By James Lomuscio

Up until today, 16-year-old Tian Huang said his only exposure to the United States was what he had gleaned from movies and books.

Singapore student Tian Huang (2nd l), 16, is greeted at Staples High School today by Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon, (l) and his host family, the Kaners, from whom Tian said he hopes to learn about “the real United States.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) James Lomuscio for WestportNow.com

But after a 23-hour flight from Singapore, the student from the Hwa Chong Institution seemed eager to learn American culture first hand.

“I hope to learn more about the United States and its educational system, and to learn about the real United States and how it works,” Tian said outside of Staples High School.

Staples is where Tian met with his host family, Avi and Liz Kaner and their sons Jack, a Staples sophomore, and Jonathan, who is in the eighth grade at Bedford Middle School.

By James Lomuscio

School security, bus delays making children late for school, the common core, even the lack of racial diversity among teachers were among the topics the Democratic and Republican candidates for the Westport Board of Education discussed today at a public forum.

Board of Education candidates taking part included (l-r) Elaine Whitney, Brett Aronow, Jeanie Smith, Karen Kleine and Michael McGovern. Dianne Wildman was moderator. James Lomuscio for WestportNow.com

The occasion was a standing-room-only, PTA Council-sponsored event moderated by television journalist Dianne Wildman in The Westport Library’s McManus Room.

Wildman, a Westporter and former Cablevsion executive producer and NBC News correspondent, said at the outset that she wanted the candidates to mix it up and quipped about bloodletting.

But the Republicans Michael McGovern and Jeannie Smith, both incumbents, and newcomer Karen Kleine, as well as the Democrats, Elaine Whitney, board chairwoman, and board member Brett Aronow, remained cordial throughout.

By James Lomuscio

UPDATE (adds clarification of McGovern remarks, Whitney comment) Michael McGovern, the Board of Education’s vice chairman, told the Board of Finance Wednesday night that as a parent and citizen he was disappointed with the slow progress the school system and the town have made in working toward a comprehensive school security plan.

Michael McGovern: “it’s taken too long.” Contributed photo

“I’m pleased we’re at point of where we’re actually getting proposals and RFPs (requests for proposals) and moving forward, but we have to recognize that it’s taken too long for what are really kind of common sense suggestions to be made, to be implemented,” McGovern said.

“By the time we turn a screwdriver in the schools, we will unfortunately see the one year anniversary of the attacks at Sandy Hook,” he added.

Several months ago the finance board approved $100,000 to hire Kroll Security Advisors to perform a security audit of the town’s schools. The approval stipulated that the town’s police and fire departments be involved in the process.

Staples High School Principal John Dodig announced today that 27 Staples seniors have been named as Commended Students in the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program. 

A letter of commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corp. will be presented to the students who participate and excel in nearly every activity Staples High School offers, Dodig said.

Those cited are singers, athletes, journalists, computer whizzes, piano players, artists and actors, he said. They take Advanced Placement (AP) and honors classes, along with culinary, graphic design and are active in community service clubs.

The students include: Sara Banbury, Deanna Baris, Melissa Beretta, Ryder Chasin, Katherine Cion, Jack Cody, Tristan Forbes, Meghan Fox, Beatrice Gomes, Michelle Gurevich, Cecilia Kiker, Max Liben, Alex Mapley, Tyler Marks, William McDonald, Connor Mitnick, Anais Mitra, Emma Moskovitz, Victoria Nachman, Jessica Pressman, Jake Reiner, Daniel Shapiro, Ariana Sherman, Alec Solder, Carly Steckel, Baxter Stein and Nicholas Stern.

The U.S. Department of Education announced today that Westport’s Staples High School has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School for its academic excellence.

Only two high schools in the state – the other is Weston High School – and two elementary schools in Monroe and West Hartford were designated for the honor this year. In all, 236 public schools and 50 private schools were recognized.

The last Westport school to be named a Blue Ribbon School was Bedford Middle School in 2009.

The U.S. Department of Education administers the program which honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement to high levels.

UPDATE Westport will receive a state grant of $261,083 to upgrade school security, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has announced. The grant is contingent on town approval to spend $1.25 million on the upgrades.

Westport is among 36 school districts in the state that will receive funds in the first round of the Competitive Grant Program for school security as part of part of the Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety Act, Malloy’s office announced.

State funding of $5 million will be used to reimburse municipalities for a portion of the costs associated with security infrastructure improvements made in the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, the announcement said.

Westport submitted an application detailing $999,559 in school security costs, according to the announcement.

Nine Westport Staples High School seniors have been chosen as semifinalists in the 59th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, school officials announced today.

The nine Staples semifinalists in the 59th annual National Merit Scholarship are (back row, l-r) Ben Goldschlager, Katherine Zhou, Mrinal Kumar, Charles Jersey, Warren Schorr and Steven Sobel; (front eow):  Eliza Llewellyn,Sara Fox, & Amanda Mezoff (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Nationwide, 16,000 semifinalists, fewer than 1 percent of all high school seniors, will compete for 8,000 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $35 million.

The Staples semifinalists are Sarah Fox, Ben Goldschlager, Charles Jersey, Mrinal Kumar, Eliza Llewellyn, Amanda Mezoff, Warren Schorr, Steven Sobel and Katherine Zhou.

Staples principal John Dodig praised the students, calling them indicative of “an outstanding student body.”