Broadway is dark. But the catchy song “On Broadway” — you know, about neon lights — inspires Westport youngsters to keep their musical theater dreams alive.
Right here in Bedford Square.
The dance floor is concrete. The kids use store windows as mirrors.
But they’ve got a real-live Rockette — 15-year veteran Stevi Van Meter — as their dance instructor.
The Saturday morning classes are the brainchild of Laura Prendergast. The Theater Camp 4 Kids Broadway Academy owner vows to keep musical theater going, whatever it takes.
Bedford Square owner David Waldman donated the space.
When the weather gets cold, the kids will just bundle up and keep dancing. Hey — they’ve already got their face masks. Click below for the video!
Westporters know L.J. Peltrop as a server at Rye Ridge Deli.
He’s also a writer. His debut novel, “Waiting Face,” is a thriller involving addiction, mental health, and the fight to “belong.”
It launches this Tuesday (September 22) on Amazon.
There’s a new holistic business a few feet over the border.
Veda Healing Spa (596 Westport Avenue, Norwalk — just past Whole Foods) is a spa. Owner Harpreet Kaur was born and raised in Punjab, India and has 20 years’ experience as a licensed esthetician in Ayurvedic skin treatments, healing and wellness.
And finally … 50 years ago, Black Sabbath’s “Paranoia” offered not-very-uplifting songs about war, corruption and trauma. Happy half-century! (Hat tip: Mark Yurkiw)
Yesterday afternoon, Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice updated Westport families on the COVID-related closure of Coleytown Elementary School. He wrote:
Early this morning, the administration was informed by a staff member who self-reported that they had received notification overnight of a positive test. Given the tight timeline and that students and staff were to arrive within hours, I made the decision to close CES and Stepping Stones Preschool in order to implement our tracing protocols in conjunction with the Westport Weston Health District and our medical advisor. This is a 1-day closure, and both schools will reopen Monday.
The need to determine risk prior to receiving students was the primary reason for this decision. Additionally, the closure has enabled our facilities staff to perform a thorough cleaning of the school. The health and safety of our students and staff will continue to be our highest priority.
In working closely with the Westport Weston Health District and our medical advisor, it has been confirmed that the staff and students have implemented our mitigating measures by maintaining distance to the maximum extent possible, and by wearing masks. However, the Connecticut State Department of Education /Department of Public Health guidance indicates that decisions for exclusion from school and quarantine will be based on the individual circumstances of each case, including those who have spent a significant amount of time (i.e. more than 15 minutes) in the presence of a positive case, regardless of mask wearing.
In this case it was determined that the students and staff in two CES classrooms spent a significant amount of time in the presence of a positive case. As a result, these individuals will be excluded from school community and have been recommended to quarantine for 14 days from the date of contact, September 10. To be clear, siblings and other family members of these children and staff do not need to quarantine.
I am quite certain that, for very good reasons, many in the school community prefer specific information about the individuals involved in this matter. However, the school district administration is required to comply with all applicable laws and regulations regarding student and employee confidentiality and privacy.
The Americans with Disabilities Act precludes sharing the identity of an individual, with the exception of sharing the individual’s identity with a public health agency (e.g., Westport Weston Health District). In addition, the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act prevents the school district from publicly sharing personally identifiable information derived from student education records.
In light of these confidentiality and privacy protections and our related legal obligations, as well as the need to protect the health and safety of the school community, we will continue to adhere to the appropriate means of notifying the school community of possible exposure to COVID-19 on a case-by-case basis. Judgement will be used and each case might look a little different from another.
Some unintended consequences resulted in this matter as well. For example, the distance-learning teachers located at CES were not able to access their materials this morning, and as a result, those classes needed to be cancelled. The distance-learning specials were impacted similarly, yet this was not communicated to parents and I apologize for any inconvenience. We have reviewed this process so that we can maintain continuity to the maximum extent possible the next time we experience a closure or interruption of education.
I intentionally state, “the next time” since I want to reiterate that we are educating our students in the midst of a global pandemic. I expect that we will continue to confront circumstances like this throughout the duration of the pandemic. We will get better in our response each time. We will learn lessons from each event and we will continue to educate and develop our children to the very best of our ability.
Finally, we will continue to count on each other as we continue to rise up and endure this challenge.
