Tag Archives: special education

SELF Help: Navigating The Complex Special Ed System

Posted on May 14, 2026 | 1 comment

Navigating the public school special education system is hard.

Despite federal laws ensuring that children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education tailored to their needs, gaining access to those services can be long, arduous — and costly.

And that’s for families with the time, resources and financial ability to do so.

Jennifer Kanfer

During nearly 20 years in Westport, Jennifer Kanfer learned how to advocate for her child with a learning disability. Many other parents here do too.

But as she navigated the complex system, she wondered about parents who don’t live in an affluent suburb. How could they advocate for their children?

Since 2018, they’ve had help.

The Special Education Legal Fund (SELF) was founded by 2 mothers who wanted to level the playing field for families without the resources they were fortunate to have.

It began by distributing grants to attorneys, who represented parents in meetings and negotiations with school administrators — and, if needed, in litigation that followed.

The grants — first $5,000, now $6,000 — still represented less than what those lawyers would normally charge. SELF works with over 2 dozen attorneys throughout Connecticut (and a few in Westchester County), all with special education experience.

Over the years, they’ve served well over 200 families. All must earn incomes no higher than 300% above the state poverty level.

SELF soon added another service. Specially trained advocates (without law degrees) help families understand the special ed. process, and represent them during Planning and Placement Team (PPT) and other meetings with school officials.

Kanfer trained to become an advocate — and is a staunch one.

The third program involves Laura Sullivan. The full-time attorney — a special ed expert — assists the “most vulnerable” families: those earning no more than 125% over the state poverty level. For a family of 4, that’s about $41,000.

“As costs of special education rise, and there is more pressure to reduce the number and amount of services, districts become more adversarial,” SELF executive director Stephanie Bilenker notes.

“But with advocates and attorneys, districts sit up straighter. They take families more seriously. They listen more to their concerns.

SELF website screenshot.

“I know districts are under pressure to rein in costs,” Kanfer acknowledges. “But families need help.”

SELF provides it.

And not just in English. The website offers information in Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Mandarin, Creole, Polish and French.

“When there’s a grant, and it leads to securing an outcome, that’s amazing,” she adds.

“We’ve seen kids get special ed services, and go on to good colleges. One intervention made all the difference in their lives.”

BY THE NUMBERS:

  • SELF has provided over 7,200 hours of legal service; given more than $1.3 million grants; obtained over $15 million in educational improvements, and worked with 70-plus school districts.
  • 49% of SELF families live below the poverty line; 29% speak English as a second language; 61% are led by single parents.
  • 54% of SELF students are of color; 32% are autistic; 22% are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD; 19% are dyslexic.

To learn more about the Special Education Legal Fund — including statistics, how to access webinars and how to donate — click here.

(“06880” regularly covers education issues — and publishes profiles of Westporters doing interesting, important work. If you appreciate stories like these, please click here to support this blog. Thank you!)

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[OPINION] Special Ed: Solicit Feedback; Prioritize Student Progress Over Legal Proceedings

Posted on May 4, 2026 | 17 comments

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.

(“06880″‘s Opinion pages are open to all. Please send submission to 06880blog@gmail.com. To support your hyper-local blog with a tax-deductible donation, please click here.

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Remembering Deborah Green

Posted on April 27, 2026 | 1 comment

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.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, 345 Whitney Ave. New Haven, CT 06511; Mercy Learning Center, 637 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT, 06604, or Connecticut Public Broadcasting, 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105.

 

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Posted in Education, Obituaries, Staples HS

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[OPINION] Trust Your Instinct: A Journey Through Neurodiversity

Posted on April 3, 2026 | 8 comments

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.)

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[OPINION] Special Ed Parent Says: “Thank You, Westport!”

Posted on November 2, 2025 | 11 comments

Raising a child today is challenging. It is especially so when that youngster has special needs.

Ali Wachtel moved to Westport nearly 8 years ago. Today, she shares an inspiring story about her son Nate, and the Westport Public Schools. She writes:

When I moved here in December of 2017, I did not know how lucky I was. My son Nate was 18 months old.

I knew in my bones that he was autistic. What I did not know was that I had just moved to a town that could, and would, support him.

On Nate’s 3rd birthday, he had his very first day at Stepping Stones Preschool.

Nate’s first year at Stepping Stones.

Nate was not just mildly affected. He was non-verbal.

I was not sure he would ever be able to communicate with us in the way every parent dreams. As I was new to the world of special education, the team at Stepping Stones walked me through every step of the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) process.

Together we crafted a strategy for Nate to develop the necessary skills to access the academic curriculum.

Nate and his mother, Ali Wachtel, as she read to his Stepping Stones class …

Three years later, Nate graduated and moved on to Long Lots Elementary. To my delight, he matriculated into the general ed classroom. A dream of mine had come to fruition.

