Tag Archives: Christine Jewell

Free Summer School: First Come, First Served!

The other day, a new Westport resident enrolled his children in Continuing Education summer programs.

He received the following email in return:

Here is your receipt showing that we refunded your credit card for the Sports and Fun registration. This program is offered free to Westport Public School students through a one-time grant this summer.

He was stunned.

Where did the money come from? What’s going on?

It’s our (state) tax dollars at work.

Connecticut’s Department of Education wants to address challenges resulting from the pandemic. These include both learning loss, and the promotion of social and emotional wellness.

So the state is fully funding a Summer Electives program for Westport Public Schools students entering grades 1-12 next fall. In other words: There is no charge.

The courses include:

Elementary School

  • Sports & Fun Camp
  • Create Art Together
  • Intro to Band

Middle School

  • Sports Fusion
  • Gear Up for Summer Olympiad
  • History Book Club
  • Literary Book Club

High School

  • History Book Club
  • Gear Up for the Fall at Staples Library Media Center
  • Gear Up for 9th Grade English
  • Gear Up for Algebra 2
  • Gear Up for AP Calculus
  • Biology Summer Enrichment
  • CSI 101
  • Embedded Systems Programming
  • Gear Up for College Prep Science
  • Neuroscience in Bugs and Brains
  • The Science of Race, Gender and Sexuality
  • Gear Up for 9th Grade Social STudies
  • Gear Up for AP Social Studies

Enrollment is limited, and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here for more information, and to register. For help, email conted@westportps.org, or call 203-341-1209.

Of course, Continuing Ed offers many other programs (for a fee). Summer courses include Fine Arts, Culinary Arts, Filmmakers ink, Sports, STEM, Chess and Theater. They’re held at Staples High School, Bedford Middle School, Greens Farms Elementary, and Wakeman fields. Click here for more information.

Director Christine Jewell plugs Continuing Ed’s summer programs.

Meet Christine Jewell: New Continuing Ed Head

Christine Jewell grew up in Vermont. Her elementary school had 4 classrooms.

Today, her office is in sprawling Staples High School. She’s not a teacher. But she’s in charge of over 2,000 students, 4,000 adults, and more than 700 programs a year, all over town.

Jewell is the Westport Public Schools’ new director of continuing education.

Enrichment and make-up courses, SAT prep, driver’s ed, fitness, dog obedience, technology and computers, crafts — all of those (and many more) are part of Jewell’s portfolio.

She comes well equipped for her job. A fine arts graduate of State University of New York at Purchase, with a master’s in social policy (focused on the arts) from SUNY Empire State, the self-described “lifelong learner” most recently worked at the Fairfield Museum and History Center, as director of education and community programs.

Her experience in outreach serves her well here. Jewell looks forward to collaborating with organizations like the library and Wakeman Town Farm.

“I love creativity, and helping reinforce 21st-century skills like critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration,” she says.

Christine Jewell plugs Continuing Ed’s summer programs.

She inherited some programs, and is developing others. She is especially excited about summer initiatives like the Discovery Camp for children at Greens Farms Elementary School, and the Summer Teen Theater for rising 5th through 9th graders. (It’s “The Little Mermaid.”)

“I love Westport,” Jewell says. “Something about it is so cool. It’s very tight-knit. I’ve met so many great teachers and kids. People really care. My goal is to elevate programs even higher, to reflect the integrity of the schools and town.”

(For information and registration details on Westport Continuing Education, click here.)