Category: Education - Page 76

Sunday, October 18, 2026

Orphenians in Holiday Concert at Rotary

The Westport Rotary Club today hosted the Staples High School Orphenians for a holiday concert. The annual apperance at holiday time took place at the club’s weekly meeting in Branson Hall at Christ & Holy Trinity Church. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Feeling the Music

Luke Rosenberg, director of the Staples High School Orphenians, leads the group in a holiday concert today at the weekly meeting of the Westport Rotary Club. This is the fifth holiday season for Rosenberg, who on leads the Orphenians in the annual candlelight concert on Friday and Saturday. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Gallery: Orphenians at Rotary Club

Scenes from today’s StaplesHigh School Orphenians annual holiday concert at the weekly meeting of the Westport Rotary Club. Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com and WestportNow.com photos

Westporter Promotes Water Cleanliness to Bridgeporters

Westporter Robin Tauck was invited by the New Beginnings Family Academy, a tuition-free public charter school in Bridgeport, to talk about water cleanliness on Monday. Tauck read from “The Beautiful Pond” by Westport author and artist Judith Orseck Katz about Sherwood Mill Pond, which Tauck sponsored. And she helped the youngsters paint watercolors of their favorite places. Tauck was one of a number of outsiders the school has invited to speak on current topics. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Monday, December 5th, 2016

Educators, Town Officials Brace for Budget Woes

By James Lomuscio

A new state law requring total town budgets not be more than a 2.5 percent increase over the previous year beginning fiscal year 2018-19 took center stage tonight at the Westport Board of Education.

Joining the board in talks about the 2017-18 school budget were members of the Board of Finance and Representative Town Meeting (RTM) as well as First Selectman Jim Marpe.

The bottom line: such mandated fiscal belt tightening will increase budget woes as the town grapples with the state’s fiscal crisis, unfunded educational mandates, educational cost sharing (ECS) grant cuts, contractual obligations outpacing inflation and per pupil expenditures jumping 11 percent in the past three years, town and school officials said.

Towns where the total budgets, municipal and school, exceed 2.5 percent will be penalized in terms of state funding, according to the mandate. The total operating budget for the town and schools this fiscal year in $204 million.

Staples Students Build Tesla App

By Ellery Saluck

An Advanced Placement (AP) computer science project seems poised to pay off big for two Staples High School entrepreneurs.

Neal Soni (l) and Dylan Diamond with a Tesla they can control from their too. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Ellery Saluck for WestportNow.com

Junior Neal Soni and senior Dylan Diamond have created their very own app called Tesla Toolbox. It allows owners of the electric car Tesla to track their speed, route and power usage.

It also lets them control features like lights, the locking and unlocking car doors, the opening and closing garage doors, even climate control.

Users can also start their Tesla or drive it forward or backward without being in it, but with the mere touch of a iPhone.

Saturday, December 3rd, 2016

Music for Farmers Market Shopping

Westport Farmers Market visitors today were treated to classical music performed by four members of the Staples High School Chamber Orchestra. Pictured (l-r) are James Gikas 14, Jack Whitten 16, Paz Meyers, 14, and Michael Fording, 16. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Lynn U. Miller for WestportNow.com

Friday, December 2nd, 2016

BMS ‘Penny Wars’ Raise $11,800 for Charity

“The Great Penny Wars” have been fought again at Westport’s Bedford Middle School, and the winner is Westport’s community giving organizations.

Bedford Middle School eighth grade teacher Kevin Cuccaro with a portion of the coins collected. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

Taking part in this year’s battle were 270 eighth graders who waged a friendly but spirited competition to see which teams, or “pods,” could raise the most funds for the annual effort.

When it was all over, it turned out this year’s competition was the most successful in the 12-year history of the program, raising $11,800, organizers said. The funds will aid the holiday gift drive of the Westport Department of Human Services and other charitable programs.

Since the program’s 2004 inception, more than $80,000 has been donated — testament to the spirit of giving among Bedford students.

Thursday, December 1st, 2016

Arts Center Hosts Workshop on Bullying

The Westport Arts Center and the Anti-Defamation League tonight presented a free workshop for parents of elementary and middle school students, “Bullying, Name-Calling and Cyberbullying: What Children Wish Their Parents Knew.” The speaker, Marji Lipshez-Shapiro, director of education for the ADL, shared insights she has gained from working with young people across the state over the past 26 years, and provided prevention and intervention strategies for parents.The workshop also included a panel of area high school students who shared their personal experiences and responded to questions.The event is part of the community programming for WAC’s current exhibition, “MORE Than Words/#iammore,” a juried community exhibition focused on courage, resilience and empowerment in the face of bullying. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Aubrey Grodin for WestportNow.com

Wednesday, November 30th, 2016

Getting Ready for ‘Peter Pan’

Bedford Middle School students today held a dress rehearsal for this weekend’s production of “Peter Pan.” A cast of more than 70 seventh and eighth graders helps Peter and friends fly in the beloved classic. Performances are Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m, and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.bedfordactinggroup.com or at the door—$15 for adults and $10 for students. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com