Jacqueline Ford, center, accepts a check for $3,500 from the Rotary Club of Southington as the 2015 Thomson Continuing Education Memorial Scholarship Award winner.

Emily Durocher received the Corre Anding Stegall Collegiate Leadership Award from the Delta Kappa sorority.

Southington resident Emily Durocher was recently awarded Kappa Delta’s “Corre Anding Stegall Collegiate Leadership Award.” The award is presented annually to the top echelon of Kappa Delta student leaders. It is based upon high academic performance, exemplary leadership within the chapter, on campus, and in the community.

The distinction of being named a “Corre Girl,” as it has become fondly known, is the sorority’s highest individual collegiate honor. It is awarded to only 12 students across the country out of 12,000 undergraduate members.

Durocher is the vice president of member education for Kappa Delta Sorority at Franklin & Marshall and was recognized in receiving the national “Genevieve Forbes Morse Excellence in New Member Education Award.” This award is presented to the top collegiate chapter in the country for its new member education program.  Both awards were presented at Kappa Delta’s National Collegiate Convention in Orlando, Fla. in late June.

While at Franklin & Marshall, Durocher has served as Prime Minister of the Ware College house Parliament, Chair of the Operations Committee, Academic Excellence Chair, and a Standards Boards Member. She serves as a certified volunteer EMT in the Lancaster area as well as a student athletic trainer, working with F & M athletes through all three sports seasons.

In addition, she has served as an Orientation Planning Director for incoming freshman. During the academic year, Durocher served as an RA and a biology teaching assistant. She is the Franklin & Marshall Class of 2016 Treasurer as well as a member of the College House Evaluation committee.  She was inducted into the Benjamin Rush Pre-Health Honor Society was recognized for her scholarship through the Marshall Fellows Program.

Durocher plans to use this fellowship award to travel to Honduras on a medical mission trip in the spring.

She was also a violinist in Franklin & Marshall’s Orchestra and Philharmonic Ensemble.  Durocher’s volunteer work included work with children through the SLAM (Sports, Leadership, Academics & Mentoring) program in greater Lancaster.

In a Kappa Delta press release, Durocher credits the preparation and challenges from her teachers in the Southington Public Schools and her work with children through the Southington YMCA and Camp Sloper as two strong foundational components to her motivation and desire to enter the health care field to help others in need.

She is working this summer in an immunology lab at Franklin and Marshall doing research on Crohn’s disease.  In September, she begins her senior year as a biology major with a minor in religious studies. She plans to attend graduate school in September 2016 to become a Physician’s Assistant.

Photos By TAMMI NAUDUS

Summer’s over. Students are back in school. This week, teachers scrambled to get ready for the 2015-2016 school year in the days leading up to the first day of school. Above, Hatton Elementary School teacher Gina DiNello, left, and paraprofessional Sherri LaRose organize books for a new class of fifth graders.

DePaolo sixth grade math teacher Erin McCrodden gets to work on the blackboard.

DePaolo sixth grade math teacher Erin McCrodden prepares her supplies.

Teachers Betsy Mauri and Linda Lasevoli sort through a closet at DePaolo.

Danielle Monte prepares the class signage.

Gina DiNello and Sherri LaRose

From left, first grade teacher Jamie Swain, Pre-K teacher Marie Mazurek, and Marie’s niece Kallia Borkowski

First grade teacher Joyce Frederick hangs Snoopy on the door to welcome her new class.

Community members filled an entire bus with school supplies during a fundraising campaign organized by the Giving Back Girls in late July. Proceeds from the event will fill over 400 backpacks for Southington school children in need.

Students returning to Hatton Elementary School for the first day of school were treated to a beautiful burst of colors as a result of the Hatton School Summer Enrichment program. Carolyn Serafino, a fourth grade teacher at the school, taught a course called “Scientific Wonders” where children learn about the impacts of natural disasters and how humans play a role in shaping the world. After hearing about the negative impacts from water pollution, oil spills, littering, and garbage dumps, students learned about positive ways to solve the problem. With the help of landscape designer Paul Serafino and plants donated by Winterberry Gardens, students helped plant a flower garde at the school’s entrance.

