Virtual Community Forum Set for Superintendent Search

Virtual Community Forum Set for
Superintendent Search

As the ER9 Boards of Education searches for the district’s next superintendent,
community members have a few ways they can weigh in.

On Wednesday, July 28, Dr. Joseph Erardi, the search consultant working with the
boards of education, will facilitate a 7 p.m. community forum on Zoom to gather
information from attendees which will then be shared with the hiring committee.

The virtual forum will be one of four opportunities for community members to fully
understand the hiring
process and to share their thoughts on the next superintendent’s skill set and character
traits that they believe would best serve the Easton, Redding, Region 9 school
community.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83880610165?pwd=My92TGpRMGhYUUhGRWtBNmlUQjlRdz
09
Meeting ID: 838 8061 0165
Passcode: 821967

In addition to the Zoom forum, there will be in-person meetings on Monday, July 26, at
10 a.m., 4 p.m., and 7 p.m. held in the Learning Commons at Joel Barlow High School.

Any resident needing additional information on the community conversation should
contact Dr. Erardi
at erardij@gmail.com.

Easton Property Transfers — June
2021

The following property transfers were recorded by the Easton Town Clerk’s office for the
month of June:

35 Laskay Drive, Robert A. Lavalle to 35 Laskay Drive LLC, $1,110,000.

60 April Drive, Ignacio Sanz to Richard J. and Beverly Bailey, $1,210,000.

125 Delaware Road, Janine Becker to David H. Mininberg, $625,000.

16 Manor Lane, Helga Feeney and Heidi Mascolo to Alexander and Heidi Palmer,
$530,000.

120 Ferndale Drive, Jonathan Burger to Christopher M. Neil and Amanda C. Blake,
$565,000.

398 Judd Road, Bruce M. and Anitaa M. Holzberg to Michael and Mary Jane Czesnowski,
$187,500.

8 Canterbury Lane, Richard J. Medeiros Jr. and Kelly S. Medeiros to Magda Fuentes,
$988,000.

33 Reilly Road, Frances Vincent to Joanna Troccoli and Paul Eli Mehrer, $879,000.

44 High Meadow Road, Rinaldo and Anna Del Cegno to David S. and Beth B. Blood,
$899,900.

265 Lilac Lane, Patricia Arduini to Edward Christopher and Barry William Wilson-
Smythe, $919,000.

19 Flat Rock Drive, John and Donna O’Connor to John C. and Colleen Dougherty,
$1,175,000.

45 Westwood Drive, Jae D. and Krystyna C. Yoo to Shawn M. and Lauren Marshall,
$720,000.

10 Orchard Lane, Leonard M. and Rhonda Riccio to Edison E. Florez and Nathalia A.
Londono, $560,000.

315 North Park Avenue, Kevin G. Russell to David R. Russell, $510,000.

77 Staples Road, Patrice M. Barrett to Robert J. Toth III and Jessica Campbell Toth,

$485,000.

24 Wimbledon Lane, Kelly Rossomando to Jacqueline Ciambra, $648,000.

7 Ridgeway Road, Camilla and Jay Richetelli to Sarah Elizabeth and Vidal Carlos
Maurrasse, $850,000.

212 Sport Hill Road, Brian H. and Steven T. Wolanin-Villanueva to Elizabeth Nicole and
Mathew Dale Vanderkamp, $730,000.

203 Staples Road, Nicholaos M. Petrakaks to Joseph Rutigliano and Hannah Kesterlian,
$1,047,500.

596 Morehouse Road, Joseph M. Rutigliano and Hannah Kesterlian to Nedzad Lomigora,
$955,000.

24 Stones Throw Road, Jill Lorenz-Caruso to Victor Merino and Julia Vassey, $970,000.

145 North Street, Gene L. and Frederick N. Kaechele to Stephan and Janice Yost,
$458,000.

235 Admas Road, Darren Tickle and Payal P. Khandhedia to Justin Watras and Kristin
Hall, $950,000.

145 Norton Road, Trevor and Sara Christie to Michelle and Nicholas Bishop, $829,000.

12 Fox Run Drive, Carlos and Christine Babini to Anne Marie Haugen Trustee and
Emerson Haugen Trust, $1,350,000.

Superintendent Harrison Details
Difficult Decision to Leave ER9
Schools

When Dr. Rydell Harrison steps down as Easton Redding and Region 9 superintendent
on Sept. 23, he will leave with the knowledge that the work he helped put in place to
improve education for all students will go on.

