The photo in the paper was a professional publicity shot, evocative of a young Katie Couric, but it was Norwood’s own Stephanie Simoni, looking like she could take on the world without losing an ounce of cool. I remembered her as the little sister of my daughter’s friend, Diane, from their days so long ago at the Cleveland elementary school, a cute, energetic kid who grew into a confident young woman who is making her mark in television news in Savannah, Ga.
Stephanie, who grew up on Marlboro Street, graduated from Norwood High School in 2002 and from American University in Washington, D.C. in 2006. She is currently reporting the news at WJCL/Fox 28 TV in Savannah and has been featured in a reality program for the TV Guide Channel that followed the professional lives of people in television news at the station.
Stephanie’s former high school television production teacher, Jack Tolman, said in a recent newspaper article that he is not surprised that that Stephanie is making a career in broadcast journalism.
“I remember she was a natural. She was always so comfortable in front of the camera, even when she was reading lunch menus and school announcements,” Tolman said.
Tolman said that several Norwood High graduates have worked in television at networks such as ESPN and Fox, although Stephanie is the first, to his knowledge, to work in front of the camera.
Hopefully, there will be more Norwood graduates who are inspired to pursue careers in broadcast journalism. But that won’t happen if the school’s TV production program is forced to do without the state-of-the-art equipment and computer editing stations belonging to Norwood Public Access Television that is presently used to produce programs and videos.
The town is requesting that the Massachusetts School Building Authority approve adding about 500 square feet to the design of the future new high school building to house offices and storage space for the local public access company, which televises municipal board meetings and community events. The company has had offices and equipment at the high school since the corporation was formed about five years ago.
This synergistic relationship between the high school and Norwood Public Access has provided NPA with space that that they would have had to rent elsewhere while providing students with access to state-of-the-art equipment. It is the kind of win-win collaboration that should be encouraged to continue.
NPA president Scott Murphy said the company is prepared to pay the additional cost of the 500 square feet, but it is unclear if the MSBA will allow that to happen. The MSBA has made it clear that it intends to control the excesses that were the hallmark of the state’s previous school building program by establishing strict guidelines that municipalities must follow if they are to be reimbursed from state funds.
While it is obvious that the NPA/NHS partnership is good for the town and greatly benefits students with an interest in broadcast careers, it is also clear that the town must proceed with caution. If one program is granted even a small concession, other special interest groups might consider such approval a green light for their own wish lists. The result would be divisive, counterproductive, and could jeopardize state reimbursement.
As the design phase of the high school progresses, it is clear that the MSBA is taking very seriously its responsibility to town and state taxpayers to keep building design and construction costs under control. For taxpayers who are deeply concerned about the economic impact of such large building projects, the MSBA’s diligence is greatly appreciated.
But it is hoped that reasonable requests that allow current programs like the NHS/NPA partnership to continue will be given every consideration, especially when such programs influence the career choices of Norwood’s students.
Norwood resident Candace Leary’s Midpoints column usually appears Mondays in the Transcript.