By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER

Southington Public Schools opened their doors this week, welcoming students back on Thursday and holding two professional development days for faculty and staff earlier in the week. Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connellan said Tuesday that the school system is “in great shape and ready to receive students.”

Over the summer, Connellan and new Assistant Superintendent of Schools Steve Madancy, former principal at Kennedy Middle School, hosted a first-time orientation for administrators, modeled off of the annual orientation for new teacher.

This year, Southington welcomes more than 10 administrators who are new to the district or to their administrative roles.

Brian Stranieri, new principal of Southington High School (SHS,) joins two new assistant principals at the high school. Steven Madancy’s move to Assistant Superintendent brought a new principal to Kennedy Middle School, while three new elementary school principals have been added—two that are new to Southington and one that’s new to the administrative field.

The district also welcomes two new special education coordinators and a new athletic director, who will begin their work in the district this fall.

“I’m happy with where we are in terms of our team,” said Connellan. “Our administrative team is solid.”

“I’m really excited to see an already great district in so many ways start chasing excellence in everything we do,” said Greg Ferry, new Athletic Director who comes to Southington from Avon Public Schools.

On Aug. 13, the Board of Education (BOE) unanimously approved the addition of two full time teachers (FTE) for Thalberg Elementary School, and two part-time teachers who will provide assistance with ESL classes at SHS.

Sherri DiNello, finance director for the school district, explained that after calculating retirements and staffing changes over the summer, the district has exceeded the original allocated turnover. This means that the district will remain within their budget with the addition of two FTE’s and two part-time educators.

Though the summer saw fluctuation in classroom sizes, Connellan said “right now I think were in a situation where we have some stability in the numbers.”

“I’m pretty comfortable with where we are,” added the superintendent.

At the August BOE meeting, Connellan provided the board with his annual Superintendent’s Report. Patricia Johnson, BOE, applauded Southington High School’s 100 percent graduation rate. The High School graduated 508 students in June.

“We should be shouting this all over town,” said BOE member Terri Carmody of the accomplishment.

“It really reflects the caliber of the staff and the caliber of this board,” added Terry Lombardi, BOE, who commended the board and staff for managing a huge amount of change this year

“We have great folks here, we have great kids, great families, and wonderful staff who come to work and knock themselves out for the kids every day,” said Connellan. “It’s going to be a great year for us.”

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Taylor Hartz, email her at THartz@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Southington’s Catherine MacKay, fourth from the left, was one of four students to receive the 2015 Waterbury CT Teacher’s Credit Union grant. MacKay is seen here with WCTCU officials and the other recipients.

By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER

Catherine MacKay, Southington, comes from a long line of educators and plans to follow in their footsteps in just a few days.

A 2015 graduate of Southington High School, MacKay will begin her college career at UCONN this month, where she plans to study education.

On Thursday, July 23, the Waterbury Connecticut Teachers Federal Credit Union granted scholarships to MacKay and three others, from New Fairfield, Naugatuck, and Watertown, offering financial support to students who plan to pursue a career in teaching.

MacKay received the 2015 The Jean O’Brien Memorial Scholarship, an annual award of $2,000 given to a student who has declared a major in education.

“Our mission is supporting education and teachers,” said Kathleen Johansen, Director of Marketing for the credit union, “and this young lady is an excellent example of the future of exemplary teachers.”

With her mother, father, and grandmother all working in education, MacKay is no stranger to teaching—the college freshman has been assisting her parents in their classrooms since she was in elementary school.

“Their experiences have truly inspired me to pursue education as a career,” said MacKay, “I’ve always felt comfortable and confident working with students and being a part of a classroom.”

The four recipients were chosen after careful review of anonymous applications, personal essays, grade point averages, academic transcripts, and extracurricular activities.

