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WACKY WEDNESDAYS Order online@ unclesamspizzas.com Buy any Large Gourmet Pizza Get a Small Cheese Pizza FREE Mailed free to requesting homes in East Brookfield, West Brookfield, North Brookfield, Brookfield, Leicester and Spencer Vol. XXXV, No. 34 PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR OF RELAY FOR LIFE OF THE GREATER SOUTHBRIDGE AREA! Complimentary to homes by request ONLINE: WWW.SPENCERNEWLEADER.COM Friday, September 2, 2011 The remnants of Irene TROPICAL STORM BRINGS WIND, RAIN AND DAMAGE BY AMY STANFIELD Tropical Storm Irene that blew its Road, Woodside Road, Jolicoeur STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER way up the coast through New Avenue and Buteau Road. AND M. CATHERINE BYSZEK England on Sunday, Aug. 28. However, there were a handful of Amy Stanfield photos NEW LEADER CORRESPONDENT Spencer Fire Chief Robert other roadsides with downed Woodside Road in Spencer was closed at Norcross Road because of a tree hang- Local towns were in recovery Parsons said Monday four roads power lines and trees, but were not ing down of power lines. A fallen tree limb damaged a Leicester police cruiser mode this past Monday following remained closed because of closed. Sunday morning — while an officer was at the wheel. rain and wind damage from downed trees and power lines. Those roads were Chickering Turn To IRENE page A12 Happy to be a Warrior NEW PRINCIPAL NAMED AT TANTASQUA REGIONAL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL BY KEVIN FLANDERS STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER STURBRIDGE — Christopher Starczewski has been impressed by the Tantasqua Regional School District’s commitment to providing an excellent education to its students, and he is eager to begin his first year as the principal at Tantasqua Regional Junior High School. Starczewski’s career in education began as a mathematics teacher at Burncoat Middle School in Worcester, where he eventually became the mathematics department head. He has since held administra- tive positions at Oak Middle School in Shrewsbury as the assistant prin- cipal and most recently as the princi- pal. He particularly enjoys working with middle school students because of their impressionability and will- ingness to explore new concepts. “This age group is open to a wide Kevin Flanders photo variety of experiences that shape Courtesy photo Christopher Starczewski is looking forward to his first year of serving as the Tantasqua their pathways for further educa- Regional Junior High School principal. He previously worked at Burncoat Middle School After rescuing victims from a four-car crash, Julien Freeman kisses his bride, Kait, in Worcester and Oak Middle School in Shrewsbury. Turn To WARRIOR page A7 on their wedding day Saturday, Aug. 20. Horse Pond Dam repairs under way Above the call of duty $820K PROJECT EXPECTED TO BE DONE BY JULY GROOM RESCUES CRASH VICTIMS MOMENTS BEFORE GETTING HITCHED BY M. CATHERINE BYSZEK have been removed on both sides of of the pipe so that work could begin. NEW LEADER CORRESPONDENT the spillway and the area was A cofferdam has been built in front NORTH BROOKFIELD — The grubbed to remove the stumps. In of the gatehouse and the inside has BY AMANDA COLLINS Julien and Kait (Glinsky) Horse Pond Dam repair project addition, the access road has been been dewatered. Despite the dewa- STONEBRIDGE PRESS STAFF WRITER Freeman are hoping for a smooth started at the beginning of August drastically improved with gravel. tering process, the area is continu- WEST BROOKFIELD — For bet- ride, after starting their marriage and already work is extensively According to Jones, the first step is ing to refill slowly and must be con- ter or for worse, for richer or for off with a crash. under way. to repair the non-functioning gate stantly pumped out. poorer — it’s promises like these “It was definitely not what I had North Brookfield Water valve in the low-level drainpipe. Cofferdams are often used as a that prepare couples for what is imagined,” U.S. Navy Petty Officer Department Superintendent Currently,divers have installed an temporary enclosure within or sometimes the bumpy road of mar- Stephen Jones explained that trees inflatable plug in the upstream end Turn To REPAIRS page A7 riage. But Charlton newlyweds Turn To DUTY page A7 INSIDE THE NEW LEADER ONB SECTIONPAGE AX ON PAGE AXA9 Calendar......................B5 Police Logs....................A Calendar......................B2 Viewpoint ..................A8-9 Photos from the Classroom Corner ...........A Public Meetings .............A xxxxxx Raidersxxxxxxxx v. Rams Obituaries ....................B2 Police Logs ................A12 Worcester County Obituaries ....................B2 Sports ...........................A