Staples Rugby Team Ranked #20 in Nation; Heading to National Championships with the Help of Donors
The Staples High School Rugby Team celebrated on Tuesday with congratulations from community leaders. The team is flanked by First Selectman Jim Marpe and Staples High School Athletic Director Marty Lisevick (left) and Superintendent of Westport Public Schools Thomas Scarice, and Staples High School Principal Stafford Thomas (right). Contributed photo. For the first time in its history, the Staples High School Rugby Team will be heading to the National Championships in Kansas City, Missouri this June as the #20 team in the country. The team is actively seeking donations to fund the trip to the championship matches so they can compete.
Founded in 2003, the team has grown significantly in the past five years alone - going from 30 players in 2016, to 85 boys and 25 girls on the roster today. This is not just the case in Westport.
Nationally, the contact sport has grown in numbers with USA Rugby claiming 110,000 registered players as of this past Summer, and “at high school level, there are over 26,000 people participating, eight times more than there was a decade ago” according to Sport 306’s Senior Editor Niall McCague. Staples High School head coach Dave Lyme says the current number of youth and high school players is currently over 40,000 members.
While rugby grows, Forbes reports that youth football participation has dropped by over 30% since 2009’s peak seasons, and “It seems almost certain that 2020 or 2021 will see overall high school participation in tackle football drop to below 1 million players, a level of participation not seen since 1998.” (Roger Pielke).
To those unfamiliar with the sport - rugby is not seen as a pillar for safety and grace, however players and coaches describe their technique as their brain’s saving grace when it comes to taking down an opponent - leading with parts of the body such as the shoulder instead of their head, and using body mechanics that protect them from injury while attempting to gain possession of the ball - especially during stereotypical scrums.
The Staples High School Rugby Team is lead by Head Coach Dave Lyme. Lyme is not a stranger to championship matches, In 2016 he took a men’s team to the USA Rugby National Championship as head coach for the Fairfield Yankee’s; they won against a Texas opponent. Lyme also serves as Head Coach for the Westport PAL rugby team, and the Sacred Heart University rugby team. The Australian native has been involved in the sport for 45 years.
This year’s Staples Rugby Team captains are Staples Seniors Felix Pollmann, Ben LaFontan, Sam Seideman, and Dylan Garra - all of whom joined their teammates in losing an entire season due to COVID-19.
The Staples Rugby Team is seeking the community’s support as they embark on their journey to the national championships - with a fundraising goal of $50,000 through a GoFundMe campaign. Team members are looking forward to the match, which will also be attended by Connecticut’s Greenwich High School’s team as well as the Aspetuck Valley high school club. “These experiences increase player ability and opens larger opportunities for college recruitment as hundreds of college coaches and scouts will be in attendance” the club described in a release.
To learn more about the Staples High School Rugby Team, visit their website. To donate funds towards getting them to the National Championships this June, click here for their GoFundMe campaign.
edited 05/15/21
Lord and Taylor, Danbury Mall Paediatric Vaccination Clinics Open for Ages 12-15
The Community Health Center has announced that registration is open for their Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic at the Lord & Taylor site in Stamford, and the Danbury Mall site in Danbury, Connecticut. The paediatric clinics will offer six days of vaccines, each with their own respective second-dose date.
According to the Center, parents will be asked to electronically give consent for their child to receive the vaccine, and “even though they have already given consent through this process, we strongly encourage the parents to attend the vaccination clinic with their child.” a center representative said in a release. Questionnaires and consent forms will also be given at the site, or can be found here.
Parents can sign up for the Danbury Mall and Lord & Taylor vaccine clinics through the VAMS website, the Vaccine Appointment Assistance Line (1-877-918-2224), or by registering directly through the Community Health Center direct links (below).