“I’m thankful that the credit union is willing to give back to future teachers,” said MacKay.

The Waterbury CT Teacher’s Federal Credit Union was founded in 1934 and has a membership of 17,000 teachers and board of education members spanning 27 towns in the state.

While the credit union hopes to help future teachers financially, they also strive to “give them a sense of confidence in knowing that back home they have an organization that’s committed to teachers, educators, and the field that they’re looking forward to going into eventually,” said Johansen.

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Taylor Hartz, email her at THartz@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Krystiana Bouchard helped brief the United Nations Security Council about the Iran treaty.

By MIKE CHAIKEN
EDITIONS EDITOR

While most Americans are reading about the recently negotiated treaty with Iran in their local newspapers, 17-year-old Krystiana Bouchard was at the United Nations briefing international officials about the deal.

Krystiana’s presence at the UN building in New York was a result of her participation in a summer program at Princeton University. The Southington teen took classes in debating and—more importantly—international relations.

Krystiana, who finished her high school career as a home-schooled student, spent nearly four weeks in Princeton in July and August taking the classes, which will count toward college credits.

As part of her international relations class, Krystiana said she had applied for and was accepted to an opportunity to go to the United Nations.

At the United Nations, Krystiana said she was asked to brief an official from the United Nations Security Council about the Iran deal.

She said it was her job to speak to UN officials and her classmates about the Iran deal. The official from the UN handled the detailed questions. But since the official didn’t have time to enter into a dialogue with those in attendance, Krystiana was responsible for handling any questions not viewed as “high priority.”

Although the Iran treaty was discussed in class, Krystiana said she didn’t learn the topic would be the subject of her briefing until the night before. So she said she had not learned enough for a briefing.

“A lot of the information I did get on my own, so I was up late that night, learning a lot,” said Krystiana, adding she didn’t mind the work because the topic intrigued her. “I just looked at it as an opportunity that I’m probably not going to get again.”

“There so much we don’t know,” said Krystiana about the Iran deal brokered by President Obama’s administration. “We’re only seeing… the skeleton of it… The nuances of the Iran deal are constantly getting shifted… There’s so much the media doesn’t cover… There’s so much in that the general public is never going to know.”

Krystiana said visiting the UN alone was an exciting experience in and of itself. “You get there, and you’re all dressed up. So you fit right in,” said Krystiana. She was able to experience dimensions of the building that are typically reserved for staff members and VIPs.

“I also got to sit down in one of the rooms where all the diplomats across the world come to,” said Krystiana. “That was just as exciting as being asked to speak.” In that setting, Krystiana said, she—and others—had the opportunity to question the chief of the UN’s peace keeping forces and ask the official about how well the peace-keepers are doing their job.

“This was a hefty topic,” said Krystiana. “As a 17 year old, (I had to figure out) how do I present myself in a way that’s respectable enough not to get an answer that’s a fluff answer and (one) that’s important.”

Krystiana’s experience at the UN whetted her appetite for a career in international relations in the field of human rights. “There’s always going to be room for growth. People are always going to have human rights, taken away from them. They’re always going to need somebody to help. I can make a good career out of that.”

As for the more immediate future, Krystiana, who graduated high school, will be applying for college in the spring (her dream school is Harvard). In the meantime, she also is thinking of participating in a mission trip to South Africa to help combat human trafficking.

John F. Kennedy Middle School
1071 S Main St, Plantsville, CT 06479
(860) 628-3275

Grand opening ceremonies will be held for the newly renovated Joseph A. DePaolo and John F. Kennedy middle schools on Sunday, Sept. 13.

Sponsored by the Southington Board of Education, the ceremonies will include remarks from school, town and state officials in an open house style event.

The grand opening of JFK Middle School will take place at 1 p.m. at 1071 South Main St. in Plantsville.

The grand opening of DePaolo will take place at 3 p.m. at 285 Pleasant St. in Southington.

