Beaver Hills

BOMUS Students See Black History Made

by | Feb 23, 2024 9:27 am | Comments (2)

Maya McFadden Photo

BOMUS leaders and panelists Melanie Thomas, Dondi José Burroughs Sr, Gary Winfield, Shante Teel-Williams, Alisha Crutchfield-McLean, Gary Highsmith, and Jamie Baker-Vilsaint.

Third and fourth-grade scholars at the Barack H. Obama Magnet University School sat in an audience looking at their future selves through the lens of a business owner, health professional, schools superintendent, state senator, and a motivational speaker/author.

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Volunteers Take Out The Trash At Beaver Brook

by | Jan 31, 2024 9:40 am | Comments (11)

Brian Slattery Photos

Davis and Burgess.

On Tuesday morning, Peter Davis, a volunteer river keeper with the city parks department, and fellow volunteer David Burgess were over the edge of the slope off Diamond Street in Beaver Hills, lugging a dilapidated couch out of the woods. Around them was a thin carpet of other discarded objects. Among the trash bags were a fan, a decaying rug, a mattress, a rusting wheelchair.

It was a lot of garbage. Davis and Burgess were taking it one piece at a time.

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Volunteers "Edit" Out Invasive Vines

by | Jan 29, 2024 10:03 am | Comments (9)

Allan Appel Photo

Anthropology major Chris Kowalski (above) and Aaron Goode (below) de-vine by Beaver Brook.

Brian Slattery Photo

Clip high, clip low, create a window. Also don’t be a Tarzan and pull on those cut vines lest you disturb insect habitats or the birds high in the trees above.

Those were among the illuminating arboricultural tips offered for some serious de-vining of New Haven’s invasive-threatened native oaks, maples, sycamores, and hackberry trees growing on a beautiful but under-loved patch of city-owned forested greenspace.

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1 Principal Hired, Another Transferred

by | Jan 9, 2024 11:24 am | Comments (3)

Hillhouse incoming principal Antoine Billy: On a mission to keep students' dreams from being deferred.

Maya McFadden Photo

Poster made by a NHPS paraprofessional for Monday's meeting.

The Board of Education heard about and took action Monday night on leadership of schools as well as the board itself, then received a plea from paraprofessionals for renewed contract negotiation.

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Paras Keep Up Pressure For New, Fair Contract

by | Dec 14, 2023 3:28 pm | Comments (15)

Maya McFadden Photo

Paraprofessional Denise Roman gives Board of Ed a petition with 130 signatures in support of renegotiating the para contract rather than heading to arbitration.

Negotiations over a new contract for assistant teachers and parent liaisons has hit an impasse — as paraprofessionals cite too little pay, too much resistance from the public school district, and a contested union deal now heading to arbitration.

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Hillhouse To NHPS: We Need More Help Now

by | Dec 12, 2023 5:43 pm | Comments (54)

Maya McFadden Photos

Hillhouse advocates (clockwise) Pamela Cummings, Sara Armstrong, Haruki Cubeta-Yonamine, John Saksa, Raven Mitchell, Karalyn Meineke, Leslie Blatteau, and Kevin Barbero.

All is not well at the city’s second largest public school, according to a group of Hillhouse High School educators and parents who raised the alarm to the Board of Education about overburdened staff, too many teacher vacancies, inadequate support for students, and inconsistent communication from school and district leadership.

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Barack Obama Named "School Of Distinction"

by | Dec 4, 2023 12:34 pm | Comments (4)

Laura Glesby photo

Barack Obama students, recognized by state, cheer on their teachers.

Principal Jamie Baker beamed at the hundreds of Barack Obama School students seated before her in the cafeteria. How are the best scholars in the United States doing today?” she called out.

Good,” the students responded.

Just good or excellent?” asked Baker.

Excellent!” the children yelled in unison. 

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1,100 Smiles Brightened At Free Dental Clinic

by | Oct 30, 2023 3:22 pm | Comments (7)

Lisa Reisman photo

Leonard Gorham with Dr. Frederick Landy at Floyd Little-hosted clinic.