Lord & Taylor Dates and Registration:
110 High Ridge Road, Stamford, Connecticut
Lord & Taylor, May 13th: Click here to register
Lord & Taylor, May 14th: Click here to register
Lord & Taylor, May 15th: Click here to register
Lord & Taylor, May 16th: Click here to register,
Lord & Taylor, May 17th: Click here to register
Lord & Taylor, May 18th: Click here to register
Danbury Mall Dates and Registration:
7 Backus Avenue, Danbury, Connecticut. The entrance to the site is located near the former Sears auto center in the parking lot. Please follow the directional signage to enter the area.
Danbury Mall, May 13th: Click here to register
Danbury Mall, May 14th: Click here to register
Danbury Mall, May 15th: Click here to register
Danbury Mall, May 16th: Click here to register,
Danbury Mall, May 17th: Click here to register
Danbury Mall, May 18th: Click here to register
Westport Public Schools named “Best Community for Music Education” Ninth Year in a Row
The Staples High School Jazz Band prepares a pre-recorded piece for America’s Voices performances. Press ReleaseThe Westport Public Schools has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from the NAMM Foundation for the ninth year in a row. Recognized for its outstanding commitment to music education, Westport joins 623 districts across the country in receiving this prestigious award for 2021.
The Best Communities Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students. Districts that have been recognized by the NAMM Foundation are often held up as models for other educators looking to elevate their own music education programs.
To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Westport answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. The Music Department has been fortunate to forge partnerships with community organizations such as the Westport Library, the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts, PTA Cultural, WestPAC and Westport Arts Advisory Committee, all who recognize and value the importance of the arts in education.
This award also recognizes that Westport is leading the way with learning opportunities as outlined in the new federal education legislation, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA recommends music and the Arts as important elements in a well-rounded education for all children.
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about the NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.
NYC Public Schools: No More Snow Days, “Plan on Participating in Remote Learning”
The New York City Department of Education announced yesterday that snow days will be a thing of history for the next generation of new yorkers.
With the release of their 2021/2022 academic calendar, families and educators noticed the bullet point that confirmed a fear for many in the education community. The NYC DoE stated: “On ‘Snow days’ or days when school buildings are closed due to an emergency, all students and families should plan on participating in remote learning.”
Days filled with hot cocoa, playing in the snow, and no worries remained this year for Westport students, as Westport Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice described himself in a December 14th, 2020 email as a “purist”, saying “ I do believe that for most children, the experience of a snow day can be an unforgettable part of childhood and a unique opportunity for unstructured play.”
Staples High School Welcomes Dr. Proskinitopoulos as New Assistant Principal
Press ReleaseThe Westport Board of Education is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Parthena Penny Proskinitopoulos as an Assistant Principal at Staples High School, effective July 1, 2021.
Dr. Proskinitopoulos is seen as a talented educator who has excelled in the area of school leadership. Her career as an educator began in 2006 as a social studies teacher with the Fairfield Public Schools. Dr. Proskinitopoulos continued in that role until 2014 when she assumed the role of Technology Integration Specialist. This past year she served as an Interim Assistant Principal at Roger Ludlowe Middle School.
As an educator who embodies the belief in a growth mindset, Dr. Proskinitopoulos is seen as a true leader who inspires the best from those around her. Her work in providing professional development for teachers and fellow administrators has always been a focus of her work. While these efforts have proven invaluable over her career, they have been particularly recognized as critical to the success her colleagues have had in navigating the difficulties of teaching and leading during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ultimately the needs of students are at the heart of her work, and Dr. Proskinitopoulos’s commitment to children will serve as an asset to the Staples High School community.
Dr. Proskinitopoulos holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. John’s University and both a Masters of Arts in Teaching and Sixth Year Diploma in Educational Leadership from Sacred Heart University. In addition, she has a Doctorate of Educational Leadership from the University of Bridgeport.
A colleague of Dr. Proskinitopoulos shared, “Simply put, she is one of the finest educators I know. This is because she is smart, passionate about learning and instructional improvement, eager to collaborate, a consummate problem solver, committed to her work, and genuinely thoughtful and kind.” Another colleague wrote, “She ranks in the top tier of educators that I have had the pleasure to work with in my career in education. I know that she can make a significant impact at the high school level in an administrative role.” These comments are echoed by Stafford Thomas, Principal of Staples High School who noted, “Penny was the standout candidate out of a very large and talented administrator pool this year. She is absolutely thrilled to be joining our team at Staples and I am excited that her arrival will coincide with our team’s summer efforts to create an exciting and fulfilling 2021-2022 school year for our Wreckers!”
