Tag Archives: Superintendent of School Thomas Scarice

Parents Offer Proposals To Address Racism, Antisemitism

Posted on March 6, 2024 | 22 comments

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.

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Posted in Education, Local politics, Staples HS

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Scarice: “Schools Do Not Tolerate Racism. But We Must Do Better.”

Posted on February 16, 2024 | 27 comments

Early this morning, superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice reacted to charges of racism, addressed by Dr. Carol Felder and others at last night’s Board of Education meeting. He said:

During the Board of Education meeting last night, parents in our school community bravely came forward to share their painful experience of racism targeted at their children who are students in the Westport schools. In their remarks, they also challenged all of us to do better. For them and for everyone in our community, we must meet this challenge.

Let me be clear: We do not tolerate racism and other forms of hate in our schools. When we learn that a student has been targeted based on their identity, we first take steps to ensure that the student is safe and supported. Following an investigation, we take swift, decisive action and those responsible are held accountable.

I have had the privilege of meeting in the past couple of months with the parents who spoke publicly last night, and I want to respond to their question, “Can you imagine?”

In short, my answer is “no,” I cannot imagine what it would be like to suffer through their experience. I do, however, know this: No student, no person, should ever have to face discrimination or harassment based on their race. We will listen, we will learn, and while there is no cure for the virus of hate, we will continue to ensure that our schools do all we can to fight against it.

I encourage anyone within our school community who experiences or witnesses acts of hate or discrimination to report them. We will continue to engage with students, staff and families to listen, learn and take further actions that contribute to healing and reconciliation.

It is essential that we work together with the entire Westport community so that everyone in our schools and broader community is treated with dignity and respect.

Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice.

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice

 

 

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Scarice Offers Long Lots Facility Maintenance Update

Posted on February 1, 2024 | 11 comments

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice provides this update on the Long Lots Elementary School facility:

As the LLS community knows, there is a recommendation for a new construction. In the interim, the district is appropriately maintaining the facility until the opening of the new school.

Recent History (July 2021)
In July 2021, concerns were raised about elevated humidity levels in the building that could potentially lead to an increased risk of indoor mold germination. At that time, an indoor air assessment (22 interior and 6 exterior spaces) was performed by industrial hygienist consultant, Langan CT, Inc., and found that the indoor air at LLS all fell within the normal ranges when tested for fungal spores and particles with the exception of 2 locations: the auditorium and basement Room 9. They demonstrated slightly elevated levels of Aspergillus/Penicillium when compared to outdoor air.

A plan was put into place for our consulting industrial hygienists to identify the source of Aspergillus spores in the auditorium and Room 9, and direct any necessary cleaning. These areas were taken offline and cleaning protocols were implemented.

The auditorium was retested and cleared. However, it was determined that the source of elevated spore counts in basement Room 9 emanated from a doorway leading to an underground utility crawl space that traces along the building.  Consequently, it was decided that Room 9 would remain permanently offline.

Long Lots Elementary School was built in 1953.

Ongoing Prevention and Maintenance
As a result of this history, certain protocols and practices were put into place.

There will be at least 2 more school years in the current facility even if a new construction is approved and funded this spring. As I’ve stated publicly, the building is in need of being replaced. There are leaks that our facilities team works to immediately repair. The heat and A/C systems periodically need repairs. These maintenance needs are attended to in order to keep LLS safe and dry.

Here are some of the measures we take to maintain appropriate indoor air standards:

