Robert Harrington is a member of the Board of Education. Last month he raised concerns about Staples High School’s replacement of the traditional handsome metal Block “S” award for student-athletes with a less expensive plaque. He writes:
I attempted to discuss the Block “S” last month, but the rest of the board decided against adding it the agenda.
At the Board of Education meeting last week, a discussion finally took place.
I was pleased that chair Lee Goldstein agreed to add it to to the agenda. However, a motion that I proposed to require restoration of the 60-year old Block “S” tradition, and retroactively award trophies to fall and winter recipients of the MVP and Coaches’ Awards, failed on a 2-to-4 vote.
Only fellow board member Dorie Hordon backed my motion. The other members voted against the restoration. Abby Tolan was not present.
I was disappointed that Staples athletic director VJ Sarullo didn’t turn up to the Board of Education, to justify his decision or answer any questions.
The Block “S” award …
There is a sense that superintendent of schools Tom Scarice and the athletic director might ultimately resolve the issue, or come up with an acceptable alternative. This sounds like next school year’s business – not now. Additionally, there are no guarantees that we will see the Block “S” return.
I would like us to make this promise to our student-athletes today.
Several board members see this issue as a “systems problem,” not something for the Board of Education to get involved in. Others refer to tough choices that have been made elsewhere, such as with the elementary theater programs or eliminating middle school visits to Broadway.
I’m not really sure what any of that has to do with defending a well-established tradition for Staples athletics.
The superintendent warned the board during the meeting about making decisions based on social media outcry. I see it differently. I am making a decision because I think ending the Block “S” this was wrong. A solution should have been sought before any changes were made.
… and its replacement.
I also think it was wrong to attack and criticize a Staples captain’s parent and long standing Westport resident, Terry Brannigan. He had raised the issue on social media, and brought awareness to many community members and Staples alumni.
He had attempted to go through the “proper channels” (and is prepared to share all his email and call logs), but he did not hear back from anyone. I am glad Brannigan discussed this on social media.
I think there needs to be more urgency to fix this problem. I take a very different stance than some of my other board members. We have a voice. We have the ability to vote to support a program. I strongly think we should that voice and take action.
When current students are impacted by a decision from our administration, I don’t take kindly to being told it is not a board issue. In truth, I simply don’t think the tradition and true value in the Block “S” is fully understood by some of those making this decision.
In some respects this is such a small thing. It’s only a trophy, after all, and the student athletes are still awarded a $12.95 plaque.
However, in the words of A.A. Milne, “sometimes the smallest things take up the most room on your heart.” I think this is actually a very big thing.
Robert Harrington
The Block “S” has been the highest award a Staples athlete can earn. Our Staples student athletes are strong like metal, so it’s fitting that for over 70 years the trophy would be a strong “S” made of metal.
It’s not only about awarding the best athletes. The Coaches’ Award is often presented to an individual who has made strong progress, or significant contributions to the team — including helping the team act like a team.
As Dan Woog said in an earlier post, “Character, integrity, commitment, passion — all count for a Block ‘S.'”
Three of my children benefited during their time at Staples. It feels wrong to let many current Staples athletes leave our school system in a few weeks without the same honor and recognition.
The cost of the Block “S” trophies has risen to $15,000 for the year. That’s over $170 per trophy. There is a current shortfall of approximately $6,000 for this school year.
However, to make this change quietly, without any detailed consultation with Staples coaches was unfortunate.
Furthermore, to fail to discuss this ahead of time with any of the booster clubs seems like a real oversight. No one was given an opportunity to offer any solutions or alternatives.
The administration has stated that coaches were consulted and there was very little pushback. I have spoken to a handful of coaches who see it differently. I want to protect the anonymity of current coaches in the system, but the commentary is pretty clear:
Coach 1: “There is a total lack of respect for this award. To end it in this way is insulting to the entire coaching staff at Staples”
Coach 2: “This is a slap in the face of every athlete who has won it for 70 years.”
Coach 3: “We simply were not consulted, whatever you are being told. The decision was already made.”
Coach 4: “This is just more drama in the athletics department. I’m shocked how this change occurred. I hope it is reversed quickly”
Coach 5: “We were told, not asked.”
At the end of the day, mistakes occur all the time in any system or organization. The Westport Public Schools is no exception. Finding a timely path forward and rectifying such mistakes is key.
This is an easy issue to fix. It will require just an additional $6,000 of funding per year — and that assumes that no better sourcing is secured, and none of the larger booster clubs contribute to some of the expense. Both of these routes are possible outcomes, lowering future budget needs.
I hope future Staples athletes will see the Block “S” trophy awarded again — starting in the 2025-26 school year. To those current athletes who missed out: I hope you will be notified before the end of this school year that you will shortly be receiving a true Block “S” award.
The block S is a fabulous looking piece as against the ordinary plaque. Perhaps the voters didn’t receive many awards so they can’t recognize the obvious disparity between the two. Bad decision making followed by more bad decision making. What’s going on? Where is a leader to end this charade? MIA😢
Return to the Block S
Award the block to prior winners
It’s not that difficult 🇺🇸
If someone put together a Go Fund Me page and raised enough money, would the school agree to use it for the Block S trophies?
It seems DOGE has crept into Staples and done its usual damage. Lack of honesty on the school board is unacceptable. This is still a democracy where everyone’s voice counts. Save the Metal S ! It’s shouts you are unique as an athlete or a coach.
DOGE is not that stupid as is bringing it into the conversation.
