Educators, parents and students helped honor veterans

Shown at right, fifth graders Evan Fossett, portraying Ulysses S. Grant, Jesse Randolph, portraying Maj. Sullivan Ballou, Hailey Ashcroft, portraying Molly Pitcher, and Tatiyana Morrell, portraying Harriet Beecher Stowe, sing "Proud to be an American" at Pumpkin Delight Elementary School's 13th annual Americana Jubilee.


Photo by Susan Misur

By Chris Brunau
Special to the Register
MILFORD — City Clerk Alan Jepson was left with a lump in his throat after witnessing Pumpkin Delight Elementary School’s fifth-grade class pay homage to veterans through its annual play, “Americana Jubilee: A Tribute to America’s Veterans.”
The play outlined American history in war from 1775, beginning with the Revolutionary War, to the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each era was displayed with vivid costumes from the PTA and patriotic songs by the children, accompanied by Pumpkin Delight’s music teacher Robert Nunno on the piano.
Student Darby Hudd, 11, who played a southerner named Belle Boyd, said her character was a spy and would go into battle.
She said it was hard to learn all the songs but she was eager to impress veterans in the audience.
Parent Rick Manganiello attended to watch daughter Brittany play a nurse, and said she had a sleepover last weekend during which some girls practiced the play’s many songs.
Fifth-grade teachers Carol LaPlante and Deborah Bourdoulous worked with their classes since February, planning the performance for veterans and the community.
“It is very challenging, and a very serious endeavor,” said LaPlante.
Parents also played a role in organizing the play.
The costumes were coordinated by parent Maria Bravo, who drove as far as Mystic to find some of them.
“The parents and the teachers gave me ideas, and I just went out and got the pieces to put the costumes together,” said Bravo.
Many students, such as Ian Watterson, 11, who played President George Washington, had costumes donated by the PTA, and some, like Marissa Prizio, 11, who played Clara Barton, made a costume with a parent.
With songs and displays for veterans, it was hard not to be moved, those in attendance said.
“It was fantastic. I had a lump in my throat the entire time, and I have been coming to see this for years,” said Jepson.
“I was impressed. I don’t think some of the university kids could do this well,” said Robert Paddock, a Vietnam veteran.
In addition to veterans, officials attended, including Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. and state Sen. Gayle Slossberg, D-Milford.
Both Richetelli and Slossberg spoke to the crowd and said the play was an amazing way to learn history and understand how important it is to be a proud American.
“It was phenomenal, the kids learn a lot about what America is all about and what it means to honor our veterans,” said Slossberg.
Principal Vincent Scarpetti said, “This was my fourth year seeing the play, and it still brings a tear to my eye.
“The songs that the children sing and the way they honor the veterans are amazing.”
Milford Weekly interim editor Susan Misur contributed to this story.

By Brian McCready
Milford Bureau Chief
MILFORD — Joseph Della Monica Jr. has a frank assessment of East Shore Middle School: “It’s just nasty.”
Della Monica, a city police sergeant and the father of two children who attend the school, backs up his blunt critique by saying the school is overcrowded, has stained ceiling tiles, mismatched color floor tiles, and is permeated by the smell of raw sewage.
“Fix the ... school,” Della Monica said. “I don’t live here for a substandard school. I’ll be all over these people until they correct the problems. There will not be one day of peace until it’s all corrected.”
At a Board of Education meeting this week, Superintendent of Schools Harvey B. Polansky addressed concerns raised by school staff and parents.
Polansky said the district spent about $12,000 to eradicate the smell in the school. He said the odor came from the kitchen’s grease trap, which was cleaned.
The building tiles were installed in 1952, and when they break, they are replaced. Polansky said it’s not always possible to match the tiles’ color. He added that the floor tiles contain asbestos and cannot simply be removed.
Polansky said the roof has leaked and has been repaired and re-patched several times over its 56-year lifespan. He said maintenance responds whenever a leak is noticed.
The temperature throughout the school can vary because only part of the school is exposed to direct sunlight, he said.
Della Monica, a former Republican town chairman, said once a letter on the matter appeared in last week’s Milford Weekly, about 13 maintenance workers arrived at the school the following day.
East Shore is overcrowded and students are forced into classrooms that are smaller than they were in elementary school, he said.
The middle school has about 70 more students than the city’s two other middle schools.
Della Monica said school officials must ask the city for bond authorization to complete improvements.
School officials have said East Shore needs renovations, but upgrades to the city’s two high schools are the top priority.
Della Monica said the overcrowding is best chronicled by the fact that students have to walk outside after lunch because the hallway is too crowded.
Polansky said there are three lunch waves at East Shore, each of which is 25 minutes long, and nearly 200 students and staff occupy the cafeteria in each wave. School officials believe that since students enter and exit the same hallway, it was best to allow them to go outside and walk 25 yards to another door at the end of the building.
School officials said students are monitored the entire time by staff and do not go outside on days when there is snow on the ground or if it’s raining.