Any questions about the program can be directed toward Debi Albaitis, Executive Assistant to Superintendent of Schools Timothy F. Connellan, at dalbaitis@southingtonpublicschools or at (860) 628-3202.

By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER

Southington High School (SHS) will host a “College Day” on Tuesday, Sept. 15, when representatives from more than 130 colleges and universities will gather at the high school to answer questions and provide advice for soon-to-be college students.

For those looking to stay local, in-state schools such as Bristol Technical Education Center, Lincoln College of New England, and Quinnipiac University will be in attendance, along with Southern, Eastern, and Western Connecticut State Universities and the University of Connecticut.

New England schools will be heavily represented at the fair, with Emerson College, Fitchburg State College and the University of Massachusetts representing the Bay State, joined by Salve Regina University from Newport, Rhode Island, the University of Maine, Keene State College, in New Hampshire and the University of Vermont.

Representatives from several State of New York (SUNY) schools will make the drive to Southington, joining Manhattan College for city seekers and Hofstra University on Long Island.

From further down the East Coast, students can explore their academic options at Berkeley College in New Jersey, and Drexel University in Philadelphia and Campbell University in North Carolina.

Specialty programs such as the Albany College of Pharmacy, The Culinary Institute of America and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy will appeal to students who have already chosen their area of study, while the wide variety of programs and institutions will provide helpful information for those students still exploring their options.

The fair will be sponsored by the SHS guidance and counseling departments, with representatives from each school will fill the auditorium and lobby from 6:30 to 8pm on Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Parents and students in the community are encouraged to come seek information on the many schools, and students are encouraged to wear their favorite college or college team clothing to school that day to show their school pride.

Any questions can be directed to the SHS guidance department at (860) 628-3229, ext. 244

Kelsey Snodgrass drives the ball past a Windsor defender during a 2-1 loss on opening day.

By BRIAN JENNINGS
STAFF WRITER

Southington (1-0) hung around with Windsor for most of the game on Friday afternoon, September 11, but just came up short in the end, as the Lady Knights lost their season opener at home to Windsor (1-0), 2-1.

Although it was a lost, Southington coach Erin Luddy still thought her girls played well.

“Going in, we knew that a lot of them [Southington] never had varsity experience,” said Luddy. “It was definitely a thing of first-game nerves in the first half. Unfortunately, they scored quickly on us and had us on our heels, but we bounced back. We kept moving and there a lot of positive things to work off of for the upcoming season.”

Windsor took a 1-0 lead with a goal in the first half, just under five minutes into the game.

“They’re [Windsor] an up-and-coming team,” said Luddy. “She’s [Pam Hammersmith] had a lot of freshmen starters that are now seniors. So, she has a veteran team, which is nice to have. They’ve been playing a lot together, and you can see that in the movement of the ball. They knew where each other were.”

Windsor added another goal to their total around the same time in the second half, but the Knights responded with a goal from co-captain Kelsey Snodgrass, assisted by Hallie Altwies, with 17:52 to go in the game.

Amanda Delorme saved 11 of Windsor’s 13 shots on goal for the Knights. Windsor’s Jess Dillon saved three of the Knights’ four shots on goal. The Knights had four penalty corners and Windsor had seven.

“I graduated four starting midfielders, so that’s a learning experience for them,” said Luddy. “It’s something that they’re going to grow into. We have 15 more games. As our spacing and transitioning gets better, so will we.”

It doesn’t get any easier with games at Glastonbury (1-0) and Newington (0-1) this week.

To comment on this story or to contact sports writer Brian Jennings, email him at BJennings@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Middle School Building Committee Chair Edward Pocock Jr. addresses the crowds at the Kennedy Middle School grand opening on Sept. 13.

By TAYLOR HARTZ
STAFF WRITER

Educators, administrators, town leaders, and state legislatures joined together this weekend to celebrate the grand openings of the newly renovated John F. Kennedy and Joseph A. DePaolo middle schools.

Members of the community were welcomed to the schools for celebratory speeches and tours of the updated facilities.