Nate still required a great deal of support. He is in the IR (Intensive Resource) program, which means he has 1-to-1 paraprofessional support. He is pulled out for reading, writing and math support to this day, in addition to participating in social skill building groups.

There is not a single area in which Nate does not require support. But it is all given to him.

I am writing this not solely as a co-chair of the Westport Special Education PTA, nor as an advocate for children who receive SpEd services, but as a proud parent.

Like so many I navigated this process, armed with little if any information or insight, and terrified that this outcome would never be an option for my child.

Yet 5 years later, on October 17, my incredible young boy was invited to return to Stepping Stones preschool to read aloud in his former teacher’s class.

… and Nate in October, reading to another Stepping Stones class. (Photos/Andy Fleischman)

This has, in no small way, been made possible by Westport’s dedicated educators.

My son who walked into Stepping Stones 7 years ago without the ability to speak, returned a confident 4th grade reader who shared his experiences in the Westport school system with a group of 5-year-old pre-school students.

To say this moment was the honor of my life is an understatement. It is all thanks to our good fortune in having moved to the town of Westport.

So thank you Westport, for granting me my annual birthday wish and prayer that one day my child would be able to express himself.

(Our “06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Please send submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com)

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Posted in Children, Education

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Unsung Heroes #232

Posted on March 23, 2022 | 9 comments

March is National Disability Awareness Month.  

And 5 women long involved in the Westport Public School’s special education program have suggested 3 people as Unsung Heroes, for their tremendous work in that field.

Kate Frascella, Kate Grijns, Sivan Hong, Becky Martin and Abby Tolan write:

Merrily Bodell, Stacie Curran and Sharuna Mahesh have actively served the special education community in our town for well over a decade. Principally they’ve been longtime leaders and members of the Special Education PTA, but they’ve also advocated for people with disabilities throughout our town.

They have forged a path forward full of opportunity and promise for all kids with disabilities in our schools, and after they graduate.

Sharuna Mahesh

SpEd PTA is a committee operating under the Westport PTA Council that meets monthly with Westport school district administrators.

SpEd PTA — comprised of parent representatives from each school, plus out-placed students — advocates for our students, communicates parental concerns, and conveys vital information from the administration to SpEd families.

In their time on SpEd PTA, which began when their children were in pre-school at Stepping Stones and continues nearly 16 years later, Merrily, Stacie and Sharuna have advocated passionately for their children and ours. Most recently, they played a key role establishing the transitions program “Connections” that keeps students in Westport after graduation in a job training and life skills program.

These women push for the improvement of services for SpEd students and the education of families new to special education through newsletters and programming, like “Understanding your IEP.” They have led dozens of monthly “Sip ‘n Chat” conversations for SpEd parents.

Merrily Bodell

They promote fun for our kids by establishing SpEd PTA’s Community Fun Day, promoting opportunities like Challenger Baseball, and working with many other local organizations to offer programs for kids with special needs.

All 3 women also devote considerable time to causes that create opportunities for children and adults with disabilities in Westport and beyond. Stacie and Sharuna are active with the Remarkable Theater; Sharuna also dedicates her talents to Westport Book Sale Ventures, both of which create work opportunities for people with disabilities.

Stacie serves on Westport’s Commission on People with Disabilities. Merrily is on the board of directors of School the World, a community-driven nonprofit committed to solving extreme poverty through the power of education.

Stacie Curran

Perhaps most importantly, all 3 have offered their constant hope, reassurance and advice to parents struggling with new diagnoses or challenges.

Becky Martin, current SpEd PTA co-chair, recalls wondering in a meeting if she should be pushing her child to accomplish more academically, given her challenges.

“Sharuna looked me in the eye and said, ‘always push.’ I still hear her saying that in the back of my mind sometime. I hold it as a constant reminder of my job as a parent of a child with challenges,” says Becky.

We will protect their children’s privacy, but they too should be recognized for their trailblazing and hard work that has led to better education and services for all of our children here in Westport.

Congratulations Merrily, Stacie and Sharuna. What a meaningful way to honor National Disability Awareness Month!

(To nominate an Unsung Hero, email 06880blog@gmail.com)

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Remembering Garry Meyers

Posted on June 28, 2020 | 16 comments

Longtime Westport educator Garry Meyers died peacefully at his Stratford home on June 11, surrounded by family. He was 89 years old.

The Bridgeport native was a teacher, a storyteller, and a marriage and family therapist. After graduating from Warren Harding High School in 1948, Garry headed to Dartmouth College. He earned a Phi Beta Kappa key, and graduated magna cum laude in 1952.

After serving in the Korean War, Garry earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Bridgeport on the GI Bill. He taught English at Staples High School for many years, and was a principal of the firm Tape Book, before creating the first public high school special education program for emotionally disturbed adolescents in the state of Connecticut.