Superintendent of Schools Tom Scarice sent this notice today to all Coleytown Elementary School families and staff:
The administration learned early this morning that a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. Given the timing of the notice and our need to follow district protocols with contact tracing, as a precautionary measure, Coleytown Elementary School will be closed today, Friday, September 11, 2020, to students and staff. This closure includes the staff and students of Stepping Stones preschool.
[Principal Jenna] Sirowich and the administrative team will be working closely with the central office administrators, the Westport Weston Health District and our medical advisor to assess the impact of this positive COVID-19 test and begin contact tracing. We will provide an update to the CES and preschool community later today.
In the interim, our custodial staff will be conducting a thorough cleaning of the building to ensure it is ready for reopening.
We regret needing to take this action and for the late notice but feel it is the most prudent decision so that we can implement the necessary tracing measures. The health and safety of students and staff are our primary concern.
This was the scene Tuesday morning, at Coleytown Elementary School.(Photo/Stephanie Mastocciolo)
On the day before the start of a new school year — one unlike any other — superintendent of schools Tom Scarice sent a message to Westport families. It too is unlike any back-to-school note sent before. He wrote:
I am certain that you have received countless messages from teachers, principals and others in the school system as we approach the first day of school tomorrow. I will do my best to keep this brief so that you could enjoy the last day of summer vacation, along with this gorgeous weather.
Enclosed in this message are necessary notifications for parents and guardians in order to start the school year. Please review at your earliest convenience.
Most importantly, I would like to welcome each of you to the start of the 2020-2021 school year. This will be a unique year, and one that will require the abilities to communicate effectively, to adapt regularly, and to support each other as we navigate the realities of educating our students during a global pandemic.
Tom Scarice (Photo courtesy of Zip06.com)
Last April, during the initial COVID worldwide spread, Dimo’s Pizza in Chicago reinvented itself. Dimo’s owner Dimitri Syrkin-Nikolau felt driven to respond to the pandemic. Realizing that his restaurant regularly makes things very quickly, in large quantities, and very cleanly, Syrkin-Nikolau recast the use of his pizza ovens to heat and shape acrylic face shields. Concurrently, Dimo’s continued to make pizzas, some for takeout and others donated to local hospitals.
Success stories such as this one have been reported all over private industry and the non-profit sector. Reinventing, i.e. transforming a process or recasting for a new use, is a bit more complex when considering teaching and learning. I am a purist in a sense in that I believe in the power of the interpersonal dynamic between the teacher and the student, live and in-person. Technology has augmented facets of education, yet it still has not, and some regards, I do not believe it ever will, replace the incalculable experience of the classroom.
Yet, for this school year, hundreds of Westport teachers and support staff are faced with this challenge.
Last Thursday I had the chance to formally address each and every employee of the Westport Public Schools, albeit, remotely. I shared my thoughts on how the highest performing systems, (i.e. teams, private industry, etc.) can “count” on each other for the greater good of the mission. I made specific promises of support to the team.
In my numerous conversations with teachers and support staff over the past few weeks, it is clear to me that within the midst of uncertainty and anxiety, there is a strong desire to do this right, to meet the needs of each and every student in a way never done before.
We are not, and will not be, perfect. We are a system comprised of people with all of the strengths, potential, and shortcomings that we bring collectively to our schools, present company included. However, like Dimo’s pizza, we are poised to rise up and reinvent, if only for this time period, while we continue to confront this pandemic. Our kids are counting on us.
Although I am not well-known to the community at this point, I am confident that you will all come to see me as an educational leader who is by nature, optimistic. I do not believe that optimism is the denial of current reality, but the belief that all things continually improve, that this too will get better.
Until that time, I ask that you join me in supporting our educators as they embark down a path of reinventing, even if for only this year, in order to meet the needs of our children. I ask that you offer your patience, your generosity, and your kindness.
In turn, on behalf of the Westport Public Schools team, I offer you the promise that we will do our very best to serve your child, to benchmark our progress and seek to continually improve, and to provide your child with not only an excellent education, but a nurturing place to grow and develop during this time.
As summer closes and we approach our first school day, I ask all in the school community, to rise up and join together to deliver for our children.
As COVID continues — and the new school year begins — the Westport Police Department urges all drivers and pedestrians to exercise extra care.
As an added “incentive,” officers will be extra-vigilant for violators.
The department urges families to discuss these rules together:
As COVID-19 has significantly altered our schools’ scheduling with staggered student arrival and dismissal times, motorists will for the first time share the roads throughout the day with school buses making frequent stops, as well as children who are walking or biking to school.
