Board of Education

Pilot Program: Board of Ed Approves Policy for Bringing Certified Therapy Dogs into Schools

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The Board of Education during its most recent meeting voted unanimously in favor of a policy designed to oversee a pilot program whereby a certified therapy dog can visit New Canaan Public Schools. Led by a teacher who also is a trainer, the program has already seen a certified therapy dog visit South School once “and it was a big hit,” according to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi. 

“And not only was it a big hit, it was a big dog—it’s a Newfoundland, hard to miss,” Luizzi said during the Board’s regular meeting, held Nov. 20 in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School. “But it was wonderful. The kids loved it.

Board of Education

Following State Law, Board of Ed Updates Kindergarten Policy for 2024-25 School Year

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The Board of Education last week unanimously approved a revised policy regarding kindergarteners, following a new state law that takes effect in the 2024-25 school year. Under the law, children must be five years old by Sept. 1, 2024 in order to start kindergarten that year, though children who do not meet that cutoff date may still be admitted into kindergarten with a written request from a parent or guardian and school “assessment” to determine that the admission would be developmentally appropriate for the child. 

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi noted during the Board’s regular meeting Nov. 20 that the change effectively shifts the age of eligibility for kindergarten from children who turn five before Dec. 31 to Sept.

News

‘An Incredible Human Being’: Board of Ed Accepts Gift from Unnamed Donor for Lunch Program Support

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The Board of Education last week voted unanimously to accept a donation that helps kids enrolled in New Canaan Public Schools’ free and reduced lunch program. The “incredibly generous donation” from an unnamed individual goes into an initiative that the district piloted last year within the program, according to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi. “Without going into too much detail, the long and short of it is that it’s an opportunity to help children across the district that are in that program to have a little bit more flexibility in their purchasing of snacks and food in our cafeteria,” Luizzi said during the Board of Ed’s regular meeting, held Nov. 20 in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School. “There’s one anonymous donor who’s underwriting this for us,” Luizzi said before the school board voted 9-0 in favor of accepting the $27,649.76 donation, facilitated by the New Canaan Community Foundation.

Board of Education

Board of Ed Elects Hugo Alves as Chair [UPDATED]

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The Board of Education on Monday night voted 6-3 in favor of Hugo Alves as the elected body’s new chair. Elected to two-year terms in 2021 and 2023, Alves is a member of the school board’s Resources Committee. In the wider community, the Republican—a financial planner, by profession—volunteers on the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society’s Board of Governors. In nominating Alves during the Board of Ed’s regular meeting, member Julie Toal said, “I love working with Hugo and I’ve sat across from him for two years now.” 

“And I love watching him from across the room, holding court with the administration and the other Board members,” Toal said during the meeting, held in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School. “And I think Hugo has earned everybody’s trust and formed solid relationships with all of us sitting up here at this table.

Board of Education

‘Politics Divide School Communities’: Board of Ed Chair Addresses Partisanship at Final Meeting

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New Canaan’s longtime Board of Education chair during her final meeting last week expressed gratitude to the district’s administration, fellow school board members, municipal officials and the wider community while also calling for an end to partisanship. Katrina Parkhill, a school board member for nearly seven years and its chair for the past four—encompassing the entire COVID-19 pandemic—said she had three messages after reflecting on her time on the elected body, starting with “stay the course.”

“I believe that the foundation of our school system’s success is predicated on how we, and so many before us, work together to lead our district forward, maintain a culture of mutual trust and respect, and put students at the center of everything we do,” Parkhill said a final Board meeting for herself and fellow BOE member Bob Naughton, held Nov. 6 in the Wagner Room at New Canaan High School (the eve of Election Day). 

“These are qualities that have defined New Canaan Public Schools for years and we should never take them for granted,” she continued. “As we continue to move through this challenging and transformative period in education and in our nation, we must continue to lean into these qualities and nurture and respect how we got here. Most of our policies and Board practices have been in place for a long time, and they have served us well.