At 45, Dr. Harrison has a long career ahead of him and a rewarding new job lined up.
But this was not what he had in mind when he accepted the position to lead the ER9
schools last summer. Although multiple factors converged to create a perfect storm of
opposition to diversity education, the communities of Easton and Redding had welcomed
and supported him and his work.

The 21 members of the Easton, Redding and Region 9 boards of education unanimously
selected Dr. Harrison last August out of a pool of 30 qualified candidates. Dr. Thomas
McMorran, the previous superintendent, had announced his pending retirement at the
end of the 2020 school year.

In appointing Dr. Harrison, the board chairs praised his vision, warmth and commitment
to building relationships with teachers, students, parents, and the community. “He has
experience in all the areas our districts are facing: re-opening planning, distance
learning, diversity/equity/inclusion, special education insourcing, declining enrollment,
and budgeting,” Region 9 board Chair Todd Johnston said.

“What they signaled to me during the interviewing and onboarding was that ‘we really
want you to look at ways to mitigate some of our structural challenges and to utilize your
expertise and background with diversity, equity, and inclusion,’” Dr. Harrision said.
“Those were the things I was really excited about. I’m very proud of the steps we took
this year that will have a lasting impact.”

He took the helm as ER9 superintendent on Aug. 27, 2020. The past school year was
grueling for educators everywhere because of Covid. But Dr. Harrison faced unique
barriers as an African American superintendent in a predominantly white school district
charged with carrying out a diversity plan he didn’t initiate. It began during the summer
before he was hired.

ER9 Superintendent Dr. Rydell Harrison.–Rick Falco Photo

Three Boards
Dr. Harrison visited the schools, met administrators and jumped right into contract
negotiations as soon as he arrived last August. Within the first month and a half as
superintendent, he had negotiated all three teacher contracts.

“That was the first time I thought, ‘whoa, this is challenging,’” he said. “It was an
intense process and signals that things in a typical district that you do once, here you do
them three times. Contract negotiations is a really good example because it’s the same
thing three times, but from very different approaches. “I came in the middle of a
pandemic. I knew that our time was going to be heavily focused on student safety and
staff safety. I’ve often joked that I’m a doctor, but not that kind.”

He knew the job was going to be demanding for those reasons. At the same time, he was
enthusiastic about working with veteran leaders and dedicated teachers, and thinking
about ways to connect with students and families in the middle of the pandemic, where
social interactions looked really different. He wanted to support them in the most
meaningful way possible.

“Throughout my career, I have worked hard to approach my work as a student-centered
educator first and an administrator second,” he said. The pandemic prevented him from
getting out and about and meeting people in person as he would have done in a typical
year. That said, the majority of people he met warmly welcomed him. They recognized
him as “the superintendent with a signature bowtie,” he said.

Dr. Harrision praised the Easton, Redding and Region 9 school board members. “They
are 21 of the most hard-working people I have ever met and are committed to doing
what’s right, even though what’s right isn’t always what’s easy. It’s a winning
combination that will be right for the new round of leadership.”

He cited the establishment of the DEI Task Force with representative staff from each of
the schools, parents and students as work that will continue after he has gone. The task
force laid out a framework that focuses on reviewing the assets and challenges of the
three districts with respect to DEI, developing a plan of action to guide the work, and
implementing the plan. “The role of the task force as advisory to the administration lays
out a nice accountability structure,” he said. “There is clear support and oversight to
make sure the work is moving forward.”

The boards voted June 14 to extend his contract through June 30, 2024 with a salary of
$230,800 in year one. However, Dr. Harrison said he did not sign it and carefully
considered the timing before he submitted his 90-day notice. Had he not waited until his
annual contract renewal was signed, he was concerned that his successor might
encounter resistance to future diversity initiatives he had championed. “I thought it was
important for the boards to unanimously vote to extend my contract for another year,“
he said. “I wasn’t pushed out by the boards.”

He also waited until after graduation and the moving up ceremonies at the lower schools
to announce his resignation to the public. “It was hard enough to leave,” he said. “Doing
it at a time that would have taken attention away from the graduates wasn’t an option.”

