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School In CT Receives Threat Of Violence, Placed In Lockdown School In CT Receives Threat Of Violence, Placed In Lockdown
School In CT Receives Threat Of Violence, Placed In Lockdown A Fairfield County high school was placed on lockdown after receiving a threat of violence. The incident occurred at Notre Dame High School in Fairfield around 1 p.m., Thursday, April 11. According to Sgt. Michael Stahl of the Fairfield Police, the school received a telephone threat of violence and notified the police. The school was placed into lockdown while officers completed an assessment of the threat and determined that all students and staff were safe, Stahl said. "At this time, we believe this to be a swatting incident and that the call to the school was not made from the imm…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
School In CT Reopens After Cracks Found Following Earthquake School In CT Reopens After Cracks Found Following Earthquake
School In CT Reopens After Cracks Found Following Earthquake A Fairfield County school evacuated following last week's earthquake has reopened. Related: Cracks Discovered At School In Greenwich After 4.8 Magnitude Earthquake: Report Greenwich's Central Middle School was deemed safe to open on Monday, April 8, after cracks were found after the 4.8-magnitude earthquake that occurred on Friday, April 5, in New Jersey that was felt throughout the region.  "We are happy to share some good news with all of you," said Greenwich Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones and Central Middle School Principal Thomas Healy.  School officials said th…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
Multiple Anti-Semitic Incidents Under Investigation At CT Middle School Multiple Anti-Semitic Incidents Under Investigation At CT Middle School
Multiple Anti-Semitic Incidents Under Investigation At CT Middle School School officials and police in a Connecticut district are investigating after multiple anti-semitic incidents occurred at a middle school. The incidents took place in Middlesex County at Beman Middle School in Middletown. In a letter to the community on Thursday, Feb. 29, Middletown School District Superintendent Dr. Alberto Vázquez Matos said the incidents occurred in a bathroom at the school and included swastikas. "Let me be clear: there is no place for hate, intolerance, or discrimination of any kind in the Middletown Public Schools," Vázquez Matos wrote. "These act…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
CT School District Removes 2 Holidays, Causes Controversy: Report CT School District Removes 2 Holidays, Causes Controversy: Report
CT School District Removes 2 Holidays, Causes Controversy: Report A Connecticut school board's decision to remove two holidays that have traditionally given students a day off has sparked debate amongst community members, according to a report by ABC 7 New York.  The controversy began in Fairfield County following the Stamford School Board's decision to remove Veterans Day and Columbus Day from their calendar, which means students will not have them off for the next two years, according to an ABC7 report from Friday, Jan. 26.  Board members, who passed the decision in a 5-3 motion, have defended the decision by saying students should remain in s…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
CT Schools Superintendent Resigns Suddenly For 'Personal Reasons' CT Schools Superintendent Resigns Suddenly For 'Personal Reasons'
CT Schools Superintendent Resigns Suddenly For 'Personal Reasons' A Fairfield County superintendent has announced his sudden resignation, school officials said.  Kevin Walston, the superintendent of Danbury Public Schools, has decided to resign from his position, the Danbury Board of Education announced on Friday night, Jan. 26.  Walston attributed his decision to "personal reasons," according to the school board, which added that he would remain on leave through Sunday, June 30.  "The Danbury Board of Education supports Mr. Walston’s decision and wishes him well as he takes the time necessary to address his personal issues," the…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
Harvard University President Resigns Amid Controversy: Reports Harvard University President Resigns Amid Controversy: Reports
Harvard University President Resigns Amid Controversy: Reports Claudine Gay is set to resign as Harvard University president after facing plagiarism accusations over her academic work and heavy criticism during a congressional hearing on campus antisemitism. Gay is stepping down on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 2, after just six months and two days since being appointed president of the university, according to the Harvard Crimson. Her tenure is the shortest ever for a Harvard president, the newspaper reported.  Related: Harvard President Claudine Gay Gets Support From Faculty Her resignation comes after mounting allegations of plagiarism of her…

