Tag Archives: Coleytown Middle School

Roundup: Staples Hoops, Leaf Blowers, PJ Romano Field …

Posted on March 19, 2023 | 26 comments

Today is the big day.

Staples High School’s boys basketball team plays in its first state tournament final in — are you sitting down? — 86 years.

Tipoff is 6:15 p.m. (Sunday), at the Mohegan Sun arena. The Wreckers — seeded 7th in Division II — face #1 St. Bernard’s-Uncasville.

The game can be heard on WWPT-FM (90.3) and wwptfm.org. The expert announcing team includes seniors Jack Ginsburg and Colin Menninger.

You can watch it on the proprietary Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) website, but must subscribe ($11.99 a month; cancel anytime); click here for details.

Staples got to the finals with an astonishing 18-point, 4th-quarter comeback in the semifinals against Fairfield Warde.

The winning basket came after sophomore Adam Udell stole an inbounds pass, then calmly finished a layup.

Here’s a remarkable photo. It shows Udell scoring; a Warde player on the ground, after falling trying for the pass — and the scoreboard showing both the tied score, and the time left: 13.5 seconds.

(Photo/Michelle Garrity)

Meanwhile, I could not find a photo of the state championship 1937 team. But here’s one from the next winter (1938).

Legendary coach Roland Wachob is in the middle. The squad included George “Nooky” Powers, considered one of the greatest Staples athletes of all time.

1938 Staples High School basketball team. (Photo courtesy of “Staples High School: 120 Years of A+ Education,” by Dan Woog)

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Townwide restriction on gas-powered leaf blowers begin May 15, and run through October 15.

The devices can only be used weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.,  Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3.m., and not at all on Sundays or holidays. (Longer hours are allowed for homeowners doing their own yard work.)

Wakeman Town Farm wants to make Westporters (and their landscapers) aware.

To make some noise, they’re raffling off a state-of-the-art EGO electric leaf blower.

Tickets are $20 each. Proceeds benefit WTF’s educational and sustainability programs. Click here to purchase, and for more information.

The winner will be announced on (of course) Earth Day: April 22.

EGO electric leaf blower.

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A frustrated “06880” reader writes:

“I brought this topic a year and a half ago. I was told it would be an easy repair — and it had already been approved in the town budget.

“It never happened. So I’m asking again:

“Please repair PJ Romano Field.”

She sent along this message, from “a group of concerned moms”:

“The field — managed by Parks & Rec — should be a safe place for children. But it’s not. There are at least 19 cracks they can trip over.

One of the many large cracks at PJ Romano Field.

“Located between Kings Highway and Saugatuck Elementary Schools, it’s a great place for sports.

“Elementary school children love to ride scooters and bicycles. But they end up with scraped and bloody knees, hands and elbows, because of deep, big cracks. There’s a bigger accident waiting to happen.

“Spring is arriving. Kids will be coming out again. Please make it safe.”

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Today’s “Westport … What’s Happening” podcast is part 1 of a 2-part interview with Department of Human Services director Elaine Daignault.

She explains many important services provided to Westport residents. There’s a lot you may already know — but plenty more to learn.

The podcast is presented by the Y’s Men of Westport and Weston. Click below to listen:

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Turnout was great at last night’s MoCA Westport opening reception. The new “Rainbow in the Dark”  exhibition features 20 works of German contemporary artist Anselm Reyle, including a neon exhibition.

His works also include foil and strip paintings, and sculptures. Remnants of consumer society, discarded materials, symbols of urbanity, and industrial change are key.

“Rainbow in the Dark” is on view through May 28. Docent-led tours are held Thursdays at 1 p.m. Drop-in docent-led tours are available every Saturday and Sunday, including a Sunday drop-in interactive tour for families.

To learn more about the exhibition, click here.

From left: L to R): Artist Anselm Reyle, MoCA executive director Ruth Mannes, curator Emann Odufu, MoCA director of exhibitions Liz Leggett,

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Kids love Percy Jackson books.

And “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson” is wholesome family entertainment.

The Coleytown Company production opens March 31 (7 p.m., Coleytown Middle School). Additional shows are April 1 (1 and 7 p.m.), and April 2 (1 p.m.).  Click here for tickets.

Ellie Arber is Charon in Coleytown Company’s “Lightning Thief.”

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The Circle of Friends’ 17th annual fundraising dinner will honor more than 150 local teen volunteers. All share friendships with people with special needs.

The event is April 23 (5:30 p.m., Westport Woman’s Club). There’s entertainment, and a special “Heart of Friendship” video.