Superintendent: No COVID-19 Cases to Report ahead of Weekend
From Superintendent Thomas ScariceDear Westport Families and Staff,
I am pleased to share that we have no new cases of Covid-19, associated with our schools, to report today.
As a reminder, families are asked to report positive COVID-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email regardless of whether the students are in remote or in-person models of instruction. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.
Additionally, we want to remind families that students with pending Covid-19 tests should not return to school until receiving negative results. This approach is critical in helping us continue minimizing the potential for transmission in our schools.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Staples Educator Named Teacher of the Year by the American Lawyers Alliance
Press Release, Westport Public Schools2021 Teacher of the Year to Suzanne Kammerman
Suzanne Kammerman, a Staples High School civics teacher, has been awarded the prestigious 2021 Teacher of the Year Award from the American Lawyers Alliance. She was selected for the award from a competitive group of nominees from 16 states across the country.
Suzanne has been teaching social studies for 14 years and brought her expertise about government to the classroom from her previous career as a journalist in Washington D.C. In 2019, she was selected by The League of Women Voters to train in the Harvard Case Study Method. Most notably, she is the founder of the nationally-recognized We the People program at Staples High School.
In a time where teaching and learning has faced new challenges, Suzanne has consistently shown her dedication and creativity in her classroom for students in-person and online in order to promote civic engagement.
Superintendent: 15 New COVID-19 Cases in District, 9 at Staples
Press ReleaseDear Westport Families and Staff,
In our efforts to remain transparent with reports of positive Covid-19 cases associated with our schools, we will continue to provide these updates as information is confirmed. As of the time I am writing to you this morning, we have 15 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 from the vacation week. The reports came from the following schools:
Coleytown Elementary School - 1
Greens Farms Elementary School - 1
Kings Highway Elementary School - 1
Saugatuck Elementary School - 1
Bedford Middle School - 2
Staples High School - 9
As a reminder, families are asked to report positive COVID-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email regardless of whether the students are in remote or hybrid models of instruction. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.
Additionally, we want to remind families that students with pending Covid-19 tests should not return to school until receiving negative results. This approach is critical in helping us continue minimizing the potential for transmission in our schools.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Staples High School Valedictorian, Salutatorian Announced
Konur Nordberg, Staples High School Valedictorian for the Class of 2021Valedictorian: Konur Nordberg, Duke University
Salutatorian: Hannah Even, Princeton University
Konur Nordberg and Hannah Even call themselves “STEM students.” They’re intrigued by math and science courses like physics and calculus. But both also loved some of their humanities courses.
They did well in whatever they took – and they took some of Staples High School’s most rigorous courses. They earned the two highest grade point averages at the academically demanding school. Konur is valedictorian, and Hannah salutatorian. Both will deliver speeches during graduation ceremonies in June.
The pair are also products of the Westport Public Schools. Konur attended Saugatuck Elementary and Bedford Middle Schools. He was an avid soccer and basketball player while younger. At Staples he played soccer and ran track for three years, and raced on the ski team for two.
He was also a member of the school’s Service League of Boys. He participated in a variety of community projects, including clean-up efforts, soup kitchens and fundraising. “I met a lot of grateful people,” Konur says. “And doing it with friends made it special.”
STEM-oriented classes like Advanced Placement Chemistry taught by Dominick Messina, and Advanced Computer Science with Dr. Nick Morgan, were particularly enjoyable and challenging. “I’m a very logical person. Those are fields I may want to go into. It was fascinating to see how many applications there are for them.”
But United States History with Nell-Ayn Lynch also piqued his interest. In fact, he says, the entire Staples environment – which “shows you how to be academically rigorous, with so many amazing courses, but offers so many clubs and sports too” – played a role in his success.
