Nicole Dienst ’18

Over the summer, Principal James D’Amico and administrative staff moved several offices to different locations around the school, primarily due to the selling of the Westport Public Schools technology building and in an effort to be more accessible to students.
In the front of the main office, there is a new reception area home to a large-wooden circular desk, where attendance secretary Ericka DeJesus resides. She is primarily in charge of the attendance hotline, excusing students for absences and other activities. “This will make her easier to find for students who need her,” D’Amico said, “as well as create a friendlier environment in the main office, where there was no one to help visitors when they walked in.”
Christian Myers ’18 agrees with DeJesus being more accessible. “I think that it’s important for her to be accessible so that kids who have an issue with their attendance can go talk to her easily,” Meyers said. “Moving her to the front of the office will definitely help make it easier.”
One other major change was the relocation of the grade level assistants’ offices. The grade level assistants, Andrew Carroll, Dee Hychko, Jack McFarland and Jesse McCray, are now located across from the cafeteria, next to the student outreach counselor’s office and in the previous room used for academic study hall.
“The new location is the most accessible for students because when they have an initial question or a problem, they don’t have to go all the way down to the main office to find us, and can just come to the cafeteria,” Carroll said. “It is also easier for us because most of where I interact with students is in the cafeteria. Now that my office is nearby, it is much easier and accessible for me.”
The relocation of Maria Vailakis-Wippick’s office, who is in charge of PowerSchool and data support, has been moved from the main office to the guidance department. “I’m like anyone else, I don’t like change. But now I get to interact with a different group of people including counselors, psychologists, parents and students,” Vailakis-Wippick said.
D’amico believes that these changes will have a positive effect on students and is excited to see the impact. “Making room for the technology offices was an important factor in moving things along,” he said, “but moving the grade level assistants to a space where there is more interaction with students was the primary reason.”