The gala will take place Sunday, April 23 at 5:30 PM at the Westport Women’s Club, 44 Imperial Avenue, Westport, CT. Stephen Schwartz, [resident of Westport’s Promark Group, is the guest of honor.

High School seniors from Staples High, Weston, Wilton and Greenwich will receive Fellowship Awards for their combined 4,000 “friendship volunteer hours”.

Circle of Friends is an all-volunteer organization that involves children teens and adults with special needs in a wide range of social programs and weekly play dates. Over 300 families are involved.

For reservations, sponsorship opportunities, ads in the virtual journal or more information, click here, call 203-293-8837 or email cof@circleoffriendsct.org.

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These Compo Beach ducks reminded Molly Alger of a conga line.

They reminded us all of the beauty we see every day. It’s “Westport … Naturally”!

(Photo/Molly Alger)

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And finally … I never heard of Jim Gordon. But his New York Times obituary is fascinating. It says:

Jim Gordon, a talented but troubled drummer who was ubiquitous in the recording studios of the 1960s and ’70s and who, as a member of Eric Clapton’s band Derek and the Dominos, helped write the romantic ballad “Layla” — but who suffered from schizophrenia and spent nearly 40 years in prison, convicted of murdering his mother — died on Monday in a prison medical facility in Vacaville, Calif. He was 77….

When people say that Jim Gordon is the greatest rock ’n’ roll drummer who ever lived,” Mr. Clapton wrote in “Clapton: The Autobiography” (2007), “I think it’s true, beyond anybody.

As a member of the talented “Wrecking Crew” group of Los Angeles studio musicians, he worked on recordings like John Lennon’s “Imagine,” George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass,” and the Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds.” Click here for his full obituary.

(Good luck to the Staples boys basketball team. They’ve already proven themselves champions. You can be a champ too — just click here to contribute to “06880.” Thank you! PS: Go Wreckers!

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Environment, Sports, Staples HS

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Roundup: Patriot Front, Church Lane, Kids’ Tutors …

Posted on March 10, 2023 | 10 comments

“Patriot Front” stickers — advertising what the ADL calls “a white supremacist group whose members maintain that their ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it to them, and no one else” — were found on signs in Saugatuck Wednesday.

They were small, and in some cases old and tattered. The Westport Police Department contacted the Connecticut State Police Hate Crimes Unit.

According to the ADL, Patriot Front “justifies its ideology of hate and intolerance under the guise of preserving the ethnic and cultural origins of its members’ European ancestors.”

1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker said, “I am grateful to the police for managing the issue with expediency and professionalism. This does not represent Westport and is unacceptable. Nor does it diminish the qualities of our community that focus on volunteerism, neighborly engagement, and civil discourse. We are proud of our residents and business and civic leaders who work tirelessly to make Westport a better place.”

Tooker asked community members to report any suspicious activity to Westport Police. Anyone with information or evidence of those responsible for placing the stickers in Saugatuck should call the Detective Bureau: 203-341-6080.

Patriot Front stickers.

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The closure of Church Lane — begun during COVID, and continued in following years thanks to the popularity of outdoor dining and leisurely strolling — has been approved for 2023.

The Board of Selectwomen gave their consent this week. The short stretch of road between Elm Street and Post Road East will be closed to traffic beginning April 1, through November 6.

Evening on Church Lane (Photo/Ed Simek)

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Kids helping kids:

Staples High School students are on hand at the Westport Library now through April 27 for drop-in tutoring in a range of subjects, for children in grades 2-8.

Sessions take place in the Children’s Library. The schedule:

  • Mondays: History and math (4- to 6 p.m.); Language arts (6 to 8 p.m., beginning March 20)
  • Tuesdays: Language arts (4 to 5 p.m.,), math (5 to 6 p.m.)
  • Thursdays: Language arts and math (4 to 6 p.m.).

The tutors are all Library volunteers, looking for more ways to give back.

Youngsters should bring homework and workbooks for which they need help. Adults with students under age 12 must stay in the Children’s Library while their children are being tutored.

Westport Library children’s section. (Photo/Lynn Untermeyer Miller)

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Tickets went on sale today for CLASP Homes’ 17th annual Taste of Westport benefit.

This year’s event (May 10, 6 p.m., the Inn at Longshore) features over 2 dozen restaurants and beverage suppliers, live music by the Bar Car Band, and a very cool silent auction.

