Fairfield Teacher is Finalist in Live's 'Top Teacher Search'

Osborn Hill teacher Kristin Golia is in the running to be crowned the Top Teacher of 2012 on Live! with Kelly.

If you can get to a TV Friday morning, flip on Live with Kelly! at 9 a.m. -- you may see a familiar face. Kristin Golia, a third-grade teacher at Osborn Hill School, made it to the top five finalists for Live’s third annual Top Teacher Search and will appear both live on Friday’s episode and in a pre-taped segment filmed at the school. Following Golia’s appearance—she’s the last of the five finalists to be featured—friends, family, and viewers have until Monday to vote for the “Top Teacher” of 2012. Voting will take place on Live’s Top Teacher Search website. The Stamford resident, who will graduate Sunday from Fairfield University with a Masters’ degree in elementary education, was nominated by Jessica Gerber of Fairfield. Golia taught …

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Connecticut Slips in Science Proficiency Ranking

35 percent of Connecticut eighth grade students reached proficiency in the subject in 2011 — the same percentage that reached proficiency in 2009 — however since then numerous other states have beefed-up their science programs.

As Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy prepares to sign the state's new education reform bill into law, a report from The National Center for Education Statistics shows that the state has dropped in the rankings for science proficiency. According to the report (see attached PDF), 35 percent of Connecticut eighth grade students reached proficiency in the subject in 2011 — the same percentage that reached proficiency in 2009 — however since then numerous other states have beefed-up their science programs. As a result seven states have pushed ahead of Connecticut in the national ranking, according to the report. The report notes that although Connecticut has slipped in the rankings, its student proficiency rate in science is higher than the …

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You Said It: Darien

'These Suckers Can Always Keep Paying More and More...'

The day's best comments from Patch account-holders in our Fairfield County towns.

  DANBURY: "I know it is hard to believe Filo, but yes kids actually play tag, and catch, and ride bikes, and walk their dogs... just like the 'old days' and then we call them to dinner and wash behind their ears and send them to bed..." On the Border wrote this in response to comments made on an article about how Turner Road residents feel about a Belimo Air Controls manufacturing plant possibly coming to their neighborhood. FAIRFIELD: "Go ahead and raid the transportation fund, it's just those Rich Fairfield Country commuters, these suckers can always keep paying more and more for less and less." Newtotown wrote this in response to news that Metro-North riders will face a 4 percent fare hike in January. SHELTON: "Dennis and his crew were…

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Legislature Approves Education Reform Bill

The reform bill now goes to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy for his signature.

  The Connecticut House of Representatives unanimously approved the education reform bill Tuesday night, after the state Senate approved the lengthy bill early Tuesday morning. The legislation is viewed as a compromise of sorts and ends months of controversy between Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the Connecticut Education Association, the state's largest teachers union.  Malloy has pledged to sign the bill into law.  "I can say, with confidence, that this bill will allow us to begin fixing what is broken in our public schools," Malloy said during a hastily assembled press conference late Monday evening at the state Capitol to announce the agreement.  The state Senate then huddled in chambers for the better part of the night Monday into Tuesday …

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Darien High School Ranked Seventh Best in the State

U.S. News and World Report's 2012 Best High Schools list ranks schools based on student performance on standardized tests as well as participation in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate programs.

Darien High School is the seventh best high school in Connecticut and the 324th best in the country, according to U.S. News and World Report's 2012 Best High Schools ranking. The annual list ranks schools based on student performance on standardized tests as well as student participation in Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. Since 2009 the list has been expanded from 1,800 to 22,000 high schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia (Nebraska did not report enough data to be included in this year's rankings), U.S. News reports. U.S. News says it partnered with the Washington, D.C.-based American Institutes for Research in developing the ranking methodology. In addition U.S. News awarded more than 4,…

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AIDS Researcher Delivers Keynote at UConn Graduate Commencement

The graduates, most of whom came from the university’s business school or teaching program, spanned a range of ages, interests, degrees and career goals.

[Editor's Note: This article was originally published on Farmington Patch:] Hundreds of University of Connecticut graduate students were presented with diplomas at the university’s graduate commencement Saturday afternoon at Gampel Pavilion. The graduates, most of whom came from the university’s business school or teaching program, spanned a range of ages, interests, degrees and career goals. While many of the students enrolled in their post-graduate programs right after getting their bachelor's degrees, many, including Edilia Mora, postponed their advanced degrees. “It’s just wonderful,” said Mora, who got her master's degree in business administration. “I actually stopped when I had my baby, so this was a goal for me.” At the ceremony, …

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Beyond Darien

NJ Dad on YouTube: Teachers Bullied My Autistic Son

Detailing the abuses of classroom aides he says made his disabled son's school life "a living hell," Cherry Hill, NJ, resident Stuart Chaifetz took his case public—with audio he captured secretly.

A Cherry Hill, NJ, father who says his autistic son was tormented for at least six months by public-school special education teachers and support staff has taken his case viral with damning, covertly gathered audio of the classroom in which he says his son was abused. In a 17-minute video, titled "Teacher/Bully: How My Son Was Humiliated and Tormented by his Teacher and Aide," Stuart Chaifetz replays portions of audio he attributes to "Kelly" and "Jodi," whom he says are his son Akian's former special education and resource teachers. The voices in the recording tell 10-year-old Akian that he is "such a bastard," order him to "shut [his] mouth," and antagonize him by telling him "no" when he asks for reassurances that he will see his father…

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