By James Tinley
Register Staff
MILFORD — The school board has long fought for more money through the statewide education cost sharing program.
But as the General Assembly’s budget deliberations draw to a close, school officials were told by state House Speaker James Amann, D-Milford, not to expect any increase in ECS funds this year.
At a meeting Wednesday in Amann’s Hartford office, Amann said Milford will not receive any additional ECS funds this year because of a projected $15 million state deficit, but he also said the district will not receive a reduction from last year’s amount.
“It’s a bad economy,” Amann said. “We’re in a deficit mode. We’re much better off than surrounding states. The best thing we can do is not raise taxes.”
Amann said every year lawmakers hear the same thing from education officials concerning the ECS formula.
“Everyone says the formula is not fair,” Amann said. “Milford says it’s not fair. Bridgeport and New Haven say the formula is not fair.”
School board Chairman David Hourigan, D-4, said they discussed ECS money but, “there’s not much that can be done with that formula.”
Board of Education members and Superintendent of Schools Harvey Polansky also aired their concerns about proposed high school reforms that school board members said would put further economic strain on the school system.
“We’re concerned it’s going to add expenses,” Hourigan said. “When you add classes you add teachers and space. And that all costs money.”
Polansky said the conversation with Amann was “wide ranging and free flowing,” but the biggest concern on his mind was finances.
“The economy is hurting everybody,” Polansky said. He added, “The speaker has a deep commitment to the city of Milford.” But added, “we didn’t leave with a check or a promissory note.”
Amann said local education officials’ concerns about high school reforms are “legitimate.” The state’s proposal appears to be widening and not closing the achievement gap, he said. He’d like to see superintendents from around the state meet for breakfast this summer so they can share their concerns.
Amann said it’s possible that opposition from superintendents will ensure legislators do not act on the proposed legislation.
The proposed high school reforms would require students to take more state tests and gain more credits before graduating.
“It’s an excellent idea for some state legislators to feel the superintendents’ pain,” said David W. Steinlauf, D-2, of the proposed meeting. “It’s a positive step and should heighten the awareness of the legislators, and it’s good to hear from legislators what is on the horizon.”
When asked what is coming on the horizon, Steinlauf said, “Well that’s hard to say. It’s going to get harder.”
James Tinley can be reached at jtinley@nhregister.com or 401-3530.

By Brian McCready
Milford Bureau Chief
MILFORD — Superintendent of Schools Harvey B. Polansky said when he was hired a year ago, it was never his intention to “dismantle the school system.”
Polansky formally requested Wednesday night that the Board of Aldermen restore $2.1 million previously cut by the Board of Finance.
Polansky told the aldermen the future of the district is in their hands, and if the cuts are restored, there will be no teacher layoffs.
“I come here tonight to ask you to restore the funds so nobody gets laid off and class size remains the same or even gets better,” Polansky told the aldermen at City Hall.
The Board of Finance last month reduced the school board’s budget by $2.1 million, from $82.9 million to $80.8 million. Polansky has stated in order to maintain the same level of services next year, the schools would require a 5.4 percent increase.
After the finance board reduced the schools’ budget increase from a proposed 6.4 percent to 3.7 percent, he said the district would have to reduce staff and programs. Also fanning the flames was the fact that 180 nontenured teachers received layoff notices.
Last month, about 500 people packed City Hall, with a majority advocating that the education funds be restored.
Polansky said 50 percent of the total increase, or $2.5 million, is due to an arbitration award the teachers’ union received. He also said the rising costs of fuel, along with special education, and health insurance increases are to blame for the seemingly significant budget increase.
Polansky also said the district lost $230,000 in federal funds, which now must be absorbed in the school budget.
Polansky said since salaries and benefits comprise 80 percent of the district’s budget, he will have no choice but to lay off some staff if a majority of the budget reduction is not reinstated.
“There are not enough paper clips to bridge that difference,” Polansky said. “I did not come to the school system to dismantle it.”
Polansky also told the aldermen he is appreciative of the $7.5 million the schools received for capital projects this year, but if he received a $100 million check today he could easily spend it on improvements to both high schools.
He also said Simon Lake, Pumpkin Delight and East Shore Middle School need significant repairs.
Alderman Scott Willey, R-4, a father of four children, including an autistic son, said he cannot say enough good things about the education system. Willey said he never appreciated the special education program until his son needed the services. He said he has a great appreciation for how much taxpayer money is spent on his son alone.
“It’s overwhelming,” Willey said. “The first thing I say as a father of an autistic kid is to give you whatever you want.”
But Willey said as a taxpayer, the school budget continues to far outpace the city side, and the taxpayers cannot simply keep up. He said it’s forcing departments like police and fire to not grow at a time when the city’s commercial base is booming.
Polansky said it’s unlikely that school budgets will decrease as long as arbitration awards are handed out at over 4 percent, and the costs of fuel continue to skyrocket.
“I wish I had a better answer,” Polansky said.