Food and drink — as much as you want! — comes from:

  • Artisan
  • Bridgewater Chocolate
  • Fifth State Distillery
  • Grumpy Dumpling
  • Little Pub
  • Mrs. London’s Bakery
  • Nordic Fish
  • Rizzuto’s
  • Tablao
  • Black Bear Wine & Spirits
  • Cold Fusion Gelato
  • Gabriele’s of Westport
  • Isla & Co.
  • Mionetto
  • NewSylum Brewing
  • Post Oak Barbecue
  • Romanacci
  • Tarantino
  • Boathouse at Saugatuck
  • DeTAPAS
  • Gruel Britannia
  • La Plage
  • Magic 5 Pie Co.
  • Nômade
  • Rive Bistro
  • SoNo 1420
  • Walrus Alley.

Click here for tickets, and more information.

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Speaking of food (and Taste of Westport’s Walrus Alley):

The downtown Southern-inspired restaurant is now open for lunch on Fridays.

On the menu, in addition to their fried chicken sandwich: lighter options like salads, vegetarian jackfruit tacos, tofu stir-fry, and an Impossible McWalrus Burger.

Walrus Alley serves Friday lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Happy Hour is available Wednesday through Friday (3 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Dinner starts at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, while brunch is available Saturday and Sunday, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Marinated beet salad, at Walrus Alley.

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Still speaking of food:

In January, Spiga — a popular New Canaan Italian restaurant — announced they’d add a second location. They would replace Tarry Lodge on Charles Street. The target for opening was late March.

Not so fast.

A sign in Mario Batali’s former restaurant identifies the new place as Zucca Gastrobar, opening in April.

(Photo/Dinkin Fotografix)

The website says that it is currently hiring, for front and back of the house. (Hat tip: Les Dinkin)

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Middle school students identify with Percy Jackson. That makes “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” a great choice for Coleytown Middle School’s next musical.

The curtain rises March 31 (7 p.m.), April 1 (1 and 7 p.m.), and April 2 (1 p.m.).

Based on a best-selling book series by Rick Riordan, “Percy Jackson” explores themes of friendship, betrayal, self-discovery and parent-child relationships (complicated by parents who are immortal and have superpowers).

Coleytown Company vocal director Clay Zambo calls the show “a great choice for middle school students, because it’s about the issues kids this age are facing. The ‘magical powers’ and family issues are a metaphor for what they may be discovering in their own lives.”

Click here for tickets, and more information.

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In a town filled with volunteer opportunities, myTeamTriumph stands out.

The program pairs children, teens and adults with disabilities (“captains”) with volunteers (“angels”) who help them participate in triathlons and road races. In those events, everyone truly is a winner.

The next big event is the Westport Young Woman’s League’s Minute Man 10K and 5K Runs, and 5K Walk, on April 23.

MyTeamTriumph always looks for more captains (special needs athletes). They’re also short of angels (volunteer runners). This is their first time participating in the Minute Man.

They’re excited to provide an opportunity for people with special needs (and their families) to have increased visibility, and be involved in a great community event.

There is no cost. Angels can be any ability of runner or jogger.

Captains and angels can click here to sign up. MyTeamTriumph will take care of race registration.

Questions? Email kziebell@myteamtriumph-ct.org. For more information on myTeamTriumph, click here.

Sami Leskin, racing with myTeamTriumph in the 2018 Westport Triathlon.

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Longtime friends and Staples High School classmates Mark Mollica, Dan Asher and Joe Izzo join Mark’s college roommate Dylan Connor — the headliner — tomorrow (Saturday, March 11) at Fairfield Theatre Company.

Doors open at 7 p.m.; the show begins at 7:45. Click here for tickets, and more information.

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William (Bill) Barron — a Weston resident since 1954 — died last week.  He was 77.

The Detroit native earned a BA degree from Yale University in 1967, and a JD from Cornell University Law School in 1970.

Barron worked with several law firms before joining Alston and Bird in 1977 as a partner. He later became a partner at Franzino and Schur.

He was a member of the Art Law Committee of the International Bar Association, the Yale Russian Chorus Alumni, Kiwanis International, and a longtime member of Norfield Church in Weston.

Barron joined the Y’s Men of Westport/Weston in 2017. He participated in the Book Club, bridge, the Classical Music Society and the Global Issues discussion group.

He is survived by his wife Jennifer, sons David and Will, 6 grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 18, 11 a.m. at Norfield Congregational Church in Weston.

Bill Barron

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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo shows what Molly Alger calls “1/3 of the Whitney Street” deer herd.

They blend in well with their surroundings.

(Photo/Molly Alger)

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And finally … Topol, the Israeli actor who took played Tevye on stage and screen all over the world for decades, died yesterday at his home in Tel Aviv. He was 87, and suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Click here for a full obituary.

