Kings Highway Elementary School teacher Ursula Malizia writes:
Anthony Bihl is a 2nd grader in my class. He wants to feed the world, one family at a time.
We were doing a social studies unit about people who have made a difference in the world, emphasizing that one person can make that difference. It all starts with an idea, and some perseverance. Anthony was riveted.
One inspiring person we learned about was Ryan Hreljac, a Canadian boy who in 1st grade felt devastated when he learned about the terrible problems associated with a lack of clean, safe water in a village in Africa.
He started doing chores to earn money to buy one well pump. This set off a chain reaction. Over the course of years and continued work, Ryan helped bring clean water to people all over Africa and other parts of the world, by creating Ryan’s Well Foundation.
Anthony wanted to do something like Ryan, but with food, not water. Hearing the news that there are people who don’t have enough food and go to bed hungry upset Anthony, and this became his call for action.
He knew he wanted to help others by making sure no one would be hungry, but he couldn’t figure out how to go global. After lots of conversations and research, he decided to start local.
He learned that Homes with Hope has a food pantry, and always needs donations. He was shocked that food insecurity exists right here in town, not just in places far away.
He started by making a poster. He went on our school morning TV show, letting everyone at KHS know he wanted to help feed families locally.
He started collecting cans and non-perishable food items to donate to Homes with Hope. Anthony got over 100 cans, and will be meeting with Homes with Hope director Helen McAlinden to drop off the food for their brand new pantry.
Anthony Bihl, with food for Homes with Hope.
He doesn’t want his efforts to end here, however. This is just the kickoff to something bigger.
We are all so proud of Anthony. His big heart, winning smile and genuine empathy will make the world a better place.
Be on the lookout for his next food drive!
(Unsung Hero is a weekly “06880” feature. To nominate a hero, email 06880blog@gmail.com. To support our work, please click here. Thank you!)
One task of the Historic District Commission is to “take such action as the meeting may determine to oppose the issuance” of demolition permits, and “require the full 180-day delay,” of homes more than 50 years old.
The idea is to allow time for alternate plans to be developed.
That rarely happens. Whether immediately or after 180 days, developers almost always demolish.
Next Tuesday’s HDC meeting (7 p.m., Zoom) includes an especially large number of “delay” requests.
The first is for 125 Riverside — the Coley-Crossman home diagonally across from Assumption Church.
The others are:
2 Windy Hill Road
10 Bauer Place
32 Webb Road
21 Long Lots Lane
158 Compo Road North
159 Easton Road
33 Oak Street
20 Blue Ribbon Drive
35 Evergreen Parkway.
125 Riverside Avenue
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“06880”‘s newest feature wants to hear from any and all Westport “teens and tweens.”
This is your chance to share your thoughts, ideas and insights with our world.
Every kind of experience is welcome: good or bad, happy or sad. You can talk about local issues: what’s going on at school, with your sports or arts or other activities, the skate park, Community Gardens, downtown or anything else.
You can talk about what you love about Westport. Or what you hate.
You can talk about bigger issues: how the debate over Israel and Gaza affects you. What the upcoming election means to you — or why you don’t care. Ditto for climate change.
And you don’t have to limit yourself to writing. If you feel more comfortable expressing yourself through a video, podcast, music or art — send it along.
All submissions, in all mediums and styles, are welcome.
If you’d like your name used with your submission: great! If you prefer anonymity: also great! Just let us know.
The goal is to get your voice heard.
To start, click here; then fill out the short form. We’ll take it from there.
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Tammy Barry had a great experience yesterday, at the Greens Farms post office.
There were no $1 stamps available. So Paul helped her place 3 stamps each, on all of her daughter’s wedding invitations.
Then he hand-stamped them all, preventing them from any possible damage in the machine.
In addition, Tammy says, “he was so friendly with all the patrons. He called many of them by their first names.
“His frequent saying is ‘I got you!’ He’s the best!”
Their loyal customers will probably kill me (and Tammy) for revealing the secret, but the Greens Farms post office is a great alternative to the downtown one.
