Organizations

April Vacation at New England Air Museum

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Celebrate the arrival of spring with two weeks of school vacation programming. Explore three giant exhibit hangars filled with over sixty historic aircraft, plus:

Hands-on Build & Fly Challenges

Interactive Flight Science Demonstrations

Open Cockpit Experiences in historic aircraft

Computerized Flight Simulators

In addition, the following special events are scheduled:

Monday April 9: Balsa Wood Airplane Workshop 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Build and fly a balsa wood model airplane. This workshop is for children ages 3 and older, must be accompanied by an adult. There is a $5 cost per model kit. Tuesday, April 10: LEGO Flying Machine Contest 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Children ages 3-13 can construct flying machines using the Museum’s  LEGOs. Winners will be awarded prizes in three age categories.

People/Business

Lake Road Improving, Slowly

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In our February issue, the Observer published a description of the pavement problems on the newly-relocated Lake Road, and First Selectman Melissa Mack provided a comprehensive description of a remediation program in her Observer column in March. The program had been worked out with input from residents along with planning sessions with Town Engineer Gerry Turbet, Highway Foreman Mark Cervione, and representatives of Crestview Construction, the Southwick company that now owns the major portion of the new road. Crestview had built the road as one of the conditions of their purchase of the property to harvest sand and gravel from elsewhere on the 74-acre parcel. Viewed on March 12, just before the heavy, wet snowfall, the road had no significant potholes, but its surface was largely a rather coarse gravel that made for a noisy ride. From the First Selectman’s report, one can expect that this surface, being built up where required, will eventually be covered with processed aggregate and finally paved.

Organizations

Local Prevention Council

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Prevention: (Noun); the action of stopping something from happening or arising. This is what the Suffield Local Prevention Council (SLPC) is all about. My name is Nikki Lengyel and I am the new Chairperson for the SLPC. I am incredibly excited to be a part of this important group that strives to make a positive change and raise awareness on multiple matters in the Suffield community. In the past, the Council has focused primarily on the topic of opioids due to the current crisis and concerning numbers of overdoses involving opioids.

Organizations

Rotary “Steps Up” for The Suffield Players!

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In December of 2017 The Suffield Rotary Club made a generous donation to The Suffield Players for rebuilding the exterior steps on both sides of historic Mapleton Hall. To ensure the safety of theater patrons and members, The Players had been left with no choice but to replace both those staircases in the fall of 2017. An ambitious fundraising campaign to offset the costs of the project was appropriately named: “Step Up.”

“We are thrilled by the support of the Suffield Rotary Club,” said Suffield Players Facilities Manager Jerry Zalewski. “The South Hall steps had been rebuilt in late 2005, and the North Hall’s in early 2007. Though we expected them to last more than 10 years, the materials and construction had failed.

Organizations

SYT Stages Serious Drama

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The Suffield Youth Theater (SYT), in its fourth season, presented The Outsiders in three performances at the Second Baptist Church on February 16 and 17. For this production, Fellowship Hall was set up as theater in the round. The dramatic story of teen-age group adversaries was adapted from a best-selling 1967 book that has been in wide use in American schools, not for its writing style, but for its social significance. It also became a popular 1983 movie. As a stage production, the tale presented a challenge to the teen-led SYT that was well met, as usual.

Organizations

SWC Scholarships

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The Suffield Woman’s Club (SWC) is pleased to offer the Thea Coburn Scholarship to any college or university student from Suffield, Granby, East Granby, Windsor Locks and Enfield or a graduate of the Agri-Science Center in Suffield, who has completed at least one year of higher education and intends to pursue a career in the environmental or communications areas. If you have received this scholarship previously, you may apply again. Thea Coburn was a member of the SWC for 63 years. For more details and an application, contact Scholarship Chairman Mary Mellor at 860-254-5078 or mellor88@cox.net. For many years, the SWC has also given scholarships to three graduating seniors.

Organizations

The Suffield Players Present Sylvia

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If you enjoy zany comedy as well as a good love story with a twist, get ready for The Suffield Players spring production of Sylvia by A.R. Gurney! Sylvia performs on May 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, *13, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m. (*2 p.m. Matinee) at Mapleton Hall. The Story: Greg and Kate have moved to New York City to pursue new careers. For Greg, there’s still something missing…until he meets Sylvia, a stray pup with pizzazz (played by a human actress in the show!). Kate thinks Sylvia may be stealing too much of Greg’s attention, and appeals to her friends – and even her therapist – to help get her husband back on track.

Schools/Sports

Building on Success

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Student athletes of Wildcats Swimming, the Suffield High School co-op swim program, have continued to push themselves to new heights. On March 1, the Wildcats hosted the Nutmeg Conference Championships at the Windsor Locks High School pool. The team prevailed, winning the conference title and boasting nine swimmers with All-Conference honors (Matt Winter ’18 Suffield, Sam Tesko ’20 Suffield, Will Dubocq ’18 Suffield, Timur Couture ’18 East Windsor, Jake Wyse ’18 East Windsor, Mike Stavolone ’19 East Windsor, Saxon Nussbaum ’20 Windsor Locks, Charles Rose ’20 Suffield, and Chris Hoover ’20 Ellington)! This built upon their conference record of 3-0 (season record 7-3) after two meets cancelled due to snow. This team grew through their hard work and mental preparation, setting career best times as they prepared for the Class M preliminary meet on March 10.