Garry Meyers

The gratification Garry experienced as he developed this safe place for “the kids” spurred him to devote his professional life to helping more children and families. He pursued a master’s in marriage and family therapy from Southern Connecticut State University, becoming a licensed MFT in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Whether in line at the hardware store or traveling to Russia, Garry often made new friends. He had an agile, insatiable mind; an irreverent, irresistible sense of humor, and a genuine interest in everyone he met. His life was a celebration of the people he loved, the places he and Donna visited, and the stories that grew from these experiences.

During their years together, Garry and Donna called many places home, including Westport, Redding Sandy Hook and Stratford; Astoria, New York, and Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts.

In their home on Martha’s Vineyard, Garry and Donna created a haven for family and friends. It was especially cherished by Garry’s 17 grandchildren.

Garry is survived by his wife of 51 years, Donna Rae Hitt Meyers for 51 years; his children Liese Meyers Niedermayer, Jennifer Meyers (Mark), Adam Meyers (Ingrid), Melissa Fable Dempsey, Kimberly Fable, and Chaz Fable (Valeria). Garry was predeceased by his youngest daughter, Rebekah Meyers Aronson. He is also survived by his grandchildren Bryan, Erich, Stephanie, Randi, Jessica, Daniel, Jacqueline, Kristen, Alexandra, Matthew, Teddy, Olivia, David, Kiona, Julie Rae, Julian, and Julia.

A celebration of Garry’s life will be held later.

Memorial contributions in his memory may be made to The Trevor Project or the Center for Spectrum Services. 

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Posted in Education, People, Staples HS

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Tom Owen: “It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time”

Posted on June 8, 2015 | 32 comments

As a Staples High School student in the early 1970s, Tom Owen had great teachers. But, he admits, “I wasn’t as invested in them as they were in me.”

A self-described “jock” who claims football, skiing and baseball got him through school, it’s not surprising that Owen ended up coaching at his alma mater.

It’s harder to believe he also spent the past 36 years as a teacher there.

Owen retires this month after a storied career. He coached Wrecker golfers to 3 state championships — he was an all-around jock — and “15 or 20” boys and girls state skiing titles (he lost track during his 23- and 5-year Staples stints, with 8 years at his son and daughter’s Joel Barlow High School in between).

But his impact is even greater on countless special education students. He guided group after group from 9th grade to graduation — and remained their mentor far beyond.

Tom Owen, Staples High School Class of 1974.

Tom Owen, Staples High School Class of 1974.

It was an unlikely career for a kid who spent his freshman year at Norwich University — a private military school in Vermont.

“That didn’t go so well,” Owen laughs. “I thought I could ski every weekend, and carry on my high school shenanigans. Instead, I ended up walking thousands of tour duties.”

Transferring to Ohio University was a better choice. He joined the rugby team — a jock is a jock — and after sophomore year, told a counselor he wanted to be a phys. ed. teacher.

She suggested he look into a new field: special education. It appealed to him — particularly because he could coach after school.

Owen started as a Staples paraprofessional in 1979. That same year, Long Lots Junior High football coach Bob Yovan retired. His former school — the same place he’d met his future wife, Deb — handed the 24-year-old his 1st head coaching job.

He quickly realized how lucky he was. His 2 jobs — teaching and coaching — brought him in contact with tens of thousands of “amazing” people. “I couldn’t believe I was getting paid to do this,” Owen says. “I had the greatest interactions with kids, parents and colleagues. I got to be a teacher for students, a counselor for families, an educator and a mentor.”

Tom Owen liked taking students out of the classroom. He believes learning can take place in many ways, and many places.

Tom Owen liked taking students out of the classroom. He believes learning can take place in many ways, and many places.

In the 1990s, he and longtime fellow teacher/friend/sidekick Diann Drenosky — who also retires this month — worked in a separate building near Staples’ 9 Building. “The Little House” provided an innovative way to teach both academic and living skills. The kids were tough, but Owen, Drenosky, paraprofessional Ann Rully and Westport Police youth officer Arnie de Carolis created a warm, family atmosphere there.

“It was a great program,” Owen says. “We were devastated when it ended.”

Generations of students are grateful that he and Drenosky remained a team. “We laughed a lot — at each other, and ourselves,” Owen recalls. “We cried some too. She’s a special person, and she touched so many people over the years.”

Coaching allowed Owen to reach other students, in different ways. “Looking back, I can’t believe the amount of time and emotional investment I put into it,” he says. Football and golf are demanding enough; he just shakes his head at the memory of “standing on the Southington ski slope at 9 p.m., when it’s minus-30 degrees.”

Much has changed over the past 36 years, of course. As a coach, he’s seen far greater parental involvement — for better and worse.