  • Regular Indoor Air Quality Testing
  • Consulting Industrial Hygienist
    • The district uses Langan, CT (https://www.langan.com/).
    • Langan is available for on-demand consultation and they perform our IAQ testing.
  • Optimize HVAC System
    • The current HVAC system is optimized and monitored by our Facilities Department to maintain appropriate temperatures and relative humidity levels.
  • Tools For Schools (TFS)Program (https://www.westportps.org/district/tools-for-schools)
    • TFS is a collaborative committee of faculty, administrators and parents who help implement an IAQ management program.
    • A binder is maintained for all IAQ incidents and available for public inspection.
    • The TFS team conducts building walk-throughs in the event of an IAQ incident or report.
  • Regular Repairs
    • Repairs are made when reported by our Facilities Department.
      • For example, ceiling tiles were recently replaced as a result of a report of visible water stains. The area was inspected to insure any active water incursion was corrected.
    • Records of all work orders are maintained.
  • Temperature/Relative Humidity Sensors
    • 16 Temp/RH sensors are spread out across the building.
    • Any deviation from temperature or relative humidity norms initiates a notification to our Facilities Department.
  • Commercial Dehumidifiers
    • The district leases 14 large commercial dehumidifier units that are placed throughout the building as relative humidity factors dictate.
    • There are currently no relative humidity levels of concern in the building. These conditions fluctuate and are impacted more in the late summer/early fall months.
  • Radon Testing
    • Testing is done every 5 years by law.
    • The last test was done in 2021 and no issues were detected.
  • “SNAP” Data
    • SNAP is our secure school nurse software suite that tracks student health.
    • This data is tracked for any student health patterns related to IAQ.

The Long Lots Elementary School campus. (Drone photo/Brandon Malin)

Current Status
Following the recently reported water incursions and reports, our facilities team and members of the TFS team conducted walk-throughs of the building. Repairs are being made to seal up areas where water incurred during recent storms.

However, an area of concern was identified. An alert was tripped in the basement that notified our facilities team.

A steam condensate return pump in a small contained maintenance service closet (dimensions:  4 feet by 5 feet) in the basement failed, causing moisture in the closet. The unit was repaired in 3 days. Due to the moisture incursion, the room was tested.

The testing found “occasional” counts of Cladosporium, Penicillium/Aspergillus, Unknown Hyphae and Ascospore spores on the service closet plaster ceiling.  Additionally, “numerous” counts of Penicillium/Aspergillus spores were found on the service room door facing surface.

The hygienist interprets “occasional” counts as no evidence of mold growth, while “numerous” counts are indicative of strong evidence of mold growth.   Additionally, due to the moisture, some tiles on the floor buckled and need to be replaced. There is asbestos in those tiles and in the adhesive mastic that needs to be abated.

When we find mold we follow EPA protocols for “Mold Removal in Schools and Commercial Buildings” and remediate (https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2014-08/documents/moldremediation.pdf).

Next Steps
After consultation with our industrial hygienists, it has been recommended to immediately clean the areas of mold in the closet and abate the asbestos during the February break when the building is not occupied.

Our Facilities Department has since removed the service closet door and covered the doorway opening with plastic sheeting while placing the service closet under negative air pressure for containment. We have been assured that the asbestos tile is undisturbed and does not pose any health concerns. Abatement and material haul away will occur in the lower level restricted to a lower level exit door.

As a precaution, three rooms (115, 130, 205) will be retested for IAQ levels.  There is no indication based on the evidence that any of these rooms warrant further intervention. Finally, LLS Principal Kim Ambrosio will reconvene the Tools For Schools team to review all of this material on February 12 so that the building level team is apprised.

Based on our fall IAQ testing, walk-throughs of the facility and consultation with our industrial hygienists, we have been assured that this is the appropriate protocol in response to this report. Again, this is a small maintenance service closet in the basement and not accessible to students or staff.

Long Lots Elementary School

Additional Information

CDC Information
According to the CDC, Aspergillus/Penicillium is a common mold that lives indoors and outdoors, and since most people breathe in fungal spores every day, “It’s probably impossible to completely avoid breathing in some Aspergillus spores. For people with healthy immune systems, breathing in Aspergillus isn’t harmful.” (https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/aspergillosis/causes.html)

However, to be clear, this information is not intended to minimize any compromises in indoor air quality. In fact, for some individuals with allergies to mold, such compromised indoor air could lead to health problems. If we find mold, we follow EPA protocols for “Mold Removal in Schools and Commercial Buildings” and remediate.

Beyond that, our standards for the quality of indoor air necessitate that any instances that affect indoor air quality are addressed immediately by following proper procedures based on the individual incident. We proactively work to prevent recurrences with the measures listed above. For mold to grow, there needs to be moisture and a food source (e.g., paper, cardboard, etc.). Once again, if we find mold, we remediate using appropriate procedures for the specific incident, clean and work to prevent further occurrences by determining and fixing the moisture source.