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by Khier Casino
Schools
Harvard President Requests More Changes To Her Work As Congress Digs Into Her Writing: Reports Harvard President Requests More Changes To Her Work As Congress Digs Into Her Writing: Reports
Harvard President Requests More Changes To Her Work As Congress Digs Into Her Writing: Reports As the US House of Representatives is digging deeper into Harvard University President Claudine Gay’s academic work, the university said it had found more issues in connection to the matter. The Harvard Corporation, which oversees the university, said on Wednesday, Dec. 20 that Gay would request three corrections to her 1997 Ph.D. dissertation, the Harvard Crimson reported. The corrections follow an independent review by the corporation, which found that Gay had not properly attributed some of her sources but the incidents didn't rise to the level of serious wrongdoing, the Crimson reported…

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by Khier Casino
Schools
Harvard President Faces Plagiarism Allegations Amid Calls For Resignation Harvard President Faces Plagiarism Allegations Amid Calls For Resignation
Harvard President Faces Plagiarism Allegations Amid Calls For Resignation Harvard University president Claudine Gay faces new allegations while some are calling for her resignation after they took issue with recent comments she made to Congress about anti-Semitism.  A report claims that Gay had plagiarized portions of her doctoral thesis. However, the prestigious university said it had looked into the matter and determined that she had not violated any of the school's research standards. Officials said two of her articles will receive corrections for "inadequate citation." The Harvard Corporation, which supervises the university, announced in a statement on …

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by Khier Casino
Schools
'Predatory, Grooming Behavior' Leads To Firing Of CT HS Coach, Officials Say 'Predatory, Grooming Behavior' Leads To Firing Of CT HS Coach, Officials Say
'Predatory, Grooming Behavior' Leads To Firing Of CT HS Coach, Officials Say A high school coach has been fired after a school district in Fairfield County received a "very serious report" from students before the Thanksgiving holiday. The assistant coach worked at Bethel High School, but was not an employee who worked in school buildings daily, according to officials. "The safety of our students is our highest priority and when that safety is compromised we take action," Bethel High School Principal Christopher Troetti and Superintendent of Schools Christine Carver said in a letter to the community.  After receiving the report, officials "immediately" co…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
Harvard Faculty Backs President Gay Amid Calls For Resignation Over Congressional Testimony Harvard Faculty Backs President Gay Amid Calls For Resignation Over Congressional Testimony
Harvard Faculty Backs President Gay Amid Calls For Resignation Over Congressional Testimony Harvard President Claudine Gay is facing calls to resign after her congressional hearing on antisemitism went viral last week, but hundreds of university faculty are rallying behind her in support. An open letter, addressed to the Harvard Corporation, has reached 686 signatures from faculty members, according to the Harvard Crimson. Related: Gay Denies Plagiarism Claims As University Lends Its Support Faculty members wrote: “We, the undersigned faculty, urge you in the strongest possible terms to defend the independence of the university and to resist political pressures that are at odds …

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by Khier Casino
Schools
UPenn President Resigns After Backlash Over Congressional Testimony UPenn President Resigns After Backlash Over Congressional Testimony
UPenn President Resigns After Backlash Over Congressional Testimony Moments after it was announced that University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill was resigning, Board of Trustees Chairman Scott Bok followed suit. Magill, whose testimony to Congress on antisemitism earlier this week sparked widespread outrage, resigned on Saturday, Dec. 9. Bok later announced his resignation, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Magill remains a faculty member at Penn Carey Law and will stay on as president until an interim president is appointment, UPenn Board of Trustees Chairman Scott Bok said in announcing the news Saturday evening. And Liz Magill has resig…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
College In CT Shows Support For Palestinian Student Shot In VT In Apparent Hate Crime College In CT Shows Support For Palestinian Student Shot In VT In Apparent Hate Crime
College In CT Shows Support For Palestinian Student Shot In VT In Apparent Hate Crime A college community in Connecticut, alongside many nationwide, has been left reeling after a student of Palestinian descent was one of three shot in what appears to be a hate crime. Tahseen Ali Ahmad, age 20, who attends Trinity College in Hartford, was one of three men of the same age shot outside of a house in Burlington, Vermont on Sunday, Nov. 26, the school announced. Ali Ahmad and the two other men — Kinnan Abdalhamid and Hisham Awartani, also of Palestinian descent — were lifelong friends visiting a relative’s house near the University of Vermont's campus for the Thanksgiving holid…

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by Sophie Grieser
Schools
This CT School District Among Top 13 In Nation, According To New Rankings This CT School District Among Top 13 In Nation, According To New Rankings
This CT School District Among Top 13 In Nation, According To New Rankings Several school districts in the region rank among the best in the nation in brand-new rankings. TeachSimple analyzed reviews and ratings of each US school district and ranked them from highest to lowest, with 1 being the lowest, and 5 being the highest.  The scores are based on reviews from parents and students, statistics from the US Department of Education, and user-submitted information from schools.  The two top-ranked districts in New York and Connecticut are both in Nassau County on Long Island: No. 3 Roslyn Union Free SD has a high proficiency in both reading and math. T…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
CT Colleges Face Large Cuts To Services, Price Hikes As Funding Disappears CT Colleges Face Large Cuts To Services, Price Hikes As Funding Disappears
CT Colleges Face Large Cuts To Services, Price Hikes As Funding Disappears Colleges and regional universities across Connecticut are expecting a $140 million deficit next year now that pandemic-era funds are drying up, the CT Mirror reports. The Board of Regents of Higher Education, an organization that oversees that state's 12 community colleges, state universities, and the online Charter Oak College, said the cuts by state lawmakers tightening their budgets along with the loss of federal funding is equal to 11 percent of the entire state system budget, the outlet said. The University of Connecticut in Storrs and its satellite campuses are planning for a $70 mill…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
Update: Custodian Stops Armed Man Outside CT Elementary School, Officials Say Update: Custodian Stops Armed Man Outside CT Elementary School, Officials Say
Update: Custodian Stops Armed Man Outside CT Elementary School, Officials Say This story has been updated. A Connecticut school custodian is being credited with helping to apprehend a man with a gun outside of an elementary school. The incident took place outside of the Lincoln Bassett Community School at 130 Bassett St, New Haven on Wednesday, Nov. 8 in the morning. In a letter to parents and the community, school officials said the custodian noticed the distraught man, who was carrying a weapon, outside the school and approached him. "He was successful in de-escalating the situation," the letter said.  When New Haven Police arrived on the scene they fo…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
21-Year-Old Accused Of Threatening To Shoot, Stab, Rape Jewish Students On Campus At Cornell 21-Year-Old Accused Of Threatening To Shoot, Stab, Rape Jewish Students On Campus At Cornell
21-Year-Old Accused Of Threatening To Shoot, Stab, Rape Jewish Students On Campus At Cornell A student at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York has been accused of threatening to shoot, stab, and rape Jewish students at the Ivy League school. Patrick Dai, a 21-year-old junior originally from Pittsford, New York, was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 31 on a federal criminal complaint charging him with posting threats to kill or injure another using interstate communications, according to prosecutors in the Northern District of New York. Dai allegedly posted threatening messages to the Cornell section of an online discussion site, including posts calling for the deaths of Jewish peopl…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
'Devastating News': CT High School Student Dies, Police Say 'Devastating News': CT High School Student Dies, Police Say
'Devastating News': CT High School Student Dies, Police Say A Fairfield County high school student has died, according to school officials. Click here for a new, updated story: Support Pours In For Family Of Beloved Ridgefield High School Student Who Died At Age 15 The student attended Ridgefield High School and died early Monday morning, Oct. 30, Ridgefield Police and school officials said. They did not reveal where or how the student died. The name of the student has not yet been released. Ridgefield Public Schools superintendent Dr. Susie Da Silva wrote in a letter to the community to share the "devastating news." "The loss for our stu…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
Top Honors: This New London County School Recipient Of Prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award Top Honors: This New London County School Recipient Of Prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award
Top Honors: This New London County School Recipient Of Prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award When it comes to overall excellence, these Connecticut schools are at the top of the class, and they have the hardware to prove it. Four schools in the Constitution State are among just 353 across the country to receive the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Award from the US Department of Education. The annual awards recognize high-performing public and non-public schools, as well as those making strides in closing “achievement gaps” among student groups. “Their leaders not only articulate a vision of excellence and hold everyone to high standards, they stay close to the real action of teac…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
This Connecticut Liberal Arts College Ranked Among Top 20 In US, New Report Says This Connecticut Liberal Arts College Ranked Among Top 20 In US, New Report Says
This Connecticut Liberal Arts College Ranked Among Top 20 In US, New Report Says The grades are in, and these colleges are a cut above the rest. Of the top 20 liberal arts colleges in the United States, four can be found in Massachusetts, three in New York, and one in Connecticut, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 National Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings. They are: No. 1 - Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts No. 2 - Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts No. 4 - Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts (Tied with Pomona College in Claremont, California and Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania) No. 8 - United States Military …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Best High Schools: CT Well-Represented In Brand-New U.S. News Rankings Best High Schools: CT Well-Represented In Brand-New U.S. News Rankings
Best High Schools: CT Well-Represented In Brand-New U.S. News Rankings Led by a strong showing in Fairfield County, Connecticut is well-represented on U.S. News & World Report's brand-new rankings of the nation's best high schools. The rankings were released on Tuesday, Aug. 29. The Nutmeg State's No. 1 ranked school is the Marine Science Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut, with a 100-percent graduation rate, and college readiness rating of 76.1. The top-ranked school from Fairfield County is Staples High School in Westport at No. 2 in the state, and 240th nationally. Connecticut IB Academy in East Hartford checks in at No. 3 in Connecti…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
Sexually Explicit Material Shows Up On Slideshow During School District Event In CT Sexually Explicit Material Shows Up On Slideshow During School District Event In CT
Sexually Explicit Material Shows Up On Slideshow During School District Event In CT A Connecticut school district is investigating after reported sexually explicit material showed up in a slideshow presentation during the district's annual convocation. The incident took place in the town of Fairfield on Thursday, Aug. 24 during the event that kicks off the new school year.  “There was an inappropriate website URL which appeared within the keynote speaker’s presentation during yesterday’s Convocation," said Fairfield Public School Superintendent Michael J. Testani. Fairfield Public Schools Superintendent Michael J. TestaniFairfield Public Schools Testani said the websi…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
These Connecticut High Schools Are Top 10 In State, Report Says These Connecticut High Schools Are Top 10 In State, Report Says
These Connecticut High Schools Are Top 10 In State, Report Says The grades are in and these Connecticut high schools are a cut above the rest, according to the community and school ranking site Niche. After considering a number of key areas, the following schools were ranked top 10 in the website’s 2023 “Best Public High Schools in Connecticut” report: No. 1 - Fairfield County: Staples High School in Westport No. 2 - Fairfield County: New Canaan High School No. 3 - Fairfield County: Darien High School No. 4 - Fairfield County: Greenwich High School No. 5 - Fairfield County: Wilton High School No. 6 - Hartford County: Avon High School No. 7 - Hartford …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Legacy At Stake: Harvard Admissions Perk Under Federal Review, Reports Say Legacy At Stake: Harvard Admissions Perk Under Federal Review, Reports Say
Legacy At Stake: Harvard Admissions Perk Under Federal Review, Reports Say Harvard University is under federal scrutiny for its preferential treatment of donor and legacy candidates, reports say.  The US Department of Education announced this week it had opened an investigation into the prestigious Massachusetts university's admissions practices for undergraduate applicants, according to Harvard's newspaper, the Crimson.    Related: End Of 'Legacy': Wesleyan University Halts Admissions Perk The investigation will seek to determine if the legacy or donor admissions discriminate on the basis of race, the Crimson reported. If so, the university m…

