Vitality Holds a ‘Spa for Safegrad’ Event This Evening

Posted on May 7, 2015 by admin

Vitality Spa in Old Lyme is raising funds for the Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) Class of 2015 Safegrad Party with a Spa for Safegrad event, which is being held next Thursday, May 7.

Lindsay Eisensmith, owner of Vitality Spa, explains the reasons why she is hosting the event in these words,“The Class of 2015 is a small class, but venues charge almost the same amount as for a larger class, so students, parents and friends are working hard to raise funds.”

She adds, “Many of the senior class are clients of ours and we felt that sponsoring this event with all of the proceeds going to Safegrad was a nice way to contribute to their wellness and safety. At the same time, we’re also thanking them and their parents for being valued clients.”

The proceeds from the event, which will take place from 5.30 to 9 p.m., will be raised through ticket sales at $25 per person. Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance at http://www.vitalityspa.com/events-MB.html or by calling the Spa at 860.434.1792.

Your ticket includes activities going on throughout the evening: Mini Tension Massages (chair massage), Hand & Arm Massages, Mini Manicures, Mini Make-Overs with Glo-Minerals and more.

Services will be on a first come, first served basis with sign-up on the night. Refreshments will be available throughout the event. Come at whatever time your schedule allows.

This night will make a very special Mother-Daughter event as graduation time moves ever closer. But all are welcome — parents of seniors, friends of the school, clients of Vitality and, of course, prospective clients of Vitality!

In addition, there will be three group classes so you can also Meditate for Safegrad. Classes require advance sign up at http://www.vitalityspa.com/events-MB.html and include an introduction to Qi Gong, a moving meditation class; beginners welcome. Classes are $15/person and again, proceeds to safegrad.

Vitality will also donate 20 percent of all retail and gift card sales to Safegrad and if you cannot make it to the event, put a note in your calendar to purchase an online gift certificate between 5.30 and 9 p.m. on May 7, and 20 percent of those sales will go to Safegrad too.

You could even do your Mother’s Day shopping and contribute to the Class of 2015 in a one-stop shopping trip!

Nationwide statistics show that on Graduation Night, there is a high rate of alcohol- and substance-related accidents. Safe Grad was started by a group of LOLHS senior parents many years ago to try and prevent accidents or even tragedy in our community. Since its onset, the Safe Grad party has fulfilled this goal through the support and generous donations of parents, businesses, service organizations and individuals.

Safe Grad is an all-night, substance-free party. Over the years it has been a memorable event, hosted and chaperoned by parents. Buses transport the students to a closely guarded “secret” venue and the event has historically enjoyed a 98 percent participation rate by the graduating class.

Region 18 Budget Vote Passes Easily

Posted on May 5, 2015 by admin

Superintendent Ian Neviaser answers post-result questions from ‘The Day’ reporter Kimberly Drelich.

Voters in Lyme and Old Lyme overwhelmingly approved the Regional District 18 Board of Education’s budget proposal of $32,547,409 budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016.

A total of 418 Yes votes and 106 No votes were cast in the district: in Old Lyme, 296 residents voted Yes while 87 No votes were recorded and in Lyme, there were 122 Yes votes and 19 voted against the budget.

The total number of registered voters in Old Lyme is 5,103 and so the voter turnout today represented a mere 7.5 percent of the total.

After the Moderator Larry Peterson had announced the Old Lyme results in the Cross Lane Firehouse, a delighted Region 18 Superintendent Ian Neviaser commented, “I think again we brought forward a responsible budget, which continued to support our programs. The continued support of our voters shows how important education is to our communities.”

He also added, “Over the last three years the budget increases have averaged around 1.5 percent,” which he described as, “Highly unusual.” Asked to explain why it has been possible to maintain such low increases, he cited the twin reasons of, “Declining enrollment coupled with strong fiscal management.”

The 2015-16 budget represents a 1.83 percent increase over the current 2014-15 budget.

Lyme-Old Lyme High School Senior Eric Pan Named Presidential Scholar

Posted on May 5, 2015 by admin

2015 US Presidential Scholar Eric Pan

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the 51st class of U.S. Presidential Scholars yesterday in a news release, recognizing 141 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics or the arts.

Eric Pan, a senior at Lyme-Old Lyme High School, was announced as one of the two – one young man and one young woman – Presidential Scholars for Connecticut. Pan, in turn, named his high school physics teacher Glenn Elliott as his most influential teacher. Pan is the son of Gonghua Pan and Wen He.