Connecticut Dept of Public Health
Indoor Air Quality Testing Fact Sheet: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1649440369/westport/kxltn5egioxsppf76nmj/ieq_testing_should_not_be_the_first_move_6-10.pdf

If you have any questions I encourage you to contact our Long Lots School principal, Mrs. Kim Ambrosio.

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Scarice: Community Conversation Planned; Vigilance Needed

Posted on December 16, 2023 | 23 comments

Yesterday, superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice sent a message to all Westport Public School parents. He wrote:

My apologies for the late timing of my message below. I wanted to be certain that the school community heard directly from me before the weekend.

As many of you are aware, an article circulated Thursday with a Westport parent’s account of antisemitic bullying directed at their child.

This comes at a time when there is a frightening rise in antisemitic incidents in our country. I know this, and am deeply saddened that our Jewish community is understandably feeling so vulnerable.

Let me be clear: antisemitism is vile, and is never tolerated in our schools.

When we receive reports of antisemitism, including those described in the article, we always respond and take action to keep our students safe and issue appropriate consequences, including discipline.

While we do all we can to teach our students about the impact of their words and actions, incidents do occur. For more information about how we address these matters, please see my comments on the “06880” blog.

Today, I spoke with the director of the Connecticut ADL, as well as Rabbis Friedman (Temple Israel) and Wiederhorn (The Conservative Synagogue). They shared with me how members of the Jewish community are feeling, and we had a chance to talk about what we can do moving forward.

As one important step, I am looking forward to joining them in a community conversation next month. I also look forward to continuing these conversations with other members of our community.

We will continue to be vigilant in the face of antisemitism and all other forms of hate. Of course, there’s always more work to be done. We ask that you continue to share any concerns you have with members of our administrative team.

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Posted in Education, religion

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Easing Toxic Achievement Culture: “Greet Your Children The Way Your Dog Greets You”

Posted on November 20, 2023 | 6 comments

“No one ever says, ‘I love this toxic achievement culture,'” Jennifer Wallace notes wryly.

Yet it persists.

It pervades Westport. It’s a pernicious, seemingly inescapable part of our daily lives.

Which is why hundreds of parents headed — “on a school night” — to the Westport Library last week.

Earlier in the day, 50 school counselors, mental health professionals and others who work with youth were there too.

Both audiences heard Wallace — a journalist, and author of the best-seller “Never Enough: When Achievement Pressure Becomes Toxic — and What We Can Do About It” — describe exactly the lives they live every day.

More importantly, she offered insights and strategies to lower the toxic temperature.

Wallace walks the talk. The high-achieving mother of 3 teenagers who lives on New York’s Upper East Side, and a Harvard graduate (more on that later), she knows first-hand the daily pressures that young people face.

She knows how adults — wittingly and unwittingly — reinforce those pressures.

And she knows Westport. She sees communities like ours all over the country.

Wallace’s appearances were a joint effort of the Westport Public Schools and Westport Together. Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice and several Board of Education members joined the morning and evening audiences, where Staples High school counselor Deb Slocum moderated the discussions.

Among a litany of specific examples and key points, Wallace offered a few main thoughts: Share your values with your kids; build your life around it. Show them people they know who you believe live successful lives, and define that explicitly. Don’t neglect your own relationships and connections either; they matter.

And for kids, “mattering” — the belief that they matter to their friends, their family, their school and community — is the ultimate key to “success,” whichever ways one defines those terms.

A full house packed the Westport Library’s Trefz Forum to hear Jennifer Wallace (right).

Wallace’s audiences nodded knowingly at many points of her presentations. “At least once a day,” she said, “you should greet your children the way your dog greets you.”

That means “not asking ‘how did your math test go?’ or saying ‘get ready, we have to leave soon for your next activity,'” Wallace said.

“They already know that you care about those things. They need to know that you care about them — that they matter to you. They don’t need to feel ‘I’m only as good as my schedule.”