By Brian McCready
Milford Bureau Chief
MILFORD — Superintendent of Schools Harvey B. Polansky said Wednesday that the school system would have to reduce both staff and programs and will look at all options, including whether to close a school, in light of the Board of Finance cutting $2.1 million from proposed school spending.
The Finance Board voted Tuesday night to reduce the Board of Education’s proposed budget from $82.9 million, to $80.83 million, which still gives the school system a 3.7 percent increase. Polansky, however, said the district requires a 5.46 percent increase simply to maintain current services in the next fiscal year.
“This puts us in a very difficult situation,” Polansky said Wednesday. “Now we’re cutting staff and programs. We cannot absorb this magnitude of a cut. Every program and staff member is on the table. Staff will be reduced with this magnitude of cuts.”
Polansky said he and school board leaders will sit with aldermen and try to convince that panel to restore money to the proposed budget. If none of the cuts are restored, he said, the administration and school board would have to look at eliminating programs, and even closing buildings.
“Everything will be looked at,” Polansky said.
He said he understands a tough economy makes it hard for municipalities to increase budgets, but without the money, class sizes will increase, which the board opposes.
Aldermanic Chairman Ben Blake, D-5, offered Polansky, school board members and parents some hope that aldermen might look at restoring some money to proposed school spending.
“At first glance, some of the Board of Finance recommendations seem extreme,” Blake said. “We’ll do a review of the Board of Education’s need, and the needs of the entire city.”
Blake also vowed there would be some additional cuts on the city side of the budget.
Board of Finance Chairman Jack Skudlarek said Polansky’s budget presentation was one of the most comprehensive and complete he’s ever seen, and he was sure the board needs every bit of the money requested. But he said he felt something must be done to curb the spiraling cost of education.
But Joanne Rohrig, R-1, the school board’s minority leader, said, “I understand we need to be responsible to the taxpayers. At the same time, this is absolutely detrimental to the school system.”
“This will affect our programs, activities, and affect class size,” she said.
Rohrig said she would remain optimistic that the aldermen will reinstate funds cut by the Finance Board.
Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. said further cuts to the budget would likely result in a reduction in city services, which he would not support.
“The Board of Aldermen has their work cut out for them,” he said. “I don’t know how we could get (the budget) lower than it is now and still maintain city services.”
The Finance Board approved a $175.42 million budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year, which represents a 3.7 percent increase from the current budget. The proposed budget would set the tax rate at 28.63 mills. The current tax rate is 31.77 mills. On average, a resident can expect his or her taxes to increase by 3.25 percent, but the exact increase is tough to calculate because Milford is phasing in its revaluation.
Register reporter James Tinley contributed to this story.