(From local politics to restaurant and arts news to obituaries, “06880” is your source for whatever is happening in Westport [and Weston]. Please click here to support this hyper-local blog. Thank you!)

10 Comments

Posted in Children, Education, Obituaries, Police, Politics, Restaurants

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Roundup: Salad Winners, Staples Fencers, SpongeBob …

Posted on April 4, 2022 | 3 comments

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Over 1,000 salad-eaters cast votes in the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce’s month-long Great Westport Salad Contest.

And the winners are …

  • Best Caesar Salad: Romanacci
  • Best Chef Salad: Joe’s Pizza
  • Best Cobb Salad: La Plage
  • Best Deli Salad: A&S Fine Foods
  • Best Greens Salad: The Porch
  • Best Make Your Own Salad: Parker Mansion
  • Best Mediterranean Salad: Manna Toast  
  • Best Unique Salad: Capuli.
  •  Honorable Mention (coming within 5 votes of the winner): Calise’s

Winners received plaques to hang. Each winner will also offer a free  salad to eight lucky voters who won the lottery in the category they voted for.

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Ruth Steinkraus Cohen was a remarkable woman.

A Juilliard-trained pianist and teacher; a singer, editor, radio host and activist; secretary to Eleanor Roosevelt at the World Federation of the United Nations Association; founder of the International Hospitality Committee of Fairfield County, and Westport’s jUNe Day celebration; publisher of the worldwide “United Nations Calendar for Peace”; music chair of the Friends of Music for almost 40 years; co-founder and/or noard member of the New York Chamber Soloists, Performers of Connecticut, the Opera Company of Boston, Opera New England, Young Audiences of Connecticut, and Westport’s Art Advisory Committee — it’s no wonder our town’s downtown bridge is named for her.

The Steinkraus name is in the news again — at least, the real estate news.

A trust owned by the Steinkraus family (including Ruth’s late brother Bill, a 1968 Olympic equestrian gold medalist) has listed their amazing “Grand Great Island” property — off the Darien coast — for sale.

Located on a 60-acre island, it includes a stable, riding rings and grand house (called a “villa”), plus a whiskey and wine cellar with contents dating back to Prohibition.

Called “the largest private island ever to be offered for sale on the East Coast,” it can be yours for just $100 million. Click here for details. (Hat tip: Wendy Crowther)

Great Island, now up for sale by the Steinkraus estate.

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Congratulations to the Staples High School fencing team — the state champion fencing team, that is.

What? You didn’t know Staples had a fencing team?!

That’s okay. This is their first year. Eight fencers, coached by Jim Roberts, competed against 9 schools in the state tournament last month, at North Haven High. The Wreckers edged Fairfield 5-4 for the title.

Congratulations to junior Gleb Syomichev, sophomores Max Piterbarg and PJ Loranger. Fencing club co-founder Anna Pan, a senior, helped out.

(From left): Gleb Syomichev, PJ Loranger, Anna Pan and Max Piterbarg,

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There’s lots of recycling in “The SpongeBob Musical.” When the curtain rises this weekend on Coleytown Company’s spring show, the middle schoolers will have incorporated it into their sets.

Working with art teacher Linda Kangro, students took Jordan Janota’s designs and built them all out of garbage and recycling donated by the community.

Kangro let the youngsters into the recycling and trash, and told them to use their imaginations. The result will be something to see. No word, though, on whether they’ll recycle the set to use in the next show.

(“The SpongeBob Musical” will be produced Friday, April 8 (7 p.m.); Saturday, April 9 (7 p.m.) and Sunday, April 10 (1 p.m.). Click here for tickets.

Eli Abrams (as Perch Perkins) with recycled “coral” on the proscenium.

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Play ball!

This year marks the 40th season for the Boss Boys’ Sunday morning softball game. They play at the field behind Town Hall, with stretching and batting practice from 9 to 9:30, and a game afterward.

They’re looking for new players. The cost is $30 for the season; it covers bats, balls, scoring books and “maybe a holiday barbecue.”

Interested? Email bryan.alix@gmail for details.

When this photo was taken in 1992, the Boss Boys’ softball game had already been going for 10 years. It’s lasted 30 more since.

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Former Westporter Jack Grogins — known for his quick wit and passion for tennis, jazz music and rare books — died last week. He was 91.

The Norwalk native and University of Connecticut graduate (undergraduate and law school) enlisted in the Navy in 1956. He went on to practice in the field of insurance defense at the Hartford Insurance Company in 1958.

Jack started his own law practice in 1961. He also served for many years as a part-time prosecutor for the Bridgeport Circuit Court.

