Alert reader, avid sports fan — and 1971 Staples High School graduate Fred Cantor — contributes today’s Friday Flashback:
This month marks the 70th anniversary of the conclusion of one of the most successful seasons in Westport scholastic basketball history.
But that squad did not play at Staples. It was the Bedford Junior High School hoops team (at a time when junior highs fielded formal varsity squads).
The Bedford Junior High School basketball team.
The Bedford Bears went undefeated in 9 games against junior high competition from New Canaan, Darien, Wilton, Weston and Bridgeport. Their closest game: a 10-point win over Saxe JHS of New Canaan, whose best player, Wilky Gilmore, went on to become an area sports legend. He led New Canaan High to consecutive state titles, then starred at Colorado on a Big 8 championship squad.
Bedford’s leading scorer in that game against Saxe was Jack Mitchell, who scored as many points as Gilmore. Mitchell was Bedford’s leading scorer that season. He went on to star as Wesleyan University’s football quarterback, then worked at his parents’ clothing store, Ed Mitchell — and later become CEO and now chairman of Mitchells Stores.
His former Bedford teammate Bob Darnton went on to become a Rhodes Scholar, and an award-winning historian, professor, and director of the Harvard University Library.
He recalls: “When I played on the Bedford Elementary School basketball team against Greens Farms, we said to ourselves, ‘This guy Mitchell is unstoppable,’ or words to that effect. He had a formidable reputation.”
(Yes, Westport elementary schools participated in interscholastic basketball competition as well back then.)
Bedford Junior High athletes, off the court.
Darnton also remembers another teammate, underscoring a different time in Westport: “I always had a fondness for Red Izzo, a fast guard. Back then, I sometimes visited him in his home, where his mother spoke Italian. I learned the language as a grad student, remembering when I first heard the Calabrian variety around spaghetti dishes in my home town. We swore in Italian in elementary school.”
The 6 players who were the mainstays of the team (the “big 6,” according to a local newspaper account) were Mitchell, Darnton, Izzo, Bruce Cummings, John Aulenti and Kenny Linn.
Thanks to the margins of victory, the reserves saw plenty of action during the season.
Bedford’s superb play drew this quote in a local newspaper: “Nick Zeoli, well-known athlete, coach and official, rates the 1954 Bedford Bears as the finest junior high basketball team — the best he has ever seen in action.” Zeoli went on to serve many years as Wilton High School’s athletic director.
Perhaps the Bedford Bears’ greatest success was splitting 2 games against the Staples sophomore squad. They lost once in overtime and won the other, in front of a capacity crowd at a fundraising event for the Wachob Memorial Scholarship.
Cheering on the teams, at the Wachob Memorial Tournament.
The Bedford coach went on to make his mark at Staples, as a beloved history teacher. But in 1954 he taught math at Bedford. While undoubtedly having a terrific influence on the Bedford varsity players that season, his greatest impact might have been on a non-player connected to the team.
That impact was described in a memoir by Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times writer John Darnton — Bob’s brother.
Their father had died as a war correspondent at the beginning of World War II. That tragic event left a gaping hole in their childhood.
John wrote: “It mitigated some of my wild behavior that I was getting good marks at school. I was moved up to a more advanced math class, and the teacher there took an interest in me.
“He was also the coach of varsity basketball….The teacher, Gordon Hall, appointed me as official scorer, presumably to give me a position to buck up my self-esteem. I enjoyed traveling around with the team….
“Before long, the school year ended. I did not want to leave and found it painful to say goodbye to my friends…
“On the next-to-last day, the math teacher offered me a ride home. As we arrived at the house where I was staying, he pulled the car to the shoulder…
“He reached over and patted me on the back, then grasped my hand to shake it and held on to it for what seemed like a long while. Then, his voice breaking, he wished me good luck.
“Two days later, I left Westport.”
(Friday Flashback is a regular feature on “06880.” If you enjoy it — or any other part of the blog — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
On the exact (to the day) 100th anniversary of their founding, the Westport Rotary Club celebrated with a gala dinner last night, at the Inn at Longshore.
Rotarians from near and far, town officials and friends honored the club’s long and storied history, from the early days (largely, but not always, strait-laced), to the easing of membership rules and the admission of women, to the current strong and generous nature of the club.
(Everyone received a book by Ron Henkoff chronicling Westport Rotary’s first 100 years, too. Click here for details.)
Videos and slides showed the enormous, multi-million dollar impact Westport Rotary has had on Westport, and the world.