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by Morgan Gonzales
Schools
CT Educator Earns Exceptional Principal Award CT Educator Earns Exceptional Principal Award
CT Educator Earns Exceptional Principal Award An educator in Fairfield County has been awarded the prestigious Exceptional Principal Award. In Danbury, Rogers Park Middle School Principal, Dr. Kristy Zaleta, accepted the award from the Connecticut Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents.  The award “recognizes a school principal who goes beyond the day-to-day demands of their position to create an exceptional educational environment for Latino students and their families,” the organization said.  Rogers Park Middle School is composed of 78 percent of Black, indigenous students of color, 6…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
Pair Of CT Students Named Presidential Scholars Pair Of CT Students Named Presidential Scholars
Pair Of CT Students Named Presidential Scholars Two Fairfield County students have been named as 2023 US Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for graduating high school seniors. Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker made the announcement on Wednesday, May 10 that Ambika Grover of Greenwich High School and Lukas Koutsoukos of Wilton High School were selected for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields.  “I am so proud of Ambika and Lukas on being named US Presidential Scholars and receiving this extraordinary national rec…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
Junior Scientist Award: CT Student Earns Prestigious STEM Program Award Junior Scientist Award: CT Student Earns Prestigious STEM Program Award
Junior Scientist Award: CT Student Earns Prestigious STEM Program Award A Connecticut middle school student impressed a national STEM competition with a potential study that could be out of this world.  Fairfield County resident Ziggy Zhao, who attends the Pierrepont School in Westport,  won one of the five Junior Scientist Awards from the Genes in Space contest, which asks students from across the country to design biology experiments that address real-world challenges in space exploration.  The winning study will be carried out by astronauts aboard the International Space Station next year.  The 12-year-old Zhao created an exper…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
Educator Earns State's Top Honor Educator Earns State's Top Honor
Educator Earns State's Top Honor An educator in Fairfield County has been named the Connecticut Association of Schools’ 2023 Elementary School Principal of the Year. Dr. Keshia Smith-Davis, the principal of Great Plain Elementary School in Danbury, was selected last week after being nominated by Danbury Schools Superintendent of Schools Kevin Walston, who praised her as a “warm, engaging, articulate and inclusive school administrator who consistently leads by example.” “I am grateful and truly honored to have been selected as Connecticut’s Elementary Principal of the Year by the Connecticut Association of Schools,” said Sm…