And, she added, “The difference between a 91 and a 99 is a life.”

Wallace said there is nothing wrong with setting high standards and goals. Many high achievers thrive in those environments. The danger comes from making love and acceptance conditional on those achievements only.

Veteran Staples school counselor Deb Slocum (left) moderated the discussion with Jennifer Wallace.

Success comes in ways far beyond acceptance to highly selective colleges, for example. She had harsh words for the US News & World Report rankings, for everything from their subjectivity and secrecy to the effect they have on students, parents, high schools and colleges.

Wallace offered evidence from her research that the rank, prestige, size or type (private or public) of a college has a “negligible effect” on success in life. (Those factors are more important for students of color, and first-generation college students, she noted.)

What does count is whether students feel valued on campus by professors and peers, and through activities.

“It’s not where you go to college, but how you go,” she said. “Invest in the child, not the logo.”

Of course, she went to Harvard. She had strong words for what it does well and poorly, and downplayed the importance of that school in her eventual success.

Wallace said her family does not talk about college at home. And her children have not attended Harvard reunions with her and her husband.

A major source of tension and worry, in many Westport families.

Wallace does not blame parents for the intensity with which they’re raising their kids. A litany of factors fuels parental fears that their children will not have the same opportunities they did.

But the reality, she said, is that students at high-achieving schools are 2 to 6 times more likely than others to suffer from anxiety and depression, and 2 to 3 times more likely to abuse drugs and/or alcohol.

A parent’s job, she continued, is to “build a life your kids won’t need drugs or alcohol to escape from.”

Parents want to offer their children “a life vest in a sea of uncertainty,” Wallace said. Too often though, that life vest “is leaded. It’s drowning too many kids.”

Wallace’s parting words resounded with her audiences. “Think about your child in 20 or 30 years. What is the story you want them to tell about their childhood? And what was your role in that story?”

The Westport Public Schools and Westport Together will continue the community conversation that Wallace began. Interested high school and middle school parents are invited to meet on Wednesday, November 29; elementary school parents on Wednesday, December 6. Both sessions are from 9 to 10 a.m., in the Staples High School library.

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Posted in Children, Education, Library, Staples HS, Teenagers, Westport life

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Board Of Education: What Keeps Us Up At Night

Posted on November 15, 2023 | 7 comments

Students. The budget. Today’s world.

Those are some of the things that most worry Westport’s Board of Education.

The question “What keeps you up at night?” was one of many asked at yesterday’s “Community Conservations.”

All 7 BOE members, and Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice. joined the midday meeting that drew a large crowd to the Westport Library.

Christina Torres answered the question first. “Mental health,” she said firmly. “Grades, social media, homework — it all contributes.”

Kevin Christie’s key concern is that “every student feels a sense of belonging, so they can reach their full potential.” He knows every student may not always feel that way, despite the best efforts of the BOE, administrators and staff.

Robert Harrington called Westport’s $140 million budget “massive. And it puts the focus on us to be as efficient as we can, particularly outside the classroom.” He cited $7-$8 million in transportation costs as an example of an item that must constantly be scrutinized.

Dorie Hordon worries about “the way the world is right night. There is so much division and anger. Maneuvering through it, to mold kids into competent, thoughtful humans, is very tough.”

From left: Board of Education members Christina Torres, Kevin Christie, Robert Harrington, Dorie Hordon, Liz Heyer, Neil Phillips and Lee Goldstein; superintendent of schools Tom Scarice. (Photo/Dan Woog)

Liz Heyer — who leaves the Board of Ed on Monday, to join the Board of Finance — said that thinking about “how we innovate as a district” keeps her up, “in a positive way.” Among the innovations to consider: embracing artificial intelligence. Education will change “in ways we can’t yet imagine,” and the board must be prepared for those changes, she said.

Neil Phillips noted that “anxiety, and pressure on our kids to succeed, is pervasive. Every board decision has an impact on them. I think about every decision we make. I know all 7 members take every decision very seriously.”

Their comments — personal and specific — followed other thoughtful questions and answers. After several months filled with controversy, and a contentious election campaign, the community conversation was broad, deep and clear.

There was general consensus about the issues facing the school district, and a seeming desire to seek common ground to address them.

The board members agreed, for example, that social media is a major concern — and not the schools’ alone.

The district’s digital citizenship approach is “like throwing water on an inferno,” Scarice admitted. “Kids are exposed to a lack of civility in general.”

Hordon advocated for a class on the subject in high school, adding, “Of course, it should be reinforced at home.”

School security got high marks, with Scarice and BOE members noting that many details cannot be made public. Harrington lauded the close cooperation between the superintendent and Police Chief Foti Koskinas.

A downside of a high-performing district like Westport’s is that students feel pressured, at a young age, to specialize — choosing one sport or one activity like drama to concentrate on, one questioner said.

Scarice said, “It is a problem.” Calling himself a “type A person,” he said, “In pursuit of excellence, we may narrow our focus. It is something worthy of inquiry.”

The final question was about antisemitism.

It’s part of both the instructional curriculum and the district’s SEL (social and emotional learning). “We celebrate our differences, and also embrace our shared humanity,” Goldstein explained.

“We always address it in the schools. People need to speak up about it, and we need an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up.”

Scarice — who has reached out to local rabbis, and who praised the ADL for their practical, scenario-based training with staff — concluded, “We’ve added ‘B’ to DEI” (diversity, equity and inclusion).

“The ‘B’ stands for belonging. That feeling of acceptance is at the core of everything we do.”

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Scarice Addresses Social Media Concerns, “Toxic Achievement” Culture

Posted on October 28, 2023 | 10 comments

In the wake of several disturbing incidents involving social media (mis)use by Westport students, Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice sends this message to parents:

One of the important, but unfortunate, roles of our school administrators is to address misconduct by students ranging from minor to extremely serious. We also address the impact of any misconduct on other students and the school community.

Since the start of this school year, we have addressed acts of bullying, threatening, harassment on the basis of protected classes, and in some cases, threats of violence and actual violence.

Our new reality is that most of the incidents stem from interactions among students over social media. Students are creating and circulating videos, exchanging text messages, or recording and sharing misconduct (i.e. bullying, threatening, violence, etc.) as it occurs in real time. This is highly disturbing, and disruptive to the school environment.

Students today have access to multiple social media platforms.

If your child has access to TikTok or other social media platforms, as most secondary, and some elementary students do, they have likely viewed such videos that have originated and been widely disseminated from students in Westport, and also from others across the country.

What’s problematic is that most of these incidents originate outside of school (i.e. at home, in the community, on weekends, etc.), yet these incidents have proven to have a significant negative impact on our students’ well-being and sense of safety, as well as the entire school environment.

As such, when these incidents occur, even if off campus, it is within the purview of the school district to administer consequences and seek restoration between students when appropriate.

You will likely hear about these unfortunate incidents. However, I want to caution that information you might hear in the community is not necessarily what we have found to have actually occurred following careful investigations.

Rumor and misinformation contribute to a climate of fear. There are very clear and rigid student privacy laws that the district must follow. We cannot share all information that occurs within the disciplinary matters the schools must address.

Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice.

However, I can assure you that there are comprehensive processes in place to investigate and swiftly address these matters. Each of the incidents that has occurred this year, including those in the past month, has been handled in accordance with the district code of conduct, bullying and harassment laws, and other applicable laws.

Additionally, I can assure you that beyond consequences, the district aims to restore and provide supportive measures where appropriate. Whenever our students are affected by these incidents, we support them in a variety of ways.  We strictly prohibit all forms of bullying, harassment, and hate-based conduct, and we are constantly working toward cultivating a school culture and environment that is safe and inclusive for all students.

These are top priorities for us at all times. However, at the present moment, these incidents have taken on a heightened significance as we confront international violence and atrocities that have affected many members of our community, both directly and indirectly.

We are addressing an increasing number of off-campus social media incidents.  We cannot do this alone and need parental support. We ask that you are fully attuned to your child’s social media consumption and dissemination.