There’s seldom a line. And always a parking spot.
Paul (right) and colleague Frank, at the Greens Farms post office. (Photo/Tammy Barry)
Karen Mather had a great experience yesterday too.
It did not start out that way, though.
Driving down Greens Farms Road, she saw a adorable — but listless — baby raccoon, perilously close to the street.
She called Westport Animal Control (203-341-5076). Officer Peter Reid arrived quickly.
He told Karen that the mother had most likely been killed; the baby was looking for her.
Fortunately, Peter said, the little critter was just very hungry. It could be saved at Wildlife in Crisis in Weston — where his wife volunteers.
He brought it right over.
The non-profit facility accepts over 5,000 wounded, ill and orphaned animals each year. The goal is to heal them, then return them to their natural habitats.
Who you gonna call if you see a creature needing help? Westport Animal Control or Wildlife in Crisis.
They’re both local life-savers.
Peter Reid, saving a raccoon.
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Rhone — the men’s clothing store on Main Street and a longtime champion of mental fitness — is hosting an evening dedicated to the topic.
Tomorrow’s event (Thursday, May 30, Westport Woman’s Club, 5:30 to 8 p.m.) includes inspirational speakers, a silent auction, and a “Mind & Muscle” experience led by Eric Johnson. It combines dynamic workouts with mental health discussions, combining physical and mental well-being.
Speakers will share personal reflections of recovery, suicide prevention, and the importance of mental health,
Rhone co-founder and CEO Nate Checketts will deliver the keynote. Other speakers include professional trainer Zac Clark (“Bachelorette” contestant and Scarlett Johansson trainer), and Staples High School boys basketball coach Dave Goldshore.
All proceeds from ticket sales and the silent auction will go to Positive Directions. In addition, a generous donor will match funds up to $15,000.
There’s more: Rhone will donate 10% of proceeds from all purchases between May 31 and June 2 to Positive Directions.
Click here for tickets, and more information. Click here to bid on silent auction items.
“Art in Bloom” — a celebration of the Westport Public Art Collections, with drinks, light bites, art sales, a silent art auction, and a special exhibit of flower-themed works — is set for June 6 (7 to 9 p.m., Westport Woman’s Club).
This is the first fundraiser for Friends of WestPAC is 5 years. They welcome old and new friends, to ensure the continued growth, care, display and educational uses of the collections. Works are exhibited in public building throughout town, including schools, Town Hall, and municipal offices.
Artists include: Shirley Black, Paul Camacho, Leonard Everett Fisher, Hardie Gramatky, Clement Kamena, Lisa Daugherty, Jak Kovatch, Philippe Lejeune, Estelle Margolis, John Mavroudis, Howard Munce, Susan Malloy, Fred Otnes, Nancy Reinker, Walter Dubois Richards, Barbara Rothenberg, and others.
Those are some great names. Their work is varied, and outstanding.
Click here for tickets, sponsorship information, and donations.
Staples High School Class of 1997 graduate Lisa Marie Giallanza Sweeting died peacefully of natural causes at Danbury Hospital earlier this month. She was 45.
Her family moved to Westport from Georgia in 1983. Lisa began playing the violin in 4th grade. She played in the orchestra and sang in the choir at Staples.
She graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in broadcast management.
Lisa was the regional president of the MOMS club (Moms Offering Moms Support). She worked as the admissions coordinator at St. Joseph’s School in Brookfield, then as the office administrator and athletic director at St. Rose of Lima School in Newtown, Connecticut.
Lisa loved camping and annual trips to the Outer Banks.
She is survived by her husband, Russell Sweeting; children Lily, Ryan and Evelyn; parents Tom and Patricia, and brothers Tom Jr., and Michael.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Rose of Lima School, 40 Church Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470.
And finally … in honor of Peter Reid’s nice save yesterday:
(As today’s Roundup shows, Westport is filled with helpful, caring people. That includes “06880” readers! Please join the generous folks who support this blog. Just click here — and thank you.)
