After several set-backs Tasha FINALLY has a school to call home.
Here is a recent news article:
Ham Ave kids return home after four years
Written by Ken Borsuk, Staff Reporter
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Ham Ave kids return home after four years
Written by Ken Borsuk, Staff Reporter
Thursday, February 19, 2009
It was a day long awaited by the community, and smiles, cheers and hugs were everywhere on Tuesday when Hamilton Avenue School students returned from winter break to enter their new school building for the first time.
Construction of the new school ended up being more than two years behind schedule, keeping students and staff in modular classrooms at Western Middle School since 2005, but missed deadlines and past problems weren’t on anyone’s mind as the students settled into their new classrooms and the community got a first look at the state-of-the-art building they had been promised.
After a brief introductory ceremony with First Selectman Peter Tesei, Superintendent of Schools Betty Sternberg, Board of Education Chairwoman Nancy Weissler and board members Leslie Moriarty and Marianna Ponns Cohen in attendance, Principal Damaris Rau led parents and community members on a tour, showing off the classrooms complete with Smart Boards, gym, media center, and state-of-the-art computer lab.
Caroline Arcuri took part in the tour and was visibly impressed with the building. She has one child attending now and another entering the school next year.
“I’m just excited my daughter is going to have the opportunity to learn in such an incredible environment with such great technology,” Ms. Arcuri said.
Dawn Nethercott was doubly happy to be in the new building since she came from the perspective of both a co-president of the PTA and a prekindergarten teacher at the school.
“This is a huge sigh of relief,” Ms. Nethercott said. “We’re coming home. We really are. Finally. The building looks amazing. It feels amazing and everyone is back together.”
Cathy Brunetti was all smiles as she brought her children to the school for the first time. A regular presence at the early morning building committee meetings, Ms. Brunetti had experienced the highs and lows of the process firsthand and was relieved to finally be in the completed school.
“I knew this day would come and I’m glad it came sooner rather than later,” Ms. Brunetti said. “The kids have been so excited. They’ve never been in the building before today, but they knew this is where they belonged. No one was nervous. They were just excited to finally be in here. This is really the best first day of school ever.”
Ms. Brunetti added that she agreed with Ms. Nethercott about this being a sigh of relief for the community after all it had gone through waiting for the building to be ready, including several delays, health concerns and the forced relocation of students last year after mold was found in the modulars.
“Chickahominy finally won one,” Ms. Brunetti said. “We got a beautiful new school. What more could we ask for?”
Fifth grader Valeria Toro was one of the students who came into the new building having also been a student in the old one, which was completely torn down, save for the outside of the facade facing Hamilton Avenue.
“I’m really excited,” Valeria told the Post. “We haven’t been in here in four and a half years. It was pretty small in the modulars and I love being in here. I can’t believe how much progress they made from what the old building used to be.”
Viviana Gonzalez also remembered what the old building was like when she was a fifth grader, and liked the improvements. The wait to move into the new building was difficult. She thought she might never see the new Hamilton Avenue School.
“I thought I was going to go straight to middle school and never get a chance to be in here,” Viviana said. “I’m so happy to finally be here.”
Ms. Sternberg gave a lot of credit to Ms. Rau, the teachers and the staff for all they had achieved while in the modulars.
“Wonderful things happened educationally for these youngsters when they were in the modulars,” Ms. Sternberg said. “Being in the new building is icing on the cake. The building is so light and bright and happy. It’s a wonderful triumph and I only expect things to get better here, but I do want to emphasize that what’s important are the teachers who teach and the leader of the school being focused on the achievement of the kids.”
Ms. Rau said she couldn’t help but miss the modulars because the small space had formed a strong community bond and allowed for programs to really develop creatively, but she loves all the extra space in the new building and seeing the excited looks on the children’s faces.
At one point a winter break move was considered unlikely because Ms. Sternberg and Ms. Rau cited concerns about student disruption with the Connecticut Mastery Test looming in March.
This week., Ms. Sternberg said, she was more than satisfied with the state of the school as it opened.
“People went so beyond what you would expect,” Ms. Sternberg said. “The facilities people worked an amazing amount to get this facility up to snuff and the teachers were so focused on getting their rooms ready.”
