Connecticut Postings

Press release:

It is a fact that our children will be offered alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, often many times, starting in middle school and continuing through high school.  What can you do about this?  Learn about substance abuse and gain the knowledge and skills needed to keep your children safe.

A free parent education series, entitled Courage to Speak-Courageous Parenting 101^® developed by the Courage to Speak^® Foundation will be offered in English and Spanish at West Rocks Middle School, 81 West Rocks Road, Norwalk, CT.  The kick-off to this three-session course will be presented by nationally renowned speaker Ginger Katz, CEO and founder of the Foundation and author of Sunny’s Story, at 6:30 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011.  The Courage to Speak^® Presentation empowers students, parents and educators to break the silence surrounding drug use and find healthy solutions.

Session one of the Courage to Speak-Courageous Parenting 101^® will follow the Presentation and sessions two and three will continue Thursday, October 27^th and November 3^rd at 6:30 pm. A light meal will be served.  The course will be taught in English by Dawn Roy, MSW and in Spanish by Mille Seguinot, Community Health Educator. Parents will learn effective communication strategies; gain confidence to talk to their children about the dangers of drugs; understand how to set clear rules and boundaries with their children related to use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; and gain confidence in knowing how to deal with substance use among their children.

The course covers: teen drug use trends and party culture; guidance to help reduce the risk of substance use; how to help your child handle stress; warning signs; what to do if use or abuse is suspected and much more.  Parents will also develop improved listening and communication skills, which have been shown to be a critical factor in prevention.

Childcare is available with advance notice. For additional information contact: Ginger Katz (203) 247-3975 email gkatz@couragetospeak.org and visit www.couragetospeak.org. 

English: http://www.formstack.com/landing/WebRegister-WestRocks

Spanish: http://www.formstack.com/landing/WebRegister-Matricula

Press release:

Stratford Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Elaine Watson announced that Stratford Parents’ Place is planning their fall line-up of programs.  The popular parent-child activity sessions, support to early child care providers, Parents As Teachers home visits and information and referral are among the services.  Committed to Stratford families since 1987, Stratford Parents Place is the state-funded Family Resource Center located at Stratford Academy, 719 Birdseye Street, Stratford.  It is anticipated that the State will release the grant funds shortly and that programs will begin operation on October 10, 2011.  For the most up-to-date information, visit the Stratford Public Schools web site at www.stratfordk12.org.

Press release:

Stratford Academy Preschool located in Stratford has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals. 

“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said Superintendent Irene Cornish.  “NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible.”  The preschool is administered by Champions, a division of Knowledge Universe – a leading provider of early care and school age education and care, in partnership with the Stratford Public Schools.  Champions also administers the Franklin Preschool and four school-age programs in Stratford.

To earn NAEYC Accreditation, Stratford Academy Preschool went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related Accreditation Criteria.  The program received NAEYC Accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to ensure that the program meets each of the ten program standards.  NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts for five years.

In the 25 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education.  More than 7,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC – approximately 8 percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs. 

“The NAEYC Accreditation system raises the bar for child care centers and other early childhood programs,” said Jerlean E. Daniel, Ph.D, executive director of NAEYC. “Having earned NAEYC Accreditation is a sign that Stratford Academy Preschool is a leader in a national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education.”

The NAEYC Accreditation system has set voluntary professional standards for programs for young children since 1985.  In September 2006, the Association revised program standards and criteria to introduce a new level of quality, accountability, and service for parents and children in child care programs.  The new standards today reflect the latest research and best practices in early childhood education and development. NAEYC is committed to utilizing the newest studies and analysis on positive child outcomes to ensure young children continue receiving the highest-quality care and education possible.

The NAEYC Accreditation system was created to set professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families identify high-quality preschools, child care centers and other early education programs.  To earn NAEYC Accreditation, a program must meet each of the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards.  Programs are accredited by NAEYC for a five-year period.

For more information about NAEYC Accreditation, visit www.naeyc.org/academy.

Fairfield Ludlowe High School remembered 9/11/2001 with a ceremony dedicated to those who lost their lives. All 1400 students and teachers filled the field and gave a moment of silence, together.

- Photo and caption by Michele Hermsen, photography teacher

STRATFORD — After 16 years of operation, the financially strapped Garbage Museum will close today.

