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COVID-19: Masking Decision Now Up To School Districts As CT Mandate Expires COVID-19: Masking Decision Now Up To School Districts As CT Mandate Expires
Covid-19: Masking Decision Now Up To School Districts As CT Mandate Expires With the statewide mask mandate expiring for students in Connecticut schools, the decision on whether to send children to class with a facial covering now falls on parents and local school districts. As of Monday, Feb. 28, the statewide COVID-19 mandate in schools ended, leaving the decision to individual schools, most of which are opting to ditch the masks. Related story - COVID-19: School District In Fairfield County Announces It Will Lift Mask Mandate While masks will not be required for students and staff inside school buildings, they are still required on public transportation, which …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
CT Community Colleges To Raise Tuition For 2022-23 Academic Year CT Community Colleges To Raise Tuition For 2022-23 Academic Year
CT Community Colleges To Raise Tuition For 2022-23 Academic Year Connecticut's 12 community colleges are set to increase tuition for the 2022-2023 academic year. The Board of Regents for Higher Education voted to increase tuition and fees by $224 per year, or $112 per semester for full-time students who pay out of pocket, according to an announcement from Connecticut State Colleges and Universities. “None of us ever want to raise tuition,” CSCU President Terrence Cheng said. “However, I want to note that this does not mean that everyone’s bill will increase. For many, there will be no increase at all. Students who are eligible for the PACT program, …

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by Nicole Valinote
Schools
COVID-19: CT School District Announces It Will Lift Mask Mandate COVID-19: CT School District Announces It Will Lift Mask Mandate
Covid-19: CT School District Announces It Will Lift Mask Mandate A Fairfield County school district announced it will be among those who will be lifting its COVID-19 mask policy when the state-ordered mandate ends on Monday, Feb. 28. Trumbull Schools Superintendent Martin Semmel announced that as of Feb. 28, facial coverings will not be required for students, staff, or visitors to all district buildings. Beyond Feb. 28, it will be the choice of students, parents, and staff members about whether or not they choose to mask up. Earlier story - COVID-19: Lamont Announces Recommended Date For End Of Statewide School Mask Mandate As per federal guidance, mas…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: School District In Region Rescinds Mask Policy COVID-19: School District In Region Rescinds Mask Policy
Covid-19: School District In Region Rescinds Mask Policy Mask-wearing will soon be an option for students and staff in a Western Massachusetts school district. In Hampden County, Westfield Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski announced that the district’s School Committee voted to rescind its mask policy, effective as of Monday, Feb. 28. As of Feb. 28, mask-wearing will be voluntary for students and staff, including all extracurricular activities and athletic events. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker previously said that the state would be lifting mask requirements as of Feb. 28, though it would be up to individual school districts and local…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Student From West Hartford Makes Splash On Jeopardy! College Championship Student From West Hartford Makes Splash On Jeopardy! College Championship
Student From West Hartford Makes Splash On Jeopardy! College Championship If the answer is Joey Kornman, the question must be: “Name that college student from Connecticut making waves on the Jeopardy! National College Championship.” Kornman, a classical studies major from West Hartford studying at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, is on to the “Jeopardy! National College Championship” semifinals after taking down two other students in the quarterfinal that aired on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Mayim Bialik with Joey Kornman in 'Jeopardy! National College Championship.Twitter/@BrandeisU Kornman won the night over Mitch Macek, a sophomore at Villanova Univer…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Lamont Announces Recommended Date For End Of Statewide School Mask Mandate COVID-19: Lamont Announces Recommended Date For End Of Statewide School Mask Mandate
Covid-19: Lamont Announces Recommended Date For End Of Statewide School Mask Mandate Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced that he's recommending the state school mask mandate be lifted. Beginning on Monday, Feb. 28, the requirement that students, teachers, and staff wear masks inside Connecticut schools will be lifted, the governor announced, touting the state’s improved COVID-19 data. The choice whether or not to continue a mandate beyond that date is up to individual school districts. Earlier story - COVID-19: Positive Infection Rate Dips Below 5 Percent In CT; Latest Breakdown Of Cases, Deaths “I think today with boosters, given vaccines, given the N95 masks, you are …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Apparent School Violence Threat Under Investigation In Region Apparent School Violence Threat Under Investigation In Region
Apparent School Violence Threat Under Investigation In Region Police in Western Massachusetts were called into action to investigate a rumor regarding an alleged threat made toward an area high school. In Hampden County, the Ludlow Police Department issued an alert after it was alerted to a threat regarding school violence at the high school shortly before 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 2. According to Lt. David R.G. Irwin, working with administrators at the Ludlow High School, they traced the rumor back to its source, a student at the high school, and ultimately determined that the threat was not credible.