By James Tinley
Register Staff
MILFORD — Had a chain of events not unfolded exactly the way they did one fateful day in November, Grant “Cliff” Roti is convinced he would be dead.
But less than two months after the Milford resident was found sprawled in front of his Housatonic Community College office — with no heartbeat — Roti has made a full recovery and has since resumed teaching.
“If it didn’t happen where it happened and if things didn’t happen just like they did, with the student finding me and campus security having a defibrillator and the ambulance coming as quickly as it did … I’d be dead,” Roti said Friday.
Roti, an English and Latin professor at the Bridgeport college suffered what doctors told him was sudden cardiac arrest brought on by ventricular fibrillation, or the uncoordinated contraction of cardiac muscles.
About 40 seconds after Roti collapsed, he was found by Debbie Trump, a student who happened to be more than 40 minutes early for her 8 a.m. class.
“I just knew if I didn’t do something he was going to die,” Trump said Friday. She cried for help and quickly began performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, calling on her memory from a first aid course she took years ago.
Then HCC Director of Public Safety Chris Gough got an emergency call and sprang into action.
“When I got there, he had no pulse and wasn’t breathing,” Gough said in November. “He probably would have died if we didn’t get to him when we did. He was for all intents and purposes dead when we found him.”
But Roti did not die. Gough took over performing CPR and had Julie Calderon, another public safety officer, run back to his office to grab a portable defibrillator.
After one shock from the life-saving device and briefly resuming CPR, the machine detected a faint heartbeat and Roti began breathing again, Gough said. Roti, who turns 66 Monday, was still unconscious when he was taken away by ambulance.
Roti said he was then brought into a medically induced coma and medically induced hypothermia to drive blood to his vital organs.
Roti, whose heart had stopped beating for more than three minutes, suffered no ill mental effects and impressed doctors with his ability to recite the entire succession of U.S. presidents only two weeks after his collapse. Roti now has a device fitted in his chest that acts as both a pacemaker and a defibrillator, he said.
He said his brush with death hasn’t really changed his life outlook except, “I’m a little more grateful, I suppose, for the people in my life.”
Trump who has only exchanged a few words with Roti since the incident, says she gets “a warm feeling” every time she thinks about how she was able to to help save a life.
Although people have described Gough and Trump as heroes and the quick-thinking pair have even both been nominated for a Red Cross “Heroes” award, they are quick to shrug off any accolades.
Trump insists she was did what anyone would do in that situation.
“I don’t know if I would call myself a hero,” Gough said Friday. “My feeling is I did my job, I’m just glad my training paid off when it counted. And Cliff is one strong man with a very strong will to live. I don’t think we can discount that when we talk about how he was able to recover like he did.”

By Brian McCready
Milford Bureau Chief
MILFORD — The Board of Education may hire an expert to help develop possible redistricting options.
The board is in the midst of a community survey, and after the first mailing to about 17,000 dwellings, 50.3 percent of the questionnaires have been returned. School officials are asking how many children parents have and the children’s ages.
It’s most important that the district determine where children from birth to age 4 are located.
School board Chairman David Hourigan, D-4, said an expert or consultant will help identify where residential developments might sprout up.
“An expert can help us with redistricting options,” Hourigan said.
He said he hopes the consultant would be hired in the spring, but the costs are not yet known. The board will do whatever it can to keep expenses down, he said.
Deputy Superintendent of Operations Philip G. Russell said cards were recently sent to 1,500 parents of school-age children who did not respond to the initial mailing. He said another 600 responses came back, pushing the percentage to 57.65 percent, but he said 900 parents have not responded.
“That’s a very low percentage return,” Russell said, who added that the district needs to obtain at least a 70 percent response rate. He said the next step is for officials to go door-to-door or hire a telemarketing firm to make calls. He said the calls must come from a school board number or no one will answer because of caller ID.
Superintendent of Schools Harvey B. Polansky said he is somewhat mystified that 900 parents have not turned in their surveys. “There is some resistance to submitting ... surveys,” Polansky said.
Russell said the school system must finish the survey within a year or the data is meaningless.
The school board is discussing the issue of redistricting due to overcrowding at Mathewson Elementary School.
The school board has decided to send incoming kindergartners to Pumpkin Delight to ease overcrowding there.
The school board is looking at redistricting citywide. No specific plans or proposals have been discussed.

