Opening Day For Branford’s Public Schools

Under sunny skies, the town’s public schools opened for the first day of classes this morning as wistful parents said their good-byes to their kids. 

There were a number of tender moments at the John B. Sliney Elementary School this morning. Here is Diana Vaicunas hugging her daughter Devina as she heads into Sliney Elementary School. (See top photo)

Kids arrived early. The girl looking out the bus window is Anya Zanor.

One by one they left the bus and headed for the school door. 

Dr. Susan C. Iwanicki, the school Principal, (pictured) was outside on the steps at the yellow school buses pulled up. Here she is greeting a student with a high five.

The BOE Meets

Last night the Board of Education (BOE) held a special meeting — the first session since June — to prepare for the coming school year. 

“We’re very, very excited,” said Superintendent Hamlet Hernandez as he talked about the start of school. He said school officials met with the police department to talk about safety issues, including the need to remind motorists to slow down and stop for school buses.

Hernandez said teachers and staff will continue to wear identification badges, and this year the custodial staff will wear red uniform shirts with the district logo so they are easily identifiable.

The board took the occasion to congratulate senior Michael Caminear who was appointed as a student representative to the State Board of Education. And the board also bid farewell to BOE member David Squires, who is retiring.

Caminear, a son of David and Christine Caminear, was appointed last week by Gov. Dan Malloy as one of two high school seniors to serve as student members to the state board.

“That is a huge accomplishment,” Hernandez said. ​“He went through an incredibly rigorous (application) process.” Part of the process was being interviewed by Hernandez, state Rep. Lonnie Reed, and the governor. ​“We are incredibly proud of him,” Hernandez said of Caminear, who serves as a student representative to Branford’s BOE.

“Michael will get to bring to us what’s happening at the state level,” said board member John Prins.

“I’m really excited,” Caminear told the Eagle after the meeting. Caminear said he is looking forward to state discussions of the new Common Core State Standards, which districts statewide are beginning to implement. Branford schools have been creating curriculums based on the new standards for a couple years and are ahead of other districts in using the new standards.

Caminear said as a student he can share his opinion of the new standards with state officials. ​“It’s rigorous,” he said of the Common Core. ​“I can see it being useful in the future.”

Caminear is applying to several colleges, including Boston College, Trinity College and Tufts University. He plans to study science and chemistry for a career in engineering.

The State Board of Education sets policy for the state’s 166 school districts, and 17 regional technical high schools.

Michael Krause, who chair’s Branford’s BOE, said he also had ​“some sad news” as he announced the retirement of board member David Squires. ​“Dr. Squires has decided to resign to move on to the next chapter of life with his family in Maryland,” he said.

“Thank you for all your service,” Krause told Squires, as he read a commendation.

Squires, a Democrat, has served about eight years on the BOE, and was re-elected to a six year term in 2011. He was a professor of Educational Leadership at Southern Connecticut State University, and served as the director of teaching and learning in Yale University’s school development program for eight years. He was a curriculum director in a New Jersey school district for 14 years and was an English teacher for four years.

Hernandez told the Eagle that the Democratic Town Committee will make a recommendation to fill Squire’s seat.

In other news, the BOE discussed continuing to use its new meeting location — - the lower level media center (library) at the high school. The board has been trying out the location for a few months, rather than using the previous site at Walsh Intermediate School.

“I like it. I think it’s great,” Krause said. ​“We have an option to seat a lot more members of the public.”

Krause said the room is also convenient to the parking lot so that people can directly enter the media center, rather than walk through the school. Parking Lot C has direct access to the location.

“I have been told the acoustics are good here,” Hernandez said of the new meeting space. ​“At Walsh sometimes the acoustics were poor.”

Walsh Intermediate School was built in 1972 as an open concept school with few interior walls. Some walls and half-partitions have been erected over the years, but parents have continued to complain about acoustics, noise levels and other issues.

The BOE last year recommended that Walsh undergo extensive renovations and that the former Branford Hills School be expanded to accommodate students at Sliney Elementary School.

The BOE asked the Board of Selectmen last year to form a committee to look into the feasibility of the projects. In June, the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) approved the establishment of a Public Building Commission to have oversight over all town building projects. However, First Selectman James Cosgrove has not appointed anyone to the commission yet.

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