Darien High School administrators determined Wednesday afternoon that there was no foundation to a rumor that a seemingly threatening statement written on a boys’ bathroom wall, Superintendent of Schools Dan Brenner announced in a news release. The rumor was that someone had written “Do not come to school on 3/23” (Thursday), according to Brenner. Administrators at the high school checked all the bathrooms and didn’t see the message. “Administration [staff] conducted a complete investigation, includin questioning a number of students, and after consultation with the Darien Police, we are confident this rumor is unfounded and that there is no threat to our school or any of our students,” the news release said. The news release concluded:
As always, please know that the safety of our children is our highest priority and we are committed to ensuring the wellbeing of our school community.
These 13 Darien High School seniors have been named National Merit Finalists, Principal Ellen Dunn announced:
Andrew Benz, Brendan Berrigan, Michael Borecki, William Brandon, Komal Dhull, Mia Dursht, Mila Escajadillo, John Hamson, Caroline Lacy, Gauri Misra, Samuel Pfrommer, Kristen Picard, and William Russell. The selection of approximately 8,000 Merit Scholarship winners from the group of more than 15,000 Finalists is now in progress; the scholarship winners will be notified in March. — an announcement from Darien High School
______________
See also:
Commentary: Think Europe Has the Right Approach to Teen Drinking? Here’s Evidence They Don’t (March 16)
18 Darien High School Students Place High in Statewide DECA Business Club Competition (March 15)
Tokeneke’s ‘Passport Around the World’ Event Shows Kids Different Cultures (March 14)
Winners of the Pic Darien Smartphone Photo Contest Announced (March 14)
On Monday, 18 Darien students who belong to the high school’s DECA business club, placed in the top six for their events in a statewide DECA competition. The DECA Club at Darien High School is in their fourth year as a club with 115 student members. The organization prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the world. At the Connecticut State Competition on Monday, 67 DHS students competed among over 1,000 others from around the state. These are the 18 who finished among the top 6 in their events:
1st Place – Nadia Czebiniak – Food Marketing Series
1st Place – Paul Hager – Restaurant and Food Service Management Series
1st Place – Erik Ryan – Quick Serve Restaurant Management Series
2nd Place – Casey Martin – Business Finance Series
3rd Place – Brendan Berrigan – Accounting Applications Series
3rd Place – Griffin Samroengraja – Personal Financial Literacy
3rd Place – Owen Stevens – Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling
3rd Place – Rory Washecka – Principles of Finance
3rd Place – Mila Escajadillo – Business Services Marketing Series
3rd Place Team – Ria Dhull & Nina Rodriguez – Financial Series Team Decision Making
4th Place – Connor Darby – Business Services Marketing
4th Place Team – Ben Bidell & AJ Scolaro – Marketing Management Team Decision Management
5th Place – Spencer Hillman – Marketing Communication Series
6th Place – Corrine Bevill & Lauren Larizza – Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making
6th Place – Sean Huffert – Principles of Finance
“I am very proud of my DHS DECA Club Members,” said Claudia Gray, business teacher and DECA Club Advisor.
These seven Darien High School seniors have been selected as candidates for the United States Presidential Scholars Program: Kyra Balenzano, Michael Borecki, William Brandon, Samuel Pfrommer, William Russell, Emily Torrente and Keenan Warble. The students were identified based on broad academic achievement and having scored exceptionally well on the SAT or ACT. The United States Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by Executive Order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our Nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. Each year up to 141 students are named as a U.S. Presidential Scholar, one of the Nation’s highest honors for high school students. Editor’s note: This article was first published at 4:30 p.m. The time stamp has been changed to move its link to below the weather articles on the home page.
On Tuesday, 46 Darien High School students took the American Mathematics Competition 12 exam (called the AMC 12, for juniors and seniors), and seven participated in the American Mathematics Competition 10 (called the AMC 10, for freshmen and sophomores). All the DHS students participating are members of the school’s new Math National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta. ___________
— an announcement from Darien High School
___________
The top scoring student on the AMC 10 was Folke Bruno. The top 5 percent of all AMC 12 test takers internationally progress to the next round. The American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME) is a three-hour exam which was proctored at DHS on March 7.
When police are alerted to a teenage drinking party in Darien, most of what they do revolves around the safety of the under-age drinkers there and the safety of other people who might be on the road when intoxicated drivers from the party go home. That was one of the themes brought up by two Darien police officers involved with youths in town when the officers spoke recently at a meeting for parents at Darien High School. Detective Mark Cappelli, who works on cases involving youths in town, and Officer Bryan Wallman, who had just been named (two days before the meeting) as school resource officer for Darien High School, replacing James Palmieri, who had just been named a detective. Cappelli, who grew up in town and lives here with his wife and daughter, has been on the Darien police force for 21 years, and on the Youth Bureau for the past nine years. Wallman has been a police officer in town for the past decade and previously was school resource officer at Hindley School.
