Seniors cheer for Clay Garner of Westport (c, green tie) as he walks to get his diploma today at Greens Farms Academy. Clay was one of 83 seniors who graduated from GFA the largest graduating class in the history of the school. Sixteen of the seniors were from Westport/Weston. Thirteen other southern Connecticut towns were represented by the senior class. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The Westport Public Schools said today it will be conducting a screening to identify preschool children who are “at risk” for learning under the federal and local Title I eligibility criteria. 

The Title I screening looks at the child’s development in the areas of concepts, language, and motor.

The current Title I program is incorporated into the Westport Preschool Program, Stepping Stones Preschool.  Screening for Title I will be held on Friday, June 7 from 9 a.m. to noon at Coleytown Elementary School, 65 Easton Road, an announcement said.

The screening will take approximately 45 minutes. For this Title I screening, you must be a resident of Westport, and your child will be 3 years of age by September 2013, the announcement said.

By James Lomuscio

By a vote of 28 to 3, Westport’s Representative Town Meeting (RTM) tonight approved the Board of Education’s $104.2 million operating budget and more than $13 million for debt service and aid to private schools, a total of $117.38 million for 2013-14 school year.

Board of Education Chair Elaine Whitney presents the school budget tonight to the Representative Town Meeting. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The legislative body then finalized the overall budget, including the $75.6 million municipal budget approved Monday night, at $193.7 million by a vote of 30 with 1 abstention. The total was up 2.44 percent over the current year.

The school board’s budget approval drew a round of applause from parents and school supporters in the Town Hall auditorium, but it was not as smooth an approval as some had hoped.

Prior to the vote, RTM member Don Bergman, who voted against the budget along with Cathy Talmadge and Cornelia Olsen, gave the Board of Education a drubbing with a long list of grievances, each one beginning with the words “I am concerned.”

Nine Staples High School students of German were honored at Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business for their outstanding scores on the AATG (American Association of Teacher’s of German) exam. An elegant sit down dinner was served after a few introductory speeches were made and students received their certificates and prizes after the three-course meal. Pictured (l-r) Luke Paschal, Trevor Penwell, Carol Kochefko ( teacher of German), Maria Zachery department chair of world languages), Halie Smith, and Valerie Kirsch. Additional medal winners not pictured are: Luke Fonteyne, Dominic Shey, Louisa Freeman, Noortje Lueb, Alice McDonald, and Madison McCartin. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Jodi Reiman, a science teacher at Westport’s Coleytown Middle School, helps CMS student Charlie Colasurdo show off his winning entry called “Floating Farm” at today’s 30th annual Invention Convention at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. The eco-friendly project won an award from the CT Environmental Forum. Charlie’s idea stated: “The Floating Farm is essentially a farm on a boat. Located on a reused barge, this renewable energy-powered boat will grow organic fruits and vegetables and bring them to underserved communities.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Westport’s Staples High School today hosted five members of Singapore’s Hwa Chong Institution in a joint meeting with the Staples Task Force for its project, Westport 2025 – Meeting the Global Challenge. The initiative is aimed at defining the changing needs for a 21st century education. Hwa Chong Insitution is a premier independent school in Singapore with a rich history of 90 years that has produced 51 President’s Scholars to date. The dean of the school, Ai Chin Tan, addresses the audience, including her fellow visitors (l-r) Pei Li Liew, senior consultant/corporate services; Susan Chang, math teacher; Mui Eng Ng, English language teacher, and Hwee Joo Yeo, deputy principal. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

At a Staples High School forum today, Susan Chang describes a typical school day at at Singapore’s Hwa Chong Institution where she is a math lecturer. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

By James Lomuscio

Westport Deputy Fire Chief Robert Kepchar addresses the Boad of Education tonight. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

With the unanimous approval of the Westport Board of Education tonight, the playground behind the Long Lots Elementary School will be rebuilt and dedicated to Dylan Hockley, a 6-year old who was one of the 26 murdered in the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown.

The board agreed to accept to $117,000 gift from the New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association which is raisning funds to build 26 playgrounds throughout the tri-state area, each one dedicated to one of the victims.

“This will be the fourth,” said Deputy Fire Chief Robert Kepchar, who presented the proposed “no strings attached” gift to the school board.

Kepchar said that one such playground has already been completed in Sea Bright, N.J., and others are underway in Union Beach, N.J. and in Staten Island, N.Y.