Any member of our school community who becomes aware of an act of bullying, harassment, violence, or threats should promptly report these concerns to their building principal, assistant principal, or other staff member. If you have media recordings we ask that you share them with the building administration to assist in our investigations. We take these matters extremely seriously, and we ask that our families serve as partners in helping us identify and prevent this conduct in school, out of school, and online.

Scarice also wants parents to know about an important upcoming event.

I am halfway through the book “Never Enough” by Jennifer Breheny Wallace.  As a fellow parent, I give this book my highest recommendation to our parent community.

On Wednesday, November 15, at 7 p.m. in the Westport Library, Westport Together and the Library will host the author of “Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic—and What We Can Do About It.” I strongly encourage you to make time to attend.

Drawing on interviews with families, educators, and an original survey of nearly 6,000 parents, Wallace investigates the deep roots of toxic achievement culture and finds out what we must do to support our kids. She maintains that the pressure to perform is not a matter of parental choice but is baked into our larger society and the daily experience of families. As a result, she contends that children are increasingly absorbing the message that they have no value outside of their accomplishments, a message that is reinforced by the media and greater culture at large.

Today’s students truly face unprecedented pressure to succeed, however that is defined by families and society. Through deep research and interviews with today’s leading child psychologists, Wallace illustrates that what kids need from adults is not more pressure, but to feel like they matter, that they have intrinsic self-worth not exclusively contingent upon external achievements.

Wallace makes the case that parents and educators who adopt the language and values of “mattering” help children see themselves as a valuable contributor to a larger community. In an ironic twist, Wallace shares that kids who receive consistent feedback that they matter, no matter what, are more likely to have the resilience, self-confidence, and psychological security to thrive.

If you are concerned about these dynamics for your own child, or for the community, I strongly encourage you to join us on November 15 at 7 p.m. at the Westport Library.

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Scarice: After Terror Attacks, Schools Care For All Students

Posted on October 20, 2023 | 11 comments

Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel earlier this month is an international event.

But it has local implications.

At the beginning of last night’s Board of Education meeting, Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice spoke heartfully about what the incident means, for our students — and for him.

I can speak on behalf of the Board when I reiterate that our hearts are broken for the unspeakable acts of violence and terror that occurred in Israel the weekend of October 7, and now the continued violence that is sure to engulf the region, and world, for the foreseeable future.

Together with the community, the Westport Public Schools stand against all forms of hate and violence, including of course the desecration of human life, the murder and the kidnappings of innocent citizens in Israel.

With the Board, we stand in solidarity in condemnation of these acts, and ready to support all those impacted by these atrocities.

This week I had the fortune of meeting with 4 of our local rabbis: Rabbi Wiederhorn, Rabbi Friedman, Rabbi Kantor and Rabbi Wall. This will be followed by a subsequent meeting with the Interfaith Clergy Association of Westport and Weston

I asked for this meeting in search of wisdom and knowledge … but also in search of thought partners in how to best support our Jewish students, and the Jewish community of Westport.

As Rabbi Kantor pointed out to me, there are 15 million Jews in the world, and 7 million live in Israel.

It is not just a high likelihood … it is a fact that many of our Jewish students have a direct connection to family, friends and loved ones in Israel.

That puts our schools in a position where we must provide necessary school- based supports

As Rabbi Wiederhorn pointed out to me, Israel is at war with the terror group Hamas. Collectively our local rabbis want, and pray for, peace with all neighbors, here, and internationally.

I also had the opportunity to connect with former executive director of the Connecticut ADL, Steve Ginsburg.

I had the chance to work with Steve in confronting a very public issue a couple of years ago. We became friends. And as a friend, Steve shared some wisdom with me that I would like to share with the community.

As the local rabbis cautioned me about historical increases in antisemitism following international incidents such as October 7, they noted concern for all students.

Steve also wisely advised that we remain on high alert for incidents of Islamaphobia. He indicated that historically, incidents of Islamaphobia rise following international incidents such as October 7.

We are a public education system.  We have a lane.  Although I am comfortable expressing my moral clarity on violence directed towards innocent children, elderly, families, etc. anywhere, I am mindful of my professional lane when speaking publicly on these matters. And I am quite confident that my comments will not be received with unanimous support.