Opposition to DEI
As Redding school board member Heather Whaley confirmed at a Tri-Board meeting
about a recently released DEI survey in June, the schools — not Dr. Harrison — started
the diversity initiative before he was hired. “It was not about me showing up with my
own agenda,” he said. “I was taking my cues from the Board of Education.” His goal was
to build on what was already underway.

In his March article The Why of DEI, Dr. Harrison outlined the district’s enduring goals
and aspirations surrounding DEI. “Recognizing and celebrating the individual
characteristics of all students (diversity), providing all students with the support they
need to reach their full potential (equity) and creating space for the voices of all
stakeholders to be included regardless of their background (inclusion) are hallmarks of a
quality education program,” he wrote.

Dr. Harrison has been doing DEI work for many years, in districts of all sizes,
demographics and socioeconomic levels. He has found that the best way to gain
community support is through finding common ground. During his tenure in Easton and
Redding, the focus of the discussion shifted from finding common ground to opinions

about Dr. Harrison and his beliefs and motives, he said. “And that was really
disheartening. Outside of a snow day video, I have no interest in being the center of
attention. I want our students to be the center of attention.”

Backlash to DEI was growing nationwide, amplified by a coordinated conservative
strategy targeting critical race theory, a college and law school subject that is not taught
in the ER9 public schools. Critical conservative theories are based on the foundational
assumption that systemic racism, sexism and other forms of institutionalized
marginalization do not exist in the United States, and that acknowledging these and
other social inequities in the classroom is unnecessary.

Dr. Harrison feels that he was unfairly caught up in the national critical race debate. “It
is disappointing, it is draining, and it is very distracting to the meaningful work that has
to be done for our students and their well being,” he said.

Overtones of racism “absolutely” played a role in his decision to leave, he said. Dr.
Harrison said he was accused by a small group of critics of trying to “indoctrinate” the
students. Several conservative political groups sent four mailers to every household in
Easton. Two of them were also sent to Redding, criticizing DEI initiatives in the schools.
One of the mailers directly targeted Dr. Harrison, including his personal Facebook post
about the Capitol attack.

“I wasn’t personally offended by the one targeted at me right away,” Dr. Harrison said.
But he worried that students of color would see the mailer and feel rejected by the
community and “that was what hurt my heart,” he said. “It was a long time before I
thought about how it hurt me. I think that the characterization of me in the mailer was
tough, and that was hard to deal with. That wasn’t a critique of DEI or what we should
be focusing on; that was the person.”

Especially upsetting was the characterization of him as threatening, aggressive and
dangerous, which contradicted the words of community members in the countless emails

of support they sent to Dr. Harrison in response to the mailer. They described him as
“good,” “kind” and “caring,” which is how he wants to be remembered after he leaves.

He thinks some of the push back for the DEI work might have been due to its focus on
equity, which he says is wrongly understood by some to be a zero-sum proposition. “It’s
not just about giving every kid the same, it’s really about meeting their unique needs,”
he said.

He used special education to illustrate the point. Special education addresses the unique
academic, mobility, and accessibility needs of students with disabilities. “We don’t say to
every student, ‘just take the stairs.’ We provide ramps and other devices to help the
students to get around and be successful. We’ve been doing it for decades because we
know it’s the right thing to do.”

He sent a message to ER9 families in response to the violent protests in the U.S. Capitol
on Jan. 6 and asked the teachers to help students navigate the turbulent events. “These
events are a reminder that our democracy is fragile… Last night, I asked our teachers to
help students navigate the events in responsible, developmentally appropriate ways as
our young people process and unpack what’s happening around them.”

His efforts on the part of all students were overshadowed by a post he wrote in the heat
of the moment to his personal Facebook friends. He condemned the confederate-flag-
carrying mob that entered the U.S. Capitol, and the post was widely circulated among
conservative groups outside his network of friends. Some Easton and Redding
community members let him know they felt targeted and criticized. Others said they
appreciated his courage in calling out racism and offered their support.

“Trump is not the only person who should take responsibility for today’s events,” he
wrote in his post. “Please search your soul and ask if your words, your silence, your
actions or your inaction helped to pave the way for confederate flags to be waved in our
nation’s Capitol.”