The other 2015 Presidential Scholar from Connecticut is Evaline Xie of Wilton High School.

“Presidential Scholars demonstrate the accomplishments that can be made when students challenge themselves, set the highest standards, and commit themselves to excellence,” Duncan said.

He continued, “These scholars are poised to make their mark on our nation in every field imaginable: the arts and humanities, science and technology, law and medicine, business and finance, education and government—to name a few. Their academic and artistic achievements reflect a sense of purpose that we should seek to instill in all students to prepare them for college, careers, civic responsibilities, and the challenges of today’s job market.”

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, appointed by President Obama, selects honored scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

Of the three million students expected to graduate from high school this year, more than 4,300 candidates qualified for the 2015 awards determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams, and through nominations made by Chief State School Officers or the National YoungArts Foundation’s nationwideYoungArts™ competition.

The 2015 Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.

Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored almost 7,000 of the nation’s top-performing students with the prestigious award given to honorees during the annual ceremony in D.C. The program was expanded in 1979 to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, literary and performing arts.

The 2015 ceremony will be held June 21, when each honoree will receive a Presidential Scholar Medallion.

Center School Celebrates “80 Years of Change”

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Olwen Logan

Center School hosted a program last Friday to celebrate “80 Years of Change.” The school opened in 1934 as a 1st through 12th grade school but has had many grade iterations since, including its most recent one as a 3rd through 5th grade school, which goes back some 30 years.

The final three grades have been phased out of Center School in the past three years during which time no new grades have entered the school. The Kindergarten through 5th grade population has thus now been divided between Mile Creek and Lyme Consolidated Schools.

Next year Center School will take on a whole new persona as it becomes both the administrative offices for the District housing the superintendent and his support staff and the home of the District’s Pre-School program.

Friday’s celebrations included a rendering of “Happy Birthday” by the Pre-K students, a speech by former student and teacher Kevin Cole and a maypole demonstration by students from the final four classes at the school.

Alumni of the school were honored with boutonnieres and, along with students, parents and members of the public, they listened to the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School band play under the direction Ms. Carrie Wind and Mrs. Herel’s class sing the Center School song.

One alumnus, Jim Fafalla (pictured above), who attended the school from 1948 to 1956, told LymeLine he has fond memories of his days at Center School. When he attended the school it housed 1st through 12th grades and he recalled the best thing about the school being that, “Everyone looked out for each other.” He also explained that, at that time, the younger grades were on the right hand (south) wing of the building as you walked into the school and the older grades were on the left (north) side.

Fafalla mentioned that six generations of his family have lived in Old Lyme and members of three of those attended Center School and even now, in its swansong era, his granddaughter Lauren Belville is there.

Center School alumni, mother and daughter, Lauren (left) and Michele Dickey. Michele, who graduated from Center in 1963, recalls fondly that she was in the same class as Kevin Cole!

The school’s gymnasium had effectively been converted into a museum by the Celebrate Center Committee with a wonderful display titled, “Through the Decades.” Display boards filled with photos and information of each decade that the school had operated were on display along with memorabilia and artwork associated with the school.

The boards and museum exhibits were lovingly planned, designed and built by a dedicated group of eight Center School students who worked weekly, sometimes daily, for months to put together the exhibit. The members of this club also each spoke at the celebration as did various other teachers, alumni and the school principal, Lori Susi.

Also on view were the 2015 time capsule that has been created, a memory wall, a timeline and a video including memories shared by alumni and former staff members.

Voter Turnout Low So Far in Today’s Region 18 Budget Referendum

Posted on May 5, 2015 by admin

It’s a quiet day at the polls … so far.

In an exceptionally low turnout to date, less than 200 Old Lyme residents had shown up to vote by 4 p.m. at the Cross Lane Firehouse in a referendum on the Region 18 School District budget.

There is often a flurry of activity at the polls when residents opt to vote on their way home from work.

The polls are open until 8 p.m.

The result will be announced shortly after and will be published on LymeLine.com immediately afterwards.

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Monthly Archives: May 2015

Vitality Holds a ‘Spa for Safegrad’ Event This Evening

Region 18 Budget Vote Passes Easily

Lyme-Old Lyme High School Senior Eric Pan Named Presidential Scholar

Center School Celebrates “80 Years of Change”

Voter Turnout Low So Far in Today’s Region 18 Budget Referendum