The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

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Lincoln Cultural Council seeks feedback and members

The Lincoln Cultural Council asks residents to take a quick online survey to help it shape the programs it brings to town. The council—whose mission is to solicit and review proposals for grants to sponsor cultural activities in Lincoln—is also seeking members. You don’t need to be an artist, musician or writer to join; all you need is a desire to help. Because the LCC is an official council of the town of Lincoln, members must apply to and be approved by the Board of Selectmen. If appointed, members should be willing to serve at least one three-year term and complete a short online basic training program on the Massachusetts Cultural Council website.

Learn more by attending an introductory meeting on Saturday, April 7 at 10 a.m. at 152 Lincoln Rd., Suite #4 or contacting Meg Ramsey, president, at meg.ramsey@verizon.net.

Recycle styrofoam in Sudbury

Residents can recycle styrofoam on Saturday, April 7 from 9 a.m.—noon at the Sudbury Department of Public Works at 275 Old Lancaster Rd. in Sudbury. Recycling is free for members of Sustainable Sudbury, or you can pay a $5 drop-off fee. Bring your hard packing styrofoam (#6) and soft (#4) LDPE foam. To receive a reminder about the next collection, email sustainablesudbury@gmail.com.

“The Role of Men in the Time of #Metoo”

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable White Ribbon Day commemoration originally scheduled in March will be held on Tuesday, April 10 at 3 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room of the Wayland Public Safety Building (38 Cochituate Rd.) starting with a discussion of “The Role of Men in the Time of #Metoo.” After an opening ceremony featuring the raising of the White Ribbon flag, there will be two short films—one with local men and boys sharing their thoughts on the #MeToo movement and a segment of the CBS program, “A Panel of Men on the #MeToo Movement”—followed by a moderated discussion.

The Massachusetts White Ribbon Day Campaign was conceived as a call to action for men and women to take a pledge to move from the sidelines and be part of the solution to ending violence against women and all gender-based violence. White Ribbon Day messaging focuses on promoting healthy masculinity and assessing the impact that toxic norms have on all of us but especially men and boys.

“Prom, Parties and Parked Cars”

LSRHS Connections will sponsor “Prom, Parties and Parked Cars: How to Survive and Enjoy Prom Season” on Tuesday, April 24 from 7:30–9 p.m. in the L-S cafeteria. This event is open to parents of all grades, as you may have a ninth- or tenth-grader who will attending the Junior or Senior Prom (and parents of seniors are very welcome to share their experiences). We will be going over key logistics for prom night (bus, limo or car to the prom?) as well as tips and strategies for handling last-minute changes in prom plans. This is an opportunity to brainstorm with other parents about how to handle the myriad issues that come up around prom. You’ll leave with a “Plan B” sheet, a list of questions to ask your students and other parents, and the realization that we are all in this together. No cost, but please RSVP here for a head count.

L-S welcomes German government delegation

Left to right: Joan Campbell, L-S German faculty; Heidrun Tempel, German Foreign Office; student Caitlin Kenney; Rolf Horlemann, New England German consul general; students Audrey Bauer and Cal Hamandi; and Liz Von Wagner, consular cultural and press affairs officer.

A German government delegation visited Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School on March 20 in connection with the L-S World Language Department’s participation in the PASCH program, which is supported by the German government.

PASCH (“Schools: Partner for the Future Initiative” in German) is a global network of approximately 1,800 schools that place a high value on German language education. L-S was named a PASCH school in 2009 and is one of nine PASCH program schools in the United States.

The German visitors included Heidrun Tempel, director of research and academic relations policy and cultural relations policy for the German Foreign Office in Berlin, PASCH program overseer, and co-chair of the German Fulbright Commission. She was accompanied by Rolf Horlemann, New England consul general at the German Consulate in Boston, and Liz von Wagner, consular cultural and press affairs officer. Coincidentally, von Wagner was a judge in the World Language Declamation at L-S on March 16.

The delegation toured the high school with L-S German language students and heard about their experiences in the German exchange program. The trio also met with teachers Joan Campbell, World Language Department coordinator, and Sarah Farrell; Superintendent/Principal Bella Wong; Virginia Blake, director of curriculum and scheduling, and Nancy Marshall, L-S School Committee member and parent of two former L-S German language students. They concluded their morning by attending a German level 4 class taught by Farrell.

One offering of the PASCH program is a fully funded language and cultural immersion for two L-S students for three weeks every summer. In addition, through PASCH, L-S receives professional development support for teachers, teaching materials and technical equipment, opportunities for faculty visits to Germany, and exposure to German educational practices, student language and study abroad support, including secondary and college-level educational opportunities as well as cultural student exchange programs. The links between the PASCH schools around the world allow for networking and curriculum sharing.

Since 1983, L-S has had an annual three-week cultural exchange through the German American Partnership Program. L-S families host 20 students in the fall; the following summer, 20 L-S students go to Germany for home stays and to attend the Gymnasium Vilshofen in Bavaria. Additionally, one L-S student plans to attend a German secondary school through the AFS program in 2018-19.

“Foreign language is a critical tool for student growth in its exposure to—and empathy for—other cultures and differing world perspectives,” Blake said.

Many universities are pairing of German and engineering majors, resulting in a broad array of job opportunities for students after graduation.  “Speaking German sets you apart… there are lots of business and scientific opportunities,” Campbell told the Sudbury Town Crier in 2009. L-S has 190 students enrolled in German in 2017-18.

In 2009, Campbell was recognized by the American Association of Teachers of German and the Massachusetts Association of Teachers of German as Massachusetts German Teacher of the Year.

School and campus ideas come into clearer focus

A feedback sheet handed out at Town Meeting asked residents which of these three campus configurations they preferred (click to enlarge).

Two-thirds of the 120 residents who responded to a short survey distributed at Town Meeting on March 24 said they preferred a campus layout where the school is concentrated on the north side of campus, freeing up the Smith site for another playing field or green space.

One-third of respondents preferred the current L-shaped configuration, while a single respondent chose the third option of putting the community center on the site of the older Smith wing rather than on the Hartwell side of campus.

Residents also saw the latest round of community center concepts, three of which call for replacing one or two of the pods with the new building and rearranging the parking in the Hartwell area. The fourth option, putting the community center on the west side of campus, preserves the historic Smith gym but would be the most expensive choice due to the cost of renovating all three Hartwell pods and a larger-than-needed community center in a renovated Smith wing. It would also require more parking and create more congestion on that side of campus.

The School Building Committee also presented its latest set of design ideas. Prices ranged from $49 million for Option R (repair only), to $109–$115 million for Option FPC (full project concept) with the optimal number of grade-level hubs and classrooms.

The school design that failed to garner a two-thirds majority in 2012 (click to enlarge).

The six school options and four community center options can be considered in various combinations, though if the community center is on the west side, a compact school design would have to be chosen rather than an L-shaped configuration.

Ironically, many who voted against the 2012 school proposal said they were unhappy with trading the L-shaped school for a more compact building on the north side of the ballfield—much like several of the options now under consideration.

Depending on which school and community center options are ultimately chosen, the total up-front cost for the school and community center projects range from $62 million all the way up to $122–$132 million.

“The sheer scale of these investments is, quite frankly, daunting,” said resident Adam Greenberg, adding that the costs have roughly doubled since the 2012 project was defeated, “far and away above rate of inflation.”

This chart offers a feature comparison of six school options plus cost estimates for a community center (click to enlarge).

Though the economy as a whole has seen low inflation in recent years, this is not the vase in construction, SBC Chair Chris Fasciano said, noting that building prices have been going up by 6–10 percent a year. Data presented in the warrant handbook at Town Meeting reveal that school construction costs in surrounding towns have ranged from $361 per square foot for Wayland High School in 2011, to $482 for the Field School in Weston in 2014, to $594 for the Hastings School in Lexington (completion expected in 2020). Also, unlike the 2012 proposals, the latest Lincoln estimates include costs for site work.

The Finance Committee has determined that the town can borrow up to $100 million without affecting its bond rating. State law limits the town to borrowing $97 million in addition to its current debt. Lincoln would need approval from a municipal oversight board to exceed that limit; the town’s bond advisor said “we would have a reasonable case” for exceeding the limit for a school building project but only if there was “strong consensus among the town,” said FinCom chair Jim Hutchinson.

In 2012, “a lot of people didn’t understand that $29 million from the state was not going to be available again,” said resident Maggy Pietropaolo. “The question is not whether we’re going to  spend at least $50 million on a school. The question is, what do you want to get for your money?”

