School Committee Honors Baseball Champions

The honors continued for the Division II champion Johnston High School varsity baseball team on June 29, as the local school committee recognized the squad for their achievement.

“I’d like to congratulate the boys, they all did very well. I’m very impressed with their sportsmanship awards as well,” said member Lorraine Iafrate.

The committee members individually issued citations to the players who reside within their respective districts.

After starting the season with 11 straight wins, the Panthers l, 5-4, on April 6, then secured the top seed in the playoffs with a 5-1 record down the stretch. The Villa Novans met Johnston in the semifinals, with the Panthers winning the best-of-three series two games to one.

Johnston then went to McCoy Stadium to face The Prout School, a squad that had appeared in the state finals for four straight year. The Panthers swept the series, 2-0, including their 4-1 victory on June 8 to clinch the championship.

(See a complete wrap-up from the Panthers' title-winning season here.)

Also during the session:

• The school board unanimously accepted the retirement of Maryellen Brady, the special education chair and teacher at Johnston High School. “Maryellen has many years of invaluable service and she has done a lot for her department and her students. It is with regret that we are 'entertaining' her retirement,” Supt. Dr. Bernard DiLullo said jokingly.
• The board approved a contract with ADP for payroll services, but Melissa Devine, the district's finance administrator, noted that there may be additional costs — as yet undetermined — for processing W-2s for school employees.
• With the addition of Lisa Gosling, the chorus teacher at Johnston High School, the committee agreed to recall 10 teachers who were given layoff notices earlier this year.
• School Spring Recruitment services was awarded a $2,400 contract to find highly qualified teachers for the district. Member Joseph Rotella said he felt this was a strong move. “School Spring is the benchmark, it’s the standard within the state. I think only one other district doesn’t use them.”
• A $20,000 contract was issued to Gaskill Associates to begin phase one of the boiler replacement at Johnston High School. The town council approved a $1.43 million borrowing plan on June 13 that pays for the boiler replacement and several other equipment purchases.