CORNWALL — The legendary Labor Day Weekend Benefit Art Sale returns to the Cornwall Library this year, marking the 7th anniversary of this highly popular event. The sale is on Labor Day weekend only. It opens with a cocktail reception at the library at 30 Pine St. on Friday, Aug. 29, and continues through Monday, Sept. 1.
Artwork will run the gamut from the antique to the contemporary, from the jazzy and colorful to classic black and white, from realistic to abstract. A range of mediums will be represented: prints, watercolors, posters, photographs and paintings with an occasional small three-dimensional piece. All work will be documented to the extent feasible and will be reasonably priced, starting at $25 and running up into much more.
As works are purchased, new pieces will take their place, refreshing the show every day.
Each work in the sale represents a gift in support of the library's collection of books and other media, and its rich programming serving the people of Cornwall and beyond — live and on Zoom — throughout the year. The Cornwall Library is a free library; its core book lending program is supplemented by educational events for children and adults, information services, art exhibitions, literary events and a broad range of other activities and community services.
The library depends on private contributions and grants to support its programs; all donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
Sale hours are: Friday, Aug. 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. and includes the cocktail reception.; Saturday, Aug. 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 1, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For further information, contact the library at 860-672-6874.
Region 1 to introduce 8 new teachers this school year
FALLS VILLAGE — Eight new teachers will be walking through the doors of Region 1 schools when the new year begins on Aug. 26.
Skylar Agard will be teaching grade two at North Canaan Elementary School. A native of Kent, she now resides in Falls Village. Agard received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Arizona and a master’s from Grand Canyon University. She will be earning $53,348.
Andrew Deacon will be the reading interventionalist/instructional coach at Sharon Center School. A native of the Northwest Corner, he holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from Manhattanville College, a master’s in elementary education, a sixth-year certificate in reading and language arts and a doctorate in educational leadership, all from the University of Bridgeport. His salary will be $110,768.
A new speech pathologist in the region will be Samantha Guardino. A recent graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, where she earned her master’s degree in communication disorders, she is a licensed speech-language pathology clinical fellow. She holds a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology from Iona University. She comes to Region 1 from Barlow Mountain Elementary School in Ridgefield. She will earn $59,822.
Joining Lee H. Kellogg School and Sharon Center School as the Spanish teacher is Ivelisse Hernandez. Originally from Puerto Rico, she holds a master’s degree in education and is continuing a second master’s in TESCU/bilingual education from Southern Connecticut State University. She has a decade of experience in language education and will be receiving a salary of $94,137.
Melanie Mancarella will be a second-grade teacher at North Canaan Elementary School. A teacher in the Southington school district for the past six years, she holds a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Hartford. She and her family recently moved to the area. She will earn $64,841.
The new art teacher at Kent Center School is Emily Piescki. She holds a bachelor’s degree of fine arts from the University of Hartford and a master’s of science in teaching from the State University of New York at Potsdam. Piescki is a recent resident of Canaan. Her salary is $55,125.
Stefanie Remillard will be teaching grade three at North Canaan Elementary School. She earned a degree in elementary education from Elon University. Following college, she served in the Peace Corps. in Bulgaria. She taught in New Canaan and Farmington before taking a break to raise her four children. Most recently, she taught in Naugatuck. She will earn $66,589.
Also joining the North Canaan Elementary School staff is Melissa Youmans. She is a first-year teacher, having a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and mathematics from Western Connecticut State University. She will be teaching first grade. Youmans was raised in Bantam, where she still lives. Her salary is $47,471.
Band concert on Saturday
SALISBURY — The annual Salisbury Band summer concert will be held Saturday, Aug. 23, at 4 p.m. on the lawn of Scoville Memorial Library. Audience members attending this free event will enjoy a medley of tunes played by the band, which is comprised of local musicians.
This is a weekly look at happenings throughout the Region 1 towns of Canaan, Cornwall, Falls Village, Kent, Salisbury and Sharon. Send items of interest about residents and events from our Northwest Corner to [email protected].