By James Lomuscio

On the surface, it seems like an unlikely match: a conservative, Christian, mostly Republican university and a woman who describes herself as “a Democrat, liberal, and I’m Jewish.”

Laure Sudreau-Rippe: giving back in a big way. Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The match seems even more unlikely when one considers the enormity of Westporter Laure Sudreau-Rippe’s recent gift to Pepperdine University’s School of Law—$3 million. The money goes to establish an endowed chair, the first to be given by a female alumna.

True, the law school is different from the undergraduate school, Sudreau-Rippe says, but there was something about the school’s overriding message that she saw reflected her own faith—giving back.

“People right now who have the ability to give back and to help people should,” she said. “But they’re not doing it. There’s a general sense of that in our country in hard times.”

By James Lomuscio

From how to attract the best teachers to cost saving measures to making sure that each child reaches his or her potential, four candidates for Westport’s Board of Education faced myriad questions at tonight’s Westport League of Women Voters (LWV) forum at Town Hall.

Board of Education candidates answer questions tonight: (l-r) Jeannie Smith, Michael Gordon, Mark Mathias, and Jennifer Tooker. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com

Highly civil and with a question-and-answer setup rather than a debate, the hour-and-a-half forum featured Democratic candidates Mark Mathias and Michael Gordon and Republicans Jennifer Tooker and Jeannie Smith.

Charlotte Garrell, president of the Fairfield League of Women’s Voters moderated the event, which was co-sponsored by the Westport Y’s Women and the Westport Woman’s Club, as well as the Westport LWV.

On how to attract the best teachers, Tooker cited “excellent facilities” and infrastructure to support programs, as well as “clear performance evaluations and objectives.”

Members of the League of Women Voters of Westport screened questions tonight at the Board of Education candidates appearance at Westport Town Hall. Pictured (l-r) are: Kitty Graves, Christine O’Sullivan,  Julie Belaga, and Pat Shea. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com

The Westport Board of Education tonight honored the nominees for the 2012 Teacher of the Year award including Karrie Sadler, the fifth grade teacher at the Green’s Farms Elementary School who won the award. She is with parents Caryl and Michael Reilly who are Hamden residents, the community in which she was born. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Westport Superintendent of Schools Elliot Landon said tonight Westport schools will open on Wednesday, a day later than scheduled.

He said because of ongoing power problems, all Westport schools will be closed for teachers on Monday.

All professional development activities for teachers that were scheduled for the day have been canceled as were all activities for parents and students, he said.

All teacher, parent and student programs and activities that were planned for Monday will be held on Tuesday, Landon said.

There was an overflow crowd today at Westport’s Staples HIgh School as teachers and administrators gathered for the school year welcoming ceremony that included announcement of Teacher of the Year. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

By James Lomuscio

At its first meeting heralding the the unofficial end of summer and the start of new academic year, the Westport Board of Education tonight unanimously approved the transfer of $387,523 within its 2010-11 budget.

The transfer makes a final adjustment to budgeted line items reflecting actual expenses for the year, the report states.

The five members present also approved the End of Year Financial Report presented by Nancy Harris, assistant superintendent of business.

The 16-page report detailed all of the expenses for the last year’s more than $96.07 million operating budget. According to Harris, the transfer was necessitated by the board voting to return $283,654 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (AARA) funds to the town.

Greenwich has appointed a Westport teacher as the assistant principal of the system’s International School at Dundee.

Greenwich Superintendent of Schools Sidney Freund said the appointment of Patricia Finnegan is effective Aug. 15.

The International School at Dundee serves students from kindergarten through fifth grade and teaches the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program.

A Greenwich announcement said Finnegan has been an educator with Westport Public Schools since 1997, starting as a long-term substitute.

By James Lomuscio

Westport resident Zac Zeitlin, 36, is one of nine appointments Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has made to the Board of Regents for Higher Education.
Zac Zeitlin: challenge is to do more with less. Contributed photo

In his new role, Zeitlin, the father of three young children, will oversee the four regional state universities, the community college system and Charter Oak State College.

He is a former partner of Silver Point Capital in Greenwich where he ran the Principal Finance business until he retired last year.

“I’m very excited to have a chance to understand the system and to have a positive impact on it,” said Zeitlin.