Thursday, May 10, 2012
In this day of partisan politics, a politician can either be partisan and get nothing done or be practical and be successful for his or her district.
Editor's note: Jason Santi is a Democrat representing Stratford's Fourth District on the Town Council. He joined five Republicans in voting 'yes' on a budget for fiscal year 2013. I wanted to thank my fellow Council members in the majority and the mayor's office for working together in a bipartisan manner on the budget first of all. Second of all, I made it no secret that my top goal was to save Franklin School from eventually being closed or the school being shafted because of politics. For the last 3 years, it has been at the top of the list for closure, even up until March, when the budget was given to us. Even though there wasn't any direct public threat this year to close it afterward, there were times, I had heard privately, the …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Graduates received their degrees during Sunday's commencement ceremonies for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at UConn. Scroll down for the complete list of Stratford students.
Thousands of family and friends watched on Sunday afternoon as nearly 2,700 students from the University of Connecticut's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) became UConn graduates during commencement ceremonies at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs. Representing 55 different majors from 23 departments, students received their diplomas in dual ceremonies Sunday in disciplines ranging from journalism, psychology and political science to communications, human development and family studies. Students were addressed by Cindy Luo, a graduating senior from Madison, a dual-degree student with majors in linguistics and philosophy, classics and ancient Mediterranean studies and English. UConn President Susan Herbst delivered the keynote address. "…
Meanwhile, advocates for Stratford Animal Control are denied a $17,000 funding boost.
Stratford Town Council members passed a budget Tuesday that will apparently restore freshman high school sports, ensure that the Stratford Library is plenty busy on Sundays, and clean up the town's sidewalks and foreclosed properties. By a 6-to-4 vote, Council members approved an amended operating budget for fiscal year 2013 totaling $190,861,641. The total is about $270,000 less than Mayor John A. Harkins' proposed budget, and about $2.3 million more than the budget for the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2012. The mill rate, also approved by the same 6-to-4 vote, will increase the average annual tax bill by about $58. Council members were able to trim the mayor's budget due in large part to $222,000 in realized savings for medical …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Many questions still remained about the education reform agreement that the governor and legislature announced Monday night.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy got an education reform package late Monday, while the Connecticut Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, also appeared to get what it wanted, as the final agreement appears to be somewhat of a compromise between the governor's initial proposal and ones backed by the union. Although details of the agreement were still cloudy late Monday, and any bill making the proposed reforms law must still be approved by the legislature, Malloy hailed the agreement as one that will bring "meaningful education reform" to Connecticut. "I can say, with confidence, that this bill will allow us to begin fixing what is broken in our public schools," Malloy said during a hastily assembled press conference late Monday…
Thursday, May 3, 2012
From the Dean's List to business honors to the theatre, Stratford natives are active at university.
These students may have moved on to school outside of Stratford, but they are still making their hometown proud by making the grade. Michelle Karasik, from Stratford, Conn., was named to the Dean's List at Villanova University for the fall 2011 semester. Karasik is enrolled in the Villanova School of Business. Villanova University Dean's List recipients are honored by their college's respective dean. To qualify, one must be a matriculated full-time student and earn a semester grade point average of at least 3.5. -- Shannon Dempsey of Stratford was among 554 students who made the Dean's Honor List at California Lutheran University for the fall semester. Dempsey is a senior and a communication major. Students qualify for the Dean's List by …
Monday, April 30, 2012
The Red Devils come up 9 strokes short today.
The Stratford High School golf team fell to Newtown High School, 185 to 176, in a match Monday played at the Mill River Country Club. Here are the results from today's match (36 is par): Newtown HS Results Brian Leblanc: 41 Vivek Tedla: 42 Chris Erikson: 46 Rob Marona: 47 Total: 176 Stratford HS Results Tom Nalzinski: 43 Kyle Murphy: 44 Ryan Steinburg: 46 Andrew Murray: 52 Total: 185
Rumour Has It competes on a TV talent show. Voting closes Thursday at 9 a.m.
The following is a message from Jeff Leinen, director of choirs and theatre arts at Stratford High School. Four singers from Stratford High School's Girls A cappella Group entered a singing competition sponsored by Cablevision's MSG VARSITY, iO TV, channel 14 and have made it to the semi-finals! The girls include Mary Touringy, Megan Aviles, Samantha Feliciano, and Abbie Perez. They call themselves Rumour Has It, and their performance will air on Sunday, April 29, at 8 p.m. on Channel 14 (Click here to watch the performance). They need all the possible votes they can get from Optimum subscribers, and I hope you will help spread the word! (Click here to cast your vote) The winners of the competition will be treated to a workshop with …
Friday, April 27, 2012
The Stratford High School Concert Choir and Jazz Band are in Baltimore for their annual trip. In this video, they sing 'America the Beautiful' to a crowd at Baltimore's Inner Harbor on April 26, 2012.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Connecticut PTSA will honor Stratford Superintendent Irene Cornish at its annual awards dinner.
Before Irene Cornish retires as the Superintendent of Stratford schools at the end of 2012, she will be honored by the state PTSA as Outstanding Superintendent of the Year. The ceremony will be held during the state's annual awards dinner on Friday, April 27, at the Fantasia Banquet Hall, 404 Washington Ave., North Haven. Governor Daniel P. Malloy and Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor will be present. Cornish announced her retirement earlier this year. In a letter addressed to school board chairman Gavin Forrester, she looked back on her tenure: I thank this Board and prior Boards for the privilege of working in this district for what will be a full nine (9) years. During that time, together we have re-invigorated Stratford High School, …
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The structure of Connecticut’s public universities and community colleges could change, as some say that remedial courses do little to help.
In an effort to save students’ time and money, a bill in the state legislature proposes a total overhaul of remedial courses for struggling students. Instead of offering remedial courses – which give no credit – US News & World reports that remedial skills would be “embedded” into the course through tutoring, labs or additional class work. Some nearby schools that would be affected by the bill – which will go into effect in 2014 if passed – are Southern Connecticut State University, Gateway Community College, Middlesex Community College and Naugatuck Valley Community College.
George E. Mulligan
8:53 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Had Jason voted no, it would have been a 5-5 vote. Harkins tie breaker. Jason is honestly passionate about Franklin school. Jason bought up issues about NO PAPER WORK that at least caused Malloy - Harkins - Collier - Geen to pass out Paper Work On the MAY 2011 Bonding issues + two weeks later on the attempt to raise sewer fees, which didn't pass. I woke up the Council asking for LOWER Sewer Fees… more ›