Last month, the Board of Education began discussing a system-wide evaluation of Westport’s special education program.
Michelle Vitulich — a town resident for 17 years — has a daughter who is a sophomore at Staples High, and a 7th grader with special needs at Bedford Middle School.
Michelle served for 7 years on the Special Education PTA, and 4 years on the executive board of the Greens Farms Elementary School PTA. She writes:
Financial data from Westport Public Schools reveals a significant allocation of resources toward legal fees and litigation within the special education department.
With annual costs for legal services and settlements approaching $2 million, pushing outplacement tuition expenditures to exceed $6 million in 2025 (as published by the Connecticut State Department of Education), the fiscal sustainability of the current strategy should be under increased scrutiny.
This trend echoes challenges documented nearly 2 decades ago regarding parent struggles to secure a Free and Appropriate Public Education. However, the current financial implications for the district have escalated substantially.
(A 2005 New York Times story, headlined “Amid Affluence, A Struggle Over Education,” described Westport BOE meetings “exploding into shouting matches over what services children are entitled to under federal law and parents spending thousands of dollars on appeals to force the school district to provide those services for their children.”
(It notes that Westport spent over $2 million on legal fees and settlement costs in the previous 6 years fighting parents’ complaints “that special education students get short shrift. The parents say they have no choice: the district, one of the state’s most affluent, is fighting just as hard to hold the line on skyrocketing special education costs.” Click here for the full Times story.)
A comparative analysis with New Canaan, a district with a similar demographic profile, highlights a stark disparity in resource management.
The per-student cost of special education legal fees in Westport is 245% higher than in New Canaan, where a more collaborative approach is utilized.
Despite this high expenditure on legal matters, student outcomes do not reflect a corresponding benefit. Data from the state Department of Education regarding the Achievement Gap — a metric measuring the disparity between high needs and non-high needs students — shows that Westport has a gap nearly twice as large as New Canaan across English Language Arts, Math, and Science over the last 4 school years.
These metrics suggest that the current in-district programming and support systems may not effectively meet the needs of students with disabilities.
The data underscores parent concerns regarding whether students are receiving the legally mandated support necessary to make meaningful academic progress.
The continued reliance on a high-conflict legal strategy appears to divert valuable resources away from direct student services, without yielding superior educational results.
To address these systemic challenges, it is imperative to conduct the independent, unbiased review of special education that the Board of Education has requested.
to ensure total objectivity, this review must be carried out by a reputable consultancy with no prior financial ties to the district.
The process should prioritize gathering stakeholder feedback, including perspectives from parents who have navigated litigation and from staff members who can provide insight into internal operational hurdles.
Identifying the root causes of these inefficiencies is the first step toward shifting the district’s focus from litigation to the development of a high quality, inclusive special education program.
By reallocating the funds currently consumed by legal disputes into student-centered investment, Westport Public Schools has the opportunity to build a special education program that prioritizes student progress and fiscal responsibility over adversarial proceedings.
Screenshot from the Westport Public Schools’ special education page.
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Last year, Greens Farms Elementary School turned 100 years old. That’s quite a milestone.
The original school.
Fortunately, Suzanne Sherman Propp was on it.
The longtime (and much loved) GFS music teacher commemorated the centennial with a small book of history. And, of course, songs.
Published privately, it honors the tens of thousands of students and teachers who have passed through its classic halls.
Suzanne Sherman Propp’s book.
Propp’s book will be on display today, in the auditorium.
Westport’s elementary schools are celebrating Culture & International Day. With the theme “Together We Belong,” GFS students and staff are invited to bring a poster or artifacts representing their background.
Propp will present a slide show, with info from her book. (Culture & International Day continues this evening, for parents and families.)
Bulletin board display, for today’s event.
Here’s some of what students and others will learn: The school was built on land originally occupied by the Paugussett Native American tribe. It later became the Bumblebee Hill onion farm.
From 1713 to 1905, a small school sat on that site, or nearby.
All of the land in the area became the property of John Green — hence the area’s name, Green’s Farms.
(Propp notes that there is “much debate about the appropriateness of the apostrophe.” Interestingly, she calls it Green’s Farms School — but the Westport Public Schools website refers to Greens Farms Elementary School.)
The main part of the building was designed by architect Charles Cutler, in a Tudor Revival style. Built to accommodate 200 students, the original entrance was the brick arched doorway facing the Post Road and softball field.
The original entrance.
In 1935 — 10 years after the school opened — artist Robert Garrett Thew crated artwork, to enhance the entrance.
With Works Progress Administration (WPA) money, he designed a fountain, with a bronze statue of his daughter Robin dipping her foot in the water, and metal gulls flying overhead. Today, that area is called “the Fountain Room.”
The fountain area, today.
