Letter to the Editor: A Momentous Time in Westport Education

To the Editor:

The Westport school district has just completed its most impactful year in a generation.  Starting July 1, our two important new hires will begin their leadership posts: Dr. Colleen Palmer as superintendent and Mr. James D'Amico as principal of Staples.  Both have significant experience as academic leaders and will foster continuous improvement in our already-strong school district.
 
Connecting with Our Community
 
Stay tuned for a calendar of upcoming opportunities this summer and fall for members of the community to meet our new superintendent, Dr. Palmer.  She is planning a host of informal coffees, meetings, and gatherings at which she would enjoy hearing perspectives on what is cherished most about our district and what are areas that might be explored for further enhancement.  We encourage everyone to participate in one of these events and personally welcome our new superintendent.
 
Guiding Principles
 
Starting next year, our schools will be guided by four principles that embody the values we aspire to for our students and ourselves: social and emotional awareness, kindness with sincerity, principled in thought and action, and learning always. Known as the "Guiding Principles," these are ways of being that will make up the fabric of everything we do in Kindergarten through 12th grade both in and out of the classroom. Having these clearly articulated guiding principles truly sets Westport apart in giving our children proven skills needed to succeed long after they graduate.  
 
New for Next Year
 
The budget we developed for next year saw the leanest increase in many years - and yet we are making many program improvements.  Starting in September, Staples will introduce nine new courses across multiple subject areas.  Each elementary school will have a half-time science coach and dedicated laboratory, further enhancing our commitment to that discipline.  We also are incorporating new elements of strategic planning that align our budget closely with longer-term goals.  We want to thank our administrators who put together a budget that moved us forward academically while remaining fiscally disciplined.  We also want to thank our outstanding teachers and staff who meet our mission for Westport's children each day.
 
Forum
 
This year the Board of Education had its first brown bag lunch for members of the community.  Many parents attended to share their ideas and to ask questions about how to improve a successful school system.  We are following up on many of the issues raised with the administration as well as at our upcoming meetings.  We would like to thank the PTA and the entire parent community for their engagement at the forum and throughout the year.  Their support is vital to our collective strength.
 
A Final Thank You
 
Dr. Landon is retiring after 17 years as superintendent of schools.  We want to thank him for his successful leadership of our district, his strong academic vision, and his hiring of tremendously talented teachers and administrators throughout Westport.  We appreciate all that he has done for the community and congratulate him on his retirement.
 
We wish the Westport community the best for a relaxing and fun summer that recharges and reenergizes everyone for the exciting year ahead.
 
Westport Board of Education

Michael Gordon, Chair
Jeannie Smith, Vice Chair
Elaine Whitney, Secretary
Brett Aronow
Karen Kleine
Mark Mathias
Vik Muktavaram