Westport resident and wide-ranging civic volunteer Sheryl (“Sherry”) Jagerson died Sunday, after a long illness. She was surrounded by her children and grandchildren, at her longtime Nash Pond home. She was 80 years old.
Her family says, “Sherry led an extraordinary life, filled with adventure, curiosity and a deep love for her family, the environment and her community. Her inquisitive spirit, unflagging positivity and sense of wonder inspired those in her orbit, and leave a lasting legacy.”
Young Sherry Jagerson
Sherry graduated from Long Beach State University, in the city where she was raised.
She grew up body surfing and water skiing, the foundation for her enduring love of the ocean and outdoors.
Sherry married Gordon Todd Jagerson in 1964. They and their 3 children moved to Connecticut in 1972.
Though she and Todd divorced, they remained lifelong friends and co-parents. Over the next 50 years Sherry raised 2 generations. She was a gracious host to many in her unique log cabin, set against the beauty of Nash Pond.
Sherry was a sailor and captain. She worked for many years in the sailing industry, and as an entrepreneur. After an early stint at North Sails and Ockam Instruments, she started Jagerson Sail Loft. She made and repaired sails for 10 years.
Later she created Women’s Sailing Adventures, a business teaching women open-ocean sailing in Maine, the San Juan Islands, the Caribbean and New Zealand.
Sherry Jagerson, at sea.
Sherry was an ocean sailing veteran at a time when it was rare for women to crew ocean races. She competed in several Bermuda Races, a transatlantic race, and survived the harrowing 1979 Fastnet race. She was also a first mate, sailing for Sea Education Association (SEA) out of Woods Hole.
Sherry was an avid hiker too, leading family outings on the Appalachian Trail for many years.
Sherry Jagerson with her daughter, Stacy Fowle.
In her later years Sherry became an activist for many causes, focused on water, nature and her community.
She was a steward for Nash Pond. She helped create the Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve, on the site of the former Allen’s Clam House.
Sherry Jagerson was a driving force behind development of the Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve.
Sherry led one of the first initiatives to ban plastic bags in the country. She created the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, helped found the Westbridge Coalition, was a founding board member for United with Kenya, and served on the board of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport.
Sherry is survived by her children Stacy (Andy) Fowle, Wendy (Max) Teleki and Gordon “Ty” Jagerson (Elisa); grandchildren Adelaide, Clementine, Jasper, Ayla, Tibor, Taj, Ava, Naoma and Huck; former husband Todd Jagerson, and siblings William J. Gillis II and Patricia Shephard.
A celebration of Sherry’s life, open to the community, is set for Saturday, June 15 (1:30 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport).
In lieu of flowers, Sherry would have wanted people to donate or give time to their favorite environmental organization. Those Sherry supported included Harbor Watch, Sierra Club, Earthplace and the Appalachian Mountain Club.
Sherry Jagerson (blue), surrounded by her children, grandchildren and in-laws.
Ellen Lautenberg is a Representative Town Meeting member from District 7, and chair of the RTM’s Environment Committee.
She has watched with interest the debate over implementation of Westport’s Gas Leaf Blower Ordinance. She writes:
After reading the comments on “06880” about how one unfortunate result of the gas leaf blower ban that took effect May 15 was that people are yelling at landscapers, I want to correct some possible misconceptions.
First, it was created by its sponsors to reduce the health and environmental hazards of gas-powered blowers — namely air pollution and carcinogens — and secondarily, the level of noise.
Screenshot
It allows for electric leaf blowers to be used instead. It is not a noise ordinance. That is a separate issue that would need to be addressed by a new ordinance. In addition, remember that electric blowers make noise too — just not quite as much as gas blowers.
Second, it is being implemented from May 15 to October 15 purposely, because there is minimal need for leaf or grass blowing then, compared to the fall.
This allows landscapers to get used to the process of purchasing and using electric blowers on a smaller scale, as a transition to hopefully using them more year round.
In part, this is due to the electric equipment still not being as inexpensive and efficient as the gas-powered version, but that is changing gradually. The timing was in response to landscapers’ concerns.
A noisy gas-powered leaf blower …
Third, it is not the landscapers’ responsibility, but that of the homeowner to make sure their landscapers know about the ordinance.
Nor is it designed to punish homeowners or landscapers. It would be impossible for the town to know every landscape company that works in Westport, and to enforce the operation of literally dozens of companies.
The Conservation Department is doing their best to respond to calls, but their ability to truly enforce something of this magnitude is limited. This will hopefully make homeowners and landscapers more aware and encourage them to utilize electric options.
Fourth, the ordinance also limited the hours that electric leaf blowers may be used during the summer months to between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., to at least provide some relief before and after those times.
In essence, it was intended as a step in the right direction to protect the health and well-being of residents and landscapers as well as the environment, not as a totally comprehensive long-term plan.
As most people know, big transitions take time, and no perfect plan will satisfy everyone. We hope that as more landscaping equipment becomes easier to get in electric form, this will lead to fewer gas-powered items being used.
… and an electric leaf blower.
Here is the relevant portion of the ordinance:
42-103. Regulation of leaf blower activity.
Electric-powered leaf blowers may be used during the approved hours on all properties within the town.
Beginning on May 15, 2023, gas-powered leaf blowers may not be used on any state or federal holiday.
Beginning on May 15, 2024, gas-powered leaf blowers may not be used during summer.
The use of gas-powered leaf blowers and electric-powered leaf blowers shall be permitted for storm condition clean-up, emergency situations affecting the health or safety of residents, and snow removal operations.
The provisions of this article shall not apply to the use of leaf blowers on state- or town-owned property, or on any property in excess of 20 acres except residential communities, or the use of leaf blowers by public utilities.
(“06880” covers local politics, the environment, and just about everything else in town. If you appreciate our hyper-local work, please click here to donate. Thank you!)
The Westport Library has served up some big names at Booked For the Evening, its signature fundraising event.
Tom Brokaw, E.L. Doctorow, Calvin Trillin, Wendy Wasserstein, Pete Hamill, Martin Scorsese, Doris Kearns Goodwin, David Halberstam, Patti Smith, Nile Rodgers, Lynsey Addario, Ron Chernow, Alan Alda, Justin Paul, Itzhak Perlman and Shonda Rhimes are just some of the honorees over the past quarter century.
This year’s 25th anniversary event features another true ace: Billie Jean King.
Billie Jean King
The tennis legend and social justice pioneer will be celebrated in the Trefz Forum on Thursday, September 12. She’ll chat with Chris McKendry, a Westport resident and host for ESPN’s tennis coverage. Tickets go on sale next month.
King will be at the Library just days after the US Open. Its grounds were named in her honor in 2006.
Library executive director Bill Harmer calls King’s appearance “especially significant. Her unparalleled achievements and unwavering dedication to equality and justice resonate deeply with the values our library and community.
“This silver anniversary is a time to reflect on our shared commitment to fostering knowledge, inclusivity, and progress, and there is no one more fitting to inspire us than Billie Jean King. Her enduring impact on sports and society makes her a beacon of hope and change. We are thrilled to celebrate her remarkable legacy with our community.”
“Booked for the Evening” annually honors a person whose work reflects the purpose of the Library: :to nurture a love of learning and to enhance our understanding of the world.” King exemplifies that mission.
The International Tennis Hall of Famer won a remarkable 39 Grand Slam titles. She finished Number 1 in the world 5 times.
Yet for her all accomplishments on the court, she is best known today for championing equality and fairness, in sport and society.
Her victory over Bobby Riggs in the 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” was a seminal moment in professional sports. It followed years of her work, championing equality.
In 1970 she launched the Virginia Slims Tour — the first professional tennis tour for women — and in 1971 became the first female athlete to earn more than $100,000.
As founder and first president of the Women’s Tennis Association, she won the fight for equal prize money. The US Open became the first major tournament to offer the same prize money to both men and women.
In 2009, President Obama awarded King the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her advocacy work on behalf of women and the LGBTQ community. She was the first female athlete to receive the award.
In 2014 she founded the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the critical issues required to achieve diverse, inclusive leadership in the workforce.