Community members also helped with the move, and Ms. Weissler said she was happy to see the teamwork.
“It just shows the character of Greenwich,” Ms. Weissler said.
Construction of the new school ended up being more than two years behind schedule, keeping students and staff in modular classrooms at Western Middle School since 2005, but missed deadlines and past problems weren’t on anyone’s mind as the students settled into their new classrooms and the community got a first look at the state-of-the-art building they had been promised.
After a brief introductory ceremony with First Selectman Peter Tesei, Superintendent of Schools Betty Sternberg, Board of Education Chairwoman Nancy Weissler and board members Leslie Moriarty and Marianna Ponns Cohen in attendance, Principal Damaris Rau led parents and community members on a tour, showing off the classrooms complete with Smart Boards, gym, media center, and state-of-the-art computer lab.
Caroline Arcuri took part in the tour and was visibly impressed with the building. She has one child attending now and another entering the school next year.
“I’m just excited my daughter is going to have the opportunity to learn in such an incredible environment with such great technology,” Ms. Arcuri said.
Dawn Nethercott was doubly happy to be in the new building since she came from the perspective of both a co-president of the PTA and a prekindergarten teacher at the school.
“This is a huge sigh of relief,” Ms. Nethercott said. “We’re coming home. We really are. Finally. The building looks amazing. It feels amazing and everyone is back together.”
Cathy Brunetti was all smiles as she brought her children to the school for the first time. A regular presence at the early morning building committee meetings, Ms. Brunetti had experienced the highs and lows of the process firsthand and was relieved to finally be in the completed school.
“I knew this day would come and I’m glad it came sooner rather than later,” Ms. Brunetti said. “The kids have been so excited. They’ve never been in the building before today, but they knew this is where they belonged. No one was nervous. They were just excited to finally be in here. This is really the best first day of school ever.”
Ms. Brunetti added that she agreed with Ms. Nethercott about this being a sigh of relief for the community after all it had gone through waiting for the building to be ready, including several delays, health concerns and the forced relocation of students last year after mold was found in the modulars.
“Chickahominy finally won one,” Ms. Brunetti said. “We got a beautiful new school. What more could we ask for?”
Fifth grader Valeria Toro was one of the students who came into the new building having also been a student in the old one, which was completely torn down, save for the outside of the facade facing Hamilton Avenue.
“I’m really excited,” Valeria told the Post. “We haven’t been in here in four and a half years. It was pretty small in the modulars and I love being in here. I can’t believe how much progress they made from what the old building used to be.”
Viviana Gonzalez also remembered what the old building was like when she was a fifth grader, and liked the improvements. The wait to move into the new building was difficult. She thought she might never see the new Hamilton Avenue School.
“I thought I was going to go straight to middle school and never get a chance to be in here,” Viviana said. “I’m so happy to finally be here.”
Ms. Sternberg gave a lot of credit to Ms. Rau, the teachers and the staff for all they had achieved while in the modulars.
“Wonderful things happened educationally for these youngsters when they were in the modulars,” Ms. Sternberg said. “Being in the new building is icing on the cake. The building is so light and bright and happy. It’s a wonderful triumph and I only expect things to get better here, but I do want to emphasize that what’s important are the teachers who teach and the leader of the school being focused on the achievement of the kids.”
Ms. Rau said she couldn’t help but miss the modulars because the small space had formed a strong community bond and allowed for programs to really develop creatively, but she loves all the extra space in the new building and seeing the excited looks on the children’s faces.
At one point a winter break move was considered unlikely because Ms. Sternberg and Ms. Rau cited concerns about student disruption with the Connecticut Mastery Test looming in March.
This week., Ms. Sternberg said, she was more than satisfied with the state of the school as it opened.
“People went so beyond what you would expect,” Ms. Sternberg said. “The facilities people worked an amazing amount to get this facility up to snuff and the teachers were so focused on getting their rooms ready.”
Community members also helped with the move, and Ms. Weissler said she was happy to see the teamwork.
“It just shows the character of Greenwich,” Ms. Weissler said.
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