In the midst of a teeming bazaar of dental specialists cleaning, drilling, and extracting at Floyd Little Athletic Center, Leonard Gorham, a 71-year-old Air Force veteran from New Haven, relaxed into his dental chair, waiting to be fitted for a partial denture. 

Its cost, ordinarily $500 to $1,500, was $0.00.

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After Covid Bump, Suspension Drop In Sight

by | Oct 19, 2023 4:01 pm | Comments (18)

NHPS data

NHPS first-month suspension data from 2019 to 2023, with no data for 2020's remote year.

In-school and out-of-school suspensions are on the decline, with 151 taking place during the first month of the current school year — in comparison to 205 during that same time last year.

Even with that drop, the suspension numbers are still above where the district was pre-pandemic, when the district saw 142 suspensions in the first month of the 2019 school year.

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In Hillhouse Classroom, "Art Is Power"

by | Oct 10, 2023 10:18 am | Comments (1)

Maya McFadden photos

Emonie Jackson, mastering pop art with Hillhouse art teacher Rebecca LeQuire.

Carlos Kirklan: Art is "an escape," and a chance to create.

With pop artist Keith Haring in mind, Hillhouse High School junior Emonie Jackson imagined up a chicken leg, to-go cup, and ketchup bottle all with arms and legs — and then penned those images to paper, honing her own creative style and skills amid her classroom’s dive into recent art history.

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Floyd Little Track Repair Costs Bubble Up & Up

by | Oct 4, 2023 4:52 pm | Comments (20)

Frank Fanelli Photo

Moisture bubbles and tears in the field house track as of Wednesday.

The city school district’s facilities team is sprinting towards a roughly $100,000 short-term fix for dozens of moisture bubbles and tears in the Floyd Little Athletic Center track surface — in the runup to a longer-term $1.3 million needed overhaul.

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New School Year, New Approach To Teaching Reading

by | Oct 3, 2023 10:15 am | Comments (6)

NHPS slide

Maya McFadden photo

Supervisor of Elementary Reading and Language Arts Jennifer Tousignant.

In an effort to improve reading levels for the city school district’s youngest students, New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) has created a new 90-minute literacy block outline for kindergarten through third-grade educators — all based off of the district’s recently adopted core literacy program.

That block includes 30 minutes of phonics instruction, 20 minutes of whole group structured literacy learning, and 40 minutes of small group instruction. 

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Ex-Yankees Ace Pitches Baseball’s Future Stars

by | Sep 26, 2023 11:38 am | Comments (1)

Matthew Youkilis photos

Isiah Franklin, with Coach Alexander Baez and two Hartford baseball teammates: "Patience" is the word.

CC Sabathia: “I’ve been through so much on and off the field."

When CC Sabathia was nine years old, Oakland Athletics pitcher Dave Stewart visited Sabathia’s Boys & Girls Club — and that’s when the future Cy Young Award-winning left-hander knew what he wanted to do with his life.

It wasn’t just playing baseball.

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Students Head Back To School — With A Cheer

by | Aug 31, 2023 1:27 pm | Comments (4)

Maya McFadden Photos

State Sen. Gary Winfield (right) and State Treasurer Erick Russell help welcome students back to to Barack Obama School.

Jomo Bartholomew with his seven- and thirteen-year-old kids: Start of school is "bittersweet" after such a fun summer.

Jomo Bartholomew is going to miss the summertime family fun of watching movies late at night and cooking breakfast together in the morning and visiting parks all over New Haven during the day alongside his two children. 

And so it was bittersweet” when he dropped off his seven- and thirteen-year-old kids for their first day of school Thursday morning, even as his family looks forward to the more stable routines of the school year ahead.

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At Convocation, NHPS Dances To School Year's Start

by | Aug 29, 2023 4:33 pm | Comments (17)

Maya McFadden photos

Supt. Madeline Negrón salsa dances her way towards the 2023-24 school year ...

... at the annual, music-and-culture-filled NHPS convocation.

The nation’s top education official, Miguel Cardona, offered a custom playlist with a song for every occasion for New Haven teachers as they get ready for the start of the school year on Thursday.

Track 1: Vivir Mi Vida” by Marc Anthony, as a reminder to enjoy the work you do.