Tom Owen met Debbie Goustin -- his future wife -- at Long Lots Junior High School.

Tom Owen met Debbie Goustin — his future wife — at Long Lots Junior High School.

“Parents help a lot with organizing now,” he says, declining to discuss the negative aspects. “My parents basically just showed up at a few games.”

He has the special perspective of having attended the same school where he spent his entire teaching career.

“Things were so casual back then,” he says of his student days. “The stress level was way lower — maybe to a fault. The stress kids have today is over the top.

“We were much more independent. Our parents were way less involved. We solved things more on our own.”

He is not putting today’s teenagers down, he notes. “That’s just the way it is. I would have done better in school if I was under all the rules and regulations we have today. I definitely took advantage of the lack of discipline.”

But, he adds, “I wouldn’t do anything any differently.”

Owen’s free-spirited attitude continued into adulthood. At his retirement dinner, colleague Tony Coccoli said, “Every Tom Owen story ends with, ‘It seemed like a good idea at the time.'”

Coach Tom Owen, on the golf course.

Coach Tom Owen, on the golf course.

Retirement will give the self-described “jock” more time for sports. He and Deb’s children, Patrick and Lex, spend winters at Jackson Hole. Owen may become a ski instructor, and/or work in a golf pro shop.

“I’m 59 years old,” he says. “I’ve ‘gone to school’ for 54 of those years. This fall will be a big adjustment.

“I look forward to it. But I feel really, really fortunate to be part of Westport for so long.

“While you’re in the middle of it, things just happen. But now as I get away from it, I realize how in many ways, this town and school defined who I am.”

 

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Posted in Education, People, Sports, Staples HS, Teenagers

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Remembering Cliff Barton

Posted on April 16, 2010 | 5 comments

Cliff Barton — a longtime Westport educator — died last week.  He was 90, and had recently suffered a stroke.

An outstanding student who attended Florida A&M University on an athletic scholarship, he was a skilled practitioner of jewelry casting before earning a masters degree in education and organizational theory from Columbia University’s Teachers College.

He joined the Westport school system in 1958, and over the next 29 years served as a teacher, speech pathologist and assistant superintendent.  Throughout his career he maintained a private practice as a speech pathologist and educational consultant.

In 1958 Cliff and his wife Sylvia purchased a home on Stonecrop Road in Norwalk, integrating the neighborhood.  Cliff involved himself in a wide range of civic affairs — including the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency, the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Race Relations, the Carver Foundation, the Mid-Fairfield Child Guidance Center, Norwalk Hospital, and the Norwalk Power Squadron — that continued until his death.  He was a founding  member of the boards of the Norwalk Arts Council and Norwalk Maritime Center.

Veteran Westport educator Garry Meyers remembers Cliff Barton:

In my third of a century of Westport teaching experience, Cliff is one of the last of the greats.  He’s right up there with Gladys Mansir, Wyatt Teubert, Charlie Burke, Tony Arciola, Harold Allen, Nick Georgis and Gerry Rast, among others.

All these professionals, with diversified personalities and academic perspectives — committed to the quality education of every kid — put Westport on the Gold Coast map.

The local community of Gray Flannel suits in the time of the Famous Artists Schools wanted the best.  Then, with the Soviet challenge of Sputnik, the national government wanted the best in education as well.

The dialogue about various teaching approaches in the new Staples High School faculty room — for the first time mixed with males and females — was constant and intense, loud, humorous, sometimes angry, always provocative.

Cliff Barton, then a speech teacher who traveled among the different Westport schools and administrative offices, often punctuated the emotional dialogue with a non-controversial observation that was sane, possible and always respected.

Cliff put his words into practice as an administrator.  As the head of special education and a former teacher, he recognized the complexity of kids with physical, emotional and academic needs.  Cliff understood the political task of integrating them and their parents into the regular school community.

Adams Academy, where Cliff Barton worked his magic.

And he recognized the importance of his staff in getting the job done.  In characteristic gentlemanly style, Cliff insisted that all teachers tar themselves away from their demanding, often isolated involvement to meet every Wednesday in the supportive, informal Adams Academy — the 1-room schoolhouse away from typical, overly administrative property — where Miracle Workers could see each other as normal people.

Cliff exuded trust in us whenever we might lose trust in ourselves.  This respect and confidence ultimately extended beyond the meetings and beyond the school, into our private lives.

When I visited my former partner, former boss and old friend for the last time, I held his hand.  He clasped mine in return and whispered reassurance:  “Our paths will cross again.”

(Donations in Cliff Barton’s memory can be made to the Carver Foundation [www.carvercenterct.org] or the Norwalk Maritime Center Children’s Opportunity Fund, 10 N. Water St., Norwalk, CT 06854.)

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