“06880” seldom reports “survey” results. Best Nail Salon in Fairfield County, Greatest Towns for Beach Strolling — those stories land in my inbox every day. Clickbait, all of them.
But I’ll make an exception for this one. It comes from a legit source — and it involves one of our town jewels.
USA Today just published a list of the best public high school in every state. Criteria included student and parent survey responses, teacher absenteeism, standardized test scores, and other measures of academic performance.
The Connecticut representative — complete with a handsome photo — is Staples.
Congratulations to all. At a time of so much educational uncertainty, it’s great to get even a glimmer of good news.
Staples High School. (Photo/Jennifer Kobetitsch)
The Westport Library Book Sale lost its spring and summer dates. But they sold “book bundles” online — and that encouraged them to open an online book store.
that it has opened an online book store.
They’re opening with a curated selection of “Surprise Book Bundles”: used books and CDs in various categories, for adults and children. More categories and items will be added soon. Click here to “enter” the store.
Purchases are available for pickup, by appointment, within 7 to 10 days after purchase, at the library’s upper parking lot.
The Westport Library Book Sale is operated by Westport Book Sale Ventures, a
nonprofit enterprise that supports the library, while providing employment for adults with disabilities.
During Tropical Storm Isaias, Frank Accardi got tired of seeing this message:
“OUTAGE UPDATE: Eversource crews are working hard to safely restore power as quickly as possible. While we always provide the best information possible, sometimes we may need additional time to provide our estimated times of restoration.”
He suggests this replacement, for customers to send after receiving their next bill:
“PAYMENT UPDATE: Westport families are working hard to safely restore solvency as quickly as possible. While we always provide the best information possible, sometimes we may need additional time to provide our estimated time of financial recompense to Eversource.”
Landmark Preschool in Westport reports that 23 new students have enrolled since June. While the school on Burr Road provides in-classroom learning, it also provides “parallel remote learning” from home, via classroom cameras and monitors.
Students will stay in small cohorts; hand washing will be increased, and ventilation improved; there will be additional cleaning crews and disinfecting foggers; faculty and staff will be given special training, and every teacher will be provided a special COVID sanitation kit, and clear face masks so youngsters will not miss visual cues.
And finally … folk/Latin/rockabilly singer Trini Lopez died this week, from complications of COVID-19. He was 83.
I have to admit I’m a little surprised at how low the average SAT score is in the 1200s compared to many of the schools on the list in the 1300 and 1400s.
24/7 Wall St did the ranking, not USA Today, they only posted the story. I wouldn’t out too much credence into that organization. The U.S. News ranking, probably a bit more valid, Staples is behind Weston & Darien; https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/search?state-urlname=connecticut&ranked=true
A bunch of the other schools on the list are regional magnet/specialty schools so probably not representative of the general population unless you consider the town of Westport to sort of be a magnet/specialty town.
It is interesting that except for the northeast states and a couple of smaller schools, the student to faculty ratio in many outperforming schools was meaningfully higher than Westport. Hmmm…maybe the education budget could be trimmed without sacrificing quality of education.
The only possible way to trim the education budget is to take away “pencils, pads and bus monitors”
I just received my Eversource bill for August. The delivery charge is almost twice the supply charge and they say I used “6.5% more power than the same time last year” which doesn’t seem possible since I DIDN’T LOSE POWER FOR 6 DAYS LAST YEAR. I don’t know whether to LMAO or CryMAO.
Our bill was for 34 days not 30 or 31 which will make the bill look higher.
It works out to be 7 cents a kilowatt plus a $3 to maybe $4 maintenance charge plus mandatory federal charges.
Just a note…
Everyone’s house, apartment or condo use electricity differently.
Air conditioning, fans, electric stove, different types of lighting, washer and dryer, dish washer, vacuum cleaner, sprinkler system, alarm and video security system, garage door opener, electronic devices (computers, video game console, TV, Internet, cellular devices etc), in the colder season electric heat and whatever else you plug in.
I just remembered the two power companies that run separately from Eversource in Norwalk… the TTD Third Taxing District East Norwalk and SNEW South Norwalk Electric and Water have extremely high rates.
I’ve had casually conversation with people over the years that lived in those section of the city.
It make Eversource bill look reasonable.