The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority board voted this morning to shut down the home of the famed Trash-o-saurus, a dinosaur sculpted from one ton of garbage, after falling $32,000 short of reaching a $100,000 fundraising goal.

The museum, which in 2010 provided educational services to 30,708 adults and children through museum visits and outreach programs, has an annual operating cost of about $300,000. But the museum’s pockets are currently only about $60,000 deep, excluding $68,000 in commitments the board was able to garner this summer from local municipalities and corporations, said CRRA spokesman Paul Nonnenmacher.

“There’s just not enough money to keep it going,” Nonnenmacher said.

Historically, the 16-year-old museum has been funded by the Southwest Connecticut Recycling Committee, a group of 19 local municipalities that trucked recyclables to the regional recycling facility and helped support the museum through deposit fees. But in 2009, several of those cities and towns pulled out of the group and began sending their recyclables elsewhere. Funding for the museum plummeted.

At the time, CRRA said the museum would likely close. But, until now, it survived on new funding sources, including a $2 fee for entry into the museum.

“The museum is a building with a a lot of interesting stuff in it, but the reason that it works so well is because of the staff,”  Nonnenmacher said. “They have been doing everything they can think of to try to keep the museum going. They have hung in there even though they knew that their jobs were in jeopardy. They could have gone out and found other jobs, but they stuck with us. That kind of dedication and loyalty is what made the museum great.”

Stephen Edwards, the only CRRA board member to vote against closing the museum Thursday morning, said he is hopeful more funding will surface over the next year and the museum will be able to reopen.

“We’re essentially going to just mothball (the exhibits) right now,” said Edwards, who is also chairman the Southwest Connecticut Recycling Committee and director of the Westport Public Works Department. “There’s no immediate need to liquidate anything. We’re going to shut the lights, close the doors and go out and try to find more funds.”

He added, “I haven’t found anyone who doesn’t think this is a worthwhile endeavor. It’s just that times are tough.”

Press release from Westport Fire Department:

Incident Date:  August 23, 2011  

Time of Incident: 12:39 PM

Incident Location:  Bedford Middle School-88 North Ave.

Type of Incident:  Computer Hardware Fire nearloading dock

Westport Firefighters were summoned to Bedford Middle School today at 12:39 PM for a report of a fire on the loading dock. Arriving Firefighters reported heavy smoke and fire coming from a large pile of old computers that were alongside the loading dock. Crews from three engines, the ladder truck and the shift commander’s vehicle went to work extinguishing the fire and evacuating the school as some smoke found its’ way into the building. Members of the Fire Marshal’s Office dug through the burned computers in an attempt to find the cause of the blaze. The cause is still under investigation. All of the fire department’s on duty crew worked the scene, which also involved overhauling the debris in order to assist the Fire Marshal’s Office in the investigation. Fairfield Fire Department sent an engine to Westport Fire Headquarters for coverage during the time of the incident. The last Westport Fire Department unit left the scene at 2:42 PM.

Assistant Chief Robert Kepchar

Shift Commander

Westport Fire Department

Press release:

The Stratford Library teen department recently concluded their annual summer reading program with the awarding of prizes. 

Teen Department Head Lucretia Duwel announced that the grand prize winners of a limousine ride on the first day of school went to Lindsey Savka, a 7th grader at Flood Middle School and Richard Francois, a sophomore at Stratford High School.  The gift is a donation from Absolute Best Limousine of Milford. 

A variety of gift baskets were also awarded to winners including Danielle Gordan who won a pet basket and attends Flood MS, Myriam Philitas (sports basket), Lauralton Hall; Maya Glenlovitch (movie basket), Flood MS and Lily DeBlasio (beach basket), Betsy Ross Magnet School.

Pictured with Teen Librarian Head Lucretia Duwel (second from right) are summer reading teens (l-r): Keyanna Kirton, Danielle Gordan, Maya Glenlovich, Richard Francois and Tim Breiner.

Youngsters at ABC Child Care & Learning Centerin Stratford recently learned about police work, stranger danger and bike safety from two Trumbull officers.

Officers Joseph Dzurenda and Robert Schwartz read the children a book about a police officer and his K-9 and allowed the youngsters to explore a police cruiser.

During a question and answer session, Manny Hernandez, a youngster in the pre-K summer program, asked the officers: “Do policemen kill monsters?”

An officer replied, “We definitely scare them away.”