As a young man, Jack taught tennis and competed in tournaments around Connecticut. He continued into his 60s, ranking among the top tennis players in the Connecticut Senior Olympics.

He realized his life-long dream with his appointment as a Superior Court judge in 1994. He remained in that position until 2001, when he became a judge trial Referee. Jack remained a highly respected jurist until his retirement in 2018.

Jack was predeceased by his wife Marilyn. He is survived by his daughter, Judge Auden Grogins (Ian), sister-in-law Arlene Glotzer, niece Helen Glotzer, and cousin Molly Passero and her 4 children.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, April 5, 10 a.m., Abraham L. Green & Son Funeral Home, Fairfield). The family will receive visitors prior to the service, at 9 a.m. Shiva will be observed tomorrow from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the family residence.

Jack Grogins

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We can never get enough osprey photos. Today’s “Westport … Naturally” image was taken yesterday. Carolyn Doan writes: “The Fresh Market osprey is bringing nesting material, while she sits in the sun. It’s all part of the mating phase.”

(Photo/Carolyn Doan)

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And finally … on this date in 1964, the Beatles occupied the first 5 — five! — spots on Billboard’s Hot 100. They’re below, from #1 to #5.

But that’s not all. They Fab 4 had another 7 songs on the charts that week: “I Saw Her Standing There” (#31), “From Me to You” (#41), “Do You Want to Know a Secret” (#46), “All My Loving” (#58), “You Can’t Do That” (#65), “Roll Over Beethoven” #(68) and “Thank You Girl” (#79).

Yeah, Beatlemania was a thing.

PS: I don’t care how old — or young — you are. These songs put a smile on everyone’s face.

3 Comments

Posted in Children, Education, Entertainment, Obituaries, Real estate, Restaurants, Sports, Staples HS

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Taking Pride In Westport Schools

Posted on November 19, 2021 | 7 comments

When Kayla Iannetta was in high school, questioning her sexuality, she had no resources. Lacking clubs or helpful adults, she was on her own.

Now a Staples High science teacher, she quickly signed on as an advisor for the school’s LGBTQ and allies group. (It began in 1993, as the Gay Straight Alliance — the first such organization at any Connecticut public high school. I was a proud co-founder. The name was then changed to the Gender Sexuality Alliance. It’s now called the Staples Pride Coalition.)

Iannetta loved Staples’ “welcoming and open community.” But the small group of Pride Coalition students felt they were not taken seriously by everyone.

She vowed to help. With her co-advisor, math teacher Nicole Giuliani, they’ve expanded the group’s reach. Members have given presentations to health classes, created a newsletter, helped plan Westport Pride’s townwide celebration in June, and served on a panel for the Unitarian Church’s 8th grade Our Whole Lives program.

Staples Pride Coalition members and supporters, at last June’s high school Pride celebration.

All were enthusiastically received. And all have convinced the members that what they’re doing fills an enormous need.

They’re forging ahead with a Gender Identity 101 presentation for Westport Toether, programming at Toquet Hall (movies, a scavenger hunt, a drag show), and a Google Form for students, staff or parents to ask questions.

As the Pride Coalition members talked, Iannetta realized that LGBTQ issues are not limited to high school. Middle school is where they first had questions, they said. Students needed resources there too.

Why not have a District Pride group? she wondered.

Westport Public Schools’ Pride Coalition logo.

Bedford Middle School principal Adam Rosen and Coleytown counterpart Kris Szabo were eager to help. Iannetta found staff members to help: Cassie Carroll and Christie Cardinale at BMS, Jennifer Peppe at CMS. Both groups are now thriving.

The middle school groups — called Bedford Pride Coalition and Coleytown Pride Coalition — are thriving too.

“The most important thing is education,” Iannetta says. “These kids are excited to be part of a change. They want to make Staples a better place, and middle schools better places for LGBTQ+ students coming up in the district.”

Iannetta is energized by support from administrators — everyone from superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice, Staples principal Stafford Thomas and vice principal Chase Dunlap, on down — and from teachers who ask questions about pronouns and seek inclusive curriculum ideas.

She and Sarah Magilnick — another Staples staff member on the school’s team of 4 working on LGBTQ+ school resources — are creating resource pamphlets, for questioning students and allies.

Yet as excited as she is about the new direction of Staples Pride Coalition, and the creation of the 2 middle school groups — all 3 are known collectively as Westport Public Schools Pride Coalition — she knows there is plenty of work to be done.

Even at the high school, some members feel the need to be anonymous. They’ve been rejected at home, or fear they will be.

But — like their advisors — they’re undaunted. “That just makes them want to do this work more,” Iannetta says with pride. “They want to reach younger students. And, maybe, their own parents too.”

