Westport Board Of Education Plans To Host 2nd Community Conversation

WESTPORT, CT — Following the success of the first meeting earlier this week, the Westport Board of Education will host another community conversation in the near future, according to board members.

A specific date for the forum has not been established, but in an open letter to residents, the board said it found the first meeting productive.

"We want to thank everyone for the robust community conversation (recording archived here) this past Tuesday," officials wrote. "It was substantial and helpful to hear so many different viewpoints and questions around a range of topics. We particularly extend our gratitude to Velma Heller, who moderated with grace and expertise."

Among the topics discussed included how the district should address the adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the instructional and mental health needs of students, reported the Westport Journal.

"There were a number of topics listed as areas of interest, and we did not get to cover all of them," officials wrote. "We will schedule another community conversation to take up where we left off - specifically around a dialogue about books in our high school library that are being challenged and our equity action planning. It's a tricky time with the holidays, work, and our personal lives but we are committed to holding that event - in the evening this time - as soon as possible. Please be patient as we find the date."