What he most regretted about the post was not its content, but the fact that it deflected
attention away from what matters most to him. “Every moment that we’re talking about
Rydell the person we’re not talking about the students,” he said.

He made a call for decent discourse. “As adults we have to be good people because our
children are watching,” he said. “They’re watching me, too. I want to make sure I’m not
modeling ways that are polarizing people. Those aren’t things I want to be a part of.

“In periods in my adult life of doing social justice or mission work with my church, I’ve
looked for ways that we can find decency and goodness. These are not political
approaches. I think that regardless of anyone’s political affiliation that decency is what
we can expect and should expect in any ways we engage.”

CRT Debate
Easton and Redding schools were “absolutely” caught up in the critical race theory
debate, according to Dr. Harrison. “One thing that’s been a theme for me is we’re a
community together. I had some incredible discussions with people in my personal life
and in the community. Some of the discussions were with people who disagreed with me
and ended up saying, ‘thank you.'”

Investing and engaging with people is where he thinks real growth can happen. The
national conservative critical theory has become a machine. It obliterates what’s at the
core of DEI work, which is bringing all ways of thinking together and valuing that, he
said.

There’s a lot of educational research that says school districts that have an intentional
focus on equity and structures in place to benefit students who might be marginalized
also benefit all students, he said. “That’s the missing piece in the national debate around
CRT and weaponizing it.”

He doesn’t think the opposition represents the entirety of the Easton and Redding
communities. Rather, he believes there is broad support for the work he has been a part
of. He expressed his appreciation for the outpouring of support he received at school
board meetings and in personal messages. After the mailer targeting him was delivered
to their mailboxes, he received countless emails from people who were appalled by it, he
said.

Moving Forward
Deciding to leave was a heart-wrenching decision, he said. “I’m a husband and father
first. There were days I would come home and say to my wife, ‘I’m going to stay; other
days I would come home and say ‘I’m going to go.’”

In the end, Dr. Harrision decided that to stay was untenable. When he leaves ER9, he
will be working with the Connecticut Center for School Change, a nonprofit that does
collaboration and provides support for school improvement, from strategic planning to
leadership development to support for districts’ efforts toward DEI. It will be the first
time he has worked outside the K-12 structure in a long time.

He said the Connecticut Center realized it is tough to close out one chapter and start the
next. The flexibility the center afforded him allowed him to take his time and finish the
school year. “It is a fantastic opportunity for me that will allow me to apply the lessons
learned throughout my career across four different states,” he said.

“Do we want to teach white students that they’re the oppressors, no,” he said. “Do we
want white students to feel guilty? No, in fact from our work in social and emotional
health we know that having students walking around laden with guilt doesn’t help them
learn.

“Do we want all students to be included? Yes. Celebrating students’ unique identities
helps them to see themselves in our resources and books and doesn’t take away

anything. If we’re really focused on DEI in a meaningful way, everyone really does win.”

Three Boards Will Discuss Appointing
a New Superintendent June 30

Easton, Redding, and Region 9 Superintendent Dr. Rydell Harrison notified the Boards
of Education of the three districts of his intent to resign on June 25. The three boards
will discuss a process for appointing a new superintendent at a special joint meeting on
June 30.

Dr. Harrison served the three districts through the reopening of schools during the
COVID-19 pandemic. His contract was renewed by the boards earlier this month but he
has chosen to step away from the superintendency to pursue another opportunity.

“Throughout my leadership career, I have worked hard to approach my work as a
student-centered educator first and an administrator second,” Dr. Harrison said of his
decision. “Rather than continuing forward as the superintendent, I have decided to
pursue opportunities outside of a traditional K-12 setting that will allow me to fully
engage my passion for education and commitment to improving outcomes for all

students without the heavy burdens of district administration.”

Jon Stinson, chair of the Easton Board of Education said, “While we are deeply saddened
to lose such a dedicated and talented educational leader, we recognize the immense
challenges of the past year and wish Dr. Harrison every success as he explores a new
chapter in his career.”