After years of planning and construction, JFK and DePaolo opened their doors on the afternoon of Sept. 13, showing off updated classrooms, infrastructure, equipment, and technology.

“They just could not be any nicer,” Sen. Joe Markley (R-Conn.) said about the improvements, which include new media centers, cafeterias, and fitness rooms.

“The beautiful structure is a testament to how much we value what takes place inside of it,” said Markley.

The seven-member committee faced extensive planning obstacles over the course of the project, and there was no shortage of recognition for their perseverance.”

Markley noted that the committee “did a remarkable job” recovering from problems that were faced in early construction, while Town Council Chairman Michael Riccio, who attended DePaolo, applauded the committee for carrying the project through referendums.

“I think it’s a tribute to this community and shows the amount that this community values education,” said Superintendent of Schools Tim Connellan.

At DePaolo, a slideshow created by Christopher Palmieri, Middle School Building Committee Vice Chairman and Vice Principal of DePaolo, showed photos of before, during, and after the long construction.

Looking around at the finished project, DePaolo Principal Frank Pepe said the students at both schools now had a facility that would bring their education into the 21st century. “The infusion of technology is huge,” said Pepe. “Access to more knowledge and research is endless, and it’s at their fingertips.”

Each school added new computer labs, complete with several Macintosh desktops, while many classrooms received new laptop and iPad carts for in class use.

At both schools, students volunteered their time to give tours of the buildings, pointing out all their favorite new aspects.

Decorations lined the walls at each school, with smiley faces and student handprints displaying students “5 favorite things” or “things that make me happy” about the renovations.

Though some students said they noticed some noise and disruption during building hours, they agreed that the finished project was worth it.

Gianna Wadowski and Trevor Messina, eighth-grade students who unveiled the new plaque during Sunday’s ceremony at JFK, said they were most looking forward to the new band and chorus rooms.

“Everything is upgraded,” said Messina, “It’s definitely a really big difference compared to what it was when I was in sixth grade.”

While many students said they were most excited about new technology, others enjoyed the simple redesign of the school.

Seventh grader Kayla Pelletier, giving a tour of DePaolo, said that before the renovations her classes were scattered in different hallways, and she would sometimes go up and down stairs eight times each school day.

“Now it’s a lot easier and less confusing,” said Pelletier, pointing out the organization of one team per hallway, with floor tiles color-coded for each grade and team.

Pelletier was one of hundreds of students that were involved in the grand openings.

While several students played tour guide for parents, alumni, and community leaders, others provided entertainment by performing on stage in the chorus, and playing in the orchestra in the newly landscaped courtyards.

“The building is for them,” said Palmierie, “so it’s important to have them be a part of it.”

“Thank you all for putting up with the craziness and for being here today,” said Board of Education Chairman Brian Goralski to students volunteering at the JFK opening.

Edward Pocock Jr., Chairman of the Middle School Building Committee, also thanked students and staff for accommodating the construction and said that both schools endured the chaos well. The Chairman applauded the town for their support and all the committee and council members for their contributions to the project.

As the doors opened for the first official display at DePaolo, State Rep. Joe Aresimowicz (D-Conn.) urged the community to appreciate the time and effort that had been dedicated to the project over the years. “As you are looking around today at the beauty of it,” he said, “don’t forget the sweat that went into it.”

To comment on this story or to contact staff writer Taylor Hartz, email her at THartz@SouthingtonObserver.com.

Naomi Lemire, of Southington, graduated summa cum laude from Quinnipiac University this past May with a 3.95 grade point average. Above, Lemire displays the Alice B. Remail Memorial Award, which is presented to the graduating student, majoring in English, with the highest academic record. The award was presented after a vote by the English faculty, and Lemire was asked to speak at the annual Scinto-Engel Colloquium, sponsored by the university.

Southington High School will be hosting their annual Financial Aid Night on Tuesday, Oct. 20 in the high school auditorium. The event is scheduled to being at 7 p.m.

First Aid Night is targeted to high school seniors and their parents. However, all parents and students of Southington High School are welcome to attend.

