Recent Stories

The Arts

Art brings joy and pride to Valley Pre-School

By |

By Kim BeckerAs the weather turns warm and the buds begin to bloom so does the Valley Pre-School Art Show. For over 10 years, the school’s four-year-old classes have spent the year creating masterpieces for the much-anticipated annual event. On display are pieces in an array of media, driven by a rich curriculum and the children themselves. The stones and other natural objects the children used to explore math concepts such as patterning, counting and sorting, inspired one installation of […]

People

HUMANS of GRANBY

By |

By Emma Smith Rosemary Wolcott Rosemary WalcottAge 68English teacher 20 years, currently retired. Consultant- HS Sr. college application essaysTell us about your dreams…A recurring dream comes to me in September. It is the first day of school and I am assigned to teach a subject I have no background in for five periods a day to classes of 28+ students. There are no textbooks and the technology in the room is not working.My dreams for the future are that my children’s and grandchil […]

The Arts

Grad Night 2016 art contest winners announced

By |

​Granby Parents for a Safe Graduation has announced the winners of the 2016 art competition. The first place entry will be used to design the invitation for the Granby Memorial High School’s safe graduation party. The winning design is featured on the complementary grad night t-shirts which all seniors will receive. The grad night party is free to all graduating seniors and will be held this year on June 13 at the Farmington Valley YMCA in Granby.​GMHS Principal, Dr. Mary Gadd, […]

Great Outdoors

Granby Horse Council awards scholarship

By |

By Joan DavisThe Granby Horse Council is proud to announce that James Novak of Granville, Mass. is the recipient of the 2016 Granby Horse Council scholarship. James has been riding horses since he was 7 years old. He is a senior at Westfield High School and will be attending Findlay University in Findlay, Ohio, in August. He is enrolled in the equestrian program with a focus on Western riding and training, specializing in reining.​  The council offers a $500 scholarship annually […]

Town/Govt

BOE, town watch state budget woes closely

By |

By Kim BeckerThe Hartford Courant reported that the state legislature and the governor have reached agreement over the state’s budget and response to a nearly $1 billion fiscal shortfall. This is necessitating across-the-board cuts, and as many as 2,500 state workers will likely lose their jobs. Of greatest immediate concern to towns and cities across the state are proposed cuts to municipal grants, education cost-sharing grants, and assistance with transportation and special education cos […]

History

Passport to Connecticut Libraries “eminently rewarding”

By |

By Virgil PaggenNot long after I moved with my family to North Granby, I happened upon the Frederick H. Cossitt Library, a small outpost in comparison with the West Hartford library I previously frequented. It didn’t take long for Margaret Vastoff, librarian, to acquaint me with all that Cossitt offered; it quickly became a valued resource.Among the 50 states, Connecticut ranks 48th in size; only Delaware and Rhode Island are smaller. However, with more than 260 public libraries, I found t […]

School & Sports

Third and fourth graders learn more about their own interests

By |

​By John R. NiebWith enrichment clusters, third and fourth graders in the Granby schools can learn more about their areas of interest. Enrichment clusters are collaborative learning environments where students can investigate and learn about areas of interest that they have and want to learn more about. They are a multi-week cooperative learning experience for students.“They provide a process for students who may be gifted in different ways to show their strengths and learn from and […]

People

A new way to donate to the Community Fund

By |

The Granby Community Fund is introducing a new way for donors to contribute to favorite local organizations. Online shoppers may go to smile.amazon.com, where they will find the exact same low prices and selection as Amazon.com, with the added bonus of one-half percent of the purchase price being donated to the GCF.Whether shopping for graduation, wedding, holiday, baby or birthday gifts, a percentage of your purchase will help the following Granby non-profit organizations: Granby Parents for a […]