I’ll admit I never earned/won a Block “S”. I probably never came close. But I knew quite a few recipients of the award and would never dispute that they earned it. That’s not really the point. It’s my considered opinion that the award had little effect on their performance either before or after receiving it. Why not take the $20K and use it for needs-based financial aid? Put it in the Staples Tuition Grants account. Award the traditional Block S to worthy recipients every year, but instead of blowing the $20K on a trophy that will most likely be relegated to the attic when the recipient heads off to their next venue of success, simply have the prior year’s recipients award the same Block S to the subsequent recipients and recycle it every year. I bet Sustainable Westport would get behind that. But in any case, make sure to evidence as much concern for the kids who didn’t win as you do for the winners.
Eric, I understand where you’re coming from. But several recent stories have made the point — from recipients, their parents, and others who did not win it — that the Block “S” is way more prestigious than any other award. A number of winners and/or their parents said it was the ONLY trophy they took to college, kept on display, or kept with them when they married and had kids.
Dan,
Your points are well taken. My dogs haven’t been in this fight for a lot of years and I really didn’t need to weigh in. I am sure this matter will be settled soon and in a manner that preserves the prestige of the award.
Who brings a HS trophy to college? If that remark doesn’t scream, ‘I may be a nobody at UConn Stamford, but I’m a stud up the road’ nothing does.
Can you be any more self absorbed? Is Springstee’s Glory Days on loop for Bradford’s 12 mile commute?
This seems like an easy fix. I cannot imagine the school board, or athletic department would object to private funds providing the block S awards going forward. Maybe a local business would be interested in sponsoring it. The company that the teams order their uniforms from would be a good place to start. Seems the parents and alumni agree that this award has great meaning. For that reason alone, the decision to replace it should have gotten public input.
Seems like such a Westport problem. I’m guessing the kids in Bridgeport don’t get a Block B award for their similar achievements. $170 per award, $15,000 in total, could do a lot of good in a lot of places. Chump change for Westport in some people’s minds I guess.
Having said that, I understand the tradition. Seems to me that someone (or group of someones) that feels strongly about this should probably make a large contribution to establish an endowment to fund future Block S awards. I would imagine that past proud winners could collectively easily come up with a half a million to endow such a fund. Or just do an annual fund drive.
This award is decades in the making of awarding great athletes who discovered their talent through persistent and also talented coaches.
This award is given to athletes who remained steadfast in their growth, and their teammates.
This award is the culmination of an individual who sacrificed personal time before and after school, on weekends and holidays, away from friends functions and events.
The Staples “S” block is a brand, that reflects Horace Staples Generosity benevolent kind spirit to build something, from nothing…like the athletes who were also leaders.
We, as leaders, can find ways to continue Westports traditions and look or find a manufacturer or skilled metal company that can make these.
In a $150 million budget, I am sure within the savings we discover at the end of each budget year, .00010 of the budget, or even a new purveyor with competitive pricing to find a way to continue the tradition, and honorary award for our athletes, our students and your kids.
Try harder.
This is a very worthy article and thank you for standing up for the Block S. It is a tragedy that such an incredible tradition gets ruined, turning into a standard boring plaque. We have one high school in town, and the leaders of tomorrow that we are creating, are role models for the rest of the world. Something so special to be taken away is just wrong. $100+ million dollars between the new elementary school and this garden, when we keep taking and taking from the scholar-athlete-leaders in our community. We have one high school. I have an idea. Lets get a proper bathroom for the girls at ginny parker. How about proper, clean locker rooms. How about portos at the home field that dont need you to put one hand through the lock and hold it because the lock is gone. We could get crazy and get bleachers that arent bent. And ill bet you we can pass the hat around at one of the bridge protests, and raise enough money to keep the beautiful Block S for our very deserving, hard working, incredible Staples High School leaders!
The decision to end the 60 year history of giving Block S awards to the MVP and the coaches’ choice athletes and replacing it with award plaques was strictly financial and not based on esthetics, tradition or the desired expectations of past and current athletes.
Several financial solutions have been offered that would resolve this discussion (PTA involvement, gofundme, private donation).
Can anyone explain what the Board thinking was to end the Block S tradition without looking for alternate sources of financing suggested by Terry Branigan months ago.
This appears to be a solution in search of a problem.
I feel like you guys have an image in your head where you walk into the door of a Block S award winners $187,000,000 home and on the mantle in the dark living room there’s a single light shining down on the Block S. In reality it’s probably where all the other plaques are, in a box in the attic.
Congrats to all previous winners of the award and those who achieve the same amount of success going forward but let’s be honest, I doubt any of the kids really care about this.
Brenda, as noted above, many Block “S” winners (and their parents) say it is the one award that means the most. When all other plaques, medals, etc., are packed away, the Block “S” remains on desks and shelves.
Ms. Polk you could not be more inaccurate. I did not win the Block “S” as co-captain of the Staples Hockey Team in 1972. I worked as hard as possible and in the back of my mind always strove to be the best I could be. Jimmy Blair a Junior no less won in 1972. As the best player on the team he deserved it. I or course got over it! However all my siblings who won the “S” still cherish it. It is a tradition that impacts all athletes and inspires them to be the best they can be. Glory Days……Sure but boy is it fun to reminisce about a great childhood at a great school, with great teammates. P.S. I have other awards, pretty big ones….they are on the mantle over my fireplace.
This reminds me of a battle I had years ago over a certain line item proposed expense within the school budget. At the time the board had something like $6,500 dollars budgeted for a couple of wooden picnic tables for the atrium at Staples. They argued vehemently as to the importance of these tables. Understanding that I asked why, for a couple hundred dollars in supplies, couldn’t the students build them in shop class as a class project?………..crickets. I’d ask the same for these “S” trophies. Whatever happened to common sense?