Carolyn Karno of Education Funding Strategies will be the presenter. She is a seasoned financial aid professional with a wide range of higher education experience.  Before starting her own consulting business, she was the manager of college planning and financial aid at the Connecticut Student Loan Foundation.

Karno has hosted numerous financial aid workshops for parents, students, and education opportunity professionals.

The annual “Music of the Knight” band competition is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24. Blue Knight band members, above, gather at last year’s celebration.

On Saturday, Oct.24, the Southington High School Blue Knights Marching Band will present the 23rd annual “Music of the Knight” marching band competition at Fontana Field at Southington High School. This event is a US Bands sanctioned marching competition.

Twenty-two high school bands from across Connecticut and Massachusetts will be competing for the title. The final performance schedule will be posted by US bands on their website www.USBands.org.

Music of the Knight has been designated a “Gold Event” by US Bands and is one of the largest and most well-attended high school band competition in New England. It is the band’s major fund-raiser of the season and, with the assistance of many sponsors in the community, the band relies on this event to raise about 50 percent of its operating budget.

The event kicks off at 2:55 p.m. with performances by the Joseph A. DePaolo Middle School Band, under the direction of Richard Santanella, and the John F. Kennedy Middle School Band, under the direction of Tim Johnson.

The Award Winning Southington Blue Knights Marching Band under the direction of Sara Ossias and Harrison Stuppler will perform an exhibition of their 2014 Show, “The Coven.” In keeping with tradition, SHS band alumni will lead the Blue Knights onto the field for their performance. The evening will conclude with the SHS senior recognition and the award ceremony.

DePaolo Middle School announced their students of the month for October. Front, from left, Micaela Potamis, Sera Altomari, Shane DiPietro-Bean, Mercy Adekola, Katie Kubisek, and Ryan Parent. Back, Asst. Principal Chris Palmieri, Sophia Swain, Andrew Brino, Rylee LeClair, Livvy Pizzitola, Heather Landino, Principal Frank Pepe. Missing from photo: Ryan DelMonte.

Joseph A. DePaolo Middle School recently announced the names of its October students of the month.

In sixth grade Sophia Swain, Andrew Brino, and Ryan DelMonte were selected by their teams.

Sophia is the daughter of Jeff and Pamela Swain and received the Presidential Award last year at Thalberg. She received a certificate of achievement for DARE and is a Girl Scout. Sophia is in the school band and jazz band and plays soccer for the town.

Andrew is the son of Linda and Pat Brino and also received the Presidential Award in fifth grade. He is a Boy Scout and also is a STEPS ambassador. Andrew is a black belt in karate and plays alto saxophone in the school band.

Ryan is the son of Alisa and Damon DelMonte and also received the Presidential Award in fifth grade. He plays travel football with the Knights and plays baseball and basketball for the town. Ryan runs on the school cross country team.

In seventh grade Micaela Potamis, Livvy Pizzitola, and Mercy Adekola were selected by their teams.

Micaela is the daughter of Lynn and Greg Potamis and was recognized twice last year at a Principal’s breakfast. She is part of the Giving Back Girls and plays in the Southington Soccer Club. Micaela is part of the cross country team, sign language club, and builder’s club at school.

Livvy is the daughter of Danny and Tom Pizzitola and has consistently been an honor roll student at DePaolo. She has raised money for the Mill Foundation and is a peer advocate. Livvy is in the school chorus, drama club, and runs on the cross country team.

Mercy is the daughter of Aderemi and Titilayo Adekola and received a Presidential Award. She volunteers at a homeless shelter in New Britain for her church. Mercy is in the student council, drama club, sign language club, and jazz band for DePaolo.

In eighth grade Shane DiPietro-Bean, Ryan Parent, and Kathryn Kubisek were selected by their teams.

Shane is the son of Dana DiPietro and Clare Bean and is involved with Art for a Cause. He is in also in the school chess club.

