Grandparents lunch at elementary school

WEBUTUCK — As a way of helping bridge the gap between generations, Webutuck Elementary School invited grandparents and special guests to visit the school and have lunch with the students on Grandparents Day, Thursday, Nov. 17.Roughly 500 grandparents and special guests joined the students for a meal of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and other Thanksgiving-themed dishes.Webutuck Elementary School Principal Katy McEnroe said the school has been holding this event for a very long time — so long, that no one seems to remember just how long.“I think it’s a special event,” McEnroe said. “It’s a happy event for all.”McEnroe said it teaches the students about the importance of family and friends, while also giving them the opportunity to show off the place in which they spend a large portion of their time. “Kids like to boast about their school,” she said.McEnroe said that the school makes sure all of the students have someone special to have a meal with, even if their family and friends can’t make it. Some of the other special guests include staff members from other parts of the school district and teachers who worked at the school before retiring.Grandparents Day was arranged and organized by staff members Janice McSpiritt and Rebecca Garrard, with help from the PTA and other volunteers.“We do this because we feel it’s important to ... reconnect with family,” McSpiritt said.McSpiritt and Garrard both believe that the day also helps build the school community.Parents get a lot of opportunities throughout the year to go to the school and see what the students have been up to, but grandparents and other family friends rarely get such opportunities, explained Garrard.In the cafeteria, Mikaela Werther enjoyed her lunch with three of her grandparents: Anita Grassia, Julie Naglieri and Tony Naglieri.All three grandparents agreed that the best part of the day was having the chance to spend time with Mikaela and share her school experience.“She really wanted us here. It’s nice to be wanted,” said Grandma Naglieri.At a nearby table, Joseph Chiarenza ate a hearty meal with two of his grandparents.Raymond and Carol Kruzynski got up before sunrise so they could travel from Queens in time to have lunch with their grandson. They turned Grandparents Day into an extended weekend so they could spend time with Joseph and his siblings before the holidays. When asked why he likes to have lunch with his grandparents, Joseph responded matter-of-factly, “Because I love them.”

Latest News

A scenic 32-mile loop through Litchfield County

Whenever I need to get a quick but scenic bicycle ride but don’t have time to organize a group ride that involves driving to a meeting point, I just turn right out of my driveway. That begins a 32-mile loop through some of the prettiest scenery in northern Litchfield County.

I ride south on Undermountain Road (Route 41 South) into Salisbury and turn right on Main Street (Route 44 West). If I’m meeting friends, we gather at the parking area on the west side of Salisbury Town Hall where parking is never a problem.

Keep ReadingShow less
Biking Ancramdale to Copake

This is a lovely ride that loops from Ancramdale north to Copake and back. At just over 23 miles and about 1,300 feet of elevation gain, it’s a perfect route for intermediate recreational riders and takes about two hours to complete. It’s entirely on quiet roads with little traffic, winding through rolling hills, open countryside, picturesque farms and several lakes.

Along the way, you’ll pass a couple of farmstands that are worth a quick visit. There is only one hill that might be described as steep, but it is quite short — probably less than a quarter-mile.

Keep ReadingShow less
Taking on Tanglewood

Aerial view of The Shed at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass.

Provided

Now is the perfect time to plan ahead for symphonic music this summer at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts. Here are a few highlights from the classical programming.

Saturday, July 5: Shed Opening Night at 8 p.m. Andris Nelsons conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Daniil Trifonov plays piano in an All-Rachmaninoff program. The Piano Concerto No. 3 was completed in 1909 and was written specifically to be debuted in the composer’s American tour, at another time of unrest and upheaval in Russia. Trifonev is well-equipped to take on what is considered among the most technically difficult piano pieces. This program also includes Symphonic Dances, a work encapsulating many ideas and much nostalgia.

Keep ReadingShow less
James H. Fox

SHARON — James H. Fox, resident of Sharon, passed away on May 30, 2025, at Vassar Brothers Hospital.

Born in New York, New York, to Herbert Fox and Margaret Moser, James grew up in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. He spent his summers in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, where he developed a deep connection to the community.

Keep ReadingShow less