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Parents, Schools Officials Plead: No More Cuts to Spending Request

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Saying New Canaan public schools already are slated to get far less taxpayer money than originally requested, Board of Education members and parents pleaded with the town Wednesday to avoid scaling back next year’s allocation any further. Calling some of the reductions “arbitrary,” Board of Education member Scott Gress said during a Town Council meeting that a look at taxpayer spending reveals a change in how New Canaan prioritizes its schools. “During the past decade, the Board of Education has been asked by the town’s governing bodies to accept reductions in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per year and find a way to continue to provide an exemplary education to the children of this town,” Gress said during the meeting, held in the New Canaan Nature Center’s Visitors Center. “And I’m happy to report that through some really good stewardship, I feel we’ve done this. However, our ability to continue to do so with these draconian cuts is doubtful.

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Slam Dunk for New Canaan Students, Faculty: Outback Hoops ‘March Madness’

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Basketball season officially ended this past weekend for Connecticut high schools, but perhaps nowhere in the state was the sport on display as prominently as it was at New Canaan High School Tuesday night, as the Harlem Rockets took on the New Canaan Public School faculty in the 16th Annual Outback Hoops March Madness. High-flying dunks, half court shots and tricky ball handling coupled with hijinks and pranks have made this game one of the most popular events in town for the community, with the majority of the interest coming from students. That said, according to Sangeeta Appel, president of the Board of Directors for the Outback Teen Center, part of the overarching appeal of the event stems from the unique bonding opportunity between NCPS students and their teachers. “It’s a way that the kids can connect and realize that teachers are human, that they have things that they like to do and that there’s something to them outside of what they see in the academic environment,” Appel told NewCanaanite.com. “I think it helps their relationship, and it’s a great way for them to support their teachers, because the teachers are always supporting them.”

Saxe Middle School math teacher Shannon Brown feels the event can serve as an example of perseverance and overcoming obstacles–lessons that can’t always be taught in a classroom.

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New Canaan Public Schools: Search Underway for East, West School Principals

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New Canaan Public Schools released the following information to local media Friday afternoon (and posted it to the district’s website here). The update follows the announcements that East School Principal Bunny Potts (announced last month) and West School Acting Principal Joanne LaVista (announced two weeks ago) would retire at the end of this academic year. The search process also has been kickstarted to find the next superintendent of schools for the district, following Dr. Mary Kolek’s announcement this month that she would retire June 30. Here’s the district’s news:

“The search has begun for two new elementary school principals. With the goal of welcoming two outstanding new principals to East and West Schools on July 1, 2014, the elementary principal search committee has been assembled.

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New Canaan School Board To Start Search for New Superintendent

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The Board of Education on Monday formally accepted Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mary Kolek’s resignation, effective June 30, and appointed itself as a search committee for her successor. Chair Hazel Hobbs noted during a short meeting—held in New Canaan High School’s library—that seven current school board members had been serving during the prior search, following Dr. David Abbey’s departure, including five on the prior search committee itself. “This is a short timeframe for us, but this is a very experienced and thoughtful and caring Board of Education, so I am sure the search is going to be a sincere one, well thought out and carefully done,” Hobbs said. The bulk of the meeting saw board members express gratitude and admiration for Kolek, who last Tuesday announced her retirement. In an interview with NewCanaanite.com that day, the superintendent had spotlighted close collaboration with parents and the town, as well as important programs recently introduced, such as full-day kindergarten, World Languages and an evolution of the curriculum.

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Kolek: New Canaanites ‘Will Do Anything’ To Benefit Their Children

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Town officials on Tuesday roundly praised the work and accomplishments of New Canaan Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mary Kolek in the wake of an unexpected announcement that the longtime educator would retire at the end of this academic year. While First Selectman Rob Mallozzi said he personally was saddened by the news and that it’s difficult to measure the full impact that Kolek has had on the district, Board of Ed Chair Hazel Hobbs called her a “leader, visionary and motivator.”

Kolek, who has been working in New Canaan’s school system for a full decade, the last two as superintendent, told NewCanaanite.com in an interview that she has forged deep bonds with teachers, parents and town officials who share two major priorities: children and learning. “The bond has to do with the fact that this community cares so deeply about their children, no matter whether it’s a parent or a grandparent or the people that own the stores in town or the town bodies—that’s a shared value,” Kolek said. “People have a deep respect for education and educators, and as an educator I appreciate that,” she added. “It’s easy to connect through those shared values, and we’ve done a lot of work together.”

With the town’s support, Kolek said, important programs were introduced, including full-day kindergarten, World Languages and an evolution of the curriculum.