“The board and I are disheartened by the news of Dr. Harrison’s resignation,” said Todd
Johnston, chair of the Region 9 Board of Education. “It was an action- packed first year
for him dealing with COVID prevention, retirement of building heads, DEI program
launch, and navigating our three-district model. We thank him for his leadership and
unwavering focus on the students, teachers, administration and parents throughout it
all. It has been a pleasure to work with Dr. Harrison, and the board and I wish him well
in his next opportunity.”

“Our schools were fortunate to benefit from Dr. Harrison’s leadership through this
extraordinary year,” said Chris Parkin, chair of the Redding Board of Education. “While I
am disappointed by his decision, I understand it. Dr. Harrison’s resignation is a
testament to his commitment to focusing on the needs of students and I expect nothing
but continued success in his career.”

Column: Call It a Day

There was a time I loved Easton and my 3.6-acre property so much, I often I told my
wife, “…when I die, bury me next to Sam.” It would be my honor to rest in peace
alongside Sam, short for Samantha, the greatest springer spaniel known to man.

How I’d love to rest under the shade of the lower field’s tallest hemlocks. Huge and
healthy, they supplied the earth and sky at least one hundred years of dedicated service.
While digging the four-foot hole for Sam, other than an occasional root, it was easy.
Knowing my wife may not be capable of effectively handling a shovel in old age, I
suggested I’d begin the process.

Easy digging, perhaps an inch a day would get me to state-mandated level of six feet
when my time comes. She, along with a friend or relative, could wheelbarrow me down
hill to the site, plop me in, replace the once compacted compost, and call it a day.

Little did I know the depth of which my life would change. When my wife prematurely
left me, along with her entire earthly existence, for bigger and better things, my burial
plans below the hemlocks along with everything else we held sacrosanct, vanished,
leaving mere memories of a time gone by, as beautiful as they are.

Looking back, Easton’s environment, schools and community served us extremely well.
I’d like to think we reciprocated. It’s where we raised our family, worked, played and
loved for 40 beautiful years.

I often describe Easton to others unfamiliar as an oasis: a fertile, pleasant, peaceful
place in the midst of a difficult, troubled or hectic situation. It is my hope Easton will
remain uncontaminated by the harshness of the world outside.

Well, Eastonites, it’s time to call it a day. More than just a chapter, this book has come to
an end. The time has come for me to move on and to bid farewell. Thank you God and
thank you Easton for allowing me the privilege to breathe your fine air, teach your
beautiful children and to share my thoughts and life with your fine community. You will
be sorely missed. Be well!

Sincerely,

Robert LaValle

Moving Back Home as Young Adults to
Easton

If moving away for college is a time for discovering one’s identity and learning to live
independently, then what is moving back home with parents after college all about?

For some young adults, returning home is a financially sound move, if not a necessary

one. Even pre-pandemic, the trend toward young adults moving back in with their
parents was already underway.

With careers and industries upended by Covid, even young people who were a few years
out from college and used to living independently found themselves back home with
their parents.

Living at home again has given them a chance to reconnect not only with their parents
but with their town in new ways. This was true for sisters Emily and Abbie Winter, who
grew up in Easton and returned for a time after college to the house where they grew
up.

Experiencing Easton as a Young Adult
Abbie graduated from Bucknell College in 2019 and moved back home while getting her
feet under her. Although she moved out on her own in the fall of 2020, she found many
ways to get involved with life in Easton during her time at home.

Abbie joined the Easton Energy and Environment Task Force where her older sister
Emily had previously participated. Abbie also joined the Easton, Redding and Region 9
Social Justice group when it formed in the summer of 2020.

“It was nice to root myself in the community again,” Abbie said. Participating in these
activities gave her the chance to remember her own upbringing. As part of the Easton
Energy and Environment task force, Abbie worked on the second phase of the solar
project, which aims to expand the number of solar panels behind Samuel Staples
Elementary School.

The solar project was of particular note to Abbie, who imagined what it would be like to
go on a field trip in the school’s backyard. “In third grade, I would’ve been excited to see
the solar field,” Abbie said.

Emily also experienced life in and out of Easton as a young adult. She lived at home for a
few years after going straight from her undergraduate studies into a master’s degree
program, then moved out to begin working on her doctorate. When her doctorate
program moved to entirely online classes last year, she headed back to Easton.