As the next 100 years begin, the Westport Rotary Club prepares for its centennial gift: lead sponsor of the renovation of the Compo Beach playground.
Congratulations to all who made last night (and the reason for the celebration) possible. Special shout-outs go to longtime Rotary organizer and advocate Rick Benson, and last night’s MC, former president Jeff Wieser. Well done, all!
Twenty Westport Rotary Club presidents — representing exactly 1/5 of the club’s 100-year history — gathered for a photo at last night’s celebration. The oldest living former president (1968), George Damman, sent video greetings from Florida.
MC (and former president) Jeff Wieser models 100-year glasses. (Photos/John Videler for Videler Photography)
The Long Lots School Building Committee posted this update yesterday:
The deadline for submission of Request for Proposals/Quotes qualification statements from interested construction managers and architects was February 22.
The committee met on March 5 to discuss the submissions. They agreed on which respondents would be invited to submit proposals and be interviewed by the LLSBC.
Each of the selected firms will be contacted this week. The interview process is expected to be completed over the next 2 weeks. The goal is to select a construction manager and architect by the end of the month.
The design phase can then begin.
The Long Lots School Building Committee is moving forward to select a construction manager and architect for the project.
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On Wednesday, Ukraine Aid International — the non-profit founded by Westporters Brian and Marshall Mayer, which organizes and delivers aid to residents and first responders — hosted a roundtable for officials and volunteers in Fairfield County towns that have sister city relationships with that war-torn nation.
Westport — whose sister city, Lyman, was UAI’s first such project — was well represented. Police Chief Foti Koskinas described his trip there last year, and emphasized the importance of his ongoing relationships with his counterparts in the Donetsk region.
Just hours earlier, he said, he had been texting with the Lyman police chief. The Ukrainian chief — who says often that Westport’s support inspires everyone in his town — proudly wears with a Westport Police Department patch.
Lyman police chief, with the Westport Police logo.
But the star of the event, held at the Ukrainian-American Club in Southport, was 4-month-old Archie Wauchope.
The son of Staples High School graduate Clyde Wauchope and his wife Katya, UAI’s director of development, he wore a bib that said — in Cyrillic letters — “Slava Ukraini! Slava Archie!”
In other words: “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Archie!”
Archie Wauchope, his bib and his parents.
To learn more about Ukraine Aid International, and donate to Westport’s sister city Lyman, click here.
As the Norwalk Transit District — which oversees the Westport Transit District — “re-envisions” bus service here, they invite Westport residents to a meeting March 12 (7 p.m., Town Hall auditorium).
The charrette-session format will include remarks from Transit District officials, then a chance for attendees to give feedback on improvements they’d like to see.
The unique Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce Saturday night entertainment — dinner at one of 12 downtown restaurants, then a dance party with 8-piece funk and soul band West End Blend at the Westport Library — followed by post-concert happy hour pricing for drinks at any of the 12 participating restaurants (Arezzo, Basso, Capuli, Casa Me, Don Memo, Emmy Squared, Goji, Il Pastaficio, Mexicue, Nômade, Spotted Horse and Walrus Alley.
Tickets ($87) include the concert, dinner, tax and tip (drinks are not included). Tickets for the concert only are $35. Click here to buy, and for more information.
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Aargh!
There was another confusing date in yesterday’s item about beach emblem sales. Here is the re-corrected info. “06880” apologizes for the confusion:
Beach parking emblems go on sale online, and in the Westport Parks & Recreation Department office, at 9 a.m. next Monday (March 11) for Westport and Weston residents. The number of sales to Westport and Weston residents is not limited, and they are not required until May 1.
Sales of emblems to people not living in Westport or Westonbegin online, and in the Parks & Rec office, at 9 a.m. next Wednesday (March 13). A limit of 450 will be sold.
If you have purchased emblems or registered for Parks & Rec programs in prior seasons, you already have an online account established. Click here to log into your account. Then choose memberships; in the search box, type “Resident.” This brings all Westport resident vehicle packages to the top page. Weston residents should type “Weston” in search box.
After verification (Parks & Rec may request a copy of your current registration, or updated proof of residency), online purchases will be mailed to you. It may take 14-21 days.
Longtime Westport resident Phyllis Markoff died Tuesday. From 1982-88, she served proudly as president of Temple Israel.
She is survived by her children John (Laurie), Cathy (Jim Bessent), Janet and Nancy (Jeffrey Burt); grandchildren Alisa (Andy), Bill (Anita), Briana, Lily, Jack (Hanna Wallace), Kane (Lana Holley) and Blaze, and great-grandchildren Aaron, Alec, Sophia, Lydia, Isabella and Axel. She was predeceased by her husband Del.
The family will hold a private memorial service next month.
Today is International Women’s Day. In its honor, Westport-based non-profit Nest Egg Foundation is sponsoring a free online chat about women’s health and reproductive care (including in vitro fertilization).
The event begins at 3 p.m. today (March 8). Click here for the Zoom link.
And finally … in honor of the inaugural boxing exhibition taking place next month at the Westport Country Playhouse (story above):
(“06880” is your one-stop spot for news about beach stickers, buses, boxing, and much much more. Please click here to support this hyper-local blog. Thank you!)
It’s not the oldest established permanent floating crap game in New York.
But Tom Hunter’s club is both permanent and floating (and in Westport). So what if it’s bridge, and not craps?
Instead of betting on the roll of dice, bridge players work in pairs. The card game demands concentration, teamwork, a competitive spirit and, Hunter says, “the ability to count to 13.”
It has a bit of a fusty image. Hunter — a 1971 Staples High School graduate — learned it from his grandmother. (My grandmother taught bridge, too.)
His current game — really, games; he runs 2 a week — attracts mostly people of a certain, though a few younger folks play. (Mostly, he says, that demographic is more into video games.)
But for bridge enthusiasts, there’s nothing like it.
Tom Hunter
“There are game people and puzzle people,” Hunter explains. “Bridge is a game, and each hand is a puzzle.
“It’s like an onion. When you peel back one layer, you always find another one.”
Hunter played bridge (“very badly”) in college. The game took a back seat while he worked on Wall Street. (“Trading took care of the adrenaline rush,” he says.)
About 11 years ago, living in the city, former Staples classmate and longtime friend Jon Diamond asked him to play at the Manhattan Bridge Club. He met a woman who was serious about the game. They’ve been together ever since.
After semi-retiring and moving back here, Hunter looked for a game. Around that time, a man who had run a bridge club in Norwalk closed it down.
Hunter filled the niche. With Rick Berman and Mark Rubenstein, they started their own club, at the Saugatuck Congregational Church. It’s called Come Play Bridge of Westport.
Since 2015 he’s rented space in churches, synagogues and community centers. Right now there are 2 games a week: Friday and Saturday, at 12:30 p.m., back at the Saugatuck Church.
He is in charge of 40 duplicate bridge players. He organizes who sits where, where the boards go and more.
His job, he says, is to make the games “fun and fair.”
COVID took a toll on the bridge club. Before the pandemic, his 4 weekly games included 3,000 tables a year. Now, they’re down to 1,000. They range from avid players to newcomers. (Hunter gives lessons to intermediate players.)
For 3 hours, Hunter says, Come Play Bridge of Westport members see friends. They stimulate their minds. Studies show that playing bridge wards off dementia.
Take that, craps!
(For more information on Come Play Bridge of Westport, text Tom Hunter: 973-232-6030. Hat tip: Toni Simonetti)
(This is the first “06880” story on bridge. But if it happens in Westport, we’ll eventually write about it. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Speaking of education: Westport Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice gave an insightful talk Tuesday, at the Westport Rotary Club lunch meeting.
After briefly mentioning increased school enrollment and capital improvement projects, he pivoted to a topic he spent most of his time on: “outside pressures” that impinge on students and schools more than ever before.
Scarice said the internet has “a debilitating impact on kids,” and that “the innocence of childhood is being violated.”
The role of schools is now critical in dealing with the issues of hate speech and bigotries that are fostered online, Scarice noted. But he said that parents must be the front line of defense for their children.
Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice. (Photo/Dave Matlow)
The Westport Center for Senior Activities needed a new logo. Director Wendy Petty and Department of Human Services director Elaine Daignault wanted it to be identifiable as the Senior Center — but close to the town of Westport’s logo too.
Designer Shari Barnhart is a former Westport teacher and media specialist, who designed the Friends of the WCSA logo.
Her creation highlights the warm, welcoming building, with its recognizable windows and front entry arch.
She incorporated Westport’s blue and orange colors and the Westport font, to tie things together.
The new logo was rolled out recently. Coming next month: a new website.
Both the logo and website are funded through a state ARPA grant dedicated to senior centers.
