Dr. Bryan Luizzi

‘Words Cannot Describe How Grateful We Are’: Hawk’s Court Opens at Saxe

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Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi has a plaque in his office, he told a crowd of about 40 people gathered outside Saxe Middle School on Monday afternoon. “It says, ‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,’ ” Luizzi told Saxe students, parents, staff and faculty moments before formally cutting the ribbon at the new “Hawk’s Court,” a gift of the Parent Teacher Council. 

“And when this first came together, it definitely was a bit of a moonshot,” he continued, addressing Saxe PTC Co-Presidents Jess Huetter and Jessica Knowles on a warm, sunny day. “But to your credit, you had the courage to take it, to go for it and to work with us, with the town, with everybody to put this together. And really, it’s another example of how the quality of the idea on behalf of the children is the single most important factor that we use in our decision-making.”

The ribbon-cutting, attended by Luizzi, Huetter and Knowles as well as Saxe Middle School Principal David Gusitsch, the Saxe Hawks mascot and students Alex Knowles and William Huetter, marked the culmination of a $170,000 fundraising effort and summer court installation overseen by town and district officials. It was followed by a students vs.

Board of Selectmen

Outdoor Basketball Courts at Saxe To Get Major Upgrade

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The well-used basketball courts behind Saxe Middle School stand to get a major upgrade, thanks to the foresight and generosity of the Parent Teacher Council. Cracked and with weeds growing out of the asphalt, the outdoor courts currently aren’t regulation for middle school use, according to Saxe PTC Co-Presidents Jess Huetter and Jessica Knowles. Yet the courts rank among “the most utilized” spaces at Saxe by students and the wider community, Knowles told members of the Board of Selectmen at their most recent meeting. “There are kids of all grades, all ages at school, genders—it’s used on the weekends by the community, after soccer practice, lacrosse practice, kids come and play, there’s always pick-up basketball games,” Knowles said during a presentation to the selectmen at their Feb. 20 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.

Board of Education

Election 2021 Republican Caucus: Board of Education Candidate Jess Huetter

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New Canaan resident Jess Huetter is seeking the endorsement of the Republican Party for a seat on the elected Board of Education. We put some questions to Huetter about her candidacy. Our exchange follows. New Canaanite: Tell us about yourself—how long have you lived in New Canaan, what have you been involved with here in town and what has led you to seek elected office? Jess Huetter: I have lived in New Canaan for just over seven years, having moved here when we returned from London. We chose New Canaan because of the quality of the schools, the character of the town and the relative ease of the commute to New York City. My husband, Jim, and I have an 11-year-old daughter who is entering sixth grade at Saxe and a 7-year-old son who will be entering third grade at South, after attending East for kindergarten through second grade. Getting involved in the New Canaan community was very important to me once I stopped working full time. I have served as the most recent president of the East PTC for two years, treasurer of the East PTC for the two years prior, and am currently the equipment manager for the New Canaan Football Club and the aquatics co-chair for the New Canaan Field Club. Previously, I served as the VP of Communications for the Young Women’s League of New Canaan and the VP of ad sales for Newcomers.