Board of Education

‘Our Deepest Gratitude’: Board of Ed Wishes Penny Rashin the Best After 18 Years of Service

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Calling her a staunch advocate for New Canaan Public Schools students who brought collegiality, expertise, generosity and support to the role, members of the Board of Education last week wished their longest-serving colleague farewell. Penny Rashin, who is not seeking re-election, leaves the school district “an extraordinary legacy of service” after 18 years on the Board of Ed, according to Chair Hugo Alves. “Penny, on behalf of the entire board and the community you’ve served so tirelessly,” Alves said during the school board’s regular meeting, held Oct. 20 in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School. “I want to express our deepest gratitude.

News

Attention Local Businesses: NCHS ‘Senior Internship Program’ Is Seeking Host Sites

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One of the most popular programs at New Canaan High School is seeking local business to place seniors for about three weeks next spring. In 15 years, the NCHS Senior Internship Program has grown from a handful of student participants to 98% of the entire graduating class. From approximately mid-May through mid-June, NCHS seniors participate in unpaid internships with local businesses and organizations (typically during school hours, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), earning academic credit. The host sites that take in one or more students “consistently tell us that our interns bring fresh energy, curiosity, and creativity to their workplace,” according to Kelly DelMazio, senior internship coordinator at NCHS. She added: “They appreciate the extra support on projects and are impressed by the professionalism and skills our students demonstrate.”

Seniors complete 80 hours of work, and host sites report positive experiences, with 97% saying they were satisfied with their interns’ contributions last year.

Election 2025

Election 2025: Board of Education Incumbent Phil Hogan

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Board of Education incumbent Phil Hogan, a Republican, is seeking re-election. The GOP holds a 6-3 majority on the nine-member school board. Five seats are up for election: three currently held by Republicans, two by Democrats. There are three Republicans and three Democrats running for Board of Ed. Here’s our exchange with Hogan.

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District Addresses Transportation Woes Amid Successful Start at Public Schools

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Though a problem with a bus routing software that’s new to the district has caused “significant transportation challenges,” the superintendent of schools said last week, it didn’t take away from the positive energy and learning that students experienced at the start of the school year. “Our students are engaged, our teachers are energized,” Dr. Bryan Luizzi told members of the Board of Education during their regular meeting, held Sept. 2 in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School. He continued: “It’s really wonderful and we’ve been out and about throughout the week in the buildings to see that firsthand. That being said, though, I also want to acknowledge that we’ve had some significant transportation challenges this past week.

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NCPS Hires Final Certified Staff Positions as 2025-26 School Year Gets Underway 

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New Canaan Public Schools in the two weeks prior to the start of school lost three certified staff members to relocations, though the district is swiftly hiring for those jobs, officials say. The district welcomed 34 new teachers at its induction and officials thought, at the time, that the schools were fully hired “in the certified area of our staffing,” according to Darlene Pianka, director of human resources. 

“In the last two weeks we’ve had three resignations all due to the fact that people were relocating,” Pianka told members of the Board of Education at their regular meeting, held Sept. 2 in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School. “So we were unaware of that. Our wonderful administrators—and I’m not just saying that because they’re here—jumped on those situations relatively quickly.”

She continued: “And as of today, we’ve hired one of the positions, which is a literacy specialist at East School, and we are solidly in process for a technology integrator at Saxe and a psychologist that is shared between the high school and West.”

The comments came during a staffing update from Pianka.