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

schools

Heated discussion over Lincoln and Minuteman

mm1By Alice Waugh

Many of the 16 towns in the Minuteman High School district are ready to move forward with a new regional agreement, but Lincoln is standing firm on its demand for compensation as host community to a new high school—a stance that could potentially torpedo a new agreement.

Selectmen from the member towns met on December 2 to try to agree on a deal in principle for amending the agreement that would be acceptable to all 16 towns. The idea, originally proposed by Boxborough Selectman Vince Amoroso, would achieve several things: [Read more…] about Heated discussion over Lincoln and Minuteman

Campus study draft to be presented next week

The current school campus showing when various sections were built.

The Campus Master Planning Committee (CMPC) will receive a draft report from its consultants with recommendations for reconfiguring the Lincoln School campus on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Hartwell multipurpose room.

Residents heard an interim report at the State of the Town meeting in November from LLB Architects, who outlined some examples of how the building areas, pedestrian walkways, playing fields, and roads on the campus could be configured to accommodate a school project and a new community center somewhere on the Hartwell side. They did not include site work cost estimates for the scenarios.

The CMPC also released results of an informal survey of residents who attended an October 17 public forum. About 160 people responded to seven statements with answers ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.” The results of Questions 1 and 5 indicate support for reducing the footprint of the school building, which would most likely mean a two-story structure, although the overall character of the campus is still seen as important.

1. Gaining additional field space is a worthy reason to reduce the overall school footprint.

Agreed or
strongly agreed		 Neutral Disagreed or
strongly disagreed
52% 20% 25%

2. Locating parking near building entrances and fields is more important than the character of the campus.

Agreed or
strongly agreed		 Neutral Disagreed or
strongly disagreed
17% 21% 60%

3. Pedestrian walkways should take precedence over vehicular drives and parking lots.

Agreed or
strongly agreed		 Neutral Disagreed or
strongly disagreed
54% 30% 15%
4. The campus character is tied directly to the current footprint of the buildings.

Agreed or
strongly agreed		 Neutral Disagreed or
strongly disagreed
38% 25% 31%

5. We should consider reducing the footprint of the school in order to gain building efficiencies, better educational layout, and more space on campus for playing fields and other uses.

Agreed or
strongly agreed		 Neutral Disagreed or
strongly disagreed
62% 14% 19%

6. The value (functionality, appropriateness, and life expectancy) of the projects should take precedence in decision making if the costs exceed the previously projected costs.

Agreed or
strongly agreed		 Neutral Disagreed or
strongly disagreed
8% 19% 67%

7. Future projects should aim to reduce the impact on the regulated areas [wetland buffers, riverfront setbacks] to the extent that is practical.

Agreed or
strongly agreed		 Neutral Disagreed or
strongly disagreed
27% 25% 42%

The final report is due to town officials on December 31. The CMPC and its consultant have been working for six months on the project and have presented information at five public forums this fall.

Consultant presents ideas for campus configuration

By Alice Waugh

A Campus Master Planning Committee consultant offered some scenarios for configuring the school campus while affirming that there are no septic or regulatory issues that would prevent putting a community center on the Hartwell side.

Speaking at the November 14 State of the Town Meeting, Greg Smolley of LLB Architects also repeated what he said at an October 17 public forum—that a second Lincoln Road entrance to the campus east of Ballfield Road to accommodate a community center is not needed or advisable.

[Read more…] about Consultant presents ideas for campus configuration

Teacher savors “Most Valuable Educator” award from Red Sox

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Teacher Joe Colombo, Kyle Atwood (wearing red and white face paint) and Wally the Green Monster are on the big screen in center field before a game at Fenway Park in August.

By Alice Waugh

The Lincoln School’s Joe Colombo finds teaching pretty rewarding, but he never thought he’d get a Most Valuable Educator award from the Boston Red Sox.

[Read more…] about Teacher savors “Most Valuable Educator” award from Red Sox

News acorns

bikeBike found outside Clark Gallery

Is this bike yours? It was found unlocked outside the Clark Gallery in late October and sat outside for several days. If you think it’s yours, email Joshua Jade at mister_jade@hotmail.com or stop by the gallery in the Mall at Lincoln Station.

State Rep. Linsky to speak at LDTC meeting

State Rep. David Linsky, contributor to the new Massachusetts Gun Safety Law, will be the guest speaker at the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee meeting on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. in Bemis Hall. The meeting focusing on gun laws will discuss the status of Massachusetts legislation as a national model and the Brady Campaign’s Ask Campaign aimed at keeping children safe from guns in the home, as well as a court decision on recent New York and Connecticut gun safety laws. Also on the agenda: the possibility of submitting a citizens’ petition supporting development of national gun safety laws to the 2016 Town Meeting. The public is always welcome to LDTC meetings.

A capella concert at L-S on Nov. 13

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School’s student-run a capella group Accent and Tufts University’s Beelzebubs will appear on Friday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the L-S Kirschner Auditorium. The Bubs are known for singing backup songs on the popular TV series Glee. In 2012, they won Best Collegiate a Cappella Album and Best All-Male Collegiate a Cappella Song. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Multimedia program on “Turandot”

Erika Reitshamer presents a multimedia program about Turandot, Puccini’s final opera, on Sunday, Nov. 15 from 2-3:30 p.m at the Lincoln Public Library. Reitshamer, born and educated in Germany, was instrumental in the founding of the Boston Lyric Opera and served as vice president of the Wagner Society of Boston for nine years. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library.

Birches School open house on Nov. 15

The Birches School in Lincoln, an independent K-6 school offering vigorous interdisciplinary academics within a mindful, nurturing environment, will host an open house on Sunday, Nov. 15 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at 14 Bedford Rd. (the Stone Church). Birches affords close, daily contact with nature and conducts many of its thematic inquiry-based units outdoors.