By James Tinley
Register Staff
MILFORD — About 50 residents attended a Board of Finance public hearing Wednesday at City Hall on the proposed 2008-2009 budget as it faced its first round of scrutiny.
But only eight people stepped up to the podium to offer suggestions on the package, which includes a municipal budget increase of 2.36 percent and an education budget increase of 6.3 percent.
Jack Skudlarek, Board of Finance chairman for 14 years, said it was among the worst turnouts he has seen. “And that’s a shame,” he said. “It’s a lot of money.”
At the hearing, attended by the five-member board and the mayor, residents are free to speak their mind, but questions are not answered.
Skudlarek said specific requests or gripes are the most productive comments because they are always looked into by the board, but the hearing also offers an opportunity for people to “get a lot of things off their chests.”
Joseph J. Prisco, an outspoken advocate of fiscal conservatism and a staple at public comment sessions, called on the mayor and Finance Board to do more to cut city expenses. Given the nearly 2 percent increase in the city’s grand list, “there should be no tax increase at all,” Prisco said.
He told the Board of Finance to “do your homework” and closely scrutinize the budget.
Prisco was one of two people to address the municipal budget, with the vast majority of speakers supporting the proposed education budget.
Patricia Mulhall athe first person to comment on the proposed Board of Education Budget,sked Finance Board members to put their red pens away and leave the budget proposal intact. “I really feel you should fully fund the budget as presented,” she said. “There is truly a reason behind everything in a budget.”
Mulhall, a teacher at Harborside Middle School who has two children in the school system, said she spoke as an educator, parent and taxpayer.
Greta Stanford, Board of Education majority leader, D-1, said the budget increase proposed by Superintendent of Schools Harvey Polansky was “appalling” at first glance. But after she went through every item, she found them to be justified, with 87 percent of the budget comprised of contractual increases, increased utility costs and state and federally mandated costs.
When Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. unveiled his budget last week, he hinted that without a cut to the school budget, there would be more impetus for taxes to rise
After the budget was passed by the school board, aldermanic Chairman Ben Blake, D-5, said, “It’s not a question of whether the superintendent’s budget will be cut, but by how much.”
Skudlarek, however, wasn’t ready to make predictions on what the Board of Finance will do with the budgets because they are still very much in flux.
Some costs are only estimates, and total state and federal aid coming into Milford is unknown.
“It’s much too early for predictions,” he said. “There are too many factors that are not determined.”
James Tinley can be reached at jtinley@nhregister.com or 876-3030

By Brian McCready
Milford Bureau Chief
MILFORD — The cost of renovations to the science labs and minor work at both city high schools has nearly doubled since the funds were allocated two years ago, and Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. said he will seek to authorize the extra spending.
The total cost for the labs and other work will be $8.8 million. The bids, which were recently opened, showed an increase in cost of $4.1 million.
Permanent Schools Building Committee Chairman Matthew Woods said there were 10 bidders for the high school work, and the bids reflect the market. There is a limited number of contractors for these projects, which drives up the price. Also, the architects’ estimates were from years ago, which is why the bids were substantially higher, he said.
But spending the extra money to renovate the science labs this summer will result in a delay for planned additions to both high schools, officials said.
Woods said the committee recently learned that because of the bids it would only have funds to renovate one school’s science labs. He said that resulted in the committee seeking approval from the mayor to increase the bond authorization to ensure both schools are completed.
The science labs were slated to be replaced last summer, but the bids came in higher than anticipated and so the city went out to bid again on the project.
Richetelli said the city had advance notice of the second round of higher bids.
Richetelli said he will seek the authorization of the extra money in March to ensure all of phase 2 work, including the science labs, is completed.
“All of this work needs to be done,” Richetelli said. “We can’t let our facilities get to the point where it’s not usable.”
But he said that will result in the planned additions to both high schools being put off until the summer 2009. The boards of Finance and Aldermen must approve the funds.
Woods said work on the high school additions could have been done at the same time as the renovations to the science labs, but it would have been tough to go out to bid in time for this summer.
Foran’s addition is expected to cost $10 million, while Law’s will cost $5 million.
The low bidder on the Law science labs, which includes replacing some windows, is Connecticut Carpentry. The cost will be $3.35 million.
The low bidder for the Foran work is Paragon, costing $5.53 million.
Work at Foran also includes renovations to the media center, $507,000, and $1.2 million worth of upgrades to the heating, cooling and dehumidification of the swimming pool.
Woods said there was a $1.9 million shortfall for the Law work, and another $2.2 million shortfall for the Foran work. He said the committee discussed eliminating some aspects of the work to try to reduce the costs.
Woods said another $557,000 will be needed to cover architectural and engineering fees, along with leaving a 10 percent contingency for the overall work.
For the past several years, renovations to both Jonathan Law and Joseph A. Foran high schools have been moving along in phases. At Law an elevator was installed, the cafeteria was expanded, and new windows have been installed in the school.
At Foran less work was completed due to the discovery of lead dust in ceiling tiles. The city is working to remove the lead dust. Woods said recently crews began replacing the boilers at both Joseph A. Foran and Jonathan Law High schools. At Law, the boiler work will cost $1.01 million, and at Foran $1.08 million.

