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Board of Ed Chair Dan Bennett Resigns

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Board of Education Chair Dan Bennett resigned Wednesday afternoon, according to a letter signed by the other eight members of the elected body. Issued along with a notice that a special meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday had been canceled, the letter is addressed to the community, as follows:
“Dear New Canaan Community, 
“This afternoon the Board of Education accepted a letter from Dan Bennett resigning from his role as Chair of the New Canaan Board of Education and from his elected position as a member of the New Canaan Board of Education, effective immediately. 
“We would like to thank Dan for his commitment and service to our town, our board and our schools. We wish Dan and his family our very best. 
“As per our Board of Education bylaws, the Board will elect a new Chair to fill the unexpired term within our next two regularly scheduled meetings. 
“Additionally, the Board vacancy will be filled by a vote of the remaining members of the Board within the next 90 days. The newly appointed member will serve until the next biennial municipal election in November 2023; at that election, a successor shall be elected for the unexpired portion of the term (2 years). 
“We thank you for your trust and support as we continue to work together on behalf of the students, staff, and community we proudly serve.”
It is signed by Board of Ed Vice Chair Katrina Parkhill, Secretary Erica Schwedel, and members Hugo Alves, Brendan Hayes, Phil Hogan, Bob Naughton, Penny Rashin and Julie Toal. The letter comes two days after Bennett said during a regular meeting that he intended to step away from the Board temporarily to address a personal situation with his family.

Alicia Meyer

Board of Ed Chair To Step Away Temporarily Following Drunk-Driving Arrest

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The chair of the Board of Education said Monday night that he will step away from the elected body temporarily. Dan Bennett read out the following prepared statement at the start of the Board’s regular meeting, held in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School, his first public comments since being arrested last week for drunk-driving:

“I wanted to make a statement to this Board and the public. After the completion of this meeting, I will be absent from Board meetings and participation in Board activities for a few weeks as I deal with a personal situation that requires my and my family’s attention. With the help of my wife and family, we will manage this situation with humility and respect. I will make no further comment on this matter, which I hope that you understand.

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Podcast: NCHS Scholarship Foundation’s ‘Color Drop’ Set for Sunday [UPDATED]

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This week on 0684-Radi0, our free podcast (subscribe here in the iTunes Store), we talk to Steffi Loomis, a board member at the New Canaan High School Scholarship Foundation, about the organization and its major fundraiser coming up this weekend. The Color Drop will take place at Waveny, at 10 a.m. Sunday, featuring a helicopter courtesy of New Canaan resident John Kjekstad, owner of HeliNY Sightseeing. The Color Drop’s sponsors include Walter Stewart’s Market, Karl Chevrolet, Franco’s Wine and April Kaynor and Kelly DeFrancesco of William Raveis Real Estate. [Note: The date has changed to Sunday due to rain expected Saturday.]

Here are recent episodes:

Around Town

Q&A: NCHS Annual Art Exhibition Opens This Week at Carriage Barn 

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New Canaan High School’s annual exhibition, “Through Our Eyes XI” (see sample gallery above) opens Friday at the Carriage Barn Arts Center and runs through April 1. There’s an opening reception from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday. We put some questions to the Carriage Barn’s executive director, Hilary Wittmann, ahead of the show. Here’s our exchange:

New Canaanite: “Through Our Eyes XI,” the annual New Canaan High School exhibition, opens this week at the Carriage Barn Arts Center. Tell us about how the show comes together in terms of curation and submissions, and the partnership between your organization and NCHS.

Abbie Dymond

Q&A: NCHS Environmental Club Launches ‘Prom Clothing Drive’

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The New Canaan High School Environmental Club, run by juniors Bridget Flatow and Abbie Dymond, and advised by science teacher Clare McLellan, is holding a prom clothing drive through April 7. We put some questions to Club members ahead of the drive. Here’s our exchange. New Canaanite: Before we get into the clothing drive, tell us about the NCHS Environmental Club. When was it founded and what does it do?