In 1950 — as Westport’s post-war population boom began — the school was renovated to serve many more students and staff. The entrance was moved to the current site, facing Morningside Drive South.
In 1983 — as the student population plummeted — Greens Farms was closed. Two much newer elementary schools — Burr Farms (built in 1957) and Hillspoint (1960) were also shuttered.
In 1986, GFS was repurposed as the Westport Arts Center. Classrooms became studios for dozens of painters, sculptors and musicians.
The gym was turned into a state-of-the-art auditorium, dedicated to pianist Heida Hermanns by her husband, Artur Holde.
In 1991, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Six years later, with enrollment rising, the town reclaimed the building as a school. Artists — unhappy at losing their studios — moved the WAC to Riverside Avenue.
In 1999, the “new” Greens Farms opened. Renovations included 25 new classrooms, an auditorium, gym, art room, music rooms, offices and meeting spaces. Students came from the Long Lots and Kings Highway districts.
Greens Farms Elementary School, today.
Propp — who was hired by principal Angela Wormser, after a long career in the music industry, when she answered a request to write a school song, then performed it in the pouring rain — includes that tune, and others, in her book.
The reopening was a chance for the school to create new traditions. They created a new mascot: a giraffe. (Surprise! Many people expected a bee, in honor of “Bumblebee Hill.”)
Suzanne Sherman Propp.
Traditions are important, Propp says. There were 400 students that first “new” year; every fall, 80 new ones enter.
All 2,500 youngsters since 1999 have learned the Greens Farms school song (“Plant the Seed”); the “GFS Rules!” tune; “Patches” (about the mascot, who took an imaginary trip around the world); “Kindness” (written by students with their music teacher, to celebrate the life of a teacher who died shortly after retiring), and “In Wonderful Westport” (composed by 2nd graders studying the town’s history).
Suzanne Sherman Propp (center, in back) with young Greens Farms Elementary School singers, in 2018.
Greens Farms students also learn “It Makes a Difference.” That song, celebrating diversity and empathy, was written for Diversity Day at the request of late assistant principal Beth Heroux.
The “new” Greens Farms Elementary School — now 27 years old — already has plenty of traditions.
They build on a 101-year legacy.
EXTRA CREDIT: Propp dedicated her book to the Greens Farms principals who, since the reopening, have “helped students navigate their young lives, as they pass through the hallways”: Angie Wormser, Dan Sullivan, John Bayers, Kevin Cazzetta and Brian Byrne. She also honors all those who came before.
(“06880” regularly covers Westport schools, history and residents — and, like today, their intersection. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Deborah Green — a Staples High School special education teacher for over 30 years, who in retirement continued making an impact through volunteer efforts with the Mercy Learning Center and A Better Chance of Westport — died Friday, after a brief illness. She was 84.
A 1959 graduate of White Plains High School in 1959, and Mt. Holyoke College in 1963, she later earned a master’s in education from New York University, and a certificate in special education from Fairfield University.
Deborah began her professional career as an editor in the Psychology Department at the National Institute of Health in Washington. After relocating to Westport, she married Edwin Green.
She began her teaching career at Vitam in Norwalk, working with students with substance abuse issues. She then moved to Staples, teaching special education for over 3 decades.
Deborah Green
Deborah’s post-retirement volunteer work at Mercy Learning Center in Bridgeport included teaching immigrant women studying for their GEDs.
She was also very proud of her work with A Better Chance of Westport, which provides educational opportunities to academically gifted and highly motivated young men of color, as well as Norwalk Grassroots Tennis and Education, a non-profit organization that provides tennis and academic support to underserved youth.
Her obituary calls Deborah “caring, adventurous, thoughtful, liberal, supportive, and generous. She truly immersed herself in the community of Westport, fostering many wonderful friendships through her participation in tennis, book clubs, knitting circles and volunteering.”
She was a frequent patron of the arts, spending free time at Lincoln Center to watch orchestra, opera and ballet performances, and at art museums.
She is survived by her husband of 15 years, Lawrence Hirsch; daughter Katherine (Paul) Curtin of Rowayton; step-son, William (Linda) Green of Telluride, Colorado; step-daughter Theresa (Ettore) Cosentini of Uzzano, Italy; grandchildren Emma, Julia, Quinn, Tessa, Amelia, Sophia and Matteo, and step-grandchildren Anna, Henry, and Jillian.
She is also survived by Lawrence’s children: Neil (Molly) Hisch of Ridgefield, and Michelle (John) Arnold of Noank.
She was predeceased by her brothers, Steven Gross and Jeffrey Gross, her husband Edwin Green, and granddaughter Annie Curtin.
A celebration of life will be held at Abraham L. Green & Son Funeral Home in Fairfield, on Friday, May 15 at 11:00 am.