Track 2: Respect” by Aretha Franklin, for when politics tries to creep its way into the classroom.

Track 3: Livin’ on a Prayer” by Jon Bon Jovi, for January when we’re halfway there.”

Track 4: Valio La Pena” by Marc Anthony, to know it’s worth it.

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Academy Preps 110 New-To-New Haven Teachers

by | Aug 25, 2023 11:08 am | Comments (11)

Maya McFadden photo

At the NHPS district's New Teacher Academy.

Four tips for new New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) teachers:

1. Consistently communicate with parents about their students’ positive and negative behaviors throughout the year.

2. Restorative practice can save lives. 

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. 

4. Prioritize creating classroom procedures before a cute classroom.”

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3rd Annual Beaver Hills Block Party Pulls Out All The Stops

by | Aug 22, 2023 4:45 pm | Comments (1)

Lisa Reisman photo

Chef Marc Ramirez at the grill.

On a picture-perfect Sunday afternoon, kids moon-bounced, Fats Domino crooned, and Barbara Montalvo was dancing in the middle of Glen Road. 

Barbara Montalvo.

This is a fun, joyous event, neighbors loving neighbors, this is the community coming out embracing everybody, regardless of age, gender, color, creed, background,” she said, mid-swivel, amid the aroma of grilled hotdogs and burgers and the air of late-summer revelry in the tree-lined shade.

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Rally Readies Students To Go Back To School

by | Aug 21, 2023 10:51 am | Comments (1)

Maya McFadden Photos

New Haven Federation of Teachers VP of Special Services Jennifer Graves distributes book bags …

… as students pick up books for home libraries.

Track your student’s attendance on a calendar at home. Establish bedtime and morning routines. And communicate with your school if you need help. 

Those are some tips New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) gave families at a recent back-to-school rally as they prepare for the fast approaching first day of school on Aug. 31. 

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Goldson Presses For Cyberattack Answers

by | Aug 15, 2023 4:15 pm | Comments (14)

Maya McFadden photo

Dennis Serfilippi, Rodney Williams, and Darnell Goldson at Monday press conference.

Was a cyberattack that stole $6 million meant for the public school district’s school bus contractor an inside job? Was it carelessness on behalf of school district and city employees? What on earth happened that so much money could have been sent out erroneously? 

Board of Education member Darnell Goldson raised those questions Monday during a press conference focused on just how little information the school board has received to date about the early summer cybercrime.

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Broken Umbrella Developing New Space For Arts

by | Aug 10, 2023 9:03 am | Comments (10)

Thomas Breen Photo

Aric Isaacs and Ian Alderman inside the space at 280 Blake St. to be developed into a black box theater.

A Broken Umbrella Theatre has big plans for the property at 280 Blake St. in Beaver Hills. If they come to fruition, in a couple years the property will house a roughly 90-seat black box theater as well as a cabaret complete with restaurant and bar. According to Ian Alderman, Broken Umbrella’s executive director, the project will likely cost somewhere between $1.5 million and $2 million. Thanks to a $500,000 grant from the state’s Good to Great Program, they’re on their way. To realize their vision in its entirety, they have faith in the strength of the New Haven arts community and its desire to have a space where the arts can be.

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Armory Ailments Detailed, Futures Floated

by | Aug 4, 2023 9:16 am | Comments (10)

Laura Glesby file photo

Desmone Gambrell-Claxton and Fabian Menges present their group's ideas for the Armory (pictured above).

The abandoned armory on Goffe Street is starting to house dreams of sports facilities, small businesses, social services, and citywide celebrations.

But before neighbors’ visions for the historic structure can become a reality, the building will need to be cleared of asbestos, sealed off from water, and bolstered to support more weight.

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Harp Endorses Abdussabur, Kicks Off Petition

by | Jul 26, 2023 4:17 pm | Comments (23)

Laura Glesby Photo

Harp (right) signs Abdussabur's mayoral primary petition.

Former Mayor Toni Harp was the first to sign mayoral hopeful Shafiq Abdussabur’s petition to get on the Democratic primary ballot, the day after the city’s Democratic Party officially endorsed the now-incumbent who ended her tenure in the city’s top elected office nearly four years ago.

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