Braintree's new early childhood education center needs a name. Who the nominees are

BRAINTREE − It's a list that includes former educators, a longtime police officer and World War II veteran, a soldier killed in the Vietnam War and an inventor whose contributions to the town continue to this day.

Those are some of the people suggested for the honor of having the town's new early childhood education center at the former South Middle School bear their name.

Nearly 100 people suggested a total of nine names.

At Monday's school committee meeting, three of the five speakers voiced support for Peter Kurzberg, the school system's superintendent for 22 years who is also known for his long involvement in the Braintree Rotary Club and Temple B'Nai Shalom.

Tim MacDonald, the principal of Hollis Elementary School, said Kurzberg has always been visible in the schools and the town.

"He led hundreds of initiatives to improve our school system," MacDonald said. "He strove to build a community inside the school system."

Donna Anderson, principal of the Monatiquot School Kindergarten Center, noted Kurzberg's role in establishing the full-day kindergarten program.

"He is a pillar of our community," she said.

Diane Hachey spoke in support of her father, Joseph DeSario, who spent 23 years as a principal at the Colbert, Torrey and Morrison schools and died a decade ago.

Hachey said said her father would greet the students each day as they entered and left school.

"His (former) students to this day still say things to me about him," she said.

The other nominees are Army Sgt. Frederick Follette, a Braintree High School graduate who was killed at the age of 21 in 1969 in a mid-air helicopter crash during his second tour of duty in Vietnam; former Assistant School Superintendent T. Michael Molongoski; and Thomas A. Watson, who helped invent the telephone and made numerous contributions to the town, including establishing the Braintree Electric Light Department and the Fore River shipyard, and helped start the kindergarten program during his tenure on the school committee.

Four nominees eliminated from consideration

School committee Chair Lisa Fiske Heger said two of the nominees do not meet the criteria of the committee's naming policy, since they have not been dead for at least five years.

One is Laurie Melchionda, a longtime school nurse and a board of health member who was shot and killed at her home by a former neighbor. The other is William Varroso, a longtime Braintree police safety officer who made presentations in the town's schools and was a World War II Navy veteran and Purple Heart recipient. Both died in 2020.

The health room at the new South Middle School is named for Melchionda.

Al Varroso, William's brother, asked the committee to reconsider, noting that after his brother retired from the police department, he volunteered in local nursing homes and was active in veterans' organizations.

"I just hope he isn't forgotten," Al Varroso said.

More: Why Braintree school officials are warning of potentially 'staggering' budget cuts

Two others were also eliminated: former special education director Jeffrey Rubin, who did not end his service to the town at least five years ago, which is one of the requirements; and Capt. August Petersen, who donated money for a pool to be built at Braintree High School.

Heger said this is the first time in more than a quarter-century that the committee has considered naming a school. That's when the former Lakeside School was renamed for longtime principal Mary Flaherty.

Heger said the committee has not followed a single naming convention for school buildings. Some are named after sections of town, such as the Highlands. The Morrison School is named after a longtime school committee member, Archie Morrison. And the Ross School is named for Donald Ross, a teacher killed in action in Europe during World War II.

The committee will discuss possible names for the new school at its March 25 meeting, Heger said. The committee might introduce another name, but not that of a person, she said.

Reach Fred Hanson at fhanson@patriotledger.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: 9 people nominated for name of Braintree's new early childhood center