News acorns

correction-smCorrections
  • The calendar listing for the October 29 climate change talk described in the October 16 News Acorns gave an incorrect location. It will be held in Bemis Hall.
  • In the photo of the National Merit Scholarship Commended Students on October 15, two names were omitted. Adam Thompson of Lincoln and Tiger Zhang of Sudbury are also Commended Students but did not appear in the photograph.
More Halloween activities for kids

Celebrate Halloween on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 5:30 p.m. with the Friends of Minuteman National Park at the annual Spooky Colonial Tales, lantern walk and singalongs featuring the Lincoln Public Library’s Sally Kindleberger. Meet at Hartwell Tavern (off Route 2A opposite the intersection with Bedford Road). Suggested donation for mini lanterns: $5 per person or $10 per family. This activity is best for children age 8 and under. See the October 11 Lincoln Squirrel for other Halloween events for kids of all ages.

The First Parish Church will host a pizza potluck and pumpkin carving party on Sunday, Oct. 25 in the Parish House at 14 Bedford Rd. from 5:30-8 p.m. Bring your favorite pizza to share or make a donation toward purchased pizzas. Bring your pumpkin, carving tools, and newspaper. All ages and families invited. This event is sponsored by the church’s Youth Program Committee. For more information, email Kathy Cronin.

cap

A hat found near Doherty’s (click for larger view).

Is this your hat?

Found: a colorful, soft hand-knit hat found near Doherty’s Garage parking lot. If this hat belongs to you or your child, please call Alessandra at 508-314-2194.

Discussion at L-S on adolescent behaviors and health

Where do L-S students feel bullying is taking place at school? How many L-S students are smoking e-cigarettes? Who is at greater risk for engaging in self-harming behaviors? How many L-S students feel that they lives are “very stressful”? How many L-S students are driving after smoking marijuana? These questions and more will be addressed at the World Cafe discussion regarding the 2014 MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey on Wednesday, Oct. 28 in the L-S cafeteria at 7:30 p.m. There will be an introduction to the survey results and then L-S students will help facilitate topic-based table discussions.

Zoning Board of Appeals needs volunteers

Lincoln’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) is seeking new members for open seats on the board. The ZBA is a land use board that interprets and applies the town’s zoning bylaw. It acts on a case-by-case basis on requests for variances, special permits, and appeals of decisions by the building inspector, considering the impact on the town and neighborhoods and the requirements of the bylaws. The board, which has five regular members and three associate members, generally meets one evening a month. For information or an application, please visit this Town of Lincoln volunteer web page or call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601.

State of the Town promises plenty of discussion

stateofthetown-croppedResidents will have an opportunity to lean about and discuss several front-and-center Lincoln issues at the State of the Town meeting on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Brooks auditorium. Agenda items will be:

  • A status report on Ballfield Road campus planning efforts, incorporating information presented at the Campus Mater Planning Committee forum on October 17.
  • A general discussion of medical marijuana distribution and cultivation. There is no specific proposal on the table, but town officials have had informal talks (though not recently) with New England Wellspring, which is looking into locating facilities in one or more towns including Lincoln.
  • A preview of contemplated zoning bylaw amendments.
  • A discussion on the merits of installing solar power collection equipment at the closed Lincoln landfill adjacent to the transfer station.
  • A status report on Minuteman Regional High School’s proposed new building project.
  • A segment devoted to open discussion.

The morning will also include a very brief Special Town Meeting to vote on a proposed bylaw amendment that would ensure that Lincoln’s Annual Town Meeting always occurs in advance of its Annual Town Election.

The Lincoln Squirrel will have more information on some of these topics in the coming weeks.

No major obstacles to putting community center on campus, consultant says

A map showing which parts of the campus were built at different times (click to enlarge).

By Alice Waugh

If a community center is built on the Hartwell campus, more parking will be needed, but creating a new entrance from Lincoln Road on the south side of the site probably won’t be necessary, according to an interim report by the Campus Master Planning Committee consultants.

Because both a school project and a community center are being contemplated on the Ballfield Road campus, the CMPC was formed to study the basic infrastructure and physical layout of the campus and assess the capacity of the existing infrastructure (buildings, roadways, septic systems, etc.) to support future uses. [Read more…] about No major obstacles to putting community center on campus, consultant says

Six from Lincoln are National Merit Commended Students

Editor’s note: this article was corrected on October 22 to include two students who are not in the photo.

Thirty-four Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School seniors have been named Commended Students in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program. Six of them are Lincoln residents.

About 34,000 of the 1.5 million students nationally who entered the 2016 competition by taking the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test received letters of commendation. Another 16,000 entrants qualified as semifinalists on a state-represented basis, and about 15,000 of those will be named as finalists for about 7,400 scholarships.

scholars

Commended Students in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program from L-S. Lincoln residents are in boldface. Top row: Emily Gorman, Rudhra Raveendran, Samuel Mlawer, Aaron Epstein, Samuel Neil, Katerina Matjucha, Katherine Quirk, Claire Telfer, Nicole Pellegrini, Sarah Hausmann, Sara Bennett, Samira Mehta, Alina Strileckis, Jessica Keller, Jillian Cusick, Caroline Goswami, Alexandra du Toit. Bottom row: Matthew Short, Madeleine Kline, Jasmine Falk, Ariel Keklak, Zacharie Day, Indrani Kharbanda, Eve Montie, Katherine Semple, Catherine Pinto, Sara Kimble, William Sheldon, Aaron Corin, Andrew Fasciano, Gavin Mays, Regan Murray. Not pictured: Adam Thompson and Tiger Zhang. Photo courtesy Charles Despotopulos.