The SBC will hold another pair of community workshops on Tuesday, April 10 at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. in the Reed Gym, as well as an update for the Council in Aging on Friday, March 30 at 10 a.m. in Bemis Hall. There will also be a multi-board meeting on the campus projects on Monday, April 30. Meanwhile, those who did not attend Town Meeting or turn in the short campus survey may send comments via email to the SBC. A special Town Meeting to choose a school option will take place on June 9.

News acorns

Forum on bike safety

There will be a Mass. Bike Forum co-sponsored by the Lincoln Cycling Safety Advisory Committee and members of the MetroWest cycling community to discuss how towns can create a safe cycling network in Middlesex County on Wednesday, March 28 from 7–9 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Richard Fries, executive director of MassBike, will speak on “Middlesex Revelations,” followed small-group brainstorming from 7:45–8:30 p.m. and a plenary discussion incorporating a summary, prioritization, and next steps from 8:30–9 p.m.

Fundraiser for L-S scholarships

Lotus Blossom (394 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury) will sponsor a fundraiser for the Lincoln-Sudbury Scholarship Fund on Tuesday, March 27. The restaurant will donate 20 of all orders between the hours of 5–9 p.m. when customers mention LSSF when ordering. There will also be representatives in attendance to answer questions about the scholarship application process.

Take library survey

The Lincoln Public Library encourages all residents to take the community survey to helpguide improvements and shape the future as it develops a new five-year plan of service. Each person in the household (kids too!) can submit a survey individually. Click here to take the survey.

Workshop on remembering names

The Friends of the Lincoln Public Library and the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging are co-sponsoring a free “Remembering Names” workshop with Neil Kutzen on Thursday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room. The workshop will train attendees to remember the name of anyone they meet using Kutzen’s MemorizeBest program. Preregistration is required. To register, call 781-259-8465 ext. 202 or email lrothenberg@minlib.net.

Wates plays at next LOMA night

Rupert Wates

Rupert Wates is the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, April 9 in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. The event runs from 7-10 p.m., and Wates will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. He has released nine albums and he can be seen in this video performing “Waiting to Begin.” LOMA is a monthly event. Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

Get ready for Town Meeting with this Squirrel story roundup

Here’s a guide to stories published in the Lincoln Squirrel about some of the topics to be voted at at Town Meeting on Saturday, March 24. See the town website for a one-page summary of warrant articles and the full warrant.

The town election is Monday, March 26 from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Smith gym. Click here for more town information about voting. Scroll down for more information and to see the ballot.

Articles 8, 9, and 10 — Capital Planning Committee and Community Preservation Act appropriations
Article 26 — Reports from the School Building Committee and the Community Center Preliminary Planning and Design Committee
Articles 28 and 29 — Historic District bylaw amendment: Modernist homes and corresponding creation of a new Brown’s Wood Historic District
Article 30 — Bylaw amendment to create zoning overlay district and a preliminary development and use plan for the Mary’s Way development
Articles 32, 33, and 34 — Proposed bans on retail use of plastic bags and retail sale of individual plastic water bottles (citizens’ petitions)
Article 35 — Resolution in support of tighter regulation of gas leaks (citizens’ petition)

Town election

In the March 26 town election, the contest for two open seats on the Lincoln-Sudbury District School Committee has drawn the most attention. Lincoln resident Nancy Marshall is stepping down from the panel and fellow Lincolnite Carole Kasper is running for her seat. Meanwhile, Sudbury resident Gerald Quirk was up for reelection but unexpectedly withdrew from the race after the candidates’ filing deadline, so three other Sudbury residents—Cara Doran, Siobhan Hullinger, and Ellen Joachim—are running as write-in candidates.

Kasper and her supporters are urging residents to write in Joachim, but both Joachim and Hullinger have been the subject of numerous letters to the editor to the Lincoln Squirrel. All seats on the committee are at large, meaning neither town is apportioned a certain number.

There are also contested races for the Cemetery Commission and the Parks and Recreation Commission. Cemetery Commission candidates are Susan Harding and Carol DiGianni, who is featured in a short video on the town website. Also in the video is a statement from Kasper starting at the 2:25 mark, and a video by Parks and Recreation Commission candidate Rey Romero and his daughter at the 5:25 mark. Romero is running against Sarah Chester and Adam Hogue for the single seat.

There is also a question on the ballot:

Question 1. Shall the Town of Lincoln be allowed to assess an additional $600,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purpose of purchasing a new Fire Department engine, including all costs incidental and related thereto, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018?

Board or CommitteeOpenings/termsCandidates
Board of AssessorsOne for three yearsEdward Morgan*
Board of Health
One for three yearsPatricia Miller*
Board of SelectmenOne for three yearsJennifer Glass*
Cemetery CommissionOne for three yearsSusan S. Harding,* Carol DiGianni
Commissioners of Trust FundsOne for three years—
DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park TrusteesOne for four yearsJonathan Rapaport
Housing CommissionOne for three years, one for two years, one for one year Evan Gorman,* Bijoy Misra,* Keith Gilber
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School CommitteeTwo for three years**Carol Marie Kasper
Parks and Recreation CommitteeOne for three yearsAdam Hogue, Rey Romero, Sarah Chester
Planning BoardOne for three yearsGerald Taylor*
School CommitteeTwo for three yearsPeter Borden,* Alvin L. Schmertzler*
Trustees of BemisOne for three yearsMimi Borden
Water CommissionOne for three yearsRobert B. Antia*

* incumbent

** Carole Kasper of Lincoln is running for one of two seats. Three Sudbury residents—Cara Doran, Siobhan Hullinger, and Ellen Joachim—are running as write-in candidates for a second open seat.

Letter to the editor: more support for Hullinger

To the editor:

I am writing in support of Siobhan Hullinger’s write-in candidacy for the L-S School Committee. Having known Siobhan for some time, I am confident that the thoughtfulness she brings to the conversation will be an asset to the district. I know Siobhan to be thoughtful and listen to people. She takes an approach that is thoughtful, deliberate, and considered. She is intelligent and informed, and will seek out advice and input from the whole community, regardless of town of residency, to ensure that we have a wonderful, thriving, academically challenging, and inclusive school community which does not leave anyone behind.

I encourage you to write in her name on the ballot for Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee.

Sincerely,

Craig Gruber
187 Goodmans Hill Rd., Sudbury

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Meeting on safety at L-S; committee members sought

The Lincoln-Sudbury High School administration is hosting an open meeting for interested community members of both towns regarding school safety practices at L-S on Thursday, March 22 at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall. Administration and members of the L-S Safety Council will provide a detailed presentation on current safety practices and how the school proactively updates them on a frequent as-needed basis in consultation with our safety officers of both Lincoln and Sudbury as well with various state agencies and other non-profit organizations.

A new Lincoln-Sudbury Safety Review Subcommittee is also seeking members. The group—which expects to meet at least once weekly from the beginning of April to the middle of June—will review, report, and make recommendations on all operational, physical and educational aspects of Lincoln-Sudbury as they relate to the safety of students, faculty, and staff. Members will include:

  • One L-S administrator (recommended by superintendent)
  • One member of the L-S Safety Council (recommended by the council)
  • One Faculty (recommended by L-S Teachers Association)
  • One Student Services representative (recommended by L-S superintendent)
  • One student (recommended by L-S Student Senate)
  • Representative of the Lincoln and Sudbury Police and Fire Departments (recommended by those departments)
  • Two members of the L-S School Committee (recommended by that committee)
  • Four registered voters in Lincoln, Sudbury, and Boston (METCO), appointed by the L-S School Committee)
  • One alternate from the L-S staff
  • Two alternates from the public

Anyone wishing to be considered must send their interest in writing to frances_zingale@lsrhs.net by the end of the day on Friday, March 23. Submission should include a description of interest and any qualifications to be considered by the School Committee. Applicants are encouraged to attend the March 22 safety meeting. The committee review all recommendations and approve membership of the Safety Review Subcommittee in public session on March 27.

Letter to the editor: LSSC’s Mostue urges write-in votes for Joachim

(Editor’s note: Mostue also wrote a previous letter in support of L-S School Committee candidate Carole Kasper. There are two openings on the committee.)

To the editor:

I am submitting this letter in support of write-in candidate Ellen Joachim for the position of School Committee Member for Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. Ellen will bring to the committee a unique and valuable background:

  • She has served six years on the Sudbury K-8 School Committee, which will strengthen and inform her transition to the high school. 
  • She has served as both chair and vice chair of the Sudbury K-8 Committee, an indication of her leadership and commitment.
  • An L-S graduate herself and the mother of two L-S graduates (with a third a junior), Ellen knows first-hand the value of  a challenging and supportive education in a safe environment.
  • As a lawyer, Ellen will offer her legal training in forming school policy.

