Supt. of Schools Elliott Landon addresses today’s Staples High School commencement exercises. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Two happy Staples grads make their way out of the Field House following commencement today. WestportNow.com photo

Staples senior Tyler Rackliffe was master of ceremonies for today’s Staples commencement. He will attend Muhlenberg College in the fall. WestportNow.com photo

Parents and family members snap pictures as members of the Staples High School Class of 2004 enter the Field House for today’s commencement exercises. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

More than 300 seniors graduated at Staples High School today in the school’s 117th commencement exercises. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Among those attending today’s Staples graduation were (l-r) Nancy Harris, assistant superintendent for business, and Board of Education members Lewis Brey, Mark Mathias, Mary Parmelee, and Mark Owades. WestportNow.com photo

Leading the procession into the Field House for today’s commencement exercises were Richard Franzis, assistant principal, Amy Chen, valedictorian, and Tyler Rackliffe, master of ceremonies. Jessica Bram for WestportNow.com

Bedford Middle School eighth graders had their moving upӔ ceremony tonight (aka, graduation). They are the first graduating class to have gone all three years at the new Bedford Middle School.The auditorium was unable to handle the crowd of 1,200 (some 237 eighth graders and their familieseach student was permitted only four tickets), so the presentation of certificates was held in the gym. Principal Angela Wormser addresses the students and guests. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Emily Laux for WestportNow.com

Staples High School principal John Brady congratulates the three nominees for the prestigious Key Award at Monday’s night’s awards ceremony—Glenn Thrope, Emily Reasor and Kira Ganga-Kieffer. The students are nominated by the staff and then voted on by the students and it is the highest honor for a senior. The winner this year was Emily Reasor. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Kerry Long for WestportNow.com

Kenneth M. Hanson, a clinical social worker at Westports Staples High School who was honored this week by the Board of Education on his retirement, will begin work in August as chief of staff to Fairfield First Selectman Kenneth Flatto.

Flatto announced HansonҒs appointment to the $79,000 a year post Wednesday. A 32-year resident of Fairfield, he replaces Vincent Cuomo who retired last week.

Hanson, 65, who once ran unsuccessfully for first selectman against then-First Selectman Jacquelyn Durrell, is a former member of several Fairfield boards and commissions.