BOE votes to remove the Innovation Fund

Katie Simons ’22, Arts Editor

March 3, 2020

The Board of Education (BOE) voted 5-2 to remove the Innovation Fund funding for the 2020-21 school year in a 5-2 vote during their meeting on Feb. 10 to reduce the budget and because of the lack of applicants. The Innovation Fund was created to inspire creativity within the Westport school system. T...

BOE considers cutting 2 Staples staff positions

Katie Simons ’22 and Prasaus Yeager ’22, Arts Editor and Staff Writer

February 7, 2020

The Board of Education (BOE) announced on Jan. 27 that they were considering cutting two teacher positions, one position each  English and science departments at Staples High School. Costs accrued for treating the mold at Coleytown Middle School, upgrading facilities in other Westport schools and addressing the staff healthcare cost surge have contributed to heavy hits on the budget. Estimates for thes...

State of the Town Address discusses yearly updates, fiscal challenges

Natalie Bandura '22, Paper News Editor

January 29, 2020

First Selectman Jim Marpe and Board of Education Chair Candice Savin spoke at Westport’s State of the Town Address on Jan. 26 in the Westport Public Library to report on town and school accomplishments over the past year and discuss ongoing challenges, most significantly the closing of retail businesse...

Westport Police Department purchases Tesla

Roxy Augeri ’20

January 3, 2020

Trump’s tax plan disastrous in every way

November 7, 2017

By Madison Sell '18 A few weeks ago, Trump released his official tax plan pending congressional approval. There has been major backlash from both sides of the isle, and rightfully so. Trump’s plan enhances many pre existing problems and creates plenty of new ones as well, many of which contradi...

Board of Education discusses further budget restoration

April 25, 2017

By Becky Hoving '17 Members of the Board of Education (BoE) met Monday, April 24 to respond to the restoration of $310,000 to the Westport Public Schools budget. The restoration is a response to the initial $2.4 million dollar cut to the annual budget that Superintendent Dr. Colleen Palmer warned...

Superintendent warns faculty of budget reduction after state education cuts

Fritz Schemel '17, Editor in Chief

March 9, 2017

By Fritz Schemel '17 In an e-mail Tuesday to Staples faculty, Superintendent Colleen Palmer detailed the impacts recent state budget cuts to Westport’s education system will have. In her letter, Palmer said the district has lost $2.4 million dollars in support from the state this year in their...

Board of Finance approves proposed BOE budget

Eliza Llewellyn, Web Managing Editor

March 21, 2014

Thursday night’s Board of Finance meeting sparked debate and discussion, but ultimately resulted in the approval of the BOE’s proposed budget in a 4-3 vote. The budget proposal, a 4.82 percent increase over last year’s, reflected alterations made in a closed-session BOE meeting earlier that...

Blame, solutions swirl around $2 mill shortfall

Eliza Llewellyn, Web Managing Editor

January 31, 2014

At the Dec. 11 Board of Finance meeting, news of a shortfall of roughly $1.9 million shook the board. Since then, questions have revolved around who’s to blame and how to make up the deficit. “I was shocked when I heard the amount,” Board of Finance member Mike Rea said.  “It was a perfect storm,...

Board of Education talks budget

Alexa Di Luca, Staff Writer

January 9, 2014

On Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m. the Board of Education (BOE) meeting attracted parents and members of the Westport community due to the current deficit of approximately $2 million. The main topics of the night included an update and action plan for the 2013-14 budget and a proposal for the Superintendent’s...

Board of Education debates start times, but not for Staples

Will McDonald, Managing Editor

October 26, 2013

With a leaner docket than normal meetings, turnout for Monday’s Board of Education meeting was rather low. The main issue on the agenda was school start times and how bussing can be rearranged to even out the start time disparity that currently exists between most middle and elementary schools. Currently,...

Subbing Out: Spending on Substitute Teachers Goes Over Budget

Bailey Ethier, News Editor

September 26, 2013

During the 2012-13 school year Westport Public Schools went $222,039, 0.33 percent, over budget on salaries due to an “extensive use of substitute teachers and non-certified staff overtime,” according to the Westport Board of Education agenda for Aug. 26. Substitute teacher Michael Herring said ...

Safe for Now: Board of Ed Rehires Teachers for 2011-12 School Year

June 6, 2011

2011 has been a bleak year for hundreds of Connecticut educators, as budget cuts in towns across the state have threatened the jobs of many teachers and paraprofessionals. Urban districts and wealthy suburban towns alike have taken measures – some more drastic than others – to cut down on the n...