Weston School Board Briefs | The Weston Forum

The Weston Board of Education discussed the following agenda items at its meeting on Monday, Dec. 17.

Retirements and resignation

The board accepted retirement letters from three teachers who will be retiring at the end of the 2012-13 school year: William Slattery, a 34-year veteran of Weston public schools as a special education teacher; 23-year veteran Margaret Taylor, a family and consumer sciences teacher in the Weston Middle School; and John Drummond, a curriculum instructional leader in math and science, who has worked for 23 years in Weston.

The board also accepted the resignation of Wendy Brighindi, administrative assistant to the assistant superintendent, who is taking a position in the Easton-Redding school district.

Hurlbutt?s history

In light of the proposed allocation of space in North House at Hurlbutt Elementary School to the town, board member Dick Bochinski researched the history of Hurlbutt with cooperation and assistance from Karin Giannitti, secretary of the Weston Historical Society. Although the board subsequently decided to table ?indefinitely? allocation of the space to the town, Mr. Bochinski presented his research.

In 1929, the town accepted Horace C. Hurlbutt?s offer of 10 acres of land to build Weston?s first central school. The donation was contingent on it being named after his son, Horace C. Hurlbutt, Jr., who had been a heroic ambulance driver in World War I.

Hurlbutt School opened in 1934. That year, a series of murals titled ?School Life in this Neighborhood of the 18th Century? were painted by Ray Strang as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) under President Roosevelt, and were displayed at Hurlbutt. In 1950, East House at Hurlbutt was opened and the murals were moved there. In 1952, South House at Hurlbutt opened.

In 1963, a fire destroyed the original Hurlbutt school. Two years later, North House was opened on the site of the original Hurlbutt school. In 1991, a four classroom addition to North House was completed. In 1997, Hurlbutt?s core building was constructed; and in 1998, the Strang murals were moved to the Learning Resource Center in the core building at Hurlbutt.

Hurlbutt principal search committee

The board discussed putting together a search committee to look for a new principal for Hurlbutt Elementary School, following the resignation at the beginning of the school year by Joanna Genovese. Michael Cicchetti has been serving as interim principal since that time.

The board did not appoint committee members at this time.

Textbook adoption

The board adopted a series of math textbooks for grades K-8. Recommendations were made by textbook committee members Carolyn Vinton, John Drummond, Jenna Connors, and Kelly DelVecchio.

Gun Club gift

The board accepted a gift in the amount of $3,020 from the Weston Gun Club Community Foundation, for the purchase of equipment for the district?s photography program.

Source: http://www.thewestonforum.com/7080/weston-school-board-briefs/

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