Chris Lisinski
State House News Service

Hoping to lessen the financial burden on students and their families during a time of crisis, Bridgewater State University officials agreed on a plan to keep tuition and fees at existing levels during the upcoming academic year. The Board of Trustees signed onto a plan from President Frederick Clark to maintain tuition and fees at $10,732 per year for full-time, in-state undergraduate students, according to a Thursday press release.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created a serious financial strain for our students, as demand on our BSU Student Emergency Fund attests,” Clark said in the release. “We are hopeful that this decision will help to relieve some of the economic pressure on our students and their families.”

The school also issued more than $9 million in credits or refunds in April for unused services and directed almost $740,000 from an emergency fund to help more than 1,000 students who have sustained income losses during the pandemic.

The Wareham Police Association has decided that due to the Covid 19 pandemic and with the high school seniors year being cut short and unable to enjoy their final year of high school along with parents being laid off from work, to award all scholarship applicants that submitted their applications by the April 31, 2020 deadline.

The names of the recipients for the Wareham Police Association 2020 Scholarship are as follows:

1)Danielle Ansell Upper Cape Vocational Tech
2) Abigale Berriault Wareham High School
3) Stephen Caldarola Wareham High School
4) Grace Cerrato Wareham High School
5) Jarrett Fernandes Wareham High School
6) Mollie Johnson Wareham High School
7) Julianne Matthews Wareham High School
8) Natalia Moulding Wareham High School
9) Lukas Watkins Wareham High Schoo
10) Erik Zine Wareham High School
11) Gavin Smith Bourne High School
12) Justin Smith Old Rochester Regional High School
13) Analise Rogers Bourne High School
14) Jack Gerard Old Rochester Regional High School
15) Marissa Johnson
16) Alexandrea Gerard

The New Bedford Coalition to Save Our Schools (NBCSOS), a vibrant, diverse, grassroots community-based organization of over 150 members, has launched a statement and invitation to public dialogue today, to insist that the school system, which includes the school committee and all other associated decision-making bodies, makes deep changes.

The statement includes items which correspond with areas that the school committee normally takes up and was collaboratively developed by the NBCSOS membership and through community surveys. It urges administrators and elected officials to respond publicly to each of the needs and to clearly articulate to the public what is currently in place to address the issues outlined and future plans to strengthen these areas.

The statement asserts: “This public health crisis has taught us that we must rethink our schools and society. Whether in healthcare, public health, the criminal justice system, emergency services, environmental protection, immigration, economic development, transportation, social services, urban planning, postal services, education, and a myriad of other services, what we have witnessed is that we have been and are living a deeply inequitable and dangerous existence. It is time that we imagine a different community and world.” 

You can read the entire document here.
 

District and ‘STEAM the Streets’ call for community submissions for year-end social media campaign celebrating TLC – Teaching, Learning and Connecting

New Bedford Public Schools is partnering with STEAM the Streets, inviting the community to provide creative content for a social media campaign entitled #NBTLC. The campaign aims to show that even during this time of extended school closure, the NBPS community is stepping up to the challenge with creativity and resourcefulness to enhance TLC – Teaching, Learning and Connecting.

The #NBTLC campaign will culminate in a district-wide music video to be released on Wednesday, June 17, the eve of the last day of the school year.

Speaking enthusiastically of the online campaign, Superintendent Thomas Anderson stated, “NBTLC is an innovative way for our students, families and staff to show the community their creativity and engagement in teaching, learning and connecting. STEAM stands for ‘Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math’ and ‘STEAM the Streets’ focuses on the arts by tapping the creativity in each of us. I’m looking forward to seeing the final product that highlights our talents and shows our passion.”

There are lots of opportunities for New Bedford families, teachers and staff to submit material to be featured in the music video. For instance, teachers can submit videos showing innovative projects they’ve assigned to their students, and students and families can submit videos working on those projects at home.

Ways that students, families and staff can be a part of the #NBTLC music video:

• Make Art – Create a sign with your own word that represents TLC.

• Dance – Record yourself doing dance moves to the #NBTLC beat.

