Yesterday was the Annual Amity Budget Referendum. Only 471 people from Woodbridge turned out to vote out of a total of 1412 people across the school district. While this was a disappointing result, it was only 16 less people from Woodbridge than the year before, and only 26 less for all of the three towns.

The individual numbers weren’t really all that different in Woodbridge either. There was a slight movement against the budget in Woodbridge this year with 23 less people voting for the budget and 7 more people voting against it.

Bethany actually saw six more people vote in 2011 than they saw in 2010. Fifteen less people voted for the budget and twenty-one more people voted for it.

Orange saw the biggest changes. Overall they only had sixteen less people voting. However, because of the increase in the number of students from Orange at Amity, they will be hit harder than the other towns in terms of the budget. This resulted in 95 less people voting for the budget and and 79 more people voting against the budget.

As people hung around the Center in Woodbridge waiting for the polls to close some suggested that the issue in Orange is a belief that they could build their way out of a financial problem. The problem with building more houses is that more people live in the houses and it costs more to provide services to these people, such as the cost of educating the children in these new houses.

Another interesting tidbit came up. I did not know that you did not have to be registered to vote in the budget. Besides registered voters, U.S. Citizens who are listed on the property tax rolls as having at least $1000 worth of property in town can vote. One person showed up in Woodbridge who was not registered, was a property holder, but it turns out was not a U.S. citizen and because of this didn’t end up getting to vote.

With that, here are the results for last year and this year:

2010 Results

2011 Results

Parents- would your son like to learn rugby, the newest* Olympic sport? Well Amity now has a fine program started and we are setting up our program for 2010-11.

Practices this fall and winter will lead to play next spring against other clubs around the state.

Amity along with our united team partner Madison finished 3-2 with some doubt that a bad call cost us one of those loses. We have returning veteran players who will help the club and younger players.

Learn more about the club at www.amityrugby.org or on facebook (Just search "Amity Rugby"). Call me at 203-397-0243.

We are ALWAYS looking for sponsors so please consider helping out!

*rugby was an Olympic sport until 1924 when the USA won the Gold.

What started out as a dream for Head Master Sang Pil Kim a decade ago in a small store front in Amity Shopping plaza has become a booming entity with so many classes that he will be opening his expanded facility this week. Many would argue that 'Tae Kwon Do' [TKD] has transition from an "activity" to a genuine sport given there are very rigid training requirements and active regular local, regional and statewide competitions.

At the Woodbridge school (in Amity Plaza) classes run in age from tots to adults for fitness and real competition. http://www.bigkick.com/?news=379.

Few things are quiet as amazing than to see as a petite, 7 year old, 45 pound young lady give a whack to a kicking dummy with a big “THUNK”, it brings a cheer from the parents watching.

There is more to the story than the sport though, there is the side we parents love and that is the one on one interaction for our kids with Master Kim's wonderful staff. The life lessons the children are taught in self discipline, respect for others and personal achievement. In this world today it is great to see the kids respond to the earning of awards for being good and studying as part of the program.

Like baseball and soccer the kids involvement in 'Tae Kwon Do' here in Amity has sprouted many new relationships between local parents. One definitely feels a strong comradery and a part of the " Tae Kwon Do family". Master Ba Ny [Bonnie] made us all purel our hands last cold and flu season from the big bottle she shared. "Don't want our children sick" she said in her wonderful way with her no stop smile. As charming as she is as a blck belt instructor she is no nonsense when it comes to teaching the sport she loves.

Most of us sit together several times per week to enjoy watching our kids have a blast and strive towards their personal goals. Many of the TKD participants at the Woodbridge school like my son Tom picked this sport over tradional programs in baseball and soccer to focus on. He says it is more fun and closer to his kind of training. He is constantly at it when home to the point where I had to make him a space in the garage with a boxing kick bag. The kids at Beecher Road School all know about TKD and it has brought many new friendships.

The Woodbridge school is also branching more into adult level programs and features Adult Cardio Fitness Classes a few days per week.

Master San Kim is a fifth degree Black Belt and has a Bachelors Degree in Tae Kwon Do [TKD] from Kyung Hee University. Master Kim was a member of the elite Korean National Demonstration Team and has demonstrated Tae Kwon Do for major events such as the Asian Games and Tae Kwon Do World Championships. Master Kim is also certified as a Tae Kwon Do Referee and as a nun-chuck, sword and bo staff instructor. http://www.bigkick.com/index.php?news=16

Master Ban Ny Kim, 5th Dan Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, works at World Champion’s Woodbridge location. Master Ban Ny’s specialty is Rhythm Tae Kwon Do, and cardio kick boxing. She has made TV appearances on KTV, MDC, and other Korean television stations, as well as Rhythm Tae Kwon Do demonstrations around Korea.

Master Kim holds a Bachelors degree from Suwon Women's University and has been a Instructor at Baesok University, Kyunjoo University, and the Rhythm Tae Kwon Do Association

Hard work by Amity Global Warming Club Pays Off

June 13, 2010 – Woodbridge, CT.

Hard work by the Amity Global Warming club has finally paid off. The 4 KW solar photovoltaic system is in place and about to start generating power. Students will be able to see how much energy is generated through a web site that will monitor the collectors’ performance.

Photo by Jonathan Gorham © Green Media Ventures June 2010

For more than three years students at Amity Regional High School worked with the Clean Energy Task Forces in Bethany, Orange and Woodbridge to sign up residents for CT Clean Energy Options. Mike Okrent, chair of the Bethany Clean Energy Task Force facilitated the pooling of sign ups from the three towns in order to win solar electric panels for this regional high school. In fact, Amity Regional High School is the first and only regional high school in the state so far to win renewable energy solar arrays.

Bethany Clean Energy Task Force chair, Mike Okrent is thrilled that there are now photovoltaic arrays in public locations in both towns. Bethany has installations on two municipal buildings thanks to the CT Clean Energy Options program. “We want to thank the school administrators and Amity Board of Education for their help in getting through the legal and physical issues.”

The Connecticut Clean Energy Communities Program is a Connecticut Clean Energy Fund program that provides Connecticut communities an opportunity to support clean renewable energy and earn free clean energy systems.

Orange Clean Energy Chair, Ron Novick was equally pleased: “It’s great to see our youth take an active role in thinking globally and acting locally to make their school and community a better place. The oil spill disaster in the Gulf should serve as a wake up call that more clean energy is needed to reduce our oil addiction.”

In 2009 the Amity Global Warming Club won the Governors Climate Change Leadership award for its outstanding work to bring energy awareness to the Amity tri-town region. Co-Presidents of the club and graduating seniors, Laura van Dyck and Yuqi Zhang are happy that they will be leaving a legacy for their school.

The club’s Founder, Laura van Dyck said at the ribbon cutting ceremony on June 14, 2010: “We are all so grateful to the school and the three towns for being so supportive of our aspirations. We couldn't have achieved any of this without the generosity of the community.”

The towns of Bethany, Orange and Woodbridge are no strangers to collaboration. In years past, the towns have worked together to run energy contests, put on Earth Day celebrations and help one another achieve their missions. Last year they offered a unique rebate of $25 off the Home Energy Solutions service, an analysis and retrofit program run by the CT Clean Energy Fund to help homeowners save money and energy. See: www.hesprogram.com .

The savings from the HES program will offset the additional cost homeowner incur when purchasing 100% renewable energy from the Clean Energy Options program, the source of the funding for the solar collectors on Amity Regional High School. Signing up for CT Clean Energy Options helps the towns win additional solar photovoltaic arrays to save money and help the state have a lower environmental footprint.

The solar photovoltaic arrays were installed by Ross Solar from Brookfield, CT. Owner Jason Ross has installed over one hundred and sixty PV systems over the past five years. This is the company’s fifth school installation in the state. See: www.rosssolargroup.com

At the ceremony, Jason Ross stated: “Ross Solar Group, LLC is pleased to have been chosen for this installation. I would like to thank the students, parents, clean energy committees, and CT Innovations along with CT Clean Energy Fund for seeing this project through to completion. All of us at Ross Solar Group, LLC look forward to supplying the school, and towns with future photovoltaic systems.”

For more information, please contact:
Jonathan Gorham, Chair, Woodbridge Clean Energy Task Force, 203.376.2871 jon@greenmediaventures.com
Mike Okrent, Chair, Bethany Clean energy Task Force, 203.393.2662 mokrent@comcast.net
Ron Novick, Chair, Orange Clean Energy Task Force, 203.915.5423 ronnovick@optonline.net

Written by Rob Kennedy - submitted by Sarah Shepherd

Hartford - The Amity Theater Department was presented with four awards at the Connecticut High School Theater Awards held on Monday May 24th at Bushnell Theater in Hartford. Amity’s production of Les Miserables had been nominated in thirteen categories, the second most by any school.

The Amity winners included junior Kimberly Simon of Woodbridge who won for her portrayal of the bawdy and devilish Madame Thenardier. Kim was the very first winner of the night and was overwhelmed by the experience. At the podium she thanked the cast and crew and her family for their support.

Two Amity faculty members were honored for their efforts as well. Chris Hickerson won in the Best Achievement in Musical Direction category and Phil Dolan was given the award for the Best Orchestra. Dolan and his student orchestra was hard at work at the awards gala. Dolan conducted for all three of Amity’s performances and John Chang, Emma Platoff, Nick Platoff, Eric Jiang and Sarah Gans were the only students invited to join nine professional musicians on the Bushnell stage. When asked about the awards gala Dolan gushed about his students, “What a unbelievable experience for them! Congrats to the orchestra, cast, crew and directors Rob and Andrea Kennedy”.

One of the final awards of the night went to senior John Jorge of Orange. John was awarded the trophy for Best Performance by an Actor over some very tough competition including his cast mate Ken Adair and the 2009 Connecticut and National High School Music Theater Award winner Stephen Mark of Ridgefield. During the gala John sang a stirring rendition of the song “Bring Him Home” which brought the Bushnell crowd, including the competing high schools, to their feet. An emotional Jorge was visibly moved by the win and made sure to thank his directors Rob and Andrea Kennedy and his father who he called his “inspiration”.