In 2021, she received the Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award, the magazine’s highest honor.
Fitting for the Booked occasion, King has a library named after her, in her hometown of Long Beach, California.
“I believe in the power of dreaming big and never giving up,” King said, adding separately, “The legacy I would like to leave is that it’s OK to be yourself, and it’s OK to be different.”
(For more information on “Booked for the Evening,” click here.)
Posted onMay 28, 2024|Comments Off on Fine Arts Festival: 4 Portraits
“06880” interns Jolie Gefen and Talia Varsano spent Sunday downtown, at the 51st annual Westport Fine Arts Festival.
They found plenty of interesting art — and artists. Here are 4 of their favorites, and the artists’ stories that give depth to the broad appeal of this popular show.
Jolie and Talia write:
At art festivals, Julia Gilmore is known for her red lipstick, pearls, fancy outfits — and her vibrant oil paintings.
Ever since she was a child, she has been passionate about painting.
“Everyone on the planet knows exactly what they want to be by the age of 7, but then we forget to listen to that,” she says.
“It was a long trip to get back to that, but it’s my passion.”
Gilmore describes her paintings as “hip and contemporary” — something she feels Westport has appreciated.
Julia Gilmore, with her favorite painting.
She says, “Even though I’m using some retro objects, my art is punchy. It has a little bit of edge, and Westport gets that.”
“It’s a very educated audience that has a spot-on understanding for the bit of tongue-in-cheek in my art.”
Gilmore “feels goosebumps” after enthusiastic customer reviews.
And, she says, she prioritizes “100% joy” as the message behind her art.
Posted onMay 28, 2024|Comments Off on Roundup: Float Winners, Baseball Winners, Scholarship Winners …
Wrapping up yesterday’s great — and weather-dodged — Memorial Day parade:
For the first time since the Spanish-American War, the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston did not win the “Best Float” award.
There’s a good reason: They were concerned that rain might damage their power connections.
Congratulations to the VFW: the new winner of the “Best Float” competition.
Other winners were:
Best Youth Group: Westport Little League
Best Community Organization: Staples High School and Bedford/Coleytown Middle School Marching Bands (tie)
Most Colorful Float: Westport Garden Club.
Congratulations to all!
The winning float. (Photo courtesy of Patty Kondub)
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Our Memorial Day parade is timeless.
Don’t believe me? Check out this video, sent by Mark Comden.
From 1960.
PS: He’s one of the little kids shown in the home movie.
Sure, a few things have changed. The real estate office is gone from the Riverside Avenue/Post Road West corner.
The fire truck that looked so modern in the last year of the Eisenhower administration might have been one of the “vintage” vehicles in yesterday’s parade.
But so much else is so familiar.
And probably will be 64 years from now, at the 2088 parade.
The Staples High School baseball team are winners on and off the field.
On Sunday, members spent a rare day off buddying with the Westport Winners program.
They were supporting youngsters with disabilities, as they played against (and partied with) the Fairfield Red Storm.
From left: Staples classmates Max Jossen, Harrison Putman and Mikey Linn.
Wrecker head coach Jack McFarland was there too.
It was a grand slam, for sure.
From left: Longtime buddy/player pair Connor Brill and Henry Cashen.
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Want to keep the Saugatuck River beautiful?
Everyone is welcome to join the Saugatuck Church community this Sunday (June 2, 12:30 p.m.), on a clean-up mission.
The meeting place is Riverside Park (427 Riverside Avenue).
The clean-up involves wading in the river. Bring a reusable water bottle, gloves, long sleeves, pants and close-toed shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. Sunscreen and bug spray are recommended.
The Westport Police Benevolent Association Scholarship Foundation has awarded grants to 22 students attending college this fall.
Wilbur Scholarship applicants must be children of Westport Police Department officers, who have done community service and have a GPA of at least 3.0.
Recipients are Zoe Koskinas, Samuel and Jonathan Wolf, Madison and Gabrielle Hayes, Brandon Smith, Ava Wooldridge, Olivia and Grace Biagiotti, Sara Sabin, Samantha and Joseph Sabin, Meghan Velky, Jaden Aliberti, Emma and Jacqueline Kelley, Alexis Broderick, April and Edward Nowinski, and Zachary Benson.
