NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The McCann School Committee on Thursday recognized former members Thomas Mahar and Rebecca O'Hearn.

 

Mahar and O'Hearn, who both recently stepped down from the committee, were awarded plaques from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.

 

"I have always noticed over the years what a great committee this is with so many different resources from all different areas," School Committee member Daniel Maloney Jr. said. "There is so much expertise here that the school has relied upon … and what is best for the students has been our common goal throughout the years and both of you exemplify that."

 

Chairman Gary Rivers said Mahar has been involved with McCann for more than 20 years and for five of those years served as chairman. Mahar was a Williamstown representative.

 

"Tom is a person that leads by example … whatever we had going on at McCann he was there," Rivers said. "I think we can take measure of what Tom has done as a committee member and I think we can all benefit from that and we can pattern ourselves after his commitment and dedication."

 

Maloney added that Mahar’s background in construction and project management was critical when he came to McCann because the school was undergoing many renovations. 

 

"Things move very quickly here and when Tom came on he asked me for some advice and I told him to buckle his seat belt," he said. "It has been an incredible ride you couldn’t have arrived at a better time with your background … you have been a tremendous resource."

 

He asked Mahar to take a moment and look at everything he was part of at McCann.

 

"I do hope you look around here and see all of the things that you have been part of throughout the years," he said. "You have been such an important part of this team … thank you for everything that you have done."

 

The committee then honored O'Hearn, who served for five years on the committee as the Florida representative.

 

"I met Becky when she was a freshman at McCann and I got to know here really well because she was one of the shining stars in that class," said Rivers, the school's former principal. "She was a very bright young lady and she worked really hard … she was very diligent in everything she did."

 

Rivers said when O'Hearn was a student he asked her to join the school council and after she graduated, he asked her to come back again.

 

"We had an opening for Florida Mountain and I thought why not Becky? So sure enough, she decided this is something she would like to do," he said. "One of our core goals is to produce kids that want to give back to the community and that is certainly Becky."

 

Superintendent James Brosnan said O'Hearn was at McCann when the school changed from electronics to information technology and he'd had to call upon her experience as a student on the committee.

 

"She was part of that student group that said this is what we want in the curriculum," he said. "She was a customer but came back to give that advice back. We are very grateful for you as the student, the graduate, and a school committee member."

 

The members said they hope O'Hearn returns to the committee in the future.