Morning Weather Report

Today

Sunny, with a high near 59. North wind 6 to 8 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Northeast wind 3 to 6 mph.

Tomorrow

A 20 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 57. East wind 7 to 14 mph.

Tomorrow Night

Rain. Low around 49. Breezy, with an east wind 14 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Town of Westport Meeting Schedule

Board of Education Policy Committee: 8:30 AM

Sasco Brook Pollution Abatement Committee: 10:00 AM

Civilian Review Panel: 1:00 PM

Zoning Board of Appeals Special Meeting: 4:00 PM

Sherwood Mill Pond Committee: 4:30 PM

RTM Information Technology and RTM Finance Committees: 5:30 PM

Superintendent Applauds BMS 7th Grader’s Journalism; Responds to Professional Reporter’s “Clickbait” Article

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Scarice

Good 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

Letter to the Editor: “Lucky for us that they care so deeply about Westport.”

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

Jonathan Steinberg and Candice Savin are the right leaders at the right time.

Our town will need to make some difficult choices over the next several years.  Whether it be about the environment, taxes, education, or affordable housing, our town will continue to evolve.  Due, in part, to the pandemic, climate change, and ever escalating attacks on our democratic institutions (including Westport’s Board of Education), there is clearly a heightened sense that the stakes these days feel higher.  This is why it’s imperative to have as the leaders of our town a first and second selectmen who have a deep intellectual understanding of the issues, who can set ego aside in order to make tough and sometimes difficult decisions, and who are committed to doing right by all constituents.  

I have known both candidates for quite some time, not just as a political colleague or constituent, but also as friends.  I know with certainty that they are above all else people of unquestionable integrity, who are honest and not afraid to speak their truth.  These are compassionate and empathetic individuals, who understand that Westport does not and should not exist in a bubble, and who can be counted on to stand up for the things they care about without hesitation.  Lucky for us that they care so deeply about Westport.

I encourage you to support Jonathan Steinberg and Candice Savin at the polls on November 2.

Sincerely,

Lauren H. Soloff