That said, in my lane, I am the same exact superintendent for each and every one of our approximately 5,400 students.

Our job as public educators is to support the growth and development of our students.

That work is optimized in an environment marked by physical and emotional well-being, one in which students feel safe, and an abiding sense of belonging and affiliation. This is the foundation of all learning.

As I said in my message to the community, as much as we try, the chaos and evils of the outside world penetrate the walls of our schools. When this happens, we respond to the best of our abilities.

Rather than divide and scatter, as chaos and evil can do, we work to pull closer together as a wider Westport school community to serve our students.

This means every student. We won’t be perfect, but it will not be due to a lack of caring.

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Posted in Education, Politics

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[OPINION] Camilo Riano: “Give Parents The Representation They Deserve”

Posted on September 13, 2023 | 31 comments

On Monday, Republican Board of Education member Robert Harrington said that Republican candidate Camilo Riano “crosses the line.” Harrington cited Riano’s comments about superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice, and 2 complaints Riano filed against the town of Westport.

Riano replies:

As one of the Republican candidates for the Board of Education, I was truly hoping for a campaign in which we had substantive discussions on topics which are important to the parents, the teachers and the children of Westport. Instead, we are already down the path of character assassination.

Camilo Riano

During the past few days, there has been an increase in social media posts that reiterate the innuendo against me that my Democrat rivals have been circulating in their campaign communications. The comments are also consistent with the various smears and character attacks that their supporters have been directing towards me in different media outlets.

The objections to my candidacy seem to revolve around two major points. First, my use of the phrase “child grooming.” Second, my legal efforts, as a concerned citizen, to correct violations of the Westport town charter.

For the benefit of voters, I will address both points head on.

First, in an open letter to Superintendent Scarice, and at Board of Education meetings, I have asked for an end to the “child grooming” that is taking place within our schools.

Pornographic images are widely recognized tools within the child grooming toolkit. According to retired FBI Agent Bob Hamer, “the most important step” in seducing a child through successful grooming techniques is the introduction of “sexual talk and pornography, explaining to the child that he was old enough to understand and mature enough to appreciate sexual topics.”

Along with many parents in our community, I considered the “banned books” display that was set up at the high school library extremely problematic. Some of the images in these books were so pornographic that Dan Woog himself took them down from his website, after briefly posting them. This material was not merely sitting on the shelves of our school libraries. The book display was intentionally designed to tempt our children to review the images by inviting students to “find out why” the books were “banned.”

Three books in the Staples High School Library were challenged by parent Tina McLaughlin. A special committee later voted unanimously that the books could remain in the library. Superintendent of schools Thomas Scarice affirmed the decision; McLaughlin later dropped her appeal of that decision.

I do not believe, and never stated, that anyone connected with our schools intended to abuse our children physically, but the unintended risks associated with sexually inappropriate material are potentially very serious. If rational people are having a genuine discussion as to whether or not material displayed in our school library legally qualifies as obscenity or child pornography, something is seriously wrong.

While some might be offended by my choice of words, attacking the words I used does not change the inappropriateness of what has been taking place in our schools. Citizens have a right to dislike this word or that, but I believe most parents, across party lines, are quite uncomfortable with many things happening in our school district that would have been unimaginable in years past. I believe parents are much more concerned about the recent escalation of sexual content and themes in so many facets of our schools and much less concerned about which terms are the most politically correct. As a candidate for BOE, I stand for reasonable and appropriate boundaries when it comes to sex and gender related matters.

Second, let’s discuss my engagement with the town of Westport on the topic of the violation of the town charter. In two instances, I brought to the Town’s attention (working with an attorney who actually acts as legal counsel for multiple other towns in our state) what I believe were clear violations of the Town Charter.

In the first instance, my engagement on the subject of the composition of TEAM Westport, the town lawyer and the first selectwoman actually concurred with our analysis and responded to it by restructuring the committee to bring it in line with the charter. Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to thank me for bringing this to the town’s attention, rather than using my involvement here as some kind of talking point against me? Do we not value compliance with the law in Westport?

