Bill Egan

The Grazing Ram: SAT Tutoring at NCHS Funded by NCCF Grant a Success

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In the fall of 2024, New Canaan High School created an SAT tutoring program available to all students. The program, in partnership with Carnegie Prep, a local leader in standardized test prep, offered eight rigorous courses with the goal of improving students’ scores for the School Day SAT in March. Need-based scholarships for the program were funded with a generous grant from the New Canaan Community Foundation (NCCF).  The program was named Equal Access for SATs (EOS). The primary goal of EOS was to level the playing field for all students and improve college outcomes for program participants

The indispensable team who dedicated their time to the creation of this program included me, along with Principal William Egan, Assistant Principal Kristi Carriero, NCCF Program Officer Meg Soffen and the rest of the organization, Director of the College and Career Susan Carroll, Jerry Carnegie III, and his amazing instructors and staff at Carnegie Prep. 

The EOS program sponsored 12 students with significant financial constraints to be able to pay for this program, all of whom were covered with a generous grant from the NCCF. 

What types of score improvements did these students see? Overall, while overall New Canaan score improvements have not been published, the NCHS students who took part in Carnegie Prep courses saw significant improvements. 

In terms of the EOS program, the students did significantly better from their PSAT to SAT scores with improvements ranging from 30 to 200 points.

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William Franklin Emmons Jr., 94

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William Franklin Emmons Jr., a 49-year resident of New Canaan, CT passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 3, 2025 in Charlotte, NC. 

He was born in Belmont, MA on April 3, 1931, a son of William F. and Alice Grimes Emmons, and raised in Arlington, MA. Bill graduated Cum Laude from Boston College in 1953. He was a three sport, four year varsity letter winning athlete, playing hockey, football, and track. He received B.C’s highest student honor, the Edward H. Finnegan award, presented to the senior who best exemplifies the university’s motto “Ever to Excel.” He played in the first annual Beanpot Tournament, between B.C., Boston University, Harvard and Northeastern. 

After graduating from college, Bill joined the United States Air Force as an Aviation Cadet, became a flight instructor, served 5 years, and retired as a captain. Following his service, during which time he met and married his beloved wife, Mary Ellen of 70 years, he joined IBM in Boston where he also flew F-86’s in the New Hampshire National Guard on weekends.

Adam Jacobson

New Canaan Dog Days Set for Sunday

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A hugely popular and free community event for dogs and dog-lovers returns to New Canaan this weekend. New Canaan Dog Days will be held 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 1 at the New Canaan Nature Center (register here). Organized and run by Pet Pantry Warehouse on Grove Street, the family-friendly New Canaan Dog Days is a fundraiser for Adopt-A-Dog. 

We caught up with Pet Pantry Executive Vice President Adam Jacobson to talk about this year’s event. 

Here’s our exchange. ***

New Canaanite: Tell us a little bit about what’s new at New Canaan Dog Days this year, and what fun activities are returning. 

Adam Jacobson: What’s new. .

John DiFederico

PHOTOS: New Canaan Police Station Renovation in Final Stages

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The renovation of the New Canaan Police Station on South Avenue is nearly complete, with the ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for June 4. Several local officers said they view the years-long project as a success, telling NewCanaanite.com during a tour Tuesday of the department that they are very pleased with all the renovations. Police Chief John DiFederico said he was very happy with the modifications, describing the new building as “amazing.”

The renovated and expanded station at 174 South Ave.—a $20 million project, $29 million with soft costs such as insurance and the temporary headquarters downtown—includes all new office space, meeting rooms, locker rooms, systems and an extended sallyport at the back. During an afternoon tour that booked up quickly online, Police Commission Chair Paul Foley detailed the process of the long-lasting project. 

“We were trying to get the building renovated years ago because of things like mold, sewer fleas, and AC issues,” he said. “We patched it together over the years and had continuous meetings debating the best location and the best designs.”

He continued: “We must have looked at 20 locations around town and finally decided that the best option was a renovation.

Opinion

Op-Ed: ‘Hidden Costs’ of Gas Leaf Blowers

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One of the hidden costs of gas leaf blowers goes beyond the noise and pollution—they’re also a tool of excessive and expensive labor, sometimes used for tasks that could be done in far more efficient, quieter, and greener ways. Unnecessary Labor & Overuse of Leaf Blowers

When you see landscapers using gas-powered leaf blowers to move just a few leaves off a driveway or the side of the road, it’s clear how inefficient this practice is. Sometimes it feels like they’re padding the bill with tasks that are a bit overkill. For example, instead of simply sweeping or raking a small area, landscapers will often resort to the loud and polluting blower, consuming fuel and time. It’s also a situation where you’re not just paying for the equipment, but for the hours spent running it, which adds unnecessary costs for homeowners.