Yesterday’s Roundup contained confusing information about Weston residents’ applications for Westport Parks & Recreation beach emblems.
The correct information is this: Beach parking emblems go on sale online, and in the Westport Parks & Recreation Department office, at 9 a.m. next Monday (March 11) for Westport and Weston residents. The number of sales to Westport and Weston residents is not limited, and they are not required until May 1.
Sales of emblems to people not living in Westport or Weston began online, and in the Parks & Rec office, at 9 a.m. today (Wednesday, March 13). A limit of 450 will be sold.
If you have purchased emblems or registered for Parks & Rec programs in prior seasons, you already have an online account established. Click here to log into your account. Then choose memberships; in the search box, type “Resident.” This brings all Westport resident vehicle packages to the top page. Weston residents should type “Weston” in search box.
After verification (Parks & Rec may request a copy of your current registration, or updated proof of residency), online purchases will be mailed to you. It may take 14-21 days.
Speaking of Compo Beach: 29 Danbury Avenue may not be a teardown after all.
Though a demolition sign hangs prominently outside the home with the famed “Beach House” sign, sources say it is a formality the owners must go through to sell, as it “could be” an option for a future homeowner.
“You won’t see a bulldozer any time soon,” we are told. Fingers crossed …
(Photo/Jimmy Izzo)
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Have you ever wanted a peek behind the Westport Country Playhouse curtain?
How about a chance to see the scene shop and wardroom room? What about the dressing rooms and green rooms, where every star from Henry Fonda and Olivia de Havilland to James Earl Jones and Paul Newman hung out?
“From the Page to the Stage” guided tours are available now by reservation, on select Friday and Saturday mornings.
Tours are scheduled for March 29 and 30, April 20 and 26, May 17 and 18, June 28 and 29, and July 26 and 27, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Each tour is limited to 25 people.
The tour guide is special: Bruce Miller, Playhouse archivist. He is familiar with every nook of the historic theater. And boy, does he have stories.
The tours are free, though donations are encouraged.
To reserve a group tour, click here. For a private group tour, email krichards@westportplayhouse.org.
The Westport Country Playhouse green room has hosted nearly every stage star. (Photo/Dan Woog)
Westport Police made 4 custodial arrests between February 28 and March 6.
A man was charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, criminal mischief, conspiracy to commit criminal mischief, larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny, following break-ins at Westport Cigar & Vape, and Mohegan Smoke Shop. During the first burglary, the suspect also fled after an attempted traffic stop.
A man was arrested for burglary and criminal mischief, based on DNA evidence, following an investigation into an attempted residential burglary in November 2021.
A woman was charged with larceny and identity theft after 2 checks were stolen from the mailbox outside the Westport post office, then altered and deposited.
A woman was charged with failure to appear to answer a previous arrest.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Failure to obey traffic control signals: 5 citations
Traveling unreasonably fast: 4
Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 3
Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 3
Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
Failure to obey stop sign: 2
Unsafe movement of a stopped vehicle: 2
Texting while driving: 1
Improper turn: 1
Improper use of markers: 1
Operating a motor vehicle without proper instructor: 1
Littering on public property: 1
Don’t litter!
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A few tickets remain for next Wednesday’s evening with Geno Auriemma at Mitchells of Westport.
The legendary University of Connecticut women’s basketball coach will bring his current team to the Post Road store.
Tickets to the benefit for Bleeding Blue for Good — the organization that provides name, image and likeness opportunities for UConn student athletes (and Connecticut charities) — are $100 each. Children under 12 (maximum of 2 per adult) are free. Click here to purchase.
Light appetizers, wine and beer will be available.
Speaking of sports: The Staples-Westhill-Stamford co-op girls ice hockey team’s bid for a state championship was derailed last night.
New Canaan captured the title with a 3-0 win. But it was a remarkable season for the Westport/Stamford squad. Big props to coach John Fay, and his girls!
The Staples-Westhill-Stamford girls ice hockey team celebrates their state quarterfinal victory.
To celebrate, Office Evolution — the bright, airy co-working space in the Post Road office building opposite Westport Fire Department headquarters — invites all freelancers to enjoy an (of course) free week in their shared workspace.
Click here to register. For more information on the Westport location, click here.
The Joggers Club is stretching out, getting ready for an active spring.
Among the offerings:
Connecticut’s Biggest Kids Running Camp: Sundays, April 21- June 2 (4-5:15 p.m., Staples High School track). Learn the basics of good running, in a fun environment. Kindergarten-8th grade; $125.