John will now move on to compete in the second-annual National High School Musical Theater Awards which will be held on Monday, June 28, 2010 at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway. Activities will commence on Wednesday, June 23 with rehearsals, master classes, private coaching and interviews with theater professionals leading up to the live awards show where the Jimmy™ Award for Best Performance by an Actor and Best Performance by an Actress will be presented. Both overall male and female winners are eligible for four-year scholarship assistance to attend the NYU Tisch School of the Arts Department of Drama, contingent upon acceptance into the program. In addition, The Nederlander Organization will present both winners with a check for $10,000 to help these talented students pursue their dream.

the amity u,11 lacrosse team played pomparoug and amity beat theam in to the ground!! the score was amity 14
and pomparog had 4 the game was a blow out! in the end both teams played a grate game!!!!!

The Amity 2010-2011 budget easily passed in light voting Wednesday. Preliminary results had 1003 yes votes to 435 no votes, or approximately 70%-30%. In Woodbridge, the tallying was recorded for WGATV and the registrars and their staff conscientiously made sure that those who wanted to observe the tallying had a good view. Besides being recorded for WGATV, results in Woodbridge were also streamed live on QIK and posted on Facebook.

On a town by town basis, the results were

Perhaps the pinnacle of theatrical experiences is when we become so immersed in a production that we are watching that we forget the theatre we are sitting in, and willing suspend any disbelief that we have somehow been transported to some fantastic other world taking place on the stage. For me, Amity High School’s production of Les Miserable failed to reach that pinnacle. I was all too aware that I was sitting in the high school theatre, next to my eight year old daughter, about whom I worried if she would be able to make it through a three hour production well past her bed time. Also sitting next to me was my wife, decompressing after a long drive home from Hartford after a vehicle fire had closed I-91. Beyond them was my mother-in-law, my priest and his wife, my daughter’s school bus driver, and many friends from about town gathered for this important social event. This suspension of disbelief was further challenged when the smoke machines set off the fire alarms during Act II.

Beyond this, was the music of Les Miserable; much of which I knew by heart, and somehow, a 19th century France where the only communication is by people singing in English makes a suspension of disbelief more difficult. As the musical started, my mind wandered to political implications. In the opening scene Jean Valjean learns that his criminal background prevents him from finding gainful employment. Of course this was two hundred years ago, and we don’t have issues like that in twenty first century Connecticut, right? This year’s “Ban the Box” bill which would made it illegal for the state and businesses that contract with the state to ask applicants if they’ve been convicted of a crime during the first round of review, failed to make it out of committee.

Yet there was, perhaps, a more important willingness to suspend disbelief taking place at Amity High School last night. While the production failed to completely transport me to 19th century France, I did forget that I was not at a professional production. Early on when Marla Morris, in the role of Fantine, sang “I dreamed a dream”, my mind wandered to the sensation Susan Boyle created when she sang that song on “Britain’s Got Talent”. Yes, Simon Cowell might have some snide comment Marla Morris’ performance, but you won’t find comments like that from me. I thought her performance was stellar. It set the stage for high expectations for the rest of the night.

With this, I wondered how well Dalia Medovnikov would be able to carry off the great song “Castle in the Cloud”, in her role as the young Cosette. I was not disappointed and instead look forward to seeing her perform in a starring role at Amity High School when she is older.

Of course, the real star of the show was John Jorge in the role of Jean Valjean. After his performance as Roger Davis in last year’s production of Rent, there was little doubt that he would make an excellent Jean Valjean. This role demanded much more versatility as we followed Valjean through the years, and Davis carried it off with exceptional talent.

Ken Adair, after his success as Benjamin Coffin III in Rent last year, turned in another great performance as Valjean’s nemesis, Javert. Likewise, Connor Deane, after his success as Tom Collins in Rent last year, provided another strong performance, this time as Marius, and it was great to see Alli Kramer in her role as Eponine.

It has often been said that many standing ovations are caused by people wishing to get to the parking lot and head home, and it could easily be imagined that after a three hour performance, some people might stand for that reason. Yet that was not the case at opening night. Instead, the audience stood and clapped and did not move. Even after the house lights came up, there was no rush to leave. My eight year old daughter, barely still awake reveled in the experience, telling friends that she liked it even more than Mama Mia which she had seen at the Bushnell in Hartford.

No, the Amity High School production of Les Miserable did not transport me to nineteenth century France. Instead, it transported me to a small community in Connecticut that values the arts and has high school musicians delivering performances that exceeded many professional performances that I’ve seen. That is a place I’m much happier to have been transported to.

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes

One day more,
Another day, another destiny,

Amity Performing Arts production of Les Miserables opens tomorrow night. Some tickets are still available.

Tomorrow we'll discover
What our God in Heaven has in store!
One more dawn
One more day
One day more!

Registrars of Voters are making plans to hold a registration drive at Amity, probably on Wednesday, April 7.