Darin Brunstad grew up in Westport, and graduated from Staples High School in 1985. He and his husband David are raising 4 children in upstate Connecticut. Darin writes:
Whitely, Lipson, Weigle: Westport music teachers who saved me.
I think of them often these days, as my own young kids wend their ways through public school music education: choir, sax, clarinet and trumpet.
I started out labeled “gifted” — an early program which sent us to help classmates learn skills we had already mastered.
I liked helping. But by 3rd grade my life settled into the reality of a bad check- writing, alcoholic, unemployed stepfather; a clinically depressed grandmother caretaker, and a mother who was gone 12 hours a day beating her head bloody against the glass ceiling on Madison Avenue.
I changed elementary schools 6 times (including Kings Highway, Saugatuck, Coleytown and Burr Farms). Each was a progression of barely tolerable experiences, save the last one, which was more “Lord of the Flies” than anything else.
Burr Farms was one of Darin Brunstad’s several elementary schools. (Computer image by Steve Katz)
I was chubby, dirty and unkempt. I combed my hair and saw fleas stuck between the teeth. I was afraid of bathrooms because of The Terrible Thing that happened in one. So much shame and fear to keep locked away.
I also had more concussions than a child is supposed to have. (Shoutout to the Assumption kids — that was me who starred the windshield when my Grandma hit your school bus head on).
This probably fried my brain a bit. But I think most of my academic apocalypse had to do with being the new kid too many times.
Mrs. Whitely was the music teacher at my last elementary school. She had long gray hair she wore up, and glasses on a chain. I don’t think I ever saw her smile.
She was mocked and derided by students, yet somehow managed to expose us to such amazing things: outdoor winter concerts, fiery depictions of “Night on Bald Mountain,” barbershop quartets. She pulled off an excellent performance of “Solomon Grundy,” with the composer in attendance.
My first time on stage singing in her choir, watching her hands guide us along with such intensity, changed me.
The rest of the world disappeared. There was only that moment of creation — something I didn’t quite understand yet, but enjoyed immensely.
I was a boy soprano who could sing higher than any girl. Taunts of “faggot,” plus recess bullying, made me quit. I withdrew further, and spent recess volunteering in the cafeteria.
Three years of a music desert followed, as things got worse both at home and school. Even my main tormentor started feeling sorry for me, knitting his brows and saying, “Are you depressed? You seem depressed!”
By Long Lots Junior High I was too skinny, and desperately tried to make my increasingly tall and lanky body fold into itself to remain completely unnoticed.
But into a cramped basement music room with arena seating, all the way in the dark back corner of our school, came Alice Lipson. She was petite, and had hair all the way down to her waist.
Alice Lipson (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
She tried diligently to teach us heathens about music theory, using Mozart’s “Symphony #40 in G Minor” to illustrate codas, themes and whatnot. There were even handouts. None of that made much sense to me, but the music — the music — grabbed at me.
Mrs. Lipson corralled a gaggle of reluctant 9th graders, and built an immense choir with an ambitious repertoire.
We were rowdy and disobedient, but somehow she coaxed amazing sound out of us. Some teachers in the audience at our concert actually cried. This thing we were doing not only centered me in my chaotic world, but it could affect others too?
By 10th grade at Staples I was fiercely hiding in the closet, and numbing myself regularly with alcohol. I skipped school, lied a lot, and barely passed anything.
Darin Brunstad, sophomore year.
But high school brought George Weigle — an exacting and immensely gifted choir director.
We sang double choir magnificats, spirituals, and put on huge holiday productions. We sang in Latin, Hebrew, German. The professionalism he required of us made us capable musicians, and better people.
Dr. Weigle was nearing the end of his career. He had little patience for nonsense, and famously less for “mediocrity.”
Dr. George Weigle (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
But you’d be wrong to mistake his constant look of intensity and focus as a scowl, even as he looked down at us over his glasses.
In December of sophomore year I came to school late, after a young man I knew took his life. I had spent the previous night trying my best to comfort his mother, and had helped clean up the mess so she wouldn’t have to see it when she returned from the hospital.
I wandered into his choir room and just stood there, still in shock. George Weigle quietly dismissed the 108-voice group and led me into his office. I think he talked to me for an hour.
1984-85 Orphenians.
More than anyone, George Weigle taught me the beauty of that intense moment of silence, after the conductor makes eye contact and right before he raises his baton.
Discipline, focus, intention. Then the sharp intake of breath as he raises it up.
What happens after is always a blur to me. After hours of rehearsals I get lost in the music, barely remembering anything before the final sweeping cutoff motion.
Lost in a beautiful way, though. I just go somewhere else. Somewhere happy.
Darin Brunstad’s senior portrait …
What would I have had if I hadn’t been given this gift of music by these teachers? What would have become of me? Yet my love of music endures, and is integral to my mental health. I can’t imagine life without it.
My husband and I adopted our kids from foster care later in life. l’ve witnessed how music smooths the rough places for them, but those will be their own stories to tell someday.
,,, and today, with a flower he found on the sidewalk.
So to all the beloved music teachers: If you see a kid who is struggling, music may be the answer. Maybe there’s a kid who acts out because they can’t read music and is embarrassed. That was me.
Don’t give up on them. Everything you do is important. It can even be life-saving. Every beginning squeak, scratchy string or flat note can lead to something profound and permanent.
Thank you Mrs. Whitely, Mrs. Lipson, and Dr. Weigle.
George Weigle conducts the 1984 Candlelight concert production number. Darin Brunstad is in the center; he played the father in “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.”
(“06880″s Opinion pages are open to all. Email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support this hyper-local blog with a tax-deductible contribution, please click here.)
Rosa Balestrino has lived in Westport since 2016. The mother of 2 children, ages 13 and 5, she is in-house counsel to an educational technology company.
The family worships at Assumption Church, and are huge fans of the Westport Weston Family YMCA, Legacy Martial Arts, Compo Beach, the Levitt Pavilion and Westport Library. Rosa writes:
In 2018, our journey with Westport Public Schools began with a simple recommendation to postpone kindergarten. What followed was a years-long trek through evaluations, diagnoses, inability for my child to learn virtually, and the heavy isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For years I struggled to square the child I saw at home — who could focus for hours on intricate Lego sets — with the child who was reportedly “failing to attend” in class.
At home, getting him to write a single sentence was a battleground of exhaustion and heartbreak. I could not understand why.
Rosa Balestrino
During the pandemic, I worked alongside my child and had a front-row seat to his ongoing struggle, frustration, and inability to do the work that was being requested by the school district. It was so painful for both my child and for me.
My child’s struggles went on for years. My gut instinct told me that something was wrong, even though the school continued to reassure me and encouraged “independence” for middle school.
My child could not even start an assignment alone, let alone finish one. Tears, frustration, my child thinking he was stupid. It was heartbreaking for a parent.
Since the school had not figured out why my child struggled year after year, I had no choice but to have a private evaluation done at my own expense.
The neuropsychologist made clear that if my child had the “capacity to become independent, he would have already done so.”
My son was failing, and was being failed by the school system who tried to assure me that my child was doing “fine.” They stated his grades, which were As and Bs, were proof of success, and that his low standardized test scores were merely “data points” or “click-through” errors.
At that point my son’s handwriting remained the scrawl of a 1st grader. External tutors warned us his comprehension was years behind grade level.
The turning point for my child came when we stepped outside the traditional system. Through an intensive summer program at The Southport School and eventually transitioning to Winston Preparatory School, the “magic” happened.
For the first time, my son felt capable. Within 2 months of starting 7th grade at Winston Prep, he volunteered that he loved school. He couldn’t quite explain the “magic” of how they taught him — only that for the first time, he was actually learning and he no longer felt stupid. His whole demeanor changed.I started to get my child back.
The cost of this “magic” was high. It required an educational attorney, expensive private assessments, and the difficult decision to leave the neighborhood school.
Today my child is thriving, advocating, and looking toward a future in engineering. My child has found his community through neurodiverse mentors who taught him that his brain isn’t broken—it’s a superpower.
To the families currently in the “exhaustion phase”: Trust your instinct.
(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Email submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support this hyperlocal blog, please click here.)
Nearly every night for the next couple of months, local organizations will host fundraisers. There’s catered food, auctions, and appeals to give generously.
All are worthwhile. The amount of good works, and the number of philanthropic Westporters, is impressive.
The 24-year-old program brings academically gifted and highly motivated young men of color to Westport, where they live together and attend Staples High School. It is one of our town’s shining jewels.
The Dream Event is a chance not only to raise much-needed funds, but to celebrate ABC’s scholars, their families, and the community volunteers who make the program run, as host parents, mentors, tutors, drivers and more.
Like many fundraisers, there will be speeches about the impact the non-profit has made on individual lives.
Some of those remarks will come from Westporters associated with the program.
Some will come from alumni, who every year return from around the country — where they have successful careers, and growing families — to give back a bit of what they’ve gotten.
Scholars and alumni, at an A Better Chance Dream Event.
But the most impactful words will come from current ABC scholars.
Every year, the graduating seniors speak.
Every year, their words move listeners to tears.
They describe — with great insight, and devastating honesty — the road they’ve traveled since leaving their familiar homes and loving families, to arrive in a strange town, surrounded by people who don’t look like them, and attend a high-powered, highly competitive school, where most students already enjoy built-in friend groups and activities.
Their 4 years here are not easy. At the Dream Event, the scholars talk about their challenges, hardships and detours.
