Daily Five: A New Recreation Director, School Technology And A Book Club

1.  Today is Wednesday, Sept. 5.  The National Weather Service predicts cloudy skies, a high temperature of 77 degrees and a 70 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. The low will fall to 66 degrees tonight.

2.  Groton appointed a new parks and recreation director, Town Manger Mark Oefinger said Tuesday. The new director, Mark Berry, served as Parks & Recreation director in Essex, Vermont, for about 12 years, and has extensive experience in public and priate sector recreation. Berry attended high school in Massachusetts, college in New Hampshire and has an MBA. He starts in Groton Sept. 24.

3.  The school technology department was busy this summer. Technology Staff installed wireless networks at Charles Barnum, Claude Chester, Mary Morrisson, Pleasant Valley and S. B. Butler elementary schools, according to a briefing memo by the interim superintendent. Staff also serviced 3,600 computers, 301 promethean boards and set up new laptops in elementary, middle schools and the high school.

4.  Groton Public Library and the public schools are co-sponsoring a book discussion group this year where people ay read an education-related book each month to discuss at the library. The first title is “Schools Cannot Do It Alone”, by Jamie Vollmer, and the discussion group will meet at 7 p.m. on Oct. 4 at the library.  

5.  The Connecticut Department of Social Services’ Medicare Rx-Xpress bus will be in Groton from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sept 14 at if you need help. The bus provides help with Medicaid and Medicare assistance, HUSKY medical insurance, food stamp applications and information. Appointments are recommended; call (860) 441-6760.