• Give Thanks – Special people are helping us get through these tough times. Whether you’re a student, parent, or school staff – film a message thanking that special person in your life.

Videos can be submitted through May 27 at: STEAMtheStreets.org/NBTLC

During school closure, New Bedford Public School teachers and staff are connecting regularly with families to ensure they have access to resources and support to continue their student’s academic enrichment through the district’s remote learning programming. To ensure equity NBPS is collaborating with Comcast Internet Essentials to sponsor internet access for 6 months for families who do not currently have internet access and who have not had Comcast internet in the past 90 days. The program is being made possible in part through funding from the New Bedford Education Foundation, a fund of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts (Community Foundation).

In recognizing Comcast and the Community Foundation, Superintendent Thomas Anderson stated, “It is vital that we do all we can to ensure that our students have the tools and the access they need to continue learning remotely. Comcast’s Internet Essentials program is a means to help provide equity for every student no matter their income status. We thank the Community Foundation for its role in making this a reality for our students.”

John Vasconcellos, Community Foundation President, noted, “the COVID19 crisis has presented extreme challenges here at home and across the world. But it is a challenge for which our Community Foundation was created. As a regional leader in philanthropy for education, we manage 75 educational funds that provide scholarship to local students and grants for local organizations to increase educational attainment and opportunity. A grant to help students to continue learning during this crisis is a vital program we are pleased to assist.”

Qualifying New Bedford Public School families may call the district’s Help Line at the NBPS Family Welcome Center: (508) 997-4515 or email fwc@newbedfordschools.org to receive a personalized code and directions for receiving internet access through Comcast Internet Essentials.

New Bedford High School has announced dates for virtual and traditional ceremonies for the Class of 2020. A Virtual Commencement Ceremony will stream on Thursday, June 18, 2020 – the date also marks the final day of the school year. The virtual ceremony will include city and school officials, student speakers, music and recognition of achievements.

In addition, a traditional Graduation Ceremony at Walsh Field is being planned for Thursday, August 13, 2020 at 7:00 p.m., said Headmaster Bernadette Coelho. “There’s no question how heartbreaking and disappointing this has been for the Class of 2020 and not how anyone expected their culminating semester to unfold. The entire faculty and staff is, to the best of our ability, committed to providing our graduates with a memorable and fitting send-off, honoring and celebrating their incredible accomplishments.”

Superintendent Thomas Anderson stated “I share in the disappointment that this situation has caused for all students, but especially for our seniors. I wholeheartedly support Ms. Coelho’s efforts in doing what is takes to make the 2020 ceremony more special than ever as we celebrate the contributions and the legacy of this graduating class.”

A Virtual Awards Night Ceremony will be held during the week of June 15 – the date and time to be announced shortly.

In advance of these ceremonies, the high school will issue a schedule for students to pick up their caps and gowns.

Other milestone events are also planned to be rescheduled; the Senior Prom and the National Honor Society Induction Ceremony are expected to be held in the fall of 2020, the dates and times to be announced. The August 13 event is subject to approval for assembly by municipal and health authorities.

The Buttonwood Park Zoo, a regional leader in wildlife conservation, oversaw the birth of two endangered bird species last month. Two Cabot’s tragopans, a horned pheasant species listed as vulnerable, and five scaly-sided mergansers, an endangered diving duck species, hatched under the watchful eye of animal care staff.

Some of these adorable babies will make their public debut this Thursday, May 7, 2020 at 11:00 am during BPZOO’s daily Virtual Keeper Chats, live on Facebook. The video will also be available on the Zoo’s YouTube channel later in the day.

Buttonwood Park Zoo photo.

“This is the second year in a row that the BPZOO has been successful in contributing to important national zoological breeding programs for the Cabot’s tragopan and the scaly-sided merganser”, said Buttonwood Park Zoo Director, Keith Lovett. “These species of conservation concern are at risk of becoming extinct in the wild and the Zoo is dedicated to conserving both of these amazing birds.”