But they also acknowledge the many people who have helped them get where they are today. Movingly, they thank their host parents, who have offered a home away from home — and their own parents, who entrusted them to this program, our town, and their host families.
During 4 years as a host family, the Propps formed strong bonds with scholar Manny Ogutu.
Graduation season is a time for congratulations. It’s a time for looking both backward, and ahead.
Some — but not all — Staples seniors take time for self-reflection.
The A Better Chance of Westport seniors always do. Their words are important highlights, of a very important fundraiser.
Two resilient, remarkable Staples Class of 2026 ABC scholars — Souleye Kebe and Vincent Vega — will share the spotlight at this year’s Dream Event. It’s May 7 (6:30 to 9:30 p.m.) at House on the Hill in Norwalk.
Vincent Vega and Souleye Kebe. (Photo/Pamela Einarsen)
Souleye has made his mark in Westport as a 2-year student representative on Westport’s Board of Education, and this year serves as student government president. He has participated in the national award-level We The People class and competition, ran cross country and track, and has worked with the Democratic Town Committee.
Vincent is a 4-year baseball player, and a captain for his upcoming senior season. Last year, he was named to the All-FCIAC honorable mention team. He has volunteered with Westport Little League, and with Staples culinary instructor chef Cecily Gans, cooking for a variety of events.
Another key member of the A Better Chance community will be honored too. Maggie Gomez — a longtime Staples math teacher — has served as the ABC/Staples liaison for more than a decade.
In addition, for the past 4 years she has opened her home as a host family. Her commitment to student success both inside and outside the classroom will be feted, as she receives ABC’s 2nd annual Community Award.
In 2018, Maggie Gomez met ABC scholar Jarod Ferguson in her Staples office.
The evening also includes food from Marcia Selden Catering, plus live and silent auctions.
A few hours before headlining last night’s VersoFest concert, Wyclef Jean was the special guest at Startup Westport’s first-ever daytime event.
The musician/rapper/composer/producer/entrepreneur/philanthropist spoke with 75 attendees at Saugatuck’s Content Studio about his journey from Haiti to Brooklyn; the teacher who encouraged him (and introduced him to Miles Davis); his father’s life as a pastor; influences ranging from Charlie Daniels to Bach, and Run-DMC to Shakespeare; shooting his “Carnival” video with Bob Dylan, and much more.
He spoke too about his 7 (!) upcoming albums. “These projects are all about discovery,” he said. “My best work is ahead of me.”
Wyclef Jean and Madeline Nelson, at Content Studio. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Jean supports ventures ranging from a Haitian robotics team and No Kid Hungry to Music Will, which brings music education to over a million students.
In lieu of a performance fee last night, the Westport Library made a substantial donation on Jean’s behalf to Music Will.
Jean was joined by Madeline Nelson of Heads Music, Sam Hendel of Chord Music Partners, Jared Heiman of Fandiem and Brooke Rascoff of Riot Games. They discussed the intersection of music, culture, and AI.
His evening show at the Westport Library was jam-packed, eclectic, and quintessentially Wyclef.
One view of the Trefz Forum audience … (Photo copyright Dinkin ESH Fotografix)
… and another … (Photo/Matthew Mandell)
… and the star. (Photos copyright DinkinESH Fotografix)
VersoFest continues today and tomorrow, with workshops, panels, and special events. One of this afternoon’s highlights: a talk with Adria Petty, Tom Petty’s daughter.
The Staples High School student earned a national gold medal in the 2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards — one of the most prestigious recognitions for creative students in the country.
His photograph, “Rising in the Dawn: The Calm Before the Flight,” was selected from more than 335,000 submissions nationwide. It was cited for originality, technical skill and personal vision.
Case will be honored in New York on June 10. Previous Scholastic Art & Writing Awards winners include Andy Warhol, Stephen King and Amanda Gorman.
Friends Roger, Billie Jean, Blackjack and Tubs met up at Compo Beach on Thursday.
(Photo/Nancy Lally)
It was one of their last romps for 6 months. Westport beaches are closed to dogs from April 1 through September 30.
And beginning May 1, beach stickers are required for entrance too.
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Saugatuck Church’s Hoskins Hall was packed this week, for the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston’s meeting.
Dr. Anca Micu explained how artificial intelligence can make everyday life easier. A former copywriter turned marketing professor at Fairfield University, she said that the most important AI skill is not coding; it’s communication.
Good “prompt engineering” means giving AI clear context, a specific task, practical constraints, and a preferred format — whether analyzing an ad campaign, planning travel, checking facts or anything else.
Vague prompts (“analyze this campaign”) produce vague answers; detailed prompts (“you are a marketing analyst…identify patterns…present in a professional but accessible tone”) turn AI into a useful partner. (That’s good advice for our “06880” widget too, located at the top right of every blog page.)