In the second instance, I communicated my view, supported by legal analysis, that the Board of Ed lacks the legal standing to add student representatives who will function as de facto board members. All 3 Republican board members had objections to the installation of these student “representatives.” I stand with them in their positions.

I am putting myself out there as a candidate because I have strong objections to how the Democrats, under the so-called leadership of chairperson Lee Goldstein, are running the school system. I think it is time to renew the membership of the Board of Education and give parents the representation they deserve.

I continue to believe that how we approach the issues of gender and sexuality within our schools is very important. While activists may continue to insist on their various philosophical positions, these are our children and we need to stand up for them. It was only because of strong advocacy from parents that superintendent Scarice recently had to clarify that our teachers are prohibited from inquiring about student pronouns (indirectly asking children as young as sixth grade, on their very first day of school, if they are transgendered). In some cases, teachers were even asking the students if they wanted this information to be withheld from their parents! Mr. Scarice is correct in his determination that this practice is unacceptable, and I commend him for making that unambiguous.

We should not just blindly trust ideologically motivated activists who have been ignoring what the administration told them. Parents need to be involved. This is why we have a Board of Education. By and large, our teachers are excellent and I have been always on their side, but when something is going wrong in our district, it is the obligation of good parents to step in and make their voice heard.

Enough with the personal attacks. Let’s stop distracting voters with semantics and focus on substance. Let’s have a real dialogue. I welcome the opportunity to engage with my Democrat rivals on these crucial issues.

Let’s have a meaningful and civil exchange of ideas. Let the voters decide. This is how American democracy works.

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Posted in Education, Local politics

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Scarice, Koskinas Seek School Security Upgrades

Posted on August 21, 2023 | 11 comments

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice and Police Chief Foti Koskinas have an excellent working relationship.

They share a key goal: keeping every Westport student and staff member safe, from before the start of the school day to the end of the final extracurricular activity.

But Staples High School is a sprawling, 500,000-square foot building. Cell service is spotty. In an emergency, 911 is not always an instant call away.

The enormous Staples High School campus. (Drone photo/Brandon Malin)

Thanks to a collaboration between Scarice and Koskinas. that may soon change.

This Wednesday (August 23, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall auditorium), Scarice will ask the Board of Finance for $630,000. The funds are for an enhanced security communications system, adding to the current capability to contact emergency services.

In addition, Koskinas will request $432,063. That money would pay for 3 officers to patrol 3 campuses: Coleytown Middle/Coleytown Elementary School; Kings Highway/Saugatuck Elementary; and Long Lots/Greens Farms Elementary. One officer already patrols the Staples/Bedford Middle School campus.

The officers would help with traffic, unwelcome visitors and similar issues. They would enter the schools only for emergencies.

Scarice is excited by the potential for vastly enhanced security — including the “Campus Shield” system he is proposing for Staples.

It uses radio frequency, the same system utilized by the military and first responders. (In the recent Maui wildfires, that was the only means of communication when cell service went down.)

A 1-inch by 1 -inch fob attaches to a staff member’s identification lanyard. In the event of any 911 emergency — a violent intruder, say, or a health issue — the staffer would press the fob for 2 seconds.

Within 5 seconds — and with unfailing reliability — the emergency dispatch center is notified.

A screen shows the name and profile of the faculty member, and the exact location in the building the call comes from. The nearest security camera is activated, showing the dispatch center exactly what is happening.

Every staff member with a lanyard — administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, coaches — would have the security fob.

Scarice says, “this tool enhances our current communications capability by providing instant, unfailing access to emergency responders. It is my highest recommendation, in conjunction with the Chief’s increase in officers dedicated to our schools.

“What excites me most is that this tool uses the exact same method that first responders and the military use for communications: radio frequency. This elevates our capabilities to communicate in an unfailing manner with first responders, in the event a call is necessary.”

The Board of Education has already unanimously supported Scarice’s request. The $630,000 cost might be partially offset by a state grant.

If the Board of Finance gives its okay, the security plan would go to the Representative Town Meeting for final approval.

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Posted in Education, Local politics, Staples HS

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