By James Tinley
Register Staff
MILFORD — Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. returned from Washington, D.C., Monday with a glass star in his hand symbolizing Milford’s designation as one of the "100 Best Communities in America for Young People."
This is the third straight year Milford has been given the distinction by America’s Promise, the Alliance for Youth. Milford is the only community in the state to receive the award this year, and joins an elite club of only a few communities nationwide to receive the honor three times. By winning the award for three straight years, Milford gained honorary lifetime membership as one of the 100 best communities for young people.
"This is a big honor," said Richetelli, shown at right. "It doesn’t start with me. … It’s with the people who make children their priority and our priority in the city."
Richetelli credited the coordinated effort of outreach organizations for Milford’s success.
Project Graduation, a push by United Way and Milford’s Promise to make sure every student graduates high school, was cited as one example of different organizations working in concert for the betterment of the community.
It is funded by a grant from Sikorsky Aircraft and involves targeting students at risk of not graduating, providing them with extra help and internships in Milford businesses. , involving non-profit organizations, the school system and local businesses.
"If one student can be saved from dropping out, it’s all worth it," Richetelli said.
Liz Denhup, a 16-year-old Joseph A. Foran High School sophomore who wrote an essay explaining why she thought Milford was a great place to grow up as part of the city’s application, also traveled to Washington. She said her experience being surrounded by other young people passionate about making their communities better was "profound and gratifying," and that she came back "armed with grand plans." One of those plans is to start a before-school tutoring program for students who have athletics or other commitments after school.
Danielle Dumont, executive director of Milford’s Promise, said the work in Milford has a snowball effect that continues beyond any single person who is helped and into the community.
"It’s bigger than the little things we do," Dumont said. "It’s just a part of ensuring the happiness and success of all the youth in America."
James Tinley can be reached at jtinley@nhregister.com or 876-3030.

By James Tinley
Register Staff
MILFORD — The college application process and all the pressure that goes with senior year of high school had Emily Hauck feeling like the person in Edvard Munch’s famous painting "The Scream."
So much so she painted herself into the angst-ridden portrait.
Now anyone who walks into Café Atlantique can see just what the 17-year-old Lauralton Hall senior was feeling by examining her "somewhat comical, but expressive self-portrait" that hangs in the River Street coffee shop.
Her painting is part of a collection of Lauralton Hall art students’ work that has been on display this month.
The show will with the art exhibit willend with a public reception fon Jan 30.rom 2:30 to 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The display brings recognition to students’ labor of love, which typically gets overlooked, said Judith Doherty, an art teacher at the private Catholic high school for girls on High Street.
"Typically, you hear about sports, ... but fine arts doesn’t get the attention it deserves," Doherty said. "It’s great to get arts out into the community."
"One of the main objectives of the school is to train young women to be self-confidant and go out into the world and be leaders," said school spokeswoman Cindy Wolfe Boynton. "Part of that is taking risks, from which the students can gain a sense of pride and confidence. And I think this helps with that goal."
Mary Alice, a 16-year-old junior from Fairfield, said it was a little embarrassing at first to see people sitting under her three paintings on display when she stopped in for a hot chocolate.
"But it’s nice to see," she conceded. "It was weird at first, ... then I started wondering if people were sitting there just because it was like the only seat open or if they chose to sit there because of my work was there."
Alice said.The work was created in the school’s new art classrooms, which themselves were created in the fall as part of a $2.2 million renovation.
Doherty said the students benefit from the natural light that pours in. Theto the new classroom. old classroom was in the basement.
As for Hauck, she said with a smile and a laugh, "I’m excited for the summer to start, but for right now, I’m definitely still in ‘The Scream.’"
James Tinley can be reached at jtinley@nhregister.com or 876-3030.