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Posted in Education, Staples HS, Teenagers

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CMS Giving Assembly: Important Tradition Continues

Posted on November 17, 2021 | 8 comments

If it’s November, it must be time for the Giving Assembly.

For several decades, Coleytown Middle School celebrated Thanksgiving with a month-long, school-wide project. Each grade selected one or two organizations or non-profits. Students and parents collected goods or raise money.

Then — on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving — the school gathered together for a Giving Assembly. Recipients described how they’ll use the donations. There was music too, and plenty of good vibes.

The closure of CMS for renovation, and then the pandemic’s prohibition of visitors, put the great tradition on hold.

Thankfully, it’s back.

Newly renovated, Coleytown Middle School returns to an old tradition.

As the school rebuilds a sense of community after a few tumultuous years, enthusiasm for the program is high.

Eighth graders overwhelmingly chose Al’s Angels — the Westport-based charity helping children with serious illnesses — as this year’s recipients. The 2 pods have a “coin war,” to see which collects the most.

Patty Haberstroh

Seventh and 6th graders are raising funds for Westport’s Department of Human Services, and the ALS Therapy Development Institute. They selected both groups to honor Patty Haberstroh, Westport Human Services’ longtime youth director who is battling ALS. For 20 years, she was an instrumental part of Coleytown’s Giving Assembly.

Sixth graders are also collecting donations for Homes with Hope. Executive director Helen McAlinden kicked off the campaign by visiting all 8 classrooms. She described her organization’s efforts to combat homelessness and food insecurity, and inspired the young fundraisers.

PTA volunteers have already delivered some items to the Gillespie Center.

“All year long, we talk about the importance of giving back,” says 6th grade language arts teacher Emily Diggs. “We do a lot of lessons about ‘being your best self.’ This is one more way to do that.”

A large “thermometer” in the hall between the 2 6th grade pods — the Orcas and the Dolphins — is updated every day. Students watch the two groups fight for the top spot.

Last week, the Dolphins held a slim lead.

But, as several wise children told Diggs, “It doesn’t matter who wins. It’s all about giving back.”

Students love to hear stories about their impact at the annual Giving Assembly. COVID means that this year’s version will be virtual — streamed live on Coleytown TV.

That’s a small price to pay, for the return of an important tradition.

CMS — and the Giving Assembly — are both back!

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Posted in Children, Education

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Message To District 3 & 8 Voters: Your Polling Place Is CMS!

Posted on November 2, 2021 | 2 comments

Lisa Newman is a very alert “06880” reader. When she clicked on the link shared earlier from the Secretary of the State — the one where you can look up your polling location — she realized it was wrong.

Districts 3 and 8 do not vote at Coleytown Elementary School, which is what the state website says. They’re at Coleytown Middle School — via the bus loop entrance. That’s the first one on the left on North Avenue, heading toward the school — not the main entrance, near the CMS sign.

If you are not in RTM districts 3 and 8, use this link to find out where you vote.

In this drone shot taken during Coleytown Middle School renovations, the bus loop entrance is at the bottom of the photo. (Drone photo/Brandon Malin)

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Posted in Local politics

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From Wall Street To Westport: Eric Chiang’s Arts Journey

Posted on October 25, 2021 | 4 comments

When Eric Chiang moved to Westport in 1993, he lived across the street from the legendary illustrator Howard Munce.

Growing up in Taiwan, Chiang had loved art. But he didn’t know anyone who made a career of it. So he went to New York University, majored in computer science and math, earned a master’s, and got a “normal job” as a programmer and financial modeler at Goldman Sachs.

Watching Munce — then in his 80s — create sculptures outside, even in winter, intrigued Chiang. He watched with added interest as Leonard Everett Fisher — another iconic artist — came to visit Munce.

Chiang realized that Westport’s arts legacy lived on, in the spirit of real, working artists.

Around 1997, he carved out half an hour or so every night to create art. He had no formal training. He did not have an actual studio either — just a small easel in a corner of his living room.

But after nearly a decade, he’d accumulated plenty of works. He had ideas for many more.

Chiang wanted no regrets. He decided to leave Wall Street. His wife gave her blessing.

In 2007, Chiang became a full-time artist. His painted realistic objects, arranged surrealistically.

“The Year 2020, No. 2” — oil on canvas.

In the past few years he’s moved into less precise landscapes. His works are big, and tied to his love of nature.

For example, he says, he always wondered what would happen if the earth wrote a story about itself.

