests), the Sterling and has summers off, the Athenaeum’s Francine Clark Art Institute (one free From left: Retired Police Lieutenant Kevin Bard, his father Francis Bard, his wife Joelle, a card- museum passes have always been a adult admission), and the Annual Parks board cutout of Kevin, his stepdaughter Victoria, and his son Justin at Kevin’s retirement party at the welcome way to explore new areas in Pass (free parking for one vehicle at Brass Rail in Southwick. (PETER CURRIER/THE WESTFIELD NEWS) the region. more than 50 state parks). With some free time on Avery’s Passes on order that offer free admis- schedule, she recently enlisted the help sion include the Eric Carle Museum, of her mother and grandmother, Dianne Forest Park Zoo, Mass MOCA, Police lieutenant celebrates Fuller of Westfield, to assist her with a Connecticut Trolley Museum, Holyoke project to give back to the community Merry-Go-Round, and the Wistariahurst — baking cookies to raise money to Museum. retirement after 32-year career purchase a museum pass to Old Passes on order that offer reduced or Sturbridge Village. half-price admission include the By PETER CURRIER community policing. That’s where I feel I really “We used about 9.5 pounds of flour Springfield Museums, Children’s Staff Writer thrived,” said Bard, “It got me outside dealing and six pounds of sugar, and about 11 Museum at Holyoke and Heritage State WESTFIELD — Former police lieutenant and with citizens, dealing with every walk of life.” pounds of chocolate chips,” said Avery, Park, Amelia Park Children’s Museum, Community Service Unit leader Kevin Bard cele- In 1999 he joined the department’s new Special noting she is known by friends and fam- the Norman Rockwell Museum, and brated his retirement July 31 at the Brass Rail after Response Team, which is a group of officers who ily for her chocolate chip cookie recipe. Old Sturbridge Village. a 32-year career with the Westfield Police regularly trained for more serious policing situa- “I found the recipe on a website,” said “We did not renew passes sooner in Department. tions that required a more armed response. Avery, noting she sold six cookies in the year because many of the museums Bard first entered the department in February Bard was also a member of the Coalition for each pack for $7. that we work with were closed or open 1989, as a reserve officer, and retired July 9, 2021, Outreach, Recovery and Education (CORE) of Avery took orders by email and post- extremely limited hours, and many were as the head of the Community Service Unit Greater Westfield, a team consisting of local lead- ed a flyer on her mother’s Facebook also not accepting library passes,” said (CSU). ers and police officers that focuses on helping page. Socha, adding, “Some museums have Bard said that his first great accomplishment overdose victims and trying to prevent future drug “We sold a lot of cookies to teachers,” discontinued their library pass pro- was simply being hired by the Westfield Police overdose deaths. she said. grams, at least in the short-term.” Commission. His other major career accomplish- In the same vein, he was also the Coordinator of When all of the packs were sold, Athenaeum cardholders can reserve ments, he said, were his involvement in Westfield’s the Drug Addiction Response Team (DART), Avery had raised $485 that allowed her different community policing programs. to purchase the museum pass for the See Cookies, Page 5 “The vast majority of my career has been in See Bard, Page 5 City teen soars vocally at Starfires games By HOPE E. TREMBLAY ent genres, but the one I’ve enjoyed the England Regional Tournament and can Editor most is jazz.” be heard singing at this week’s Starfires WESTFIELD — Kathryn Breck, a Breck has on old soul, as the saying games at Bullens Field Tuesday, Friday, 16-year-old city resident, is making a goes, and is a member of the school’s and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. name for herself as a singer. show choir and recently became a vocal- “I am set to perform this Saturday This summer, if you’ve attended a ist for the school’s jazz combo. afternoon at the local Artworks Starfires baseball game, there’s a good Breck began singing in her elementary Summerfest with my vocal coach and chance you’ve heard her sing the school choir in fourth grade but did not other singers he teaches,” she noted.