Staples implements daily A/B schedule
Shira Zeiberg ’22, Staff Writer
March 25, 2020
Staples will begin an A/B schedule starting Thursday, March 26 where students meet with classes from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m for the duration of the distance learning academic plan. On A days, periods one through four will meet and on B days periods five through eight will meet. Some Staples students ...
Board of Education eliminates April break for 2020 school year
Claire Redmer ’21, Social Media Director
March 25, 2020
The Board of Education voted to cancel four days of the Westport Public School spring recess during a special meeting held virtually via Zoom on March 23. The vote was unanimous with member Vik Muktavaram abstaining. April 6 through April 9—which students originally had off from school—w...
School closure further prolonged
Finnegan Courtney ’23, Staff Writer
March 25, 2020
Governor Ned Lamont announced Monday in a news conference that all Connecticut schools will remain closed until at least April 20th due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, distance learning programs will remain in operation throughout the state. “We are not going to let this period be a loss for your kid...
Westport Center for Senior Activities closes until further notice
Serena Ye ’20, Broadcast Director
March 23, 2020
The Westport Department of Human Services (DHS) closed all facilities and daily programs at the Westport Center for Senior Activities (WCSA) until further notice due to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), effective March 11. Prior to the initial local outbreak, the department took vital steps to prep...
COVID-19 prompts standardized testing cancellations
Lucy Arrow '21, Features Editor
March 23, 2020
Multiple standardized testing dates have been cancelled in test centers across the country due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and many are not planned to reschedule. These cancelled tests include Connecticut’s in-school March SAT, the April ACT, March SAT and May SAT. The April ACT, the only test res...
Stop & Shop adjusts hours to accommodate patrons ages 60 and over
Emma Van Riper ’20, Social Media Director
March 23, 2020
Stop & Shop added a window of time from 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM for customers ages 60 and over to shop alone, effective March 19, as this age group is highly vulnerable to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The store hours for the rest of customers will be from 7:30 AM to 8:00 PM, which will give wor...
Connecticut establishments closed to restrict COVID-19 community spread
Margot Stack ’22, Staff Writer
March 20, 2020
Governor Ned Lamont has ordered all restaurants, movie theatres, gyms and bars to close in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to the Hartford Courant. In addition, President Trump has confined all gatherings to less than 10 people. Starting Monday night, local restaurants will be restricted to food de...
WWHD finishes off COVID-19 testing supplies, terminates testing
Natalie Bandura '22, Paper News Editor
March 19, 2020
The Westport-Weston Health District (WWHD) ran out of COVID-19 testing supplies and was forced to terminate testing for the purpose of tracing residents who may have come in contact with the virus. “The WWHD is no longer attempting to trace individuals who might have come into contact with the virus,...
District moves to Distance Learning model amid coronavirus pandemic
Claire Redmer ’21, Social Media Director
March 17, 2020
Westport Public Schools began Distance Learning on Tuesday March 17 in order to continue teaching students while schools are closed due to COVID-19. The district’s Distance Learning model at the high-school level requires students to complete daily assignments which are published through online platf...
President Trump imposes travel ban on Europe, prompting travel cancellations in Westport
Jack Dennison '21, Sports Editor
March 17, 2020
President Trump banned all travel between the U.S. and the European Union for 30 days last Wednesday, effective March 13, to help control the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). He later included the United Kingdom and Ireland in the ban, and advised Americans not to gather in groups of more...
Lamont temporarily closes all Connecticut public schools
Maya Hruskar '23, Staff Writer
March 16, 2020
On March 15, amid growing concerns of the Coronavirus pandemic, Governor Ned Lamont ordered Connecticut public schools closed effective March 17 until March 31, in an executive order. “To promote and secure the safety and protection of children in schools related to the risks of COVID-19, all public school classes will be canceled for all s...
New school start time frustrates parents
Giselle Oldani ’22, Web Arts Editor
March 15, 2020
Nearly 500 people have signed a petition in under a month that aims to reverse the 30 minute delayed school start time taking effect next school year. Westport parent Elena Shmonia started the petition, which consists of mainly preschool, elementary and middle school parents’ signatures. “From four years of age to 11, that is their childhood and they should be o...
Administration plans to reopen schools March 26
Charlotte Armstrong '21, Staff Writer
March 14, 2020
Westport Public Schools (WPS) are planning to reopen March 26, according to an email by Superintendent Dr. David Abbey on March 13. “During this time we will be consulting with the WWHD to evaluate COVID-19 status and its potential risk to our students and educational community,” Abbey wrote. WPS...
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Aidan Rogers '22, Staff Writer
President Trump considers quarantining parts of Connecticut
March 31, 2020
Inklings Editorial: Spread of COVID-19 displays both a unified, hostile Westport community
March 31, 2020
Seniors react to remote learning curriculum, COVID-19 updates
March 29, 2020
Westport needs community during pandemic
March 27, 2020
Remote learning promotes communication
March 27, 2020
Social Media Director
Emma Van Riper ’20, a long-time writer for Inklings, has held several positions on the paper. Joining the paper in her sophomore year, Van Riper started as a writer for the technology supplement before...