By Brian McCready
Milford Bureau Chief
MILFORD — The Board of Education’s $82.9 million 2008-09 budget proposal will be cut, according to the Board of Aldermen Chairman Ben Blake, D-5.
Republican Alderman Scott Willey, R-4, concurs, but that is where the agreement ends.
Willey blasted Democrats, saying that their promise to be fiscally responsible went out the window on their first try.
“I am disappointed that the Board of Education approved a $5 million increase in spending. If this budget is not cut by the Board of Finance and Board of Aldermen, it will result in a significant tax increase. This is particularly disappointing when you consider that the voters responded to the Democrats’ promises of tax cuts and elected them to the majority just two months ago. Breaking promises so soon is a terrible lesson for our kids,” Willey said. The school board voted 6 to 2 to adopt the budget, which represents a 6.4 percent increase as all six Democrats supported Superintendent of Schools’ Harvey B. Polansky’s proposal. Board member James Santa Barbara, D-5, pitched reductions totaling nearly $500,000, but that idea was soundly rejected.
Both Republicans who were present, Minority Leader Joanne Rohrig, R-1, and Pamela Staneski, R-5, voted against the budget. Staneski said at the meeting that she could not support the inclusion of $42,000 to fund vocational agricultural programs. Staneski later said she did not feel comfortable adding new staff.
Rohrig said she voted no because she didn’t feel now was the time to add new staff either.
Blake said no one should read anything into the fact that the school board did not reduce the budget. He said that is a job for the Finance Board and aldermen. “It’s not a question of whether the superintendent’s budget will be cut, but by how much,” Blake said. “We at the Board of Aldermen will work with the schools superintendent and Board of Education to ensure our cuts do not affect programs or programming.”
Blake said the aldermen will require all city departments including the school board to improve efficiency, and the goal is to not have the budgets increase beyond this year’s numbers.
“The Democrats on the Board of Aldermen recognize skyrocketing taxes the past couple of years,” Blake said.
But Willey said the Democrats are being “disingenuous.” Wand pledged to reduce spending but the school board didn’t.illey said he will support cuts to the school budget because the enrollment has not increased in years, but the spending increases far outpace inflation.
School board Chairman David Hourigan, D-4, said the function of the school board is to advocate for the children and it’s the function of the Finance Board and the aldermen to worry about the tax base.
“The Board of Education did a respectable job coming in at a 6.4 percent increase, which doesn’t devastate or provide the things we’d like to do,” Hourigan said. “It’s a responsible budget.”

By Pamela McLoughlin
Register Staff
MILFORD — As one of the premier technical schools in the state, Platt Technical High School has opened its doors to many dignitaries in education, but Thursday for the first time their graces were extended internationally with a visit by five education officials from China’s Shandong Province, which has a partnership program with the state’s Department of Education.
Visits by Shandong Province educators to Connecticut, shown at right at Platt, are becoming more common, as are visits area educators make to China in an effort to teach students the global approach to life.
"We are so happy to be here," said Jiang Yu, program officer in the international section of the Shandong Department of Education. "We came to learn, because we want to know what a technical school here does."
There were no huge surprises about the American school system Thursday as most of the delegates have made many trips here before. But Yu, who toured the schools’ various shops with four others, including highly placed school officials from Shandong, said he was surprised at how sophisticated tools and other equipment are at Platt. He said the province has state-of-the-art equipment, but not quite like Platt.
Platt Principal Gene LaPorta said there are 1.5 million students in vocational education in Shandong and about 10,000 in Connecticut.
"We do all kinds of cultural and informational programs, but we’ve never had an international delegation," LaPorta said. "This idea is wonderful. And I always love the opportunity to show off my school."
LaPorta said there was talk over lunch of a student exchange program, meaning a Chinese student could study at Platt and vice versa.
"I think it (the visit) is pretty neat," said junior Jessica Curry, 17, of Milford. "Not only do people in Connecticut get to see what Platt Tech does, but people around the world are getting to see."
Sophomore Brandon Mut, 16, of West Haven, helped to escort the delegates, as did Curry.
"I think it’s great that we can share what we do here," he said.
The delegation in coming days will visit the state capital, Yale University and Bloomfield High School and then leave for home Saturday.

Despite a contentious debate the Board of Education voted 6 to 2 Tuesday night against cutting a dollar from Superintendent of Schools Harvey B. Polansky’s $82.9 million 2008-09 budget proposal.

The budget represents a $4.97 million or 6.39 percent increase over the current $78 million spending plan. It will be forwarded onto the Board of Finance and than the Board of Aldermen for final approval.

Check www.nhregister.com or this space tomorrow morning for more details about the school budget.