Hannah Even, Salutatorian of Staples High School’s Class of 2021 COVID disrupted that environment, beginning last spring. Sports had always provided a balance to Konur’s school day, and helped him manage his time. Instead he ran on his own, and adjusted to distance learning. “I adapted,” he says simply. “Teachers were pretty helpful.”
Konur did not set out to become valedictorian. In fact, “as a freshman I didn’t even know what that was.” But from a young age his parents had instilled in him a desire to try hard in whatever he did.
“You can’t obsess about every grade and test,” he notes. “That can drive you crazy.” It’s much better to “live a balanced life, in and out of school. I was lucky to be able to figure out that balance.”
He recognizes that being Staples High School’s valedictorian is an enormous honor, and credits his teachers for their support and positive influence.
He is not sure what he’ll talk about when he delivers his address. However, Konur says, he remembers writing letters “to our future selves” on the last day of fifth and seventh grades. They are returned to seniors before graduation. As he and the Class of 2021 look forward, he may well use those letters as a way to reflect on how far he’s come.
This fall, Konur heads to Duke University.
Hannah, the salutatorian, applied her STEM skills in two types of competitions. At Long Lots Elementary School she participated in Math Olympiad; at Bedford Middle School she captained her Science Olympiad team to the national competition.
“That introduced me to engineering,” she recalls. “I saw how physics overlapped between science and math.” She also realized that math relates to “real life” – particularly when her team built a hovercraft (and won first place at the state meet).
Hannah continued Science Olympiad at Staples, and was again captain. She is vice president of the Science National Honor Society, and a member of its math counterpart. She is also on the math team (captain), works on the STEM Journal, and tutors with Top Hat.
“It all makes sense to me,” she says of science and math. “There are so many creative paths to get to a fundamental conclusion.”
Hannah’s favorite courses include Advanced Placement Chemistry with Mr. Messina, (Konur is a classmate), Advanced Placement Physics with David Scrofani, Pre-Calculus with Rasha Tarek, Advanced Placement Language with Mary Fulco – and Advanced Placement Government with Suzanne Kammerman
“That was not in my wheelhouse,” she admits. “But it became one my favorite classes. It was cool to take it in a year when there was so much going on politically.”
Distance learning during the pandemic took some of the stress off – with fewer extracurricular opportunities, she could spend more time on schoolwork and college applications – but Hannah missed debating ideas face-to-face with teachers and students.
Earning salutatorian honors “just happened,” Hannah says. “It was important to me that I took classes I liked. But of course I wanted to do well in them. This is really a great honor. There are so many good students at Staples. It’s nice to know I’ve made it through, and my work paid off.”
Her advice to younger students: “There’s a lot of pressure to take AP classes, just for the credit. But if you don’t like the subject, you won’t do well. Take classes you have a passion for. You’ll enjoy them more. You’ll even enjoy studying for the tests.”
Hannah plans to study engineering at Princeton University.
Staples High School Announces April Students of the Month
L-R: Henrick Hovstadius, Domenic Petrosinelli , Ari Lerner (missing from photo: Leo Fielding and Bruno Guiduli). Press ReleasePrincipal Thomas has announced Staples High School’s recipient’s for April Student of the Month:
Bruno Guiduli- Gr.11
Henrik Hovstadius- Gr. 12
Ari Lerner- Gr. 10
Domenic Petrosinelli- Gr. 9
Leo Fielding – Gr. 10
The Students of the Month award program recognizes students who help make Staples High School a welcoming place for their peers and teachers alike.
They are the “glue” of the Staples community: the type of kind, cheerful, hard-working, trustworthy students that keep the high school together, making it the special place that it is. Students of the month are nominated by their teachers, who are asked to think of those students who come to school regularly, are friendly to the staff and to fellow students, and make positive contributions in class as well as the Staples community.
In short, these students are all-around good citizens of our school. Students of the Month are not necessarily star athletes, high honor students, or lead performers, and even if they are, this award recognizes the positive attitude they bring to school every day in making Staples High School a genial place in which to learn and teach.