Even when Darien High School administrators are dropping the proverbial hammer down on your child in high school, the hammer is only proverbial, Principal Ellen Dunn told parents at a recent meeting — administrators are trying to help, and discipline can be a turning point for your kid. Or, as she put it: “The lucky ones get caught.” That was among the observations and advice Dunn had for parents at the “Truth and Consequences” panel presentation last Tuesday night in Darien High School Auditorium. Dunn, in fact, had so much to say from a perspective that few people in town have, that Darienite.com is publishing a near transcript of what she said. Among the points she made:
“We do not report disciplinary actions to schools.”
With only two days on the assignment as school resource officer at Darien High School, Officer Bryan Wallman said at a panel discussion Tuesday night that one of his first impressions is how competitive students are with their academics, and that it may be making them more stressful. DHS Principal Ellen Dunn, who’s been working at the school for years and was also on the panel, said she’s been noticing how students seem more open and unembarrassed to talk with adults about drinking at parties and about marijuana. Don’t renovate that basement if you’ve got teenagers who might want to host a party, she advised parents. Those were some of the observations from the panel at the “Truth and Consequences” public discussion about teenage drinking and binge drinking. Other panelists talked about what parents can do between the time they call an ambulance for an unconscious person found at or after a party, how they should think about legal risks if some teen gets injured at a party at their home where drinking is taking place, or how to approach communicating with a teenager.
A panel of five area experts will speak at Darien High School on Tuesday night, Feb. 7, about teen drinking from the perspectives of the law and law enforcement, how it impairs teenage brains and athletic abilities and how Darien High School deals with drinking. The meeting is for both parents and students. The panel discussion takes place in Darien High School auditorium from 7 to 8:30 p.m. (or 9 p.m., according to the Community Fund of Darien website). These panel members will be participating in the discussion:
Darien EMS-Post 53 Director Nancy Herling will discuss how Darien ambulance crews respond to intoxicated teens.
During mid-terms, many Darien High School students took a break from studying to meet with a furry friend. Inside the “Chill Zone,” a designated hang-out spot for students, registered therapy dogs have been on site for two hours a day during mid-terms, which end this week. The location of the “Chill Zone,” and glass windows into the room, offered high visibility for students join in the event or just watch from the outside. Many students decided to come in to visit and pet the 10 dogs scheduled over 8 different sessions. The canines are connected to two local organizations, Healing Hounds and Paws for Friendships.
The DHS Community Council held its annual Holiday Silent Auction Wednesday evening, Dec. 14, prior to the DHS Holiday Spectrum Concert. _________
— an announcement from Darien High School
_________
During December, Community Council members approached local merchants and the High School community seeking donations for the silent auction. Generosity prevailed and many beautiful gift baskets were assembled for the auction. The prom package, which includes 2 tickets to the DHS prom and help from the administration with “The Ask” was a favorite.
Police have issued a citation to a man whose hunting trip in camouflage near Darien High School on Thursday led to emergency conditions going into place in the school and an email about it going to parents. The hunter, Andrew Ham, 52, of Wilton, told police he had a longstanding verbal agreement with the owner of property near the school to allow him to hunt in the woods on the owner’s land, according to a Darien police announcement issued Wednesday. Darien police issued Ham an infraction ticket for trespassing. ____________
Here’s Darienite.com’s original article (as updated) on the day of the incident:
UPDATE: New Twist: Man in Camouflage Near High School Found After Earlier ‘Lock In’ at School (Nov. 17)
____________
But, according to police, the owner said he hadn’t given permission, and the hunter didn’t have it in writing, as he was required to by state regulation, according to police.
Every year, the Darien High School band collects fresh and frozen turkeys for the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. Last year, the band donated 107 turkeys to local families in need!
The entire Darien community is invited to donate a turkey or sides such as stuffing, canned corn and instant mashed potatoes. Food items can be dropped off outside the Darien High School (look for the turkey!) on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016 from 7 to 8 a.m.
— an announcement from Darien High School
This November, Darien High School’s Theatre 308 presents As You Like It, William Shakespeare’s hopeful, joyful and thought-provoking comedy. Banished from the court, Rosalind disguises herself as a man and flees to the Forest of Arden, where she unexpectedly reunites with Orlando, with whom she has recently fallen in love, and encounters a colorful cast of characters, including Jaques, who proclaims that “All the world’s a stage.”
Students have been rehearsing for the past two months, using the Shakespearean language of the original text but staging the story in modern-day Connecticut—at a country club and a campground. Using the lyrics included in Shakespeare’s song-filled text as inspiration, the students have also composed (and will perform live) original music to complement the storytelling. The production showcases the work of nineteen student actors and over fifty students engaged in various behind-the-scenes roles, including set design and construction, stage management, dramaturgy, and costume, sound, and lighting design. Performances will take place at 7 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov.