This year more than ever, we strongly urge commuters to allow extra time to prepare for traffic delays. Please remain vigilant and alert around school zones, bus stops and school buses. Obey the school bus laws of Connecticut, which include slowing down and preparing to stop for yellow flashing school bus lights and stopping for red flashing school bus lights.
Drivers
In neighborhoods with school zones or when backing into a roadway, watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking of getting there safely.
Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks.
Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
Learn the “flashing signal light system” used by school bus drivers to alert motorists of pending actions:
Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
Red flashing lightsand extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that children are getting on or off. Motorists on both sides of the roadway must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.
Children
Get to the bus stop at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
When the bus approaches, stand at least 3 giant steps away from the curb, and line up away from the street.
Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says that it’s okay before stepping onto the bus.
If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least 5 giant steps ahead of the bus before you cross. Be sure that the bus driver can see you, and you can see the bus driver.
Use the handrails to avoid falls. When exiting the bus, be careful that clothing with drawstrings and book bags with straps do not get caught in the handrails or doors.
Never walk behind the bus.
Walk at least 3 giant steps away from the side of the bus.
If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver. Never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see you.
Follow instructions given by school crossing guards. Do not cross until they have stopped traffic completely and have advised it is safe to cross.
From F. Scott Fitzgerald and J.D. Salinger to John Hersey and Peter De Vries, then on to A.E. Hotchner and Jane Green, Westport has long been a writer’s town.
Back in the day, a special Rabbit Hill festival celebrated the works of local children’s author Robert Lawson.
In 2018, the Westport Library introduced a new community-wide literary event. Dedicated to every genre imaginable, it celebrated the written word, in all its forms.
Because of COVID, StoryFest 2020 will be virtual. From Sepetember 15-29, more than a dozen live and pre-recorded events will feature top authors and creators in fiction, comics and young adult literature.
Highlights include:
A live opening: “Stoker on Stoker,” featuring Dacre Stoker — best-selling author and great-grandson of Dracula’s own Bram Stoker (Tuesday, September 15, 7 p.m.), followed by “Beyond Stoker: Contemporary Visions of Vampires in Fiction” (8:30 p.m.).
Bestselling thriller writes Wendy Walker and L.C. Shaw share their latest books, “Don’t Look For Me” and “The Silent Conspiracy” (Wednesday, September 16, 7 p.m.).
A panel with speculative fiction writers Charlie Jane Anders, Sarah Galley, Stephen Graham Jones, Tochi Onyebuchi and Paul Tremblay, diving into “The World in the Mirror: How Genre Imagines the Present” (Wednesday, September 23, 7 p.m.).
Josh Malerman explores the terrifying world of “Bird Box” and its recent sequel “Malorie” (Thursday, September 24, 8 p.m.).
Also scheduled:
“Displays of Affection: How Love Stories Reflect the World” (Thursday, September 17, 7 p.m.).
“What the Dark Teaches Us” (Friday, September 18, 7 p.m.).
“How the Story Tells Itself: The Unexpected Narrative” (Monday, September 21, 7 p.m.)
“In Our Next Issue: Comics and the New Worlds in Their Pages” (Monday, September 21, 8:30 p.m.).
“Then and Now: How History Shapes Stories for the Present” (Tuesday, September 22, 7 p.m.).
“Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles” (Thursday, September 24, 7 p.m.)
“Valuing the Spectrum of Identities in YA” (Tuesday, September 29)
“Finding Bravery Through Books (Tuesday, September 29, 4 p.m.).
All events are free. Click here for full details; click on an individual session to register. An email link will be sent 48 hours before the event.
The start of school may look unfamiliar — including the calendar.
But when you look at the Westport School Student Art calendar, you’ll realize that some things never change. Fortunately.
Despite disruption, the Westport Public Art Collections has produced its 2020-21 calendar. As always, it features great K-12 student art
Calendars can be purchased online (click here) and at ASF Sports & Outdoors (1560 Post Road East).
As always, proceeds support the care and maintenance of the fabulous Westport Public Art Collections. Works hang in all public buildings and are placed in outdoor parks. The most recent addition: the “Rock, Paper, Scissors” sculpture donated by Staples graduates Ann Sheffer and Bill Scheffler, to be installed soon near the Westport Library.
