By James Lomuscio

As far as action items go, things went rather smoothly tonight at Westport’s Board of Finance meeting.

Republican John Pincavage was elected new chair of the Board of Finance tonight. Democrat Brian Stern was elected vice chair. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Republican John Pincavage was unanimously elected chairman and Democrat Brian Stern, vice chairman.

The board also unanimously approved an appropriation of $249,587 to the Levitt Pavilion account for contingency costs on the construction of the new pavilion. Also unanimously approved was an appropriation of $497,595 to be reimbursed by a state grant for new downtown sidewalk curbings, street lamps, trees and other infrastructure.

Again, action items, of which there were eight, went smoothly. It was the final, eleventh-hour discussion item put forth by Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon that left finance board members flabbergasted.

The Westport Public Schools performed above the state’s “ultimate target” on the Connecticut Mastery Tests (CMTs) and the Connecticut Academic Performance Tests (CAPTs), according to a report released by the state Department of Education.

The report, “Connecticut 2012-13 School Classifications,” examines 1,300 public schools based on test scores and graduation rates as outlined by the state Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Westport’s district performance index (DPI) was 93.9 for the CMTs and 93.3 for the CAPTs, indices above the state’s goal of 88 on both tests.

The state used a five-tier classification of schools: excelling, in which 25 percent of the students who scored about the state goal were considered advanced; progressing, schools that reached the state goal and above; transitioning, where the student performance index (SPI) was between 64 and 87; review, schools with an SPI below 64; and focus, considered the lowest performing schools in the state.

By James Lomuscio

Launched in the sixth grade this year, the Westport school system’s STEM program aimed at fostering hands-on creativity in science, technology engineering and math, thus the acronym, will be expanded to the seventh and eighth grades at Coleytown and Bedford Middle schools next year.

Elaine Whitney: “A major positive step forward.” Contributed photo

After hours of discussion and public input over the past several weeks, the Board of Education voted unanimously Monday night to expand STEM, making it available one day a week in the sixth and seventh grades and two days a week in the eighth.

The decision, however, has not been without concerns from some since it will mean a 20 percent reduction in presentation/drama time, from 90 hours to 72, over the three years of middle school.

Still, to hear board members tell it, presentation skills being incorporated across the curriculum can easily be part of STEM.

The Westport Board of Education reminded residents today that it is seeking candidates to apply by noon Wednesday to fill a board vacancy caused when Republican Jennifer Tooker stepped down to run for and be elected to the Board of Finance.

The successful candidate will serve on the school board from the date of appointment until the next election scheduled for November 2015, according to Michael Gordon, board secretary who is accepting applications.

Gordon said that individuals interested in being considered for appointment must be: a registered Republican; willing to be interviewed by both the Board of Education and the Republican Town Committee; available for an interview the evenings of Monday, Dec. 9 and/or Sunday Dec. 15; and willing to serve and attend school board meetings immediately upon his or her appointment Monday Dec. 16.

Letters of application can be submitted either by email or in person to: Michael Gordon, Secretary, Board of Education, Town Hall, Room 307, 110 Myrtle Ave., Westport, CT 06880, or email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Eighth grade students at Westport’s Bedford Middle School have just ended the 10th annual Penny War” to support the annual holiday appeal by the Westport Department of Human Services. Students in three teams collected pennies to set a school record of $9,721.51. The McCabe Team was declared the winner. Students and teachers thanked the Bedford PTA for its support in transporting the money to be counted at local banks. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The Westport Board of Education tonight unanimously re-elected Democrat Elaine Whitney as its chair and elected Republican Jeannie Smith as vice-chair. Both won election on Nov. 5.

Elaine Whitney: re-elected unanimously. Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

“I am honored and humbled by the confidence shown in me,” said Whitney, who pledged to maintain the board’s nonpartisanship as demonstrated by electing a Republican vice chair.

Whitney has served as board chair since November 2012 when she took over from then acting vice chair Republican Jim Marpe who succeeded Democrat Don O’Day when he resigned in October 2012. Marpe resigned to run for first selectman and was elected earlier this month.

Whitney, who holds an undergraduate degree from Yale and an MBA from Northwestern University, was co-president of the Long Lots Elementary School PTA until appointed to the board in January 2009. She succeeded Marjorie Cion, a Democrat, who resigned.

UPDATE For the first time, the Coleytown/Bedford Middle School Robotics Club sponsored two middle school teams to compete in the First Lego League (FLL) International Robotics Competition.

The Mechnical Masterminds (l-r) Sunil Green, David Oestreicher (teacher), Daniel Westphal, Josh Zhang, Justin Schmidt (back), Nick Durkin, John McNab, Dan Cortright (teacher), Rob Diorio, Nick Ambrose, Andy Zheng, and Kim Matarese (teacher).  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The Mechanical Masterminds and The Inventors of Pie both competed Saturday in the Greenwich qualifying tournament for the FLL at Greenwich Academy and each took home top honors. In addition, the Mechanical Masterminds advanced to the Connecticut State final.

The Mechanical Masterminds won the Robot Performance Award and the Research and Presentation Award. The Inventors of Pie won the Robotics Design Award.

In addition, Team SNAP, a privately organized and funded team of five Coleytown Middle Schoolers, also advanced to the state final in a competition in Shelton, winning the second place Championship Award and the Robot Performance Award. (See WestportNow Nov. 24, 2013)

More than100 persons gathered at the Bedford Middle School auditorium tonight for a public meeting that encouraged comments on state mandates that may be detrimental to teaching and learning in Connecticut’s public schools. State Rep Gail Lavielle, (R-143) who represents Westport, Norwalk, and Wilton and is a member of the task force created by the state legislature to identify areas where schools should seek relief from state mandates, organized and led the meeting. She stressed that the process is “truly bipartisan” as she prepares a legislative proposal for the 2014 session which opens during the first week of February. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

State Rep. Gail Lavielle (l) (R-143) was joined by Colleen Palmer, superintendent of the Weston Public Schools, as she led tonight’s discussion at Bedford Middle School about mandates impacting Connecticut schools. Both are members of a legislative task force studying the issue.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Westport Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon told a meeting at Bedford Middle School tonight on state mandates impacting education that mandates in special education and educator evaluation should be reduced, eliminated, or modified. This would enable Westport educators to serve children in the Westport school system in the most effective manner possible, he said. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com