For Emily, getting involved in the Easton community as an adult meant volunteering for
the Mikey’s Way Foundation, helping kids cope with cancer. She had been a volunteer
for the organization as a youth. The strong memories she had from her involvement as a
youth were part of what drew her back in.

Emily McKeon is another Easton native who initially moved back home after graduating
from college. When the pandemic hit, McKeon was looking into graduate school
programs and decided the savings from not paying rent was worth it.

Emily McKeon enjoyed outdoor spaces as a child in Easton, and still does, as an adult. —

Photo courtesy of Emily McKeon.
For her, the outdoor spaces in and around Easton have been a perk while staying at
home. Whether with family or friends, she enjoys being able to hike in the area.

Finding a New Home
Annabelle Fox grew up a few towns away in Wilton. She was already living on her own,
when her parents, Kim and Daniel, moved to Easton a few years ago.

When the pandemic hit, Annabelle and her husband, Douglas Waterbury-Tieman, were
living in New York City, working long and exciting days as freelance actors.

Neither Annabelle nor her husband intended to live with her parents; they packed their
bags and headed to Easton thinking they’d be there for a few weeks while everything in
New York was shut down. Weeks turned into months, but Annabelle, Douglas, Kim, and
Daniel were happy to be living together.

As a family, the four adults living together found ways to cope with the pandemic
through creative outlets, such as re-creating scenes from the Wizard of Oz. They also
had fun redecorating the sunroom for the holidays and pretending it was a restaurant.

Annabelle and Douglas enjoy a Cinco de Mayo dinner in the redecorated sunroom.
—Photo courtesy of the Fox family.
“As an adult, I appreciated that change of scenery, being able to go for a walk and not
have a mask on, cook dinners together, and have this different kind of bond with my
parents,” said Annabelle.

The Foxes also found small ways to enjoy Easton in their time together, whether going to
Greiser’s or heading out for walks around town together.

“It’s a little gem of a time capsule that we talk about all the time,” Annabelle said. Kim
said their time together was something they will always cherish. You can read more
about the Fox family: From Acting to Isolating.

Moving Back Out
Even with a pandemic, life goes on. Young adults throughout Easton have moved in and
out over the last year. Although many of the adults living home were grateful for the
opportunity and enjoyed building relationships with their parents as adults, being home
could also make it difficult to feel like independent adults.

As Abbie put it, “I was ready for my next step.”

For Annabelle and Douglas, who have since moved to Franklin, Tenn., leaving was
bittersweet. They will be returning to Connecticut this July for a project they worked on
prior to the pandemic and are eager to come back to see family and friends.

Photo at top: Easton is known for its reservoirs and open spaces. Aspetuck Reservoir is
one of them. — Tomas Koeck Photo

Easton Property Transfers — April
2021

The following property transfers were recorded by the Easton Town Clerk’s
office for the month of April:

104 Morehouse Road, Carmen B. Lynch to Haely Kim, $615,000.

149 Wedgewood Drive, Patrick and Lisa A. Keane to Cartus Financial Corporation,
$725,000.

149 Wedgewood Drive, Cartus Financial Corporation to Elizabeth Anne Traynor,
$725,000.

30 Wimbledon Lane, Christopher J. and Sandra Z. Neubert to Joseph and Lauren Marra,
$900,000.

629 Sport Hill Road, 629 Sport Hill Road LLC to Tammy V. Nguyen, $510,000.

180 North Street, Dan Ventura to Ian Scott Gordon and Deborah Binder, $710,000.

21 Sherwood Road, Shane Fitzsimons to Manuel L. and Susana G. DaSilva, $150,000.

100 Rock House Road, James Warner to Daniel and Mary Friedman, $475,000.

100 Tersana Drive, Sarah Khan and Shuja Karim to Luciano and Tyler Lazier, $445,000.

10 Fawn Road, Athan G. and Gretchen R. Crist to Joseph P. Micalizzi III and Sheila
Alteri, $910,000.

Slow Rise in Inventory Helps Real
Estate Sales Volume

Real estate sales in Easton are picking up again after extremely low inventory in
February. The town registered an increase of 8.3% in pending sales, up to 13 compared
to seven pending sales in town last month. The number of closed sales is also up 9.1%
compared to March 2020.

According to CDC data, about 54.8% of Connecticut’s population has received at least
one dose of one of the Covid vaccine and 38.5% are fully vaccinated. These numbers are
easing sellers’ fears and motivating them to open their houses for showings after a year
of isolation. The town has seen an unhurried increase in inventory. The number of new
listings rose to 14 compared to 12 in February.

The repeated low inventory trend continues to raise sales prices in Easton. In March, the
median sales price for a single family home was up 40.7% compared to last year. Houses
continue to sell fast, remaining on the market on average of 97 days versus 135 days.

Despite low inventory, historic low mortgage rates continue to motivate buyers in their
search for their dream home. Jay Tolisano, originating branch manager at Cross Country
Mortgage explains how buyers could take advantage of low rates. “At historic lows,
mortgage rates have been a hot topic for the last year, and with inventory at some of the
lowest levels in years, buyers need to be prepared to compete if they want to be the
winning bid,” Tolisano said.

“A prospective buyer in today’s market needs to be ready to start their house hunt.
Being ready does not mean finding the best rate! Buyers must get their financing ready,
and ideally work with a local qualified mortgage advisor.”

In today’s heated real estate market, buyers need to be prepared to face heavy
competition. The first step is to act fast. Sellers are often receiving multiple offers on the
first day of showings.

“The buyer that partners with a great Realtor, that has their financing in order, and that

has a game plan to purchase has the best chance of landing their dream home.” said
Tolisano. “The biggest thing is being prepared before you go house hunting — which
means do not wait to get the process started. In today’s market you can show up to a
home with a line of people waiting to get in.”

For buyers ready to face the battle, having a pre-approval letter in hands is crucial.
“When a buyer submits a bid, they must have a pre-approval letter in hand, which is the
gold standard in the marketplace,” Tolisano said. “A pre-approval is issued after the
customer completes an application with a mortgage advisor. The mortgage advisor
checks the buyer’s credit and verifies income and assets, among other things.

“Buyer can also strengthen their bid using a mortgage fast-track credit approval. The
fast-track credit approval is a mortgage commitment subject to finding a home and is
stronger than a pre-approval, as the credit application has been fully underwritten. It is
as close to a cash offer as a buyer can get.”

In a market where houses are sold in a few hours, being financially ready is key. For
brave buyers getting ready to take the next step, don’t panic. Get pre-approved, partner
with a Realtor you trust, act fast and have patience. Your dream home is only a few
listings away!

Easton Property Transfers — March
2021

The following property transfers were recorded by the Easton Town Clerk’s
office for the month of March:

104 Bayberry Lane, Jared W. Watson to Giuseppe D., Olivia B. and Christy Boccanfuso,
$489,000.

2 Lilac Lane, Charles Viens to Prospect Summit LLC, $595,000.

52 Knapp Street, Bruce M. and Anita Yudkin Holzberg to Andrew Weissenberg and Anna
Pinella, $933,075.

4 Rosewood Drive, B & A Development LLC to Brian R. and Meghan L. Kenny, $717,000.

40 Bradley Road, Jose Tiago to Matthew J. Healy and Christine E. Lee, $1,375,000.

1666 Wells Hill Road, Robert and Denise A. Kinney to Cy Lillien Trust, $1,125,000.

41 Tuckahoe Road, Sameema Malik to Mark B. Victor, $270,000.

145 Bayberry Lane, Miller River Financial LLC to Kassandra Hannay, $705,000.

11 Tatetuck Trail, Nagy Enterprises Inc. to Joseph C. and Erin T. Scappatura, $205,000.

63 Ferndale Road, Gordon and Deborah Surbey to Stephen C. and Helen F. C. Moy,

$750,000.

520 Judd Road, Susan J. Striker to Jeanne-Aimee De Marrais, $525,000.

60 Wood End Drive, Christina Albano to Katherine Jimenez, $515,000.

50 Riverside Lane, River Ridge Estates LLC to Negreiro & Son Construction LLC,
$300,000.

954 Black Rock Turnpike, Slavomir Valko to Martha K. Simpson and Jason C. Gorsline,
$640,500.

305 Judd Road, Duangtip T. Gupta to Suraya E. Raine and Henrik Jensen, $588,510.

The Story of Cubby of Blue Button
Farm

Here is the note Pat wrote for me about what Cubby should be eating and also the
name and number of the Reptile Vet at the Bronx Zoo!