To keep his hands off the work — he wanted the art to be as primordial as possible — Chiang sprayed paint to represent rain, storms and the erosive process at work. To mimic gravity, he tilted the canvas.

The resulting “Land Scripts” series of more than a dozen paintings is 50 feet wide.

Eric Chiang with his “Land Scripts XIII.”

Chiang applied the same technique to “Water Scripts,” a series of 12-foot high waves and waterfalls.

“Water Scripts I” — oil on canvas.

Another work fills a large space at Coleytown Middle School. When Westport Permanent Arts Collections officials realized they had nothing suitable to hang near a staircase and skylight in the newly renovated school, they asked Chiang to help.

He presented 5 options. Students chose an intriguing work called “Are We Born Connected?,” which included guitars.

“Are We Born Connected?” (Eric Chiang, acrylic on canvas)

When that was selected for an exhibit at the Housatonic Museum of Art, the second choice — a 16-foot, 4-panel “History of Civilization” — took its place.

“A History of Civilizations,” at Coleytown Middle School.

Not all of the artist’s creations are enormous. His most recent work — “Westport: A Perspective From Early Days” — is one of 5 murals unveiled this month at the Main Street entrance to Bedford Square. His depicts the earliest days of our town.

Chiang explains:

This mural brings us into an imaginary world back in the early days of Westport, when the Paugussett Indians occupied the area with a farming and fishing culture. Then the European traders came to transact with the indigenous tribes, just to be followed by the English colonists, who built towns, church, and farms.

From there, someone in the painting invited us to peek into the future – Let’s go over the bridge and see a bigger town and a much greater nation in the making.

“Westport: A Perspective From Early Days”

Inspired by Howard Munce and Leonard Everett Fisher — and his own career change — Chiang is a firm believer in the importance of arts to Westport.

“It’s less about the exhibits and displays, than the spirit of the people,” he says. “And it’s not just visual artists. It’s musicians, dancers and writers. Their activities make the whole town artistic.”

In Taiwan, Chiang had no role models. In his first years as an artist here, he worked alone. But when the Westport Artists Collective began in 2014, he was an avid founding member.

He is eager to keep passing Westport arts’ “spirit and culture” on to future generations.

Meanwhile, visitors to Bedford Square — and hundreds of students at Coleytown — are enjoying Eric Chiang’s work.

A long way from Taiwan — and Goldman Sachs — he enjoys creating it too.

(To see more art at Eric Chiang’s website, click here. Hat tip: Kris Szabo.)

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CMS CO

Posted on March 29, 2021 | 2 comments

It’s been nearly 3 months since Coleytown Middle School reopened.

The “new” school has earned rave reviews. Bright! Modern! No mold!

Of course, a few tweaks continued after students and staff returned. Don O’Day — the mastermind as chair of the project — reports that the town issued its final Certificate of Occupancy last week.

Welcome to Coleytown!

During spring break, the grounds will be thoroughly raked, top soil will be added and seeding will begin.

The missing “Coleytown Middle School” signs on the roof, in front of the building and the bus loop have been redesigned. They’ll be up hopefully by May.

The gray cement columns in the front will be painted.

And because the new HVAC is both a heating and air conditioning system, there’s no need to wait for an arbitrary date to switch over to AC (as is the case in other schools). Whenever the weather warms up, the classrooms will be cool.

Just like the entire school — finally — is.

Don O’Day in the bright new cafeteria. (Photos/Dan Woog)

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Bright, Airy, Fresh-Smelling, Mold-Free: “New” Coleytown Middle School Reopens Today

Posted on January 4, 2021 | 7 comments

In September 2018, Coleytown Middle School closed due to mold.

Today, teachers return. Tomorrow they’ll be joined by students.

The $32 million remediation and renovation project was not easy. The school was in far worse condition than anyone imagined. A global pandemic disrupted both the supply chain and some of the workforce.

But the reopening comes only a couple of months late. And the final cost is right on budget.

The exterior of the “new” Coleytown Middle School.

Staff and students will enjoy an entirely new HVAC system. Every window has been replaced. The exterior cladding is new. The entire property was regraded.

The entry atrium and library are bright and fresh. Science classrooms have been modernized.

Most importantly, for the first time in decades the school will not smell. The dank, musty odors that permeated the building — remembered miserably by generations of Coleytown Colts and their parents — are gone.

A new seal graces the entryway,

The school’s closure — after students reported dizziness and nausea — was first projected to last a month. Sixth and 7th graders were sent to Bedford Middle School; 8th graders headed to Staples High.

But the months stretched on. After educators and other officials considered everything from an entirely new $75 million building to permanent abandonment of the site, a middle ground — renovation — was the solution.