I am entering my eleventh year of service on the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee. Having Ellen join us would be a welcome addition. As one who has observed her on the Sudbury K-8 Committee, I have been impressed with her ability to listen to all perspectives before making decisions. I trust Ellen will uphold the responsibilities and limits of the position of school committee membership.

Please join with me and vote for Ellen Joachim on Monday, March 26.

Sincerely,

Patricia Mostue
3 Lexington Rd., Lincoln
Member, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Letter to the editor: candidate may favor Lincoln paying more for L-S

 To the editor:

I wrote a recent letter to the editor supporting the candidacy of Carol Kasper and Ellen Joachim. This brought me an interesting phone call from a Sudbury resident, who will remain nameless. He referred me to this 2010 column by Mike Hullinger, husband and endorser of Siobhan Hullinger, who is running as a write-in candidate for the Lincoln Sudbury regional school committee.

Since he has written to support Ms. Hullinger’s candidacy, it seemed fair game to provide the link to his column. I recommend reading it before going to the polls. It takes the long-held position by a number of Sudbury residents that Lincoln is not providing its fair share of financial support for the high school. This, as I understand it, is one of the main justifications for the proposed superintendent consolidation of the high school and Sudbury K-8 systems.  In fairness, I cannot confirm that Ms. Hullinger shares her husband’s position, although my source insists that this is the case.

Sincerely,

Eric Harris
138 Bedford Rd., Lincoln

Letter to the editor: LSSC’s Marshall supports Kasper and Joachim

(Editor’s note: Marshall is currently on the LSSC but is not running for reelection.)

To the editor:

I write to fully endorse Carole Kasper’s and Ellen Joachim’s candidacies for the L-S School Committee. Lincoln voters should robustly support them at the polls on Monday, March 26. There are two open seats, as Gerald Quirk of Sudbury and I are both stepping down. Carole’s is the only candidate name printed on the ballot. Ellen is a write-in candidate from Sudbury. 

Carole and Ellen are both strong leaders. They have been collaborative, engaged, and thoughtful contributors to many community and educational initiatives at L-S and in Lincoln and Sudbury. There is hard, good work to be done, engaging committees in both towns, attending to the L-S School Committee’s regular business, crafting a fiscally responsible budget, and listening to constituents in Lincoln, Sudbury, and Boston. Carole and Ellen will put in the hours and foster relationships and will represent the integrity of our regional high school and our communities well.

Carole was active on the L-S School Start Time Subcommittee; she analyzed and collated the data that went into the final report. She fully understands and supports L-S’s efforts to find a way to allow a later start time for our students. Carole’s recent work chairing the Lincoln Campus Master Plan Committee was critical to the town’s next steps in our school and community center discussions. 

Ellen will be a strong advocate for our high school; she understands the nuanced Lincoln/Sudbury partnership. Ellen’s legal expertise and her six years on the Sudbury School Committee provide lenses that will support the L-S School Committee’s work and positive relationships with our K-8 districts.

Ensuring our students feel safe socially, emotionally, and physically at L-S is a priority for both Carole and Ellen. Carole’s depth of experience in her consulting work will contribute to open, thoughtful conversations about school safety. Both of them will seek to balance L-S’s strengths in allowing students to be resilient and well-prepared for life after high school with the realities and pressures of our world today.

Carole and Ellen will work diligently with our Finance and Capital Committees, engage constituents and town officials openly and respectfully, and support LSRHS faculty and staff in their continued efforts to educate and prepare our students for the 21st century. They will be guided by the core values of L-S and approach their service mindful of what is best for all students.

Having two Lincoln seats at L-S is not guaranteed; supporting Carole with a very high turnout in Lincoln is critical to assuring our high school is served well by both towns. Carole’s name is printed on the ballot. Along with Ellen, there are two other write-in candidates from Sudbury. Carole and Ellen have complementary skills to partner productively and positively for LSRHS.

Absentee ballots for registered Lincoln residents who will be out of town are available from the Town Clerk through Friday, March 23.  Applications for absentee ballots can be obtained via the Town Clerk’s website.

Sincerely,

Nancy Marshall
23 Beaver Pond Rd.

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.