Joining more than two hundred and forty accredited zoos across North America, BPZOO actively participates in Species Survival Plan (SSP) programs of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), cooperatively managing the survival of individual species to ensure a healthy and genetically diverse population while enhancing the conservation of these species in the wild. There are 28 species at the Zoo that fall under a SSP, including the Cabot’s tragopan and scaly-sided mergansers.

“Zoological breeding programs help to ensure a future for species like the Cabot’s tragopan and scaly-sided mergansers by establishing assurance populations that can serve as a safeguard against extinction in the wild.” said Lovett. “Additionally, species at accredited zoological institutions often serve as ambassadors for their wild counterparts allowing zoos the opportunity to educate guests about these animals while also encouraging them to support the conservation of wildlife locally and globally.

Buttonwood Park Zoo photo.

In addition to being an integral part of these SSPs,BPZOO also financially support the Scaly-sided Merganser Task Force, a dynamic program that works to save and protect migratory waterbirds, their habitat, and the livelihoods of people dependent upon them by funding non-invasive video monitoring of artificial nest sites.

About Cabot’s Tragopans
Found in southeast China in subtropical, evergreen broadleaved forest and mixed deciduous-coniferous forest, Cabot’s tragopan are one of five species of tragopan, or horned pheasant, which refers to the set of fleshy horns that emerge during the courtship displays of the males. They are herbivores, who feed on seeds, fruits, and plants.

Plagued by habitat loss and the ongoing conversion of natural mixed forests to conifer plantations, its declining, small population has resulted in severe fragmentation of the population. Illegal hunting for food still occurs in some places, especially outside protected areas. With fewer than 5,000 mature individuals in the wild, they are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. There are only 32 individuals living at 15 AZA accredited institutions.

About Scaly-sided Mergansers
Scaly-sided mergansers need clean water to survive. They nest and breed along the banks of forested, fast-flowing mountain rivers and rapid streams in southeast Russia, North Korea and northeast China. Winters are spent in central and southern China on lakes and lagoons. A skilled diving duck, these mergansers feed on small fish, crustaceans, and insects. They are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red list due to a declining population resulting from habitat loss, logging, illegal hunting, and drowning in fishing nets. The newest scaly-sided mergansers join the nine currently living at BPZOO. There are 82 scaly-sided mergansers in total across 13 AZA accredited institutions.

For more information about the Zoo’s virtual programs, animals and exhibits, visit www.bpzoo.org. The Buttonwood Park Zoo is currently closed to the public, but is working hard to ensure we stay connected to the community through virtual programming.

If you would like to contribute to the Buttonwood Park Zoological Society’s Emergency Operating Fund, please text BPZOO20 to 41444 or visit https://www.bpzoo.org/emergency-operating-fund/.

Buttonwood Park Zoo photos:

UMass Dartmouth Associate Professor Shakhnoza Kayumova, who teaches in the STEM Education & Teacher Development department, will be featured in the 2020 STEM for All Video Showcase funded by the National Science Foundation. The event will be held online on May 5-12 and can be found on the STEM for All website.

The presentation, entitled “STEAM Your Way 2 College”, looks at the partnership between the New Bedford and Fall River Public School Districts and the design of a longitudinal, robust science program that explicitly positions emergent bilingual/multilingual students (whose home and community language is other than English) as cognitively advantaged in science learning. The study looked at how this contributed to the students’ positive science and language identity development. This is the first year Kayumova has participated in this event and her presentation can be found here. The project was funded by the National Science Foundation.

“This study shows the importance of an anti-deficit approach towards teaching and learning science and how cultural and linguistic diversity of students’ identity backgrounds serve as strengths in their science engagement,” says Associate Professor Shakhnoza Kayumova, STEM Education & Teacher Development department at UMass Dartmouth.

Now in its sixth year, the annual showcase will feature over 170 innovative projects aimed at improving STEM learning and teaching, which have been funded by the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies. During the week-long event, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and members of the public are invited to view the short videos, discuss them with the presenters online, and vote for their favorites.