The Foundation also awards Deputy Chief John Anastasia and Chief Bill Stefan Scholarships to Staples seniors who enter college in the fall to study law or a law enforcement-related field. The scholarships recognize both community relations and athletic accomplishments.
This year’s honorees are Kervin Joseph and and Juan Nieves, Jr.
The WPBA Scholarship Foundation thanks founders and principal donors Joan Poster and the late Dennis Poster.
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Staples High School’s Project Sunshine Club is part of a national organization that sends trained volunteers to visit children in hospitals nationwide and in Canada, Kenya and Israel.
The students are under 18, so they cannot volunteer themselves. Instead, the Staples club packs activity kits for children with medical challenges.
The 30 members plan a fundraiser that will appeal to many young people: a spikeball tournament. It’s set for June 15 at the Staples High School football field (noon).
Teams of 2 people can register, for just $20. There’s a $500 first prize.
All are welcome. Those who can’t attend (or are not spikeball players) are welcome to donate. Click here for the link to register and/or contribute.
PS: Staples’ Sunshine Club founder Max Saperstein has also helped start 17 similar clubs in high schools around the country. For information on how to start a Sunshine Club, email maxsaperstein@icloud.com.
An intriguing show comes to Toquet Hall on June 7 (7 p.m.).
“Jackson Crash” is the creation of Jonathan Riedel. The artistic director of Riedel Dance Theater, and lead singer/songwriter of Rubber Skulls, embodies with pathos and irreverent humor a young man’s journey from bullying and parental neglect to discovering his queerness, starting a family, becoming a truck driver, and searching for his own identity -0 all while being chased by a ghost from his past.
After the 90-minute performance and refreshments, Riedel and 2 other creators the show will talk about the writing and development of the story, and how it relates to the audience’s lives.
The event is sponsored by Westport Pride. Click here for tickets, and more information.
This week’s Jazz at the Post headliners are Harvie S. — a widely recorded bassist — and James Weidman, first call pianist for big names. They’re joined by fiery drummer Malik Washington and saxophonist Greg “The Jazz Rabbi” Wall.
Shows are Thursday, May 30, at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m., at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399. Dinner service begins at 7. The music cover is $20; $15 for veterans and students.
Reservations are highly recommended: JazzatthePost@gmail.com.
And finally … happy 79th birthday to John Fogerty. I’ve played tribute to his band — Creedence Clearwater Revival — and I will again. So today I’ll honor his solo work. (PS: Thanks again for that great Levitt Pavilion concert in 2017. I’m still smiling.)
Comments Off on Roundup: Float Winners, Baseball Winners, Scholarship Winners …
When it was first proposed several years ago, there was some pushback to the idea of a School Resource Officer at Staples High School.
Why, some people wondered, should a uniformed police officer walk the halls?
Today, the SRO is an integral part of Staples. Staff and students admire and trust “Officer Ed” Wooldridge.
He helps keep the school safe — and has been an important first responder in a few situations.
Just as importantly, he’s another resource for students with concerns about everything from mental health and social media to drugs, alcohol and sexual assault.
Nearly every student knows him. Their banter is easy. He’s a daily reminder that the Westport Police Department’s job is to make everyone feel more — not less — secure.
Staples’ School Resource “Officer Ed” Wooldridge.
A year ago, when Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice and Police Chief Foti Koskinas proposed adding 4 School Safety Officers, some Westporters again balked.
Why, they wondered, was a police presence needed around our elementary schools? What kind of message would that send? Was the expense worth it?
Nearly a year after the SSOs began patrolling parking lots and school perimeters; interacting with staff, students and parents; dealing with occasional incidents in and around 8 schools, their value is clear.
Even opponents agree: SSOs work.
Sgt. Sean Kelley oversees Westport’s School Safety Officer program.
