Staples Student Spends Summer Exploring the Universe
Press Release
Over 39 intense days this summer, Rebecca Schussheim of Westport, a student at Staples High School, operated a research-grade telescope to take images of a near-earth asteroid, then calculated its orbital path, including the chance it will impact Earth in the future. She gained hands-on experience with vector calculus, physics, astronomy, and programming in Python.
Schussheim participated in the Summer Science Program (SSP), joining some of the world’s most promising science students for academic challenge, collaboration, and personal growth. Since 1959, this unique and highly selective program has offered teenagers their first taste of hands-on, authentic experimental research. Years and even decades later, alumni describe it as “the educational experience of a lifetime.” Most go on to earn advanced degrees and leadership roles in their chosen careers.
Schussheim and her colleagues spent over 300 hours collecting and analyzing data in teams of three, overseen by experienced researchers. They also had the opportunity to hear from and interact with prominent guest speakers.
SSP is operated by an independent non-profit, in cooperation with its host campuses: Indiana University Bloomington, New Mexico Tech, Purdue University, University of Colorado Boulder, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and academic affiliates: Caltech, MIT, and Harvey Mudd College. For complete information, visit SummerScience.org.
Board of Education Gives Nod to Allow Optional Masking for February 28th
In a special meeting of the Westport Board of Education tonight, Board Chair Lee Goldstein described the Board’s overall support in the superintendent and his allowing Westport students to choose to unmask beginning February 28th. The Board also described policy that allows the Superintendent to make decisions “to develop health and safety protocols related to COVID-19 (the “Safety Protocols”) consistent with applicable laws, rules, regulations, and requirements, and to consider current guidance in the development of the Safety Protocols.”
Superintendent Tom Scarice gave a brief explanation as to why he decided to recommend the switch while giving a brief health and wellness update with Supervisor of Health Services Suzanne Levasseur. Scarice described a lack of masking outside of the school day, high student vaccination rates, and a continued downward trend in cases after the omnicron variant swept through Westport as some of his reasons that guided his decision to allow the optional policy. Scarice’s recommendation came after Governor Ned Lamont announced on February 7th the ending of the State masking mandate at the end of the month, with multiple districts in the surrounding area subsequently announcing their plans to transition to the mask optional policy as soon as they’re able to.
Tonight’s meeting was not a vote, but a discussion amongst educational leaders and members of the public. Explicit support in the Superintendent’s plan was given by Board of Education members and several parents who spoke at the podium while other parents described concern with unmasking directly after the district’s winter break. Scarice announced that parents would be contacted at the end of this week with updates after tonight’s meeting, with Chair Goldstein giving the overall nod - saying that she expects them to be moving forward with the plan to allow optional masking on February 28th.
The Board of Education’s policy committee will be meeting tomorrow, February 17th at 11:00 AM to discuss the masking and COVID-19 policies in addition to “Equity in Girls and Boys Sports, Student and Family Data Privacy, and "Board/Schools Interaction with Town-Appointed Committees and Community Groups.” Click here for the agenda.
The next full Board of Education meeting will be on Monday, February 28th.
Coleytown Company Kids, Broadway Stars, and a Live Audience Celebrate the Return to the Stage; Tickets Still Available
Members of the Coleytown Company and a live audience will return to the middle school’s auditorium for the first time in over three years with their production of All Together Now.
All Together Now is a worldwide celebration organized by Music Theater International - who is allowing participating theater groups to use their musical revue songs free of charge. As the world continues to climb out of the pandemic era lockdowns, the licensing agency decided the donation of the popular musical hits for one weekend only is a way for organizations to fundraise and promote their performing arts centers’ re-openings.
Broadway Star Aimee Turner and Coleytown Company Director Ben FrimmerSo with the usually expensive licensing fees waived and rehearsals complete, Coleytown Company will join over 2,500 other theaters and over one million audience members across the globe Saturday as the kids sing and dance their way back into the spotlight. However they won’t do this alone, as ten Broadway stars have signed on to perform with the local middle schoolers for the one-night-only audience.
The curtain’s opening will be extra special for the Coleytown community. Although lockdowns affected the word in early 2020, Coleytown Company was shuttered even earlier after their building was closed for emergency renovations in September of 2018. After over three years, the students returned to a new school and new way of learning - something Coleytown Company Director and Theater Arts Educator Ben Frimmer had to compete with as he directed kids who had never experienced the Coleytown stage before. Through intensive rehearsals and with a minimal budget, the crew is ready to welcome audiences tomorrow both in person and through a virtual stream.
Click here to purchase tickets for tomorrow night’s performance and to support the Coleytown Company and their dedication to the musical theater tradition in Westport.
Superintendent Applauds BMS 7th Grader’s Journalism; Responds to Professional Reporter’s “Clickbait” Article
Superintendent of Schools Thomas ScariceGood morning,
On Jun 21, 2021, Ursus, the Bedford Middle School student newspaper, ran a story written by 7th grader, Owen Boberski, which captured the highlights of his interview with me. The subject of the story was an inquiry into the 2021-2022 opening of schools and how Covid mitigating measures might play a role. The reporting was balanced, information was verified, context was provided, and the article was void of bias. These are minimum standards of reporting that we expect. We should be proud of our middle school and high school newspapers, our outstanding and ethical faculty advisors, and the standards that they collectively uphold.
Last night I arrived home late and was met with a link to this article: https://www.westport-news.com/news/article/Westport-superintendent-looking-into-possible-16565569.php. I am disappointed to observe a lack of the reporting standards our own students maintain in this article.
Unfortunately, this is nothing more than clickbait. Clickbait can be defined as a headline or article whose main purpose is to attract attention and encourage visitors to click on a link.
Last week I was, in fact, called by the Westport News new reporter Serenity Bishop. In the conversation I was told that there was an anonymous report of black mold at SES. I told the reporter that this was not reported to anyone in the district and I was unaware of any anonymous reports. I shared that a new roof project is scheduled and that as with buildings in need of roofs, leaks happen. They are addressed and remediated. We then discussed, at length, the recent Bedford and Long Lots reports and follow up actions, as well as our standard procedures when reports are made.
There have been no reports of black mold at SES. In fact, the SES administration just conducted a Tools for Schools (TFS) walk through of the building last week with the TFS team as part of our ongoing commitment to monitoring indoor air quality conditions in our buildings. By using our five senses and some simple tools, the TFS team uses a practical approach to evaluate heating and ventilation systems, classrooms, cafeterias, hallways, and entry paths.
Again, I have confirmed with Mrs. Messler that there have been no reports of black mold.
I called the reporter last night to share my disappointment in this low standard of reporting.
I do see an opportunity here. Last week, in a community forum, we discussed the capacities, competencies, and skills our kids will need to thrive in the modern world. This article is a great example of how important it is to teach our children about the need to identify reliable sources, and to recognize bias and substandard sources of information. Our students are drowning in information and equipping them with the tools to distinguish between good sources and substandard sources will serve them well.
If anyone in the school community has a report to make about indoor air quality, or any other topic, please contact the building principal so that the concern can be appropriately addressed.
Respectfully,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools