“It was the most difficult job of my career.”
The words of attorney Sue Gamm, said to The Darien Times, speak volumes to the depth of problems that took place in Darien’s special education program last year. If there were any doubts that the 25 parents who signed a complaint with the state Department of Education had been melodramatic with their concerns, it’s likely that Gamm’s summary report could dispel that assumption.
Continue reading
While the town teemed with ghosts and goblins making their trick-or-treat rounds, a room full of Darien’s most powerful public figures sat to discuss how to engage a forensic audit into the school district’s special education grant applications.
Continue reading
Allegations have surfaced that could implicate a variety of school officials in yet another piece of a complicated and growing puzzle stemming from a crisis in the special education program.
Continue reading
The somber aftermath following the resignation of Darien’s school superintendent has brought the former director of special education forward to address her concerns over the need to root out the architects behind last year’s illegal special education program.
Continue reading
In a dramatic turn of events spawned from the special education crisis, the school district’s superintendent has stepped down after three years of leadership.
Continue reading
Antoinette Fornshell, former literacy curriculum coordinator for the Darien Schools, has left her position for a job with Greenwich Public Schools. Fornshell is now the humanities program coordinator in Greenwich. Her former Darien position has been filled by Cory Gillette, who began her career as an elementary teacher and formerly worked as a private literacy consultant.
Continue reading
Unbudgeted expenses continue to pile up on Darien Schools as the district works to fix a complex web of problems in its special education program.
Continue reading
Parents who thought the state would alert them if investigators found their children might have been harmed by Darien Schools’ illegal special education practices will not be getting a notice from state officials addressing that issue.
Continue reading
While the schools have publicized a summarized version of what residents, teachers and students are looking for in an interim special education director, an examination of the entire results paints a somewhat different picture — one of a divided town that is split over the best path for the schools to take.
Continue reading
Darien Schools spent more than $124,000 on legal fees and public relations help from April through July as it navigates its way through an unprecedented special education problem.
David DesRoches 