On March 4, 2018 a building committee was formed. The next day, they held their first meeting.

Chair Don O’Day — a former Board of Education head — and members John Broadbin, Jay Keenan, Karen Kleine, Srikanth Puttagunta, Joe Renzulli and Vanessa Valadares went right to work.

They had 3 charges: repair or replace the climate control system; repair or replace the exterior, to prevent water incursion, and regrade the exterior grounds to move water away from the building.

That meant replacing the entire roof, and every window; changing the exterior walls, adding new insulation and metal cladding; installing an all-new heating, cooling and dehumidifying system (and adding air conditioning to the gym), while regrading and installing a French drain outside.

Every window is new — including these large ones in the cafeteria.

The committee hired building engineers Wiss, Janey, Elstner Associates; mechanical engineers Kohler Rohan; civil engineers Langan Connecticut; general contractor Newfield Construction, and interior designers CPG Architects.

Susan Chipouras — who earned kudos overseeing previous renovations of Staples and Saugatuck Elementary School — served as project manager.

Another key hire was EnviroMed. The Meriden-based firm industrial hygienist firm identified contaminants, and oversaw a rigorous removal protocol.

All furniture was taken out, cleaned and tested. Items that did not pass were thrown out.

“The school was a lot sicker than we thought,” O’Day says. “There were a number of structural challenges to address.

“We couldn’t just put in a new roof, windows and HVAC. We had to shore up the structure in a far more significant way than we expected. The town finally realized we needed more than just a Band-Aid.”

The renovated school is bright and airy. This is the atrium at the entrance.

O’Day lauds former CMS PTA co-presidents Sue Herrmann and Lee Goldstein for “relentlessly telling anyone who needed to hear that this building was sick, and not an appropriate place for kids or staff.”

Principal Kris Szabo and the custodial staff also worked hard to address all issues.

“The town has sent a clear message: Our children are valued,” O’Day says. “It’s our priority that they attend a school they’re proud of, and that will help them learn in the 21st century.”

The library has been modernized too.

He cited the Boards of Finance and Education, 1st Selectman Jim Marpe, principal Szabo and Westport Public Schools director of technology Natalie Carrignan for “making our committee’s job a lot easier. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

Now, at last, the new Coleytown Middle School is ready for prime time.

Some teachers have gone in on their own time, to set up their classrooms. They’ll all be on hand today, making sure everything is ready when students return tomorrow.

A world language classroom is ready for students.

It will be like the first day of school for everyone. Current 8th graders spent only 3 weeks in the building before it closed. Seventh and 6th graders have never been inside.

Of course, a few details remain.

Exterior work will continue through February — but only on Wednesdays and weekends, when students are not inside.

Superintendent of Schools Tom Scarice’s office is working with the state to obtain reimbursement of up to 20% of eligible spending.

Then there’s one more item to address. The company that created all the handsome new signage spelled one word wrong — every time.

It’s “cafeteria,” not “cafteria.”

Whatever it’s called though, it too looks — and smells — great.

Don O’Day in the cafteria — er, cafeteria. (Photos/Dan Woog)

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Unsung Hero #171

Posted on December 23, 2020 | 10 comments

Don O’Day chairs the Coleytown Middle School Building Committee. For the past 2 years, he has overseen the school’s renovation, after closure due to mold.

Sloan O’Connell-Jamali — parent of 3 boys — writes:

I don’t know Don O’Day personally. But I would like to nominate him for Unsung Hero recognition, as we close out 2020.

Don O’Day

Earlier this month he handed off the Coleytown Middle School building to the Board of Education. As my 6th grader excitedly waits to walk through the doors of CMS for the first time on Jan 4, there is no doubt in my mind that we have Don O’Day (and his amazing team) to thank.

He has been the ultimate public servant, volunteering his leadership, time and abilities over the past 2 years to help bring our CMS building back to life.

I can only imagine the countless hours of work, meetings, Zoom calls and spreadsheets he has had to devote to getting this job done — during a pandemic nonetheless.

I am personally grateful to have had his constant Facebook updates, which kept us all in the loop and were totally transparent.

We are so lucky to have someone like Don in our community. His volunteerism is inspiring and he has changed our Westport community for the better.

What an inspired nomination, Sloan — and so true. Don O’Day has truly modeled what it means to juggle the often-competing demands of town officials, school administrators, parents, students and other residents — all while keeping the needs of children front and center.

Thank you, Don. We all look forward to the reopening of Coleytown Middle School early next month. For that, you are absolutely this week’s Unsung Hero!

(To nominate an Unsung Hero, email dwoog@optonline.net)

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