Schools/Sports

Superintendent’s Update

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On April 24 I was honored to participate as a panelist in the 2018 Special Education in Connecticut Summit sponsored by the Klebanoff Institute and the University of Connecticut Neag School of Education. The keynote speaker, Dr. Renee Bradley, Deputy Division Director, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, presented “Equal Access to Opportunity: Do We Have What It Takes?” She asked questions of us that I often ask. Why are we doing what we are doing? Some of our problems in public education have been here for decades. What are we currently doing to address the problems?

Library

Library Update

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The Observer reported last month that the Permanent Building Commission voted to reject all of the several proposals that had been submitted on April 18, as the lowest offered a contract price of $1.45 M for the necessary PCB remediation work. Facilities Manager Julie Oakes quickly changed the Request for Quotation, allowing a new choice of coating removal method, including grit blasting, and allowing the work start date to slip to the fall, when labor costs would likely be lower. Three bids for the newly defined task were received by May 16 and discussed by the Commission at their May 17 meeting.  The lowest was $1.298 M, from Bestech of Ellington; the next was $1.385 M, from Hazpros, of West Hartford; the highest was $1.498 M, from AAIS, of West Haven. All three are creditable companies in the field, according to consultant Bob May. The Commission decided to invite each of the bidders to separate interviews on May 30.

Library

Library Foundation Receives Generous Donation

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The Suffield Public Library Foundation (SPLF) wishes to acknowledge Ron and Jackie Birmingham for their generous donation of $25,000 for ongoing and future improvements to our town library. Ron and Jackie have lived in Suffield for several decades, having raised their daughters, Wendy and Sarah, here and  who all have participated actively in community life. They are committed to keeping library services supported and want it “home” (asap) at Kent Memorial Library, but more urgently, they want to keep program momentum supported to provide continued quality and accessibility of services. Among the benefits of their substantial gift to our community, the SPLF is commissioning a beautiful handmade Thomas Moser rocking chair that will sit in our newly reopened building once the final work is completed. The SPLF board members express their deep appreciation to the Birmingham family for their generous gift.

People/Business

New Business Coming to South Street

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A Suffield entrepreneur who moved his family from one end of Halladay Avenue to the other recently is now planning to move his business from Southwick to a warehouse he will build on South Street. Jeff Wasilewski intends to move his third-party Amazon retailer business from Southwick, with eight employees now and plans for more. He had hoped to have broken ground by now, but a Suffield administrative snag interfered. He expects the delay to be brief. The planned 14,600-square foot warehouse will also accommodate Wasilewski’s Artisan Owl business, identified in his website as a multi-faceted business specializing in toys, housewares, books, games, jewelry and more.

Library

KML General Programs

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For more information or to register for programs, stop by the library, call 860-668-3896, check suffield-library.org, or follow us on Facebook. All of our programs are free! Most of our programs are funded by The Friends of the Kent Memorial Library. Become a member! Please register for programs.

Continuous Programs

New members welcome

Photo Café: First Tuesday, June 5, 6:30 p.m.

Writer’s Workshop: Fourth Monday, June 25, 7 p.m.

Socrates Café: Last Monday, June 25, 6:30 p.m.

Ask George: Technical questions about your digital devices, computers & gaming.

Library

KML Teen News

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Teen staff are busy generating new ideas and programs after attending the Connecticut Library Conference last month. Can anyone say “Escape Room!”

Last month we hosted a Teen Prom Dance program held at the senior center with Christine from Ballroom Fever in Enfield and made Bath Fizzies with our moms during the May Science Saturday. Teen Tech Fair

Join us Saturday, June 2 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. for the KML Teen Tech Fair. Roller coasters, racing robots, 3D maker pens and electrical experiments that will shock you. Spread the word!

Director’s Corner

Walking the Streets of Dublin

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Recently, I was in Dublin, Ireland with my husband. We walked the same streets that Maeve Binchy, Roddy Doyle and James Joyce walked. One rainy day, we posed for a group photo in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where Dean Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels, presided. We visited the quirky Little Museum of Dublin where author John Banville (also known as Benjamin Black) promises to donate his brain.