The theme for this year’s event is “Learning from Research and Practice.” Video presentations address improving K-12 STEM classrooms, informal environments, undergraduate and graduate education, teacher professional development, and community engagement. Collectively the presentations cover a broad range of topics including science, mathematics, computer science, engineering, cyberlearning, citizen science, maker spaces, broadening participation, research experiences, mentoring, professional development, NGSS, and the Common Core.

Last year’s STEM for All Video Showcase is still being accessed, and to date has had over 76,000 unique visitors from 181 countries. The STEM for All Video Showcase is hosted by TERC, in partnership with: STEMTLnet, CADRE, CAISE, CIRCL, STELAR, CS for All Teachers, NARST, NCTM, NSTA, NSF INCLUDES, and QEM. The Showcase is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (#1922641).

Celebrating the Class of 2020 on campus planned for October

UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Robert E. Johnson announced today that the University is planning for Commencement ceremonies on campus on October 9 and 10, 2020. Due to the spread of COVID-19, UMass Dartmouth was forced to cancel ceremonies originally scheduled for May 8 and 11, 2020. The UMass Law School Commencement ceremony is planned to take place on October 9 in the Angus Bailey Auditorium in the Campus Center. Undergraduate and graduate Commencement ceremonies are planned to take place on October 10 in the Vietnam Veterans Peace Memorial Amphitheater.

“The challenges our students overcame this semester to reach graduation have been monumental,” said Chancellor Robert E. Johnson. “They deserve a ceremony on campus to celebrate their hard work and honor the dedication of our faculty and staff who guided them through these turbulent times.”

On March 11, UMass Dartmouth announced that all face-to-face courses would be delivered online, residence halls were to close, and employees were to work remotely for the remainder of the semester to protect the safety and wellbeing of the entire campus community. The University pivoted to a nearly total virtual operation in the matter of days with minimal interruptions to student academic progress. To aid in this transition, digital teaching workshops were offered to faculty and laptops were offered to students.

While the University is committed to holding on-campus Commencement ceremonies, it will continue to follow all federal and Massachusetts safety guidelines and protocols. If current social distancing norms continue into fall 2020, these ceremonies will be rescheduled to spring 2021.

With the deed in hand, a vacant lot on the corner of Hyacinth and Rivet Street in New Bedford’s South End of New Bedford will become the site of NorthStar Learning Center’s new early childhood education center.

“Our vision is a state-of-the-art center where 134 young children and their families can benefit from a robust curriculum that will support children beyond their early years—preparing children to succeed not only in school, but in life,” stated NorthStar Executive Director Maria Rosario. At the new center, NorthStar plans to partner with the Boston Children’s Museum to create on-site exhibits and free, fun activities designed for children and families to learn together.

Zoe Hansen-DiBello, NorthStar’s Director of Innovation, said, “When parents and families are involved in early learning experiences with their children there is a immediate and long-term positive impact”. Research shows that family and parental engagement have a direct correlation with academic achievement.

This $7.3 million project is being supported by a $3 million Reaching for the Stars capital campaign. Rosario said, “Recognizing the positive impact of our redevelopment plan for the property, the owner, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River, generously reduced its price.”

NorthStar is close to reaching the million-dollar mark thanks to major donations from local philanthropic organizations. Michele Roberts of Bristol County Savings Bank stated, “As a local funder, we look for organizations with a strong track record, a results-based approach and a qualified, dedicated team. NorthStar Learning Center hits the mark in all three categories.”

For more information on NorthStar Learning Centers or this project, please contact Director of Innovation, Zoe Hansen-DiBello at Zhansendibello@northstarlc.org or 401-743-5731.

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About NorthStar:
Inspired by the civil rights movement, NorthStar was founded in 1974 responding to the needs of historically oppressed, underrepresented, and chronically underserved communities of color in the City of New Bedford, once a safe haven for renowned abolitionist, Frederick Douglass.

The organization’s name, “NorthStar” draws a direct parallel to the roadmap in the sky used by those escaping slavery and seeking liberation by following the North Star to freedom. Today, our mission at NorthStar is “to help young people overcome poverty, discrimination, educational disadvantage, violence, and other adversity through learning essential competencies and hopefulness with which they can transform their lives and communities.”

Visit www.northstarlc.org to learn more.