Fun & Rec

Gran-Bee is a grand success

By |

By Kim BeckerOn April 22, the Granby Education Foundation presented one of the town’s favorite family-friendly community events, the Gran-Bee. Twenty eight teams competed to see which one knew the most trivia (see panel for sample questions). With families and kids of all ages playing along, each Swarm was cheered as the finalists flew to the top.With Scott Kuhnly, Granby’s First Selectman, confidently emceeing, team Bee S, sponsored by Tony Bussman Painting Co., dominated the hive t […]

School & Sports

Wells Road community bonds through One School One Book Program

By |

By Kim BeckerIn late February, dollar signs and other weird symbols appeared on the walls of Wells Road School. In March, Mrs. Frost, the media specialist, came to a school assembly dressed in a lemon costume. It definitely wasn’t going to be an average school day!After seeing a One School One Book program in action during a school visit, Dr. Anna Forlenza-Bailey, school principal, suggested to the staff that Wells Road should try the program, too. With a generous grant from the Granby Edu […]

Town/Govt

Budget workshops planned for March 8, 12

By |

Proposals received for East Street property
The Board of Selectmen workshops in preparation for development of the Plus-One budget will take place on Thursday, March 8 and Monday, March 12, in the town hall meeting room at 6 p.m. and are open to the public. On March 8, Personal and Property Protection will be presented by First Selectman Kuhnly and Public Works and Environment will be presented by Mark Neumann.

Town/Govt

FY19 operating budget guidelines set

|

In mid-February the Board of Finance set the expense limits it looks to see from the two operating boards—Selectmen and Education. Throughout this last November, December and January, their administrations had formulated the Plus One budget projections for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2019 which runs from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019.

Praise for Granby schools

|

My wife and I have lived in Granby for 35 years and both of our daughters are graduates of GMHS; both went on to Bates College and are now successful professionals. I was the product of the parochial school system in Fairfield county.

Support for Eastwood

|

I am writing to extend my support to Valerie Eastwood as candidate for the 62nd district. Eastwood is extremely thoughtful and considerate.

An exciting choice

|

I am a longtime Granby resident and find myself very enthused to see two local Democratic women vying for the party’s nomination in the race for the Connecticut House of Representatives in our district. They both appear to be energetic and eager to take on our long-time Republican incumbent, Bill Simanski.

You Are Needed

By |

Granby residents are needed to fill two vacancies: one on the Park and Recreation board and one on the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission. If you are interested in serving your town in either of theses positions, call the Democratic Town Committee Chairman Jim Lofink, 860-810-0274; Republican Town Committee Chairman Mark Neumann, 860-653-9668; or Town Manager John Ward, 860-844-5300.

Uncategorized

What do you like about Granby?

By |

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is conducting a “listening tour” of its 29 regions to better understand its constituency. The foundation is coming to Granby on Tuesday, March 20, 5:30 – 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.

Turning an abandoned school into a learning asset

By |

Originally, I was going to address the potential for the Kearns School based on currently available information published in the Town of Granby Kearns School Study Committee Final Report dated May 11, 2017. This was part of my research because the issue has recently been revisited by the BOS to determine the school’s future status.

#EnoughisEnough

By |

The February mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, resulting in the senseless loss of 17 lives was another tragic event for public education and the nation. It is a sad day when any superintendent of schools cannot 100 percent guarantee the safety of students and staff in school.

STEAM career fair at GMMS

|

On Jan. 30, the students of Granby Memorial Middle School participated in STEAM Day, a day devoted to Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics.  Throughout the day, students engaged in a number of hands-on and inquiry-based activities to recognize the various ways that STEAM connects to their daily lives.  STEAM education is a high priority at GMMS, as it helps students to develop the necessary skills in today’s tech-savvy world.  STEAM represents a pathway to some of the most in-demand jobs that the economy has to offer, and allows students to develop a problem solver’s mentality, always looking to question and wonder about how things work.

Uncategorized

Public Works

By |

Trash reminders: March 30 (Good Friday) is not a trash holiday. Put your trash out on your regularly scheduled day and make sure your barrels are at least two feet apart to allow clearance for the automatic arm of the truck.