Schools/Sports

Police Respond To Threat

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On March 9 at approximately 9:22 a.m., Suffield Police responded to Suffield High School located at 1060 Sheldon Street to assist the School Resource Officer and school administration with a distraught student.

Schools/Sports

From The Principal’s Desk

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Congratulations to Lucie Casinghino who was recently awarded a Gold Key in the Flash Fiction category at the regional level in the Annual Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition.

Schools/Sports

World Language Student of the Month

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Suffield High School World Language Department is pleased to announce Michaela Conway as the World Language Student of the Month for March. Michaela is a junior in Spanish V having studied Spanish in Suffield since her days at McAlister. I am very pleased to have Michaela in class this year. She is a student of the highest caliber. Michaela truly exemplifies the SHS core values – respect, responsibility, rigor, integrity and creativity.

Schools/Sports

Read Across America Day!

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McAlister Intermediate School (MIS) students joined our friends at A. Ward Spaulding School for the morning to celebrate Read Across America Day! This particular day is chosen as it is the actual birthday of Dr. Seuss himself! His real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, and he was born on March 2, 1904, in our neighboring town of Springfield! Some of our McAlister fifth graders read as our younger students listened intently, and everyone participated by wearing their coziest pajamas, Dr. Seuss shirts and hats or other items commemorating this event. On a cold, wet and sometimes snowy winter’s day, what better way to celebrate Dr. Seuss than to curl up with a good book in the company of good friends and neighbors!

Schools/Sports

Tinkergarten Classes

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Local Tinkergarten leaders, Sasha Zatyrka and Julie Beliveau, are thrilled to host their spring Tinkergarten classes at the beautiful Hilltop Farm at 1616 Mapleton Ave., Suffield, Conn. The final free trial class at Hilltop will be offered on April 5. Julie’s full eight-week spring season of classes will take place each Saturday beginning April 14. Sasha’s ten-week spring season on Thursdays is already full with a waitlist. All classes take place 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

The outdoor, mixed age classes for children ages 18 months to 8 years old follow a progressive, evidence-based curriculum that promotes the development of key skills including self-reliance, creativity, persistence, and problem solving.

Schools/Sports

Safety Forum Focused on High School Incident

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In response to inquiries and comments, Suffield held a forum on Monday, March 12, to discuss safety and security in the town’s schools. The event had been scheduled some time ago in response to questions, but it became more significant after the February 14 school shooting in Parkland, Fla. A sparse crowd of no more than a hundred came to the Middle School auditorium to hear some presentations and ask questions. The forum was opened by Suffield Police Captain Christopher McKee, and First Selectman Melissa Mack welcomed the audience. She reminded everyone that safeguarding our most precious resource – our children – is our number one priority.

Schools/Sports

Superintendent’s Update

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Margaret Mead, cultural anthropologist, once said, “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.”

On March 14, those students at Suffield High School and Suffield Middle School, who chose to participate, were provided with a school sanctioned walk-out of class to express their support for the students of Parkland, Fla., in their concerns about school safety and to honor those who lost their lives. Student leaders met with administration and faculty to plan the event. Our student leaders are impressive as they demonstrated empathy for human suffering, concern for their fellow students who have differing perspectives and motivation to improve school safety. 127 SHS students and 390 SMS students walked out of class at 10:00 a.m. on March 14 and participated in a respectful solemn gathering at their respective schools. A few students were signed out of school by their parents and expressed themselves by walking down to the Suffield Green.

Schools/Sports

Aladdin, Jr. Enchants at SMS

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This year’s choice for a musical drama at the Suffield Middle School was Aladdin, Jr., and a great choice it was. Adapted from a Disney animation of a version of the marvelous old fairy tale, the script offered the opportunity to involve a tremendous cast on stage, colorfully costumed in great variety and make good use even of the school’s “Elite Voices” choir. Sixty kids performing and 31 more in vital supporting tasks obviously had a great time, and audiences in the SMS auditorium on February 22, 23, and 24 enjoyed the production fully. There have been many versions of the Aladdin story over the centuries, and this one featured the “diamond in the rough” street boy who becomes involved with a Middle Eastern princess who must choose a husband. Offered a poor choice among three visiting princes, she eventually finds Aladdin, who is transformed into “Prince Ali” with the first of three wishes offered by the genie he has inadvertently released from a magic lamp.

Library

DPW Update – Kent Memorial Library

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In mid-February, National Library Relocations, Inc., completed the task of cleaning and packaging approximately 30,000 books, DVDs and audio books to be held in storage until the Kent Memorial Library completes the polychlorinated biphenyl (PBC) abatement process. An additional 40,000 books (either outdated or in poor condition) were discarded. Wood panels and shelving assemblies have been temporarily removed in order to allow for the encapsulation procedure. The panels and shelving will be reinstalled upon completion. On March 6, 2018, EnviroScience, the Town’s civil and environmental engineering consulting firm, submitted the modified remediation plan to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their review and approval.