The cover of the 2020-21 Westport Public Schools calendar was drawn by Sophia Sheng, Coleytown Elementary School 5th grader.
Speaker of back-to-school: Staples High School teachers Deirdre Flores and Sarah Stanley spotted this sign on Pumpkin Hill Road.
As they stopped to take a picture, the homeowner cheered them — and thanked them from her porch. It made their day — and made them proud of what they do, and where they do it.
Missing your fitness? Wondering how you’ll survive whatever’s ahead when the weather turns cooler? Thought about taking a fitness class, but uncertain about how they work?
Head downtown on Saturday, September 12.
The Westport Downtown Merchants Association sponsors its first Health and Fitness Expo. JoyRide, RowHouse, Pure Barre and Athleta will all stage live classes outdoors, on Main Street. All will include levels of fitness and ability. All will of course follow COVID-19 requirements.
Vendors will also present health and fitness concepts. Church Lane merchants may join in too.
For more information — including how your business can participate — email events1@westportdma.com.
As summer ends, a shout-out to Alec Udell. Son of Staples grad Jeff Udell, he was visiting his grandmother Judy and went fishing at Compo, on the jetty by the cannons.
Using very light tackle, he caught this 30-inch striped bass. After a photo op, Alec released it safely back into the water.
And finally … today in 1888, George Eastman patented the first roll-film camera, and registered the name “Kodak.”
The month-long closure of the south end of Main Street is over. Planters have been removed; cars can once again park on both sides of the road.
Cancellation of the July 4th fireworks disappointed thousands of Westporters. But the decision was especially tough on Westport PAL. They sponsor the annual show. The money they make pays for a host of activities: sports programs for thousands of kids, the Longshore Ice Rink, an annual Halloween parade, a party for children with Santa, health and wellness efforts, and much more.
Which is why their upcoming golf tournament (September 14, Longshore golf course) is more important than ever.
The 58th annual event — named for former Police Chief Samuel Luciano, a staunch PAL supporter — begins at 7 a.m. with a continental breakfast and putting contest.
There’s a shotgun start, scramble format; lunch; more golf, then dinner, raffles and prizes (hole-in-one, hula hoop, longest drive, closest to pin).
The cost is $175 per golfer, $700 per foursome. Sponsorships are available too, from $150 to $5,000 (largest sign at first tee, banner on dinner tent, complimentary foursome). Click here to register, sponsor — or just donate to PAL.
Westport’s “Back to School” and “After-School” programs — both of which serve families in need — are always well utilized, and generously supported. In our new coronavirus world, they are more important than ever.
Elaine Daignault — director of the Department of Human Services, which oversees both projects — notes, “This is not a typical fall. COVID-19 has disrupted the usual back-to-school enthusiasm with a sense of anxiety, and fear of the unknown.
“Still, you can help to reinforce a child’s sense of hope and stability by ensuring they have tools they need to excel in school, and an opportunity to participate in after-school activities.”
Human Services relies on the generosity of neighbors to provide financial assistance for income-eligible families. Last year, 192 children benefited from Westport’s Back to School Program, and many families accessed affordable after-school childcare.
Tax-deductible donations (cash or gift cards to Staples, Target, Walmart, etc.) can be made online; click here, then select “Family to Family Programs – Seasonal Program – Back to School”), or send a check payable to “Town of Westport/DHS Back to School Program” to Human Services, 110 Myrtle Avenue, Westport, CT 06880.
Families who may qualify for this program should contact DHS youth and family social worker Michelle Bottone by phone (203-341-1068) or email (mbottone@westportct.gov).
The Department of Human Services’ Back to School program helps youngsters get backpacks — and fill them with needed supplies.
Residents of Glenwood Lane have had it with Optimum.
After Tropical Storm Isaias, it took 12 days for cable and onternet to be restored to the street, off Maple Avenue South. Pieces of old cables still hang there.
Two days ago — August 31 — a crew finally arrived to clean up. But they turned the service off again, leaving residents who depend on the internet during the pandemic unable to work.
Optimum responded that the earliest they could come back to fix their mistake would be September 5. They then said they would come yesterday (September 1). However, they did not show up. Optimum now promises to come today.
Instead of sitting waiting for another no-show, some residents publicized their plight. This is one of 2 signs at the head of their road.
(Photo/Aurea de Souza)
Westport knows him as Willie Salmond. He was born in Scotland, lives here, and has spent much of his professional career (and retirement) in Africa, working first in international development and then in AIDS relief. He is also an author and screenwriter.
