Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice offers this update:
Autumn has arrived! My family woke up this morning to a thermostat reading 58 degrees inside the house, a sure sign the season has officially settled in. With Halloween around the corner and fall activities in full swing, there’s great energy across our schools. The district is off to a strong start, and we continue to build momentum each week.
Below are a few brief updates on important district initiatives.
AI in Westport: Human‑Centered, Future‑Ready
With the exception of safety and security, I do not believe there is any topic more urgent, or more defining for the future of education, than artificial intelligence. The questions before us are not if we should engage with AI, but how: How do we use it to reclaim time, elevate performance (of students and educators), and prepare our students to lead in an AI world?
Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice.
On October 23, in partnership with members of our faculty and administration, I will present the District Strategic Plan to the Board of Education. A central feature of this plan is a forward-looking vision for AI, one that embraces its potential while confronting its challenges head-on.
But make no mistake: This is not a plan about technology. It is a plan about humanity, about ensuring that as AI transforms our world (it already has), our schools become the place where what is most human is preserved, strengthened, and celebrated.
Our guiding principle, “AI Powered, Human Centered,” reflects both a commitment and a challenge: to use AI to amplify human potential, not replace it. This is about preparing students not just to live in an AI-driven world, but to lead in it, with creativity, empathy, and ethical purpose.
Over 50 faculty members have participated in the drafting of our plans, while all faculty members, over 500, had opportunities to provide feedback on the district AI vision and Code of Ethics.
I invite all parents and community members to join us for this important presentation on October 23 (7 p.m., Staples High School cafeteria), as we share how our district intends to set the pace for what public education can, and must, be in the age of AI.
Phone Free Schools Update
On Thursday night a team of administrators, faculty and students presented the implementation plan to the Board of Education for the Staples Phone-Free Initiative, which will begin on November 5.
It has been 16 months since my initial recommendation, and during that time the district has engaged in thoughtful discussion and collaboration among faculty, administrators, students and parents to establish a phone- and smart technology-free school day, from the first bell until dismissal.
Smartphones, smartwatches and wireless headphones are all banned on November 5.
As Staples Principal Stafford Thomas emphasized in his remarks, our goal is to foster stronger human connection, greater engagement in learning, and a healthier, more focused school culture.
Beginning November 5, our entire district (K–12) will be fully committed to a phone- and smart technology-free learning environment. As with all district initiatives, we will implement thoughtfully, learn from our experience, and make adjustments where needed.
An implementation update will be provided to the Board of Education later this school year.
District Facilities and Capital Projects
Over the past several years, the district has made a concerted effort to maintain and improve our facilities, as outlined in our Capital Improvement Plan. A top priority has been ensuring the integrity of our buildings, from mechanical systems to exterior envelopes, to create safe, efficient and modern learning environments.
Recent examples include new roofs at Saugatuck Elementary School and Staples High School, as well as HVAC upgrades across the district.
At a recent meeting, the Board of Education reviewed the updated 5-year Capital Improvement Plan and proposed projects for the 2025–2026 school year. The Board’s Finance and Facilities Committee also examined these projects in detail. Supporting documents, including information on district painting projects, can be found here.
The Staples auditorium — built in 1958, shown above in 1970, and made part of the new building in 2025 — has not been upgraded in 30 years.
Proposed 2025–2026 projects include:
- Staples auditorium upgrades
- Installation of wireless access points for Staples athletic fields
- Concession stand/bathroom for Staples fields
- Renovation of the Staples girls’ locker room
- Upgrades to Bedford Middle School science labs
- Roof replacement at Greens Farms School
- Replacement of motorized folding partition in the Saugatuck gym
The Board of Education will continue to review these recommendations and advance approved projects to the Board of Finance and Representative Tonw meeting for funding consideration. I will keep the community informed as this process moves forward.
Anyone know if Sup’t Scarice’s “phone- and smart technology-free learning environment” includes Apple Watches?
Oops. Just read (RTFB!) an earlier 06880 posting, yes, smart watches , and even earbuds are included.
I remember at Greens Farms School sometime between 1954 and 1957, all the students were brought outside on the pavement at the back of the building as a fireman named Duffy and others went on the roof and some type of work that the kids saw. Anyone at Greens Farms School remember something like that?
Jack, I attended GFS from ‘57-‘61. Fire Inspector Neil Duffy conducted that visit every year and we got a lecture on why you shouldn’t pull the fire alarm. I never tried it but vaguely recall that an older kid did (and was never heard from again).
Eric, I think that could be what I remember. I know they were on the roof and anyone could see how dangerous it was walking around on the roof of the building. Duffy was the father of two or three kids that became Westport firefighters.
Jack, I knew them all they were pillars of the community.