Micu warned that AI responses are confident but not always correct, and urged the audience to protect privacy and use their own judgment.
Used well, she argued, AI makes people think more — not less — by forcing them to ask better questions, check sources, and actively curate the machine’s work. (Hat tip: Allan Sieger)
More on the Y’s Men: Want to know more about the war in Iran, fighting across the Middle East, and the threat to global oil shipping routes?
The very active, very involved group hosts Dr. Kenneth M. Pollack — vice president for policy at the Middle East Institute — on Thursday (April 2, 9 a.m., Saugatuck Congregational Church).
A former CIA analyst and National Security Council official, he is a leading authority on Middle East security and was recently interviewed on “Meet the Press.”
Guests and prospective Y’s Men members are welcome.
A bicyclist was struck by an automobile driver yesterday morning, on Riverside Avenue.
“He’s okay,” Saugatuck resident Robbie Guimond reports. “But boy, did it look bad!”
Be careful out there!
(Photo/Robbie Guimond)
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Westport residents Rikki Zelkowitz Dworkis and Emmy Hollenberg work with many local families, supporting early learning and executive functioning skills.
For 10 weeks beginning April 22 (SproutWell, Darien; $800), their “Ready, Set, K!” play-based kindergarten readiness program focuses on confidence, independence and a smooth transition into kindergarten.
Key areas include classroom routines and transitions, emotional regulation and flexibility, attention, listening skills, peer interactions and group learning, and problem-solving. All are integrated into pre-K literacy and skills.
Bob Weingarten writes: “A few days ago, a large branch came down on Center Street.
“A day after, Westport tree warden Ben Sykas surveyed the incident, and said the rest of the tree had to be removed because of decay.
“Two days later, a crow crew came. It took them 2 days to take it down.
“I compliment the town and tree warden for their rapid action in removing a hazard to the neighborhood and people walking by. Quick action like this is great.”
Center Street tree, with branch removed … (Photo/Ben Sykas)
Westport Police made 4 custodial arrests between March 18 and 26.
A 34-year-old Brooklyn man was charged with larceny, attempt to commit larceny, identify theft, illegal possession of a personal identification information device, and forgery, after a bank customer reported in April 2025 that a $24,000 check to the IRS had been intercepted from the mail. An unknown party attempted to cash it. Two weeks later, a Westport business reported that an $835 check made payable to a vendor had been intercepted from the mail and deposited. After the man was incarcerated at Rikers Island, he was extradited to Westport on the 2 outstanding warrants. He could not post $325,000 bonds.
A 41-year-old Norwalk man was charged with operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration and driver’s license, failure to meet minimum insurance requirements and failure to appear, when an officer on patrol was alerted by an in-car license plate reader of the violations. He posted a $35,000 bond.
A 54-year-old Westport man was charged with assault and disorderly conduct, after verbal argument escalated into a physical altercation. The victim sustained an injury to the head.
A 35-year-old Westport man was charged with 2 counts of risk of injury to a child, after he left 2 juveniles unattended for 13 to 20 minutes while in Fairfield.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Texting while driving: 12 citations
Traveling unreasonably fast: 10
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 9
Failure to renew registration: 9
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 7
Failure to obey stop sign: 4
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 3
Speeding: 2
Operating a motor vehicle without a license: 2
Operating a motor vehicle without minimum insurance: 2
Distracted driving: 2
Failure to obey stop sign: 2
Passing a standing school bus: 1
Operating a motor vehicle with unsafe tires: 1
Defective windshield wipers: 1
Following too closely: 1
Failure to grant right of way: 1
Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
Improper turns: 1
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 1
Failure to insure a motor vehicle: 1
Failure to register a commercial vehicle: 1
Improper use of markers: 1.
Don’t drive with defective tires!
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For today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured photo, look at the top half of the photo — not the bottom.
The sun’s rays are a lot more interesting than this less-than-lovely view of Riverside Avenue, taken from Rich Vogel’s Wright Street office.
And finally … Dash Crofts, half of Seals & Crofts, died of hear failure on Wednesday in Austin, Texas. He was 87.
To be honest, I never got into their music. But they sure sold a lot of records. And in 2022, Rolling Stone listed “Summer Breeze” at #20 in their list of all-time greatest summer songs. Go figure.
Tonight is the boys basketball state championship. Staples High School — ranked #1 in Division I — meets #2 West Haven. Tipoff is 8:30 p.m., at Mohegan Sun.
But hey — you don’t have to drive clear across Connecticut.
In the wake of Thursday’s state Department of Transportation public meeting about the Cribari Bridge, several residents contacted “06880.” They want to know how to urge town officials — particularly 1st Selectman Kevin Christie and the Representative Town Meeting — to get involved.