Classroom Corner..........A6 Sports ....................A9-11 4-H Fair Our Towns....................B4 Viewpoint ..................A8-9 2 SPENCER NEW LEADER • Friday, September 2, 2011 New superintendent looks to dawn of school year BY M. CATHERINE BYSZEK obtained and students will now According to the superintendent, a base of the community,” and it NEW LEADER CORRESPONDENT have access to a MARS link, which a wider representation on these isn’t just about athletics and tradi- SPENCER — Dr. Reza Namin, the has incredible resources available subcommittees will result in more tional core subjects. He plans on new superintendent of Spencer- directly from NASA for science and in-depth discussion on various top- addressing the physical education East Brookfield Regional School technology. ics. The groups will also potentially and health curriculum as well. District, is looking forward to the Virtual High School slots have meet less often, but for longer peri- Namin announced that Assistant 2011-12 school year. been purchased — 10 in total to ods of time at each session. District Attorney M. Julie Lesure He’s also looking to integrate a start — and courses such as Bio- Namin made it clear that faculty from the Office of Worcester cohesive plan that aligns with the Ethics Symposium and Nuclear will be treated as professionals this District Attorney Joseph D. Early goals and shared vision of parents, Physics may be available to youth school year, starting with day one of Jr. would be conducting a series of faculty and students to develop a at the high school level. Namin said school. Each staff member will workshops and training in the three-year strategic planning ini- he is a certified site coordinator for receive 4 gigabytes of available areas of civil rights and bullying. tiative. Virtual High School, which will end memory on a zip drive. Through the Trainings are scheduled for Sept. Namin explained that the up saving the school district a good “Teaching and Leading for 22, Sept. 29 and Oct. 11 — with the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional deal of money. Understanding” initiative, Namin first being for students, the second School Committee has already Namin remarked that some key remarked, there is a lot of “good for parents and the third for staff. approved to seek consultancy for items for him are purpose, direc- energy going around.” this three-year plan initiative to tion, accountability and a shared One of the main goals at the high Harvard University partnership have fair representation, and also vision. school level will be to reduce the An impressive partnership adequate representation of the Many subcommittees within the student dropout rate, and Namin between David Prouty High School community. district are in the process of has already begun this endeavor. and Harvard University is under A welcoming community and restructuring, as Namin wants to However, Namin did make it clear way for the 2011-12 school year. This staff have left Namin appreciative “make sure that there is a fair rep- that the “dropout is not a high union will help staff better under- Reza Namin and positive of what will come resentation.” He has divulged that school issue, but a K-12 issue.” He is stand and educate youth in the dis- through collaborative efforts. many of the subcommittees will be making it a point to personally con- trict utilizing a partnership that solving skills that are now demand- Along with a new website for the absorbed into three standing sub- tact each family, conduct an exit includes technology, modeled ed by society.” district (see related story on Page committees for Education, Finance, interview and find out why the stu- behavior, extensive research and The next course, Teaching for A4), a grant from NASA has been and Policy and Planning. dent is dropping out or choosing to collaborative learning. Understanding II: Understanding attend another school. Namin has According to a recent press in Practice, will build upon con- plans of forming a dropout inter- release, the goal of professional cepts and strategies learned in the vention committee as well. learning through WIDE World at introductory course and will lead Namin divulged that the personal the Harvard Graduate School of into the next course, Leading for connections made to the families of Education is to transform school Understanding. Leading for these students potentially leaving systems by developing professional Understanding will focus on creat- the district is crucial, and individu- communities of teachers and ing a culture of understanding alization has been a main item on school leaders with interactive effective school leaders actively the list of reasons for students online courses and on-site support modeling and publicly supporting choicing out.