Delicate Petals on Cross Highway
Delicate flower pedals dot the grasses along Cross Highway. Photo by Preston Siroka for The Westport Local Press.
Three Staples Students Chosen to Represent USA at Hwa Chong Institution International Summit
Press Release, Westport Public SchoolsNatalie Bandura, Erin Durkin and Allison Schwartz will represent Staples High School at the Virtual HCI-APYLS 2021 event.
As one of the premier schools in Singapore, Hwa Chong Institution is eager to share its success with other high performing schools and to learn from others. For that reason, HCI has organized the Hwa Chong Asia-Pacific Young Leaders Summit which takes place virtually this year in July. HCI invites only the top student leaders from some of the best schools around the world to the Summit. In previous years, student participants came from Australia, China, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Oman, Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, United Kingdom, US and Singapore.
For the past eight years, Westport has been invited to send three juniors who are both high performing students AND interested in world affairs with a special interest in Asia. The criteria used by HCI are: a) you must be between 16 and 17 years of age; b) you must possess good oral and written proficiency; c) you must have substantial leadership experience and potential; d) you must be academically able and among the top performers in the school; e) you must possess enthusiasm and strong interest in forging ties with fellow students from around the world. The 80 student delegation invited to HCI is selective.
Congratulations to the delegates who will join students from Scarsdale High School (New York) and Dominion High School (Virginia) as representatives from the United States.
First Selectman’s COVID-19 Update: Most Town Buildings to Reopen - Masks Required
Press Release from First Selectman Jim Marpe issued the following update today:“Effective June 1, Town facilities, including the Westport Library, will be expanding capacity with the goal of returning to full in person and pre-COVID access. However, given the uncertainty of vaccination status, masks will continue to be required in all Town facilities. The following procedures will be in place” - Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe
Yesterday, Governor Ned Lamont signed an executive order enacting updated COVID-19 mask protocols in response to the new recommendations released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These recommendations allow fully vaccinated individuals to forego the use of a mask either when outdoors or when indoors with other fully vaccinated individuals. According to the Governor’s order, a face covering is required when indoors in a public place or when safe social distancing of approximately six feet from every other person is not maintained - specifically for those who are not fully vaccinated. Click here to read the entire Executive Order No. 12. According to the Westport Weston Health District, “In accordance with CDC and the CT Department of Public Health guidelines, the use of masks outdoors is no longer required, but recommended if an individual is outdoors in crowded conditions with others of unknown vaccination status and it is not possible to physically distance from others. Businesses, state and local government offices and event organizers may choose to require universal masking when there is uncertainty of the vaccination status of individuals visiting their facility and/or large crowds may be anticipated.” More information from the CT DPH can be found here.
Please note that this guidance does not mean that masks are no longer required or that social distancing is not recommended. Rather, it is a communication to those who are fully vaccinated that they may forego the use of a mask in certain, if not most, circumstances. Individual businesses and offices may continue to require people to wear a mask in their facilities.
Currently, there is no process in place to recognize the vaccination status of others. Because of that uncertainty, it is recommended that individuals err on the side of caution and assume in certain larger gatherings that there are those who are unvaccinated, and a mask should be worn. Since many institutions will follow this logic, most indoor mask wearing provisions will remain in place until there is a higher degree of certainty of increased vaccination rates.
Effective June 1, Town facilities, including the Westport Library, will be expanding capacity with the goal of returning to full in person and pre-COVID access. However, given the uncertainty of vaccination status, masks will continue to be required in all Town facilities. The following procedures will be in place:
Town Hall:
The building continues to be open to the public. Effective June 1, walk-in services for certain departments will be reintroduced. Visitors may park in the front or the rear of the building and enter through the front entrance or the handicap ramp. Sign-in will continue as visitors enter the building at the reception area. Masks will be required to enter Town Hall.
Appointments:
Appointments and remote services continue to be encouraged for the most efficient service. Most appointments will occur in the Town Hall lobby to allow for optimal air circulation and social distancing. For those who prefer to meet outdoors, the exterior tent will be reinstalled.
Plan review meetings with the Land Use Departments (Planning & Zoning, Conservation, Building and Fire Marshal) continue to be encouraged using remote technology, but those requiring in-person meetings that exceed 15 minutes should schedule an appointment during the hours of 9:30 am-12:30 pm Monday – Friday in the Town Hall lobby. Plan review with the Building Department and Fire Marshal will follow the same protocol at Fire Headquarters at 515 Post Road East.
Public Meetings:
Some public meetings will begin to return to in-person attendance by both Board/Commission members and the public. Municipalities are still authorized to host remote public meetings until July. It is expected that additional board, committee and commission in-person meetings will gradually return over this time period. Public meeting announcements will indicate how meetings will be conducted.
Parks & Recreation:
The Parks & Recreation Department will reopen its administrative office to the public beginning June 1. Masks must be worn. Please practice social distancing. Remote and online options remain the preferred methods of interacting with the Parks and Recreation Department.
Police Department:
The Police Department lobby is fully open, including the records window. Follow signage for safety procedures. Remote and online services remain preferred methods of business interaction.
Reopening Updates:
For the latest on reopening updates, please visit here. Our goal is to make the Town’s transition to pre-COVID operations as safe as possible for residents and employees. Your continued patience and cooperation are appreciated.
Certainly, anyone may wear a mask if they prefer to do so. Civil and courteous behavior towards all should continue to be the norm. Some individuals with underlying medical conditions who may be more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 should consider continued mask wearing. Such conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, diabetes and those immunocompromised. More information on underlying medical conditions can be found here.
Staples Softball Beats Darien, Celebrates Seniors, in Last Regular Game of Season
The Staples High School Varsity Softball Team (L-R, Back): Assistant Coach Dana Seymour, Jill Backus, Gabby Lantier, Caroline Coffey, Ally Schwartz, Tash Taubenhiem, Jen Westphal, Coach Bob Olah; (L-R, Front) Kate McDonald, Grace Alfero, Oliva Bernard, Ava Vincini and Miranda RodriguezUnder the bright lights of the Greens Farm School field, the Staples Varsity Softball Team beat Darien 5-4, bringing their season to an exciting 14-3 record.
Photos and story by Colleen Coffey for The Westport Local Press. Last night’s game was the last regular game of their season, with families, friends, and community members in attendance to cheer on the team while celebrating the outgoing seniors. The warm Spring evening welcomed the small crowds to the school’s ball field, with some attending the game on Facetime.
Members of the Staples Wreckers Softball team high five seniors Jill Backus.The graduating teammates were able to finish their high school softball career on a high note after losing last year’s season. Class of 2021 members include Jill Backus, Olivia Bernard, and Miranda Rodriguez
A close score marks a hard-fought win for the Wreckers. Backus and Junior Ava Vincini scored big by hitting two triples during the game, while Junior Pitcher Tasha Taubenhiem threw nine strikeouts against the Blue Wave.
The team will begin their FCIAC matches (Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference) tomorrow at 4:00 PM at the Wakeman Field on Cross Highway.
Celebrating the Class of 2021