For example, Robbie Guimond writes: “RTM! It’s time to answer the call. Are you ready?
“After the CTDOT hearing, one thing was clear: Fear about increased truck traffic is widespread across town. While other issues came up, the need to address truck traffic stood out.
“I believe the RTM should begin the process of creating a ‘no through truck’ ordinance immediately.
“This is public shout-out for the appropriate RTM committees to take this on — or form a new committee if needed. It would make sense to include people like Andrew Colabella and Jennifer Johnson, who have consistently raised this issue, along with others who can help move it forward.
“We also know that during reconstruction, a temporary span will allow all legal loads to cross for 3+ years. Even a bridge rehab would bring increased truck traffic back. We should be ready with a plan to act, if and when the trucks show up.
“RTM: It’s time to get to work. Are you ready? Your constituents are.”
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Mark Yurkiw — the Westport artist who has been very involved in relief efforts for his native Ukraine — shares an item about Westport’s sister city Lyman, from the Ukrainian National News Agency. It reports:
“The main and most relevant objective for the enemy is Lyman. Lyman has long been a target because (Russia’s) long-term goal is to reach the northern outskirts of the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration.
“To do this, they need to capture Lyman and then advance further toward Raihorodok. From there, they would directly move on to the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration, but for years the enemy has failed to achieve this.”
Westport Board of Education “community conversations” are wide-ranging affairs.
Residents are invited to raise any topic related to the schools.
And they do.
The next session is Tuesday (March 31, 12 p.m., Westport Library). Former Representative Town Meeting moderator Velma Heller will facilitate the conversation.
Connecticut’s secretary of the state has a lot on her plate.
At the Westport Library on Thursday, Stephanie Thomas described some of her many roles. She was the second in a 3-part “Your State — Your Business” series, sponsored by the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce.
Among the topics: scams targeting business owners and individuals, how businesses and residents can get involved civically, and human trafficking. She also answered questions, including about election policy.
The series continues April 2 (11 a.m., Westport Library), with Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, Click here for more information.
Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas and Matthew Mandell, Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce director.
The Chicago Dawgs play, starting at 7:30. Bar food (pizza slices and hot dogs) are available, along with early bird bar specials. Click here for tickets.
Chicago Dawgs
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All soccer players in kindergarten through 6th grade are invited to a fun clinic and fundraiser next weekend (Sunday, March 29, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Wakeman Field). Westport travel coaches and Staples players will run the event.
It’s been organized by Bedford Middle School 8th grader Allyson Post. Donations ($25 per player) support the soccer program at Bridgeport’s Columbus School, for grades K-8.
Allyson started working with the Columbus program last year. It was so meaningful, she has continued her involvement.
To register through Full Court Peace, click here. Click “Donate,” and note “Soccer Clinic” in the notes. Then click here, so organizers can plan for each age group.
The Weston History & Culture Center opens for the season on March 29 (1 to 4 p.m.).
Visitors can enjoy a new “Weston at Work ”interactive exhibit in the Coley barn, take a guided tour of the Coley House (circa 1940s), learn about the forgotten village of Valley Forge, and explore the Weston Meteorite. For more information, click here.
Looking at the Lockwood Loom, at the Weston History & Culture Center.
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Is that spring we see, sprouting in Molly Alger’s yard?
We can’t imagine a better “Westport … Naturally” photo for today!
If you’re a teen — or ever were — this one’s for you.
(Hey, teens! And everyone else! If you enjoy “06880” — and appreciate the work that goes into posting 3 to 6 times a day — please click here, to support our work. Thank you all!)
Michelle Vitulich has lived in Westport for 17 years. She and her husband Alan are the parents of 2 daughters in the Westport Public Schools. Michelle writes:
This year’s global theme — “Together Against Loneliness” — is being lived out in the hallways and on the stage of Bedford Middle School.
The students preparing for their production of “The Little Mermaid” did not need a formal memo to understand what inclusion looks like. For them, combating loneliness isn’t a campaign; it’s second nature.
And for a mother watching from the wings, it is a sight that makes the heart overflow.
Caitlin, a 7th grader with Down Syndrome, was cast as a starfish and otter in the show. While her roles may not be leads, the opportunity to be part of something special — to be truly included — means everything to her.
Starfish Caitlin (right), with sea gull (Scarlett Nathan). (Photo/Michelle Vitulich)
The depth of this inclusion became clear during a dress rehearsal for the final act. As the cast gathered for their bows, Caitlin found herself momentarily lost behind the large group of sea creatures. Without a second thought, a fellow student playing a seahorse noticed, reached back to grab Caitlin’s hand, and gently brought her to the very front to take her bow.
Later, when I went to thank the young actor, her response was simple and profound: “Of course. Everyone deserves applause.”