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
These CT School Districts Rank Among Top 25 In America, New Report Says These CT School Districts Rank Among Top 25 In America, New Report Says
These CT School Districts Rank Among Top 25 In America, New Report Says Two school districts in Connecticut are among the best in the entire country, according to a new report. In Fairfield County, the Westport, and New Canaan public school districts ranked No. 17 and No. 21 respectively, according to Niche's new 2023 rankings of the top school districts in the country. Niche says it uses "a series of steps to ensure statistical rigor and useful guidance in the school choice experience," according to its website. A detailed explanation of the criteria used to rank the school districts can be read by clicking here.  Both districts received a Niche gr…

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by Ben Crnic
Schools
Ex-CT Teacher Accused Of Committing Sexual Assault Ex-CT Teacher Accused Of Committing Sexual Assault
Ex-CT Teacher Accused Of Committing Sexual Assault A former Connecticut elementary school teacher has been charged with the sexual assault of a 10-year-old female student, according to an arrest warrant. The warrant, obtained by WFSB Eyewitness News 3, details the arrest of Erving Rivera, age 50, of Hartford, for allegedly kissing and having sexual contact with a female student in his classroom.  He was arrested and charged on Wednesday, April 5, with sexual assault and illegal sexual contact with a victim under 16, court records show.  Rivera, who was a special education teacher at Lincoln Elementary School in New Britain, …

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
UConn Student, Fan Celebration: 16 Hospitalized, 15 Charged After NCAA Title Win UConn Student, Fan Celebration: 16 Hospitalized, 15 Charged After NCAA Title Win
UConn Student, Fan Celebration: 16 Hospitalized, 15 Charged After NCAA Title Win As students and fans celebrated the huge win by the  University of Connecticut in the NCAA men's basketball championship, several ended up in handcuffs and 16 others were injured. The incidents took place in Tolland County on the UConn campus in Storrs as thousands celebrated the win over San Diego State University that was wrapped up late Monday evening, April 3. According to UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz, the vast majority of those celebrating the Husky victory last night did so safely and responsibly. "A small number chose to risk their safety and that of others by vandalizing or …

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by Kathy Reakes
Schools
CT High School Evacuated After Police Respond To Suspicious Incident CT High School Evacuated After Police Respond To Suspicious Incident
CT High School Evacuated After Police Respond To Suspicious Incident A telephone call from an unidentified source who communicated a possible threat caused state police troopers to evacuate a high school in Connecticut. The incident took place in Tolland County at E.O. Smith High School in Mansfield around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 29. According to state police, a preliminary investigation indicates that a staff member at the school had received a telephone call from an unidentified source, who communicated a possible threat to the school.  Out of an abundance of caution, the school was evacuated while troopers investigated.  After conducting a …

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by Kathy Reakes