The Joggers Club “Race Of The Year”: The Minute Man 5K & 10K, April 28 (Compo Beach). All proceeds benefit local charities, through the Westport Young Woman’s League. Click here to register.
Free Joggers Club Track Night: Run with friends at Thursday night workouts (Norwalk High School track).
Fun Running is The Best Running: Every Saturday at Compo Beach. All paces and levels; all are welcome. No rules, no judgments, all smiles.
Join the Joggers Club for $50 a year (it works out to $4.16 a month — plus a free Lululemon shirt for all new members).
This month’s Westport Book Shop Drew Friedman Art Place exhibit features 2 local artists: Veronica Hauresz and Karen Kallins.
The women collaborated on a series of photographic artworks called “Immiscible.” They are striking images based on simple elements like oil, water, and colorful backgrounds.
A reception is set for March 13 (6 to 7:30 p.m.). Their work will be on display at the Jesup Road store throughout the month.
Veronica Hauresz and Karen Kallins, with their works.
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Alert “06880” reader Chris Grimm sends this photo from the Sherwood Island Connector …
(Photo/Chris Grimm)
… and adds: “I have as much holiday spirit as anyone. But it is March!”
In 2021, Congress passed and President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act.
The economic stimulus bill — aimed at speeding America’s recovery from COVID — was hefty: $1.9 trillion.
A tiny slice –$8.4 million — made its way to Westport. But that’s hardly an insignificant sum.
ARPA funded 25 projects, in a variety of areas all over town. They range in cost from Town Hall Americans with Disabilities Act work ($1.7 million) to a high school/Westport Library jobs initiative ($25,000).
Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades to Town Hall are in the works. (Photo/Andrew Colabella)
The first tranche of $4.2 million included these approved projects:
Burying Hill Beach groin: $1,300,000
Westport Public Schools playgrounds: $439,000
Parker Harding design and construction documents; Jesup lots design: $400,000
Bus shelters II: $250,000
Reimburse to the General Fund: $250,000
Westport Public Schools outdoor classrooms: $216,056
Allocation to the arts: $200,643
Mental health and Human Services (stop gap): $185,000
Bus shelters I: $150,000
Feasibility study, West Parish/DOT site affordable housing project: $150,000
Westport Public Schools Network Equipment: $105,974
Cybersecurity: $100,000
Tree trimming: $100,000
Westport Public Schools High 5 Adventure Learning Center: $63,200
Library technology improvements: $57,463
High school/Westport Library jobs initiative: $25,000
(Photo/Peter Swift)
ARPA funds paid for work at Burying Hill Beach. (Photo/Peter Swift)
The total approved for those Tranche 1 projects is $3,992,335. The remaining $207,665 is earmarked for one of 5 projects in process: Jesup/Imperial parking lots design; permitting and geological evaluation for the Imperial lot.
An addition $422,335 for that project comes from Tranche 2.
The other 4 Tranche 2 projects in process are:
Town Hall Americans with Disabilities Act: $1,700,000
Senior Center cooling tower: $400,000
Parks master plan: $225,000
Wakeman Town Farm: $50,000
Four Tranche 2 projects are pending:
Baron’s South improvements: $500,000
Baron’s South road and parking: $300,000
Emergency Medical Services fly cars: $160,000
Aspetuck Health District (Bayberry Lane site) roof: $125,000
With all those projects funded, a balance of $317,665 remains.
ARPA funds will pay for improvements at Baron’s South. (Photo/Wendy Crowther)
(Speaking of funding: “06880” relies on reader support. Please click here to make a tax-deductible contribution. Thank you!)
In the wake of last month’s allegations of racist behavior by students at Bedford Middle and Staples High School, over 30 Westporters signed a letter sent yesterday to the Board of Education, and Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice. It says:
Based on the call for participatory policymaking during the town hall meeting on February 27 of the Westport BOE Policy meeting, we have short-, medium- and long-term proposals to address the increasing prevalence of antisemitism, racism, and overall protected class harassment.
Short-term policies to be approved by the BOE and implemented immediately:
Block students who violate the protective class harassment governance from sports and leadership positions during their suspension period. Remove VI. Procedures Governing Suspension 13: “unless the responsible administrator or the administrator’s designee specifically authorizes a student to enter school property for a specified purpose or to participate in a particular school-sponsored activity” and specify that students will not be able to participate in sports, orchestra, Staples Players, or leadership-related activities during suspension.
Modify VI. Procedures Governing Suspension 9 and 10. Notice of suspension specific for protective class harassment shall be recorded in the student’s cumulative educational record and not be shortened for students with first-time suspension. In both cases, the suspension notice should remain in the educational record until the student completes a bias training specific to the offense (i.e., ADL training, NFHS bias training) and submits a teacher-reviewed 250-word reflective essay for middle school and 1,000 words for high school.)
A group of parents urges that students who violate harassment policies should complete bias training through a group like ADL.
Medium-term policies to be implemented before the next academic year:
Review the middle school and high school social studies curriculum to make sure it equips students with an understanding of biases and how they can avoid harming others with their behavior.
Make community service/volunteering, preferably outside of Westport, and bias training mandatory for ALL students.
Review the mission and vision of the school district to ensure that kindness, good character, and civic-mindedness are part of our school’s culture.
Support and empower school diversity initiatives that increase cross-cultural and identity understanding.
Report protected class harassment indicators such as relapsing rates, number of suspensions, number of reported cases, etc., on a quarterly basis.
Long-term policies to be implemented in the next five years within the context of the restorative justice procedures that will become law in CT next year in lieu of expulsions for “non-safety related offenses” that prevent the district from adopting a zero-tolerance policy:
Assign up to 180 hours of specifically outlined community service and a reflective 1,000-word essay as a restorative sanction within the context of a restorative circle to middle and high school students who violate the code of conduct’s policies on protected class harassment. The student should have a note in their file about their violation and be blocked from student leadership positions and sports until the completion of this requirement. Completing community hours should be a requirement to shorten the suspension period of first-time-suspended students and remove a notice of suspension from the cumulative educational record (180 assigned hours.)
The current code of conduct has two salient loopholes that enable the concerning behavior (VI. Procedures Governing Suspension 9. And 10.) We find it’s of utmost urgency to address the gaps in these rules to deter protected class harassment and keep children who are being victimized safe. Notices of suspension should not be expunged from the cumulative record by just graduating high school.
This policy overlooks an opportunity to educate children about the consequences of their actions and how they can make amends for the harm caused by their behavior. We are also advocating for the suspension of individuals from leadership positions including athletics until they complete their required bias training/service hours.
Parents also say that students suspended for harassment should not be allowed in leadership positions — including athletics — until they complete bias training/service hours.
One of the Westport parents backing this proposal emphasizes the importance of this policy: “As a former member of my University’s judicial board where I held a judicial role for 4 years, we found that over 80% of primary perpetrators of civil rights infractions and sexual assaults on campus were members of a sports team or fraternity. These peer-led and often pressured organizations have been seen to insulate young adults enabling behaviors such as these infractions and often protect them from being held accountable. Suspension from these activities would have a tremendous impact on behavior.”
In order to help students avoid disciplinary action in the first place and promote a culture of belonging and respect, the Westport School District should require community service/volunteer hours and bias training for ALL students.
Recent research suggests that schools offering a variety of diversity education activities, such as diversity clubs, lessons, or special events, are associated with lower rates of bias-based bullying among students. Specifically, attending schools with more diversity education opportunities was linked to reduced odds of bullying related to race, ethnicity, or national origin among boys of color, bullying related to sexual orientation among gay, bisexual, and questioning boys, and bullying related to disability among boys with physical health problems.
These results indicate that diversity education may help protect vulnerable students from specific types of bias-based bullying and promote health equity. Therefore, implementing diversity education as a fundamental part of anti-bullying efforts and policy is recommended.
Anne Van Goethem’s research indicates that community service positively influences adolescents’ behavior and attitudes towards school, self, others, and society. She found that intensive service experiences enhance learning outcomes, especially when accompanied by frequent reflection. The impact of community service on adolescents is influenced by the amount of service performed; adolescents derive greater benefits from community service when they engage in it more frequently.
There is no apparent threshold where the benefits plateau or become negative, and the positive effects of community service can extend up to 180 hours of participation. Whether the service was mandatory or voluntary doesn’t impact the overall positive effects. Community service hours would be a restorative sanction within the context of a harm repair circle, where students “are guided to understand the harm their actions caused, take steps to repair the harm, and make a plan to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.”
The community service hours should ideally be in communities outside of Westport. Some hours could be integrated with the activities of the school. For instance, a California school district offers community service hours to students who participate in Black History Month events.
We believe in the potential of these policies to address the increasing cases of racism, antisemitism, and overall protected class harassment within the district. It expands on the restorative practices efforts while giving victims a sense of justice, keeping victims safe, and educating students so they graduate from the Westport School System, being kind members of society. Please let us know if you have any questions about the impact measurement of our proposed policy.
The letter writers specifically requested that the 2 “short term” policy items above be placed on the Board of Ed agenda for the next meeting.
I recently had an amazing experience with Verso Studios at the Westport Library.
I’m in an acoustic jam band called Small Craft Warning. We played a few local gigs last summer, and made a multi-track recording. We decided to release a live album from one of the shows.
We’ve self-recorded and released other albums in the past, but never a live recording, and never as an acoustic trio. We needed help mixing the album.
I checked with Verso Studios, and learned people can sign up for free 1-hour blocks with their studio technician, Travis Bell.
Travis Bell, in Verso Studios.
Travis could not have been more knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He taught me a ton about the art and science of mixing. and helped a lot as I mixed our album.
Verso Studios is nothing short of amazing. Even more amazing is the public access.
I want to write to acknowledge Travis’ great help, and spread the gospel to other “non-professional” musicians who might benefit from a little professional guidance.
(Actually, also to professional musicians. Travis said this is one of the best mixing studios in the state. It is easy to believe that is true).
Full disclosure: Travis is the sound engineer for the “06880” podcasts. I echo how easy it is to work with him — and how remarkable the Westport Library’s Verso Studios is. For more information — including public access — click here.)
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email 06880blog@gmail.com. And if you’d like to support our “06880” work, please click here. Thank you!)
It’s a sure sign of summer: Beach parking emblems go on sale online, and in the Westport Parks & Recreation Department office, at 9 a.m. next Monday (March 11) for Westport and Weston residents. The number of sales to Westport and Weston residents is not limited, and they are not required until May 1.
Sales of emblems to people not living in Westport or Westonbegin online, and in the Parks & Rec office, at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13. A limit of 450 will be sold.
If you have purchased emblems or registered for Parks & Rec programs in prior seasons, you already have an online account established. Click here to log into your account. Then choose memberships; in the search box, type “Resident.” This brings all Westport resident vehicle packages to the top page. Weston residents should type “Weston” in search box.
After verification (Parks & Rec may request a copy of your current registration, or updated proof of residency), online purchases will be mailed to you. It may take 14-21 days.
Construction will begin soon on Summit Saugatuck’s 157-unit housing complex, on Hiawatha Lane Extension.
But residents of the neighborhood got a bit of relief recently, when plans for a 5-story, 42-unit affordable housing development nearby were withdrawn.
Cathy Walsh, applicant for the project and former Planning and Zoning Commission chair, withdrew the application last month, CT Insider reports.
However, the reprieve may be temporary. She said that she and Faustina Zucaro — owner of the property — will resubmit it later. Further details on the withdrawal or new submission were not available. Click here for the full story.
Plans for this 5-story, 42-unit housing complex have been withdrawn.
Many readers have asked about funeral services for Leonard Everett Fisher. The noted illustrator, longtime Westport volunteer and World War II veteran died last weekend, at 99.
His family says there will be no immediate service. However, they look forward to a public celebration of his life life close to or on his 100th birthday in June.
“06880” will provide details when they are finalized.
Leonard Everett Fisher (Photo/Ted Horowitz)
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Connecticut’s presidential primary election is April 2.
But with the state finally embracing early voting, Westporters have 4 options besides that date to vote.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The only polling place is Town Hall. Do not go to your regular poll location!
Town Hall is open for early voting on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, March 26-30 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (though not Good Friday, March 29), and on April 2 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For information regarding the primary, including how to vote by absentee ballot, click here.
WestportMoms’ 3rd annual Easter Egg Hunt is so big, there will be 2 of them.
The Saturday, March 23 event at Long Lots Elementary School (11:45 a.m. for ages 2-5; 12:30 p.m., kids 6+) includes art projects, cookie decorating, prizes, face painting, food trucks, games and more.
Bring the whole family, tell your friends, and come have fun with us!
Tickets are $20 per family. Click here to purchase.
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In 2005 I wrote and published “Staples High School: 120 Years of A+ Education.”
1,000 copies of the 390-page history of the school were printed. All sold, but a second printing was not financially viable.
From time to time, they show up on eBay. They usually cost about $75. (The original was $20.)