Cast and crew of “The Little Mermaid.” (Photo/Maya Porrino)
Those words carry a weight far beyond a middle school theater production. They reflect a community where students instinctively understand that every person has a vital role to play.
Whether it is Ariel dancing alongside Caitlin to guide her movements, sharing a belly laugh with Scuttle, Mr. Hribko ensuring that everyone finds their spot center stage, or the countless high fives and words of encouragement from fellow cast members, these students are proving that when we stand together, no one has to feel alone.
Please come out and support these incredible students on stage in “The Little Mermaid,” which runs today (Saturday, 7 p.m.) and tomorrow (Sunday, 2 p.m.). Click here for tickets.
PS: As we celebrate World Down Syndrome Day together, don’t forget to rock your socks!
All smiles on stage: Caitlin and paraprofessional Ronnisha Baker (and a great set too!). (Photo/Maya Porrino)
(“06880” covers Westport’s entertainment and education scenes — and of course, the accomplishments of our town’s young people. If you enjoy stories like this, please click here to support us. Thanks!)
Maybe not “lonely.” But — as they so often did — the Beatles nailed the past few months.
We’ve had a classic New England winter.
Big snowfalls. Frigid temperatures. Gray days, one after another after another.
Pretty gross. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Yet — as it always does — spring beckons.
It arrives Friday, meteorologically.
It comes early next month, religiously. Once again, Passover and Easter share the same week.
The holidays — one celebrating freedom and redemption, the other renewal and resurrection — are annual reminders that life goes on, stronger than ever, as the world reawakens with colors and warmth.
Spring is a glorious time, whatever God you follow. Or none.
So — as Westporters spend more time outdoors, in the garden, at the beach, on playing fields, and everywhere else in town — what’s ahead?
The Cribari Bridge will continue to dominate many discussions. The road upon which the can has been kicked down for decades may finally reach a fork.
There’s still no clear direction for the future of the 143-year-old span, whose impact on the town is far broader than its 2 narrow lanes might seem.
We may know a lot more after Thursday’s 6 p.m. Town Hall meeting, when the state Department of Transportation meets the public.
Whatever follows will be the first big test of 1st Selectman Kevin Christie’s tenure. He’s been quiet so far. Let’s hope he’s assessed his options, spoken behind the scenes with all the players, and is ready to lead.
Springtime at the Cribari Bridge. (Photo/Fred Cantor)
Soon, the budget — actually 2; the town’s, and the larger Board of Education’s — heads to the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) for approval.
Last week, the Board of Finance voted unanimously in favor of the BOE’s $157.9 million request. But they vowed to keep a “sharper eye” on next year’s request.
That’s nothing like the situation in the 1970s and early ’80s, when budget battles were annual affairs. Sides were clearly drawn: one claiming every penny was necessary for education, the other (including an actual “Taxwatchers Party”) demanding deep cuts.
There has been great cooperation recently between the BOF and BOE. Several drivers of the budget increase — especially healthcare costs — are largely out of the town’s control.
Renovation of Coleytown Elementary School will be an upcoming budget item.
But events both local (like the recent revaluation) and national (the war in Iran, gas prices, inflation) may impact Westport in the year to come.
We’re not yet talking much about those issues (though the Board of Assessment Appeals is plowing through a number of re-revaluation requests).
We soon may be.
I feel that ice is slowly melting …
We’re all ready to head outdoors.
Al fresco dining returns soon, all over town. Once again, Church Lane will be closed to cars. A tradition begun 6 years ago, in the very dark days of the pandemic, will continue, bringing the community together around food and music.
A new concessionaire may take over at Compo Beach and Longshore (if not, there will be food trucks).
At Longshore too, work continues on the Inn. The renovation is on schedule; it will reopen soon, as a wonderful, newly improved sparkle in one of our town’s true jewels.
Artist’s rendering of the renovated Inn at Longshore.
Old Mill Grocery will pulse with energy too. A couple of NIMBY neighbors are trying to stop the sale of alcohol, and the use of outdoor tables and a gelato cart. The existence of the 107-year-old beloved neighborhood spot remains in doubt. But for now, it’s lived to serve us for another season.
Spring returns soon to Westport.
All is not right with our town, or the world.
But after a long, cold, lonely winter, we’ll take what we can get.
Here comes the sun … it’s all right.
(“06880” covers everything under the Westport sun. If you enjoy stories like this — or anything else on our hyper-local blog — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
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With annual costs for legal services and settlements approaching $2 million, pushing outplacement tuition expenditures to exceed $6 million in 2025 (as published by the Connecticut State Department of Education), the fiscal sustainability of the current strategy should be under increased scrutiny.
My first time on stage singing in her choir, watching her hands guide us along with such intensity, changed me.