Ryan is the son of Randy and MaryBeth Parent and was recognized at a Principal’s Breakfast last year. He is a peer advocate and is part of the Leadership Program. Ryan plays on the school basketball team and is part of the Knights football team.

Kathryn is the daughter of Amy and Joe Kubisek and has consistently been an honor roll student. She is on the cross country team is in the school colorguard. Kathryn is a competing gymnast and took part in a fundraiser for autism.

In Unified Arts Rylee LeClair, Sera Altomari, and Heather Landino were selected.

Rylee is the daughter of Maryann and Ronald LeClair and is hardworking, attentive, and focused. She is in the Leadership Program and runs on the cross country team. Outside of school Rylee is a Girl Scout and participates in gymnastics.

Sera is the daughter of Karen and Richard Altomari and has consistently been an honor roll student. She is in the Mathcounts and the Leadership Program. Sera is participating in a fundraiser for a child with an autoimmune disease.

Heather is the daughter of Beth and Phil Landino and is an honor roll student. Heather has volunteered at Alex’s Lemonade Stand at the Apple Harvest Festival and is part of the girl’s soccer team for DePaolo.

The Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA), in partnership with Lincoln College of New England’s (LCNE) Mortuary Science program, presented two educational seminars on Wednesday, Oct. 7. LCNE students were offered an opportunity to take the seminar classes and meet future potential Funeral Directors. Seminar topics included “Distracted Driving; It happens in the blink of an eye,” and “Optimizing your workforce to gain and maintain a competitive edge.” Front, from left, LCNE President Denise Lewicki, CFDA Executive Director John F. Cascio. Back, Paul Decelles from Ingnition Business Coaches, LLC (IBC), Dan Shlatz from Federated Insurance, Shel Myers from Kainen, Escalera & McHale, George Thomson from IBC, Phyliss Rizy, from IBC.

Southington High School, 720 Pleasant St, Southington, CT 06489

Four Southington schools in the Pleasant Street region have been placed on secure school status until further notice as a precaution. Southington High School, DePaolo Middle School, Hatton Elementary School, and Flanders Elementary School have temporarily suspended outside activities after someone threatened a staff member.

An alert was sent to parents from Southington’s Superintendant of Schools Tim Connella. The alert said that someone from outside the schools made the threat, but there is no threat inside any of the schools. The four schools will operate normally inside the buildings, but no one will be allowed to enter.

Reports indicate that Southington police have added patrols in the area.

Southington High School, 720 Pleasant St, Southington, CT 06489

The Southington Police Department announced an arrest after yesterday’s incident in Southington schools that resulted in four local schools being place on secure school status.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, police received a report at approximately 8:15 a.m. that a Southington High School staff member received a threat from someone outside of the school. As a precaution, Southington High School, DePaolo Middle School, Flanders Elementary School and Hatton Elementary School were placed in secure school status.

“Secure school status” means that normal activity inside the school continues, but no one is allowed to enter or exit the school. The incident was investigated, and the threat was dismissed at approximately 9:40 a. m. The secure school status was lifted at that time.

The police investigation revealed that Gregory R Daly, 42, of Southington was involved in a dispute with a Southington High School staff member. As a result of the argument, Daly made personal threats against the staff member. Daly was located at his home in Southington and subsequently taken into custody.

Daly was charged with first degree threatening, second degree harassment, and breach of peace. He was held on a $500,000 bond. His court appearance is scheduled for today at Bristol Superior Court.

As a result of the investigation seven firearms were seized from the home and are now in police custody.

Lewis High School graduates from the Class of 1946 will be holding their 70^th class reunion on May 20, 2016 at the Back Nine Tavern at Southington Country Club. For more information, contact the reunion committee, above, or call Norma Zygmunt at (860) 628-9246. Front, from left, Robert Leach and Edward Kordys. Back, Zygmunt, Betty Arcano, Ruthann Bussett, Marge Cushing, and Vivian Moore. Not pictured are Eleanore Bandeccki and Kay Kalwat.