Students to head for Australia
By Tanner Munroe
Special to the Register
MILFORD — Two Platt Technical High School students will get the experience of a lifetime this summer.
They will travel to Australia as student ambassadors in a program called People to People.
Christopher Dunn, 17, of Milford, and Ashley Salter, 16, of West Haven were both anonymously nominated by teachers and staff at Platt to participate in the program.
The program lasts 20 days, with the students traveling across the country and getting the chance to experience different aspects of the rich culture and environment that Australia has to offer. Some of these experiences include swimming with dolphins, snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, scaling the 440-foot summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and tobogganing down a sand dune.
However, the experience that Dunn said he is looking forward to the most is the four to five days that the students get to spend with an Aborigine tribe, the Navau.
"I’m hoping to gain a lot of knowledge about their culture, and I also hope to gain an understanding of how differently from Americans the people in the tribe live their lives," he said.
Dunn said he also feels it will be interesting to see if there are similarities between the two cultures.
During the trip, the students will be studying and learning about the history and culture of Australia from their guides. Dunn said the trip will give him useful knowledge he can utilize in college, where he intends to study history.
Salter said the trip is an opportunity to learn about a different culture and gain knowledge and friends that she will carry with her for the rest of her life.
"It’s an honor to be chosen as an ambassador to represent America, and also Connecticut. I think it will be great to not only learn from people in Australia about their culture, but also to share aspects of American culture in return," she said.
Although the students are extremely excited about the trip, they also fear they might not be able to afford it. The trip will cost each of them around $8,000, and although a steep price, both students feel it is more than worth it for the activities they will be able to participate in, and the enormous amount of knowledge they will gain.
Both students have taken on jobs to help finance the trip. They also have gathered some money through fundraising and donations. The students plan to create a Web site when they get back that will document the activities and experiences they had while in Australia, through journal entries and pictures.
Anyone who wants to make a donation or find out more information about the student’s trip, can contact Platt spokesman Tony Tom at (203) 783-5349.

By Brian McCready , Milford Bureau Chief
MILFORD — A Joseph A. Foran High School parent’s concern has prompted school administrators to review the apparent lack of substitute teachers at the high schools.
But Superintendent of Schools Harvey B. Polansky said the shortage of substitute teachers is not a phenomenon just in Milford. He said there is a lack of substitute teachers across the state, especially at the high school level.
During a recent Board of Education meeting, Michael Taylor said his three children attend Foran and informed him they spend a lot of time in study halls because of a lack of substitute teachers.
“I thought in years past this issue had been addressed,” Taylor told school board members. “For a child not to be in class is inexcusable. Administration should address this immediately.”
After Taylor spoke, Polansky responded that Milford pays its high school substitutes more than adjacent communities.
“I wish there was an answer,” Polansky added. “We put ads in the papers. Pay is not the sole issue. We will do our best.”
Polansky also said it’s true that on some days there is a lack of substitutes, but he also said on many days the classes are all covered.
“It changes every day,” Polansky said.
Deputy Superintendent of Operations Philip G. Russell said substitute teachers statewide often specify they will not work at high schools.
“Some of it is the fear,” Russell said.
He said substitutes at the city’s high schools earn $90 a day, but Polansky noted that some Fairfield County towns pay up to $25 more.
Brian McCready can be reached at 876-3001, or briannhregister@gmail.com. Visit the All About Milford blog at www.nhregister.com and click on blog central.

"Snowflake Scrap" hosted by the Calf Pen Meadow PTA.
A ladies night out, scrapbooking from 6:30pm-midnight. Light snacks will be provided. Creative Memories product will be available for purchase and there will be tools there for use. Cost $20.00
Registration is required by January 25. Contact Lee Ann at 878-6709
Event will be held at Calf Pen Meadow on February 1, 2008 6:30pm-12am
395 Welchs Point Rd
Milford, CT 06460

Superintendent of Schools Harvey B. Polansky pitched an $82.89 million budget for next school year Monday night, which represents a $4.97 million increase or a 6.4 percent hike over the current $78 million budget.

One Alderman James Patterson, D-1, already said he doesn't foresee a 6.4 percent increase being supported.

Polansky attributed the increase due to salary and negotiated settlements, and the loss of federal dollars that funded several teaching positions.

The school board will meet Tuesday and Thursday night to discuss the budget further beginning 7 p.m. at the Parsons Government Center.

The board will adopt its budget 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22 at the Parsons Center.