But the other day, proud 1992 Staples grad Evan Stein spotted a copy with an eye-popping price: $288.99.
“It must be autographed,” he said.
I’m not sure how the seller came up with that figure. But it’s perfect for anyone who would never pay $289 for a history of a high school.
The cheap edition of my Staples history book is in the upper left corner on eBay. The deluxe one is at the right.
FUN STAPLES HISTORY FACTOIDS:
The first graduating class was just 6 students. All were girls.
Wilbur Cross — future Yale professor, Connecticut governor and parkway namesake — was the second principal of Staples High School.
In the 1930s, Staples sponsored 2 rifle teams: one for boys, one for girls.
In 1954, Staples was the first Connecticut school to offer an Advanced Placement (AP) class.
In the 1970s, Staples was a national Ultimate Frisbee leader.
In 2001, senior Mariangela won both the Siemens Westinghouse Science and Technology Competition and the Intel Science Talent Search. Each carried a $100,000 scholarship prize.
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Speaking of Staples: The high school has announced the names of its 20 high honors graduates, in the Class of 2024.
They are the seniors whose academic grade point average is in the top 4% of the class.
The high honors students will be celebrated this spring, at a special dinner at the school. They are:
Front row, from left: Connor Ng, Ellen Ou, Kaitlyn Seo, Kathryn Asiel, Defne Merih, Gabriela de Brito, Leigh Foran, Emerson Briggs, Neva Mermagen, Mabel Propper. Back row: Peter Loranger, Darren Weng, Gabriel Weng, Dyan Fiore, Courtlyn Crombie, Elizabeth Turner, Jeremy Rosenkranz, Eitan Eiger, Jameson Russell, Andrew Berkowitz.
Williams College is going to the NCAA D-III men’s basketball round of 16.
And they’re headed to Greensboro, North Carolina thanks to a Greens Farms Academy graduate.
Cole Prowitt-Smith finished a driving, double-clutch layup with less than 1 second to go last weekend, leading the Ephs to a dramatic 79-77 win at #5 Oswego State. It capped a 27-point night for the 6-4 senior. (His father, Scott Smith, writes frequently for “06880” on environmental issues.)
Williams faces Christopher Newport University on Friday.
Westport is proud of its rainbow crosswalk, on Jesup Road at Taylor Place.
Now, to make the area even more colorful, Westport Pride — the town’s LGBTQ organization — has joined the Parks & Recreation Department’s Adopt-a-Spot program.
Partnering with Tuliptree Site Design, a gay-owned, Norwalk-based design firm, Westport Pride is installing a pollinator pathway garden along the 100-foot Jesup Road median.
The garden will include native wildflowers, adding both color and a a habitat for native species downtown. Flowers will include daffodils, lupine, coneflower, primrose, coreopsis, spiked gayfeather, cornflower, daisies, poppy, phlox, butterfly milkweed and yarrow. The design will also incorporate spring bulbs
Planting was completed on Monday.
Tuliptree design director Michael Mushak and Westport Pride chair Brian McGunagle, at the rainbow crosswalk and pollinator pathway.
If you haven’t been to an Artists Collective of Westport pop-up gallery, you’re missing great shows.
The next one is March 13-17 (1 to 5 p.m., Westport Country Playhouse Sheffer Barn).
The opening reception — always packed and buzzing — is March 12 (6 to 8 p.m.). Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Mark Naftalin will entertain on piano.
An artists’ talk is set for March 17 (4 p.m.).
Participating artists include Trace Burroughs, Linn Cassetta, Beatrice delPerugia, Charles Douthat, Cecilia Moy Fradet, Ronnie Gold, Ning Jia, David Stephen Johnson, Maj Kalfus, Karen Kalkstein, Robert Meyer and Jen Williams.
“Footloose The Musical” dances onto the Coleytown Middle School stage next month Tickets for the Coleytown Company show go on sale Friday.
The show — a stage and screen favorite for its celebration of youth, forgiveness and the power of music — is set for Friday, April 5 (7 p.m.), Saturday, April 6 (1 p.m. and 7 p.m.), and Sunday, April 7 (1 p.m.).
And finally … Today in 1836, a 13-day siege by an army of 3,000 Mexican troops ended when 187 Texas volunteers defending the Alamo were killed. The fort was captured.
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I want to write to acknowledge Travis’ great help, and spread the gospel to other “non-professional” musicians who might benefit from a little professional guidance.