My life-long love of turtles and tortoises began at an early age. I was in second grade
when a boy in my class would tease me with worms while I played in the sandbox. I
really wanted him to be my friend instead of throwing worms at me, so I asked my older
sister, “how do I get a boy to like me?” She told me, find out what he likes and learn all
you can about that subject. I asked that boy what his favorite animal was, and he said,
turtles! I then proudly became probably the youngest member of the International Turtle
and Tortoise Society. I think my mother just wanted to support my new found interest in
these reptiles, and didn’t question me wanting a membership! The magazine, put out by
the society, was full of great photos of all kinds of terrapins, and I was able to share it
with my new friend!

This is the first photo I could find of Cubby, taken in September 1997 at Aidan’s first
   birthday party.

Of course, I asked my mother to buy the little turtles at the Korvettes near us. So, she
bought me some little red-eared sliders, with a little plastic pond and umbrella. They
didn’t last long. I soon realized that trying to take care of water turtles was not easy. In
sixth grade, I started volunteering at my town nature center. They had big tanks with
filters for their inside water turtles, and they also had some tortoises that I got to take
out and let walk around while I cleaned their pens.

In the summer of 1999, Cubby wandered out of our yard in Fairfield, and according

to Ian’s “My Summer Vacation” booklet, we lost her for two weeks.

The story of Cubby begins in 1997. I had just given birth to Aidan in September 1996. I
was back teaching in school in January 1997. In June of that year, Pat, a teacher I met at
Project:2000, asked me to take care of her classroom tortoise over the summer, since
she was going to Europe. She knew I taught a Biology class for gifted students at Sacred
Heart University, and could use the tortoise in explaining desert adaptations. I met
Cubby in Pat’s classroom at the Greenwich Country Day School. The tortoise lived there
and stayed alone every weekend in the classroom, and sometimes Cubby would go home
with students on vacations. Cubby was given to the class by a family that attended the
school. She had a misshaped shell, because someone gave her dog food {which is too
high in protein} when she was younger. Pat told me the family bought her from a pet
store in New York City, and that she was hatched on a tortoise farm in Texas. Pat
thought Cubby was probably 8 years old.

   Here’s another photo from the Fall of 1999, with the neighbor children. At this time,
   we didn’t know Cubby was a girl.

Dennis and I found Cubby to be an agreeable pet. No barking, a vegetarian, and maybe
pooping once a month. We became attached to our new friend, and wanted her to stay.

So, when the teacher never called to ask for Cubby back, we were relieved.

When we moved to Blue Button Farm in 2010, Cubby of course came with us. Over the
years we have learned a lot about her. First of all, we learned that she was a female.
Every year, she searches for soft ground where she can lay a clutch of eggs. She is an
African Leopard Tortoise, and her native home would be the savannas of Eastern and
Southern Africa. When I talk about Cubby to school groups, I always mention that
animals should never be taken from the wild, and having a pet like Cubby is a lifelong
commitment for you and your family. She also likes to explore, and “live life like the gate
has been left open” ( She has gotten out of the yard several times over the years). Since
opening an account on Facebook, I include a photo of her just about every Spring on her
first day out in 80-degree Sunshine!

I did bring Cubby to the classes I taught at SHU during the summer, and I also
brought her to the Parkway school in Greenwich for their Weekend Family Science
Academy.

I try to grow most of the food she eats, but I also feed her natural tortoise food that says
“no pyramiding” on the label, which is caused by a high protein, low fiber diet. The
damage to Cubby had already been done years ago, when she was not in my care.
Someone once commented that I must have been feeding her incorrectly, since Cubby
still sports her pointy shell. Hopefully, this should clear things up for that person.

In September 2020 Cubby took a stroll out of an open gate and went missing. With the
help of the internet, I had many people looking for her, and well-wishers hoping I would
find her. After three days, we found her having a great time walking through a nearby
orchard! I know Cubby is smart, but she just doesn’t understand the climate changes
here in New England. After my demise, my son has told me, he will be sending her
someplace warm where she can roam freely. In the meantime, check her out on facebook
at Blue Button Farm!

We are thinking of attaching a GPS to her!

Every year, Cubby searches for soft ground where she can lay a clutch of eggs.