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Storm Cleanup Causes Closures At These CT Schools Storm Cleanup Causes Closures At These CT Schools
Storm Cleanup Causes Closures At These CT Schools Some schools in Connecticut were forced to close on Monday, Jan. 31 as the state continues to clean up from the weekend storm that dumped more than a foot of snow in certain parts of the region. In New London County, which was among the hardest-hit areas in Connecticut, Norwich and Groton Public Schools were closed on Monday to allow the town to continue cleaning up from the storm. Officials said that the amount of snow was too much for public works staffers to remove in one day. “The health and safety of all students is our priority, and we look forward to returning to campus (on) Tuesday…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Bomb Threat Leads To Shelter-In-Place Order At College In Region Bomb Threat Leads To Shelter-In-Place Order At College In Region
Bomb Threat Leads To Shelter-In-Place Order At College In Region A bomb threat led to police locking down Smith College in Western Massachusetts, which issued a shelter-in-place order to start the day. Shortly before 6:15 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 28 in Hampshire County, Smith College in Northampton announced that the threat had been made against Burton Hall, which sits in the heart of the campus. Police said that the threat included an anonymous report of multiple explosive devices at Burton Hall that was made at 5:02 a.m. on Friday morning. In response, students were advised to avoid that area of the campus, and a shelter-in-place order was issued approxim…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Here's When SAT Will Go Completely Online, College Board Says Here's When SAT Will Go Completely Online, College Board Says
Here's When SAT Will Go Completely Online, College Board Says The SAT, a standardized test used for college admissions, is set to move to a completely digital format. Students outside of the United States will start taking the SAT digitally in 2023, and in the US, the digital test will start being administered in 2024, the College Board announced on Tuesday, Jan. 25. According to the announcement, a variety of other changes will be made to the exam.  The digital test will be shortened to about two hours instead of three, with shorter reading passages and topics that "will reflect a wider range of topics that represent the works students read in …

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by Nicole Valinote
Schools
Student Apprehended After Threat Against CT School Student Apprehended After Threat Against CT School
Student Apprehended After Threat Against CT School A Fairfield County teen has been arrested for allegedly making threats against an area school on social media. The incident took place around 3 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 20, when the Fairfield Police Department was notified by the FBI New Haven of a possible threat made toward a Town of Fairfield school on the social media app Yik Yak, said Sgt. Michael Stahl, of the Fairfield Police.  The FBI was notified by the social media company of the anonymous message, Stahl said.  School administrations were notified and an investigation was immediately conducted regarding the c…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
COVID-19: CT High School To Have Early Dismissal Due To Staff Shortage COVID-19: CT High School To Have Early Dismissal Due To Staff Shortage
Covid-19: CT High School To Have Early Dismissal Due To Staff Shortage A Connecticut high school will be dismissed early due to a staffing shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In New Haven County, on Friday, Jan. 21, officials in the Hamden School District said that Hamden HS students will attend their first four periods and be dismissed at 11:30 a.m. Officials noted that the staffing shortage has only impacted the high school. No other schools in the district were affected. 
“Due to a shortage of staff, Hamden High School will institute an early dismissal schedule today, Friday, (Jan. 21),” the district posted on social media. “Students will attend pe…

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by Zak Failla