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Date: 10/19/2022
LONGMEADOW – Prompted by the death of Amherst-Pelham Regional High School junior Anna Burns during a Ludlow cross country meet in September, Longmeadow Public Schools (LPS) Superintendent M. Martin O’Shea said the district will review its emergency response preparedness for athletic events.
O’Shea said he will be meeting with Police Chief Robert Stocks, Fire Chief John Dearborn and Longmeadow High School (LHS) Principal Thomas Landers to discuss the issue. The district is also exploring global safety training for athletes and, potentially, the student body.
School Committee member Gianna Allentuck asked if LPS has considered working with the Timmy Strong Foundation. The organization, which provides communities and schools with CPR training and automated external defibrillators (AED), was created after East Longmeadow’s Birchland Park Middle School Principal Timothy Allen survived a heart attack in July 2021. O’Shea said that the district is still in the planning stages, but the foundation has expressed an interest in helping with life safety training and has donated CPR manikins.
When asked by School Committee Vice Chair Mary Keane if the district had AEDs available, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Thomas Mazza said there are two at every cross country meet and another five that rotate through athletic teams as sports seasons change. The LHS stadium, Russell Field and the Bliss Tennis Courts each have one on site, he said, but they are removed during the winter to avoid the elements.
Statue
The district discussed whether to accept the gift of a statue of a female runner to be placed in front of the cross country record board at the concession stand. O’Shea said it was donated anonymously and meant to be “a celebration of track and cross country athletes.” He said the donors hoped for it to be installed before the ground freezes for the season.
Allentuck said she approves of the idea, but the provided rendering of the statue depicts “one vision” of a runner and is not representative of runners with different “hairstyles” and bodies. O’Shea noted that the statue is still in the design phase and feedback can be provided to the donors and the artist.
Hensch countered Allentuck’s concern, saying one statue cannot capture every runner.
Connolly asked if the statue is meant to resemble Katarina Boskovic, an LHS junior who died in a car accident in May. Likewise, School Committee member Jaime Hensch inquired as to whether it was a memorial. O’Shea said it was meant to be “timeless and celebratory,” but that it would give those close to Boskovic a way to remember her.
Keane said her first impression was that it was a statue of Boskovic. She wondered of the track and field students and the Boskovic family, “Are they ready to have this there?” She continued, calling it “beautiful” but wanting to ensure it is not “triggering.” Connolly agreed with School Committee member Julie Morgan’s suggestion to get opinions from the cross country team.
School Committee member Zachary Verriden weighed in. Echoing Allentuck’s concerns, he said it may “memorialize an archetype or body type that may be less inclusive to future generations,” however, the statue may have meaning for current students and families. He suggested “marrying the two” concepts.
The discussion was tabled.
Field trip
The LHS music program was approved for a field trip during school vacation, from April 17 to 23, 2023, to Southern California for tours, workshops, rehearsals and sightseeing. The trip is open to all lyrics, wind ensemble and orchestra students and will be led by Department Chair and Vocal Music Director Kayla Werlin and Instrumental Music Director Arthur Thovmasian.
Student Representative Daegon Connolly pointed out that the music students have not been able to go on a field trip for the entirety of their high school career. He also touted the trip as a chance to “expand” as musicians.
Keane asked about funding the excursion. While the trip is out-of-pocket, the superintendent said the cost can be supplemented by music department fundraising and donations received by the department for a scholarship.
Other topics
O’Shea said that he has been working with the town manager on the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant. The town has applied for the state program, which provides grant funding for cities and towns to identify infrastructure and circumstances that are susceptible to damage from climate-related issues, such as storms and drought. The town is using its as-yet-to-be created long range plan to address climate issues.
The superintendent called it a “significant” grant and said there were opportunities for students to get involved, including for two students to serve on the town’s Long Range Plan Steering Committee.
O’Shea extended the district’s welcome to the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative (LPVEC) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator Abdullah Ghalayini. As members of LPVEC, LPS will be working with Ghalayini on issues of diversity and school district culture.
The use of Wolf Swamp Road School was approved for the Wolf Swamp Turkey Trot 5K Race/Walk on Oct. 26. Likewise, the use of LHS was approved for a 5K run in memory of Boskovic, organized by East Longmeadow-based 4RUN3, a running store that hosts races throughout the community.
While discussing his 2022-2023 school year superintendent goals, O’Shea cited the accessibility of the website to people with disabilities and those for whom English is not a primary language. “We know we have some work to do in that area,” O’Shea acknowledged.
The LHS Key Club is offering a babysitting service for families attending the Special Town Meeting on Oct. 25. The service will be at the Storrs Library and families must register in advance.