As William Salmond, he’s just published “Deep Secrets.” Here’s a brief description, on Amazon:
As the Coronavirus ravaged the world economy with the yawning chasm of inequality between rich and poor getting deeper and wider, no one seemed to notice the movement south into Africa of swaths of Al Qaeda-hardened committed fighters. It was a unique opportunity to regroup and prepare for the final knock-out blow to the Great Satan and her allies whose economies were already on the ropes.
Is life a game of chance? Or is there a guiding hand? Racked by guilt and shame can we truly be forgiven and find healing and even love?
Money man Winslow Kirk looks for answers to these questions as he steps out of his comfort zone into the heart of Africa in search of his granddaughter Eleanor whom he allowed to be given up for adoption following a tragic boating accident. A threat note from the world’s number one terrorist who is coordinating the threat to Western countries sharpens his resolve. Can he find Eleanor and will she forgive him? After his wife’s death and his own cardiac illness he begins to muse about what really matters.
And finally … today would be the 81st birthday of Robert Lee Dickey. When he began singing with his cousin James Lee Purify, the duo became “James and Bobby Purify.” Dickey died in 2011. You may not remember their names, but this beautiful song may ring a bell:
Posted onAugust 31, 2020|Comments Off on MoCA Offers Pod Learning Program For Kids
Distance and hybrid learning is a challenge for everyone.
MoCA Westport wants to help.
A new “Pod Learning Program” provides supplemental educational support to Westport students, as they navigate distance and hybrid learning.
The program offers support to students ages 6-11 in math and literacy, along with a robust art curriculum.
MoCA says, “In this challenging time, our program will ensure that foundational concepts introduced in elementary school classrooms will be reviewed, students’ homework will be completed, 1-on-1 tutoring sessions will be readily available, and art education will be woven throughout.
“As an active contemporary art museum, students will also have the opportunity to directly explore and engage with MoCA Westport’s exhibitions. The arts-focused portion of the curriculum will go beyond arts and crafts to include in-depth projects consistent with current exhibition themes.”
MoCA’s outdoor space will allow students to play outside and social safely. Modern indoor spaces will be used too.
Students will be grouped in consistent “pods,” with others from their school and grade. Parents are encouraged to form a pod from their school, and register as a group of 6 students.
Morning and afternoon sessions are available, with 1-way transportation provided. Students attending in the morning will receive transportation to their school post-session; afternoon students will receive transportation from their school to MoCA Westport.
Youngsters enjoying a MoCA arts program last February.
The program’s core curriculum teachers are accredited and established
teachers with experience in traditional classroom settings. Arts education
teachers are established instructors with a depth and range of projects that “create dialogue, build creativity, and foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for the arts.”
All health and safety measures will be explicitly followed including physical
distancing and wearing face masks indoors at all times.
For details on MoCA Westport’s Pod Learning Program, click here, email anne@mocawestport.org, or call 203-222-7070. Scholarship opportunities are available; email ruth@mocawestport.org.
Comments Off on MoCA Offers Pod Learning Program For Kids
As Kings Highway Elementary teachers returned to the building yesterday for the first time since March, students and parents welcomed them with messages of gratitude, encouragement and support
Families also clapped as staff members entered (from a safe distance, of course). The traditional school message echoes again: Kind hearts shine, and we will get through this together!
Working together to welcome teachers. (Photo/Elizabeth Ginns Britten
One of the oddest aspects of the pandemic — and there have been many — is the continued closure of local Bank of America branches.
At least 6 in the area have been shut since early spring. That includes the 3 on the Post Road in Westport. The one near Whole Foods, just over the Norwalk line, is still open.
I understand the ease of online banking. But sometimes you need a human being.
BOA is MIA. And no one has said a peep.
And finally … as we near the end of one of the strangest summers ever:
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We are not, and will not be, perfect. We are a system comprised of people with all of the strengths, potential, and shortcomings that we bring collectively to our schools, present company included. However, like Dimo’s pizza, we are poised to rise up and reinvent, if only for this time period, while we continue to confront this pandemic. Our kids are counting on us.
MoCA says, “In this challenging time, our program will ensure that foundational concepts introduced in elementary school classrooms will be reviewed, students’ homework will be completed, 1-on-1 tutoring sessions will be readily available, and art education will be woven throughout.