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook massacre, Koskinas says, Westport schools and the police focused on safety measures like bollards, film on windows and numbers above outside doors. Then-superintendent Elliott Landon opposed a police presence inside schools.
His successor Colleen Palmer, and a different Board of Education, re-examined security issues, and proposed an SRO in every school. The Representative Town Meeting voted it down, by a very narrow margin.
In 2017 — as school shootings continued– an SRO for Staples was approved.
Then came Parkland and Uvalde. Scarice — the new superintendent — was familiar with the positive effects of a police presence in and around schools.
He, Koskinas and the Board of Education developed a plan to augment Wooldridge — Staples’ School Resource Officer — with 4 School Safety Officers.
Each would be responsible for 2 campuses: Staples/Bedford Middle School; Coleytown Middle/Elementary; Kings Highway/Saugatuck, and Long Lots/Greens Farms.
Their roles would include helping with student drop-offs and pick-ups; checking doors and perimeters; enforcing speed zones around schools; responding to emergencies, and being available for advice and guidance.
Part of the School Safety Officers’ job is managing traffic, like this that backs up on Post Road West at Kings Highway Elementary School. (Photo/Dick Lowenstein)
Choosing the 4 SSOs was a deliberate process. Koskinas did not want it to be a burdensome assignment; he wanted people who enjoyed being in a school environment.
The officers went through a lengthy interview process, and were vetted by the Board of Ed, and assistant superintendent for human resources John Bayers.
Sergeant Sean Kelley — who oversees the program — and Deputy Chief Ryan Paulsson met with parent groups, to explain what SSOs would and would not do.
The School Safety Officers are Shane Pucci, Ned Batlin, Rachel Hall and Dennis Broderick.
The first year of the program has been very successful, say Koskinas, Kelley and school personnel.
SSOs have identified traffic choke points, helping vehicles move more smoothly in and around schools, and worked with administrators on communicating changes.
On Easton Road near the Coleytown schools, the SSO has made over 150 traffic stops.
One SSO covers the 2 Coleytown schools.
They make sure buildings are secure, and look for vulnerabilities that can be addressed.
Kelley — who earlier in his career worked in the youth division — calls the first year “a really good experience. The SSOs are definitely involved with schools and staffs. They’ve been integrated even more than I expected. There are lots of fist bumps every day.
“They’ve gotten to know the kids. They go to their plays, and other events.”
The SSOs have gotten to know parents too. “We get a lot of thank-you, and ‘we’re happy you’re here.'”
Bedford Middle School principal Dr. Adam Rosen says his school has “benefited substantially from the School Safety Office program.
Staples High School SRO Ed Wooldridge and Staples/Bedford Middle SSO Shane Pucci wear orange ribbons, to raise awareness of teen dating violence.
“Our SSO, Officer Shane Pucci, has quickly become a welcome and contributing member of the Bedford community.
“While he assists our students, staff and parents with school functions and campus operations, it’s when students invite him to play basketball with them during recess that demonstrates the positive connection and trust he’s engendered within our school community.”
Officer Batlin — the SSO at Long Lots and Greens Farms Elementary School — calls this “a fantastic year. The school staffs, the parents, and most importantly the students have been amazing.
Ned Batlin — shown here at the 4th of July fireworks — is a popular School Safety Officer at 2 schools.
“Initially they were very curious about me and my role on campus. Now, I’ve blended into being just another member.
“I love interacting with the kids. They have so many questions.
“Last weekend I was coaching my son’s Fairfield lacrosse team in a big tournament in New Canaan. A lot of Westport students came up and said hi. One of the dads I coach with said, ‘that’s so cool!'”
Officers Dennis Broderick (Coleytown Middle and Elementary School) and Rachel Hall (Saugatuck/Kings Highway).
“We threw a lot at them. They’ve really stepped up,” says Koskinas.
“We’ll never know what they deter,” he notes.
But what Koskinas, Kelley and the SSOs do know is this: They’ve found a place, in and around every school in town.
(“06880” covers Westport’s schools, Police Department, and much more. If you appreciate our hyper-local work, please consider a tax-deductible contribution. Just click here. Thank you!)
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