Westport, Connecticut: Hillspoint Elementary

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SPECIAL NOTICE

This notice is for one of our own Billy Palladino, Staples H.S. graduate, class of 1968. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in November of 2009 and has been hospitalized since Feb. 6, when complications from throat cancer surgery in November robbed him of his ability to speak. He had an operation where they removed his epiglottis, the flap that covers the trachea during swallowing so that food does not enter the lungs. He had a Tracheotomy and now is unable to speak. He is presently in Danbury Hospital and is receiving Chemotherapy and Radiation and hoping to go home soon.

With all this going on for Bill, another tragedy struck his family. His wife, Janice Ann McClenathan Palladino, age 45, passed away from a massive heart attack on February 11, 2010 at her home in Sandy Hook, CT. She was also a Staples High School Graduate, class of 1983. Not only did his wife meticulously prepare meals that were injected through the feeding tube Bill had implanted after his surgery and monitor his medications, her full-time job at a small manufacturing company in Oxford provided the health insurance that covered the bulk of his medical bills.

Now there is no income for family and they don't know how long the insurance from Janice's job will cover Billy's medical bills. They have 2 daughters, Michelle and Sarah Palladino who are both in college.

We want to let you know that a trust fund has been set up for Billy and his family at:

Newtown Savings Bank
30 Main Street
Danbury CT 06810
Phone: (203) 205-0080

For those of you that want to contact him or send get well cards to, his home contact information is:

Bill Palladino
7 Overlook Knoll
Sandy Hook CT 06482
(203) 426-8960

Here are some links for more information:

Article on Billy in the Danbury News Times, Feb. 21, 2010.

Obituary from the Westport News on Janice Ann McClenathan Palladino.

Please help out where you can. Collectively we can all make a difference for Billy and his family, no matter what the $ amount is. Words of support are also needed if you can't make a donation during these hard times.

Thank you, Shelby Goodlett Pike

Hillspoint Elementary Bulletin Board To add an entry on this board, please log in or sign up.
Hillspoint Class of 1972, i.e. sixth grade 1965: hoping to do a reunion soon. Interest is mounting!	Diana Chan Chute 1972 view posts Friday, 07/16/2010 10:06:20
Looks like I'm a little late getting to this board. But great reading and memories from the likes of Sue Holliday, Randy Grosberg and Rich Gleason. Hope to hear more from some of you guys.	Jim Bamman 1976 view posts Friday, 03/19/2010 13:28:24
Wow! I just stumbled across this site! I went to Hillspoint 1975-1977 (1st and 2nd grade). I wish I remembered more but I do remember the Whalers (that's how I became a Whalers hockey fan when they came to Hartford). I found my class pictures but I don't have the names to go along with the kids!	Chris Gombos 1986 view posts Tuesday, 02/23/2010 08:47:09
I miss my Hillspoint Whalers sweatshirt! Nantucket red with I believe the writing and whale were a mustard yellow. Wish I still had it.	Kathleen Brannigan Fazio 1983 view posts Monday, 08/24/2009 10:13:21
regarding Mr. LaMarche 6th Grade ‚Äì 1963-1964 ‚Äì class picture Missing names Bridget Phillips 2nd row LT, BP, Cheryl Miller(?), PS, DG, Ricky Miller	Roger White 1970 view posts Friday, 05/29/2009 13:09:00
I don't remember the garbage can incident, but it was probably me. She was after me constantly. I put that out of my mind though, our classmates were absolutely wonderful, we had such a great group of friends. I remember walking home with Kurt Karston on spring days like today (sunny and 80 degrees) and going over to the Kiermeyers and swimming in their pool that was hidden behind giant evergreens...it was like a nice clean water hole in the middle of the forest. I remember one summer that 3 or 4 of us rented a cat-pontooned sailboat from the beach. That was so much fun, we flipped that thing over every possible direction, I'm surprised none of us drowned.	Rich Gleason 1976 view posts Wednesday, 05/20/2009 08:44:15
Okay, is it my memory going or was Hillspoint supposed to resemble a whale? Or was this something my mom made up?	Beth Dalheim Van Doren 1976 view posts Sunday, 04/19/2009 15:51:10
Yes, my real name is Richmond though, but I go by "Rich." I really enjoyed our little "downtown" and the many strange and interesting stores. There was one near the passage that had wierd 60's costume jewelry. It was a real treat to have a beach close by too. Wasn't our school interesting too, beyond the obvious bouning ball through the library...the dome and the remarkable layered wood infrastructure and the stone walls. I think the architect was channeling a 60's version of "green" when he designed it.	Rich Gleason 1976 view posts Monday, 04/13/2009 19:12:54
Hi Rich. Weren't you Ricky back then? I do not recollect many of the things you speak of (World Series and the like), perhaps because I am of the female persuasion, but you struck a chord when you mentioned Mrs. Basili! As I remember, she didn't mince words. Who was it that she threw in the garbage can? I was not in her homeroom (I think she taught social studies) but I do remember being afraid of her temper!	Sue Holliday Windrick 1976 view posts Thursday, 04/02/2009 19:07:52
Hey, who else remembers dancing school at the YMCA in 6th grade? Boys were to wear grey flannels, a shirt, tie and blue blazer. Girls wore dresses and both girls and boys had to wear white gloves. I know that the mothers of the boys all conspired for months to get us all there and we groused and complained...but after we got there and enjoyed it we didn't dare tell them that we liked it.	Rich Gleason 1976 view posts Monday, 03/16/2009 16:20:44
Whoops...Apollo moon missions, but no landings till '69. lol...I shouldn't make a mistake like that, I worked for Rockwell International in the Space Systems Division for many years and was at the site where the Saturn Stage 2 was built.	Rich Gleason 1976 view posts Wednesday, 03/11/2009 17:35:17
1968, we were in 5th grade. That was the year of the Moon landings. Batman and Robin were on TV and the Green Bay Packers won the second Super Bowl. But as 5th graders, we were more interested in things like hanging out at Klein's to see the latest records (Beatles, Cream, etc), the nic-naks at the Rememarkable Little Bookshop and gossiping at the library. Summer at the beach was great and an added interest was Denny McLain's pursuit of 30 wins and the world was good. I remember we took a class trip to the Museum of Natural History sometime during the year and the big talk on the way in was wheter the SF Giants could compete with Bob Gibson and the SL Cardinals. While at the Museum, the teachers and chaperones grew frustrated that there was more flirting than learning going on. On the way home everyone sang "100 bottles of beer on the wall" for the duration. It was a very good year.	Rich Gleason 1976 view posts Tuesday, 03/10/2009 13:21:36
Greetings fellow Hillspointers, Long time no see, eh? I have fond memories of my years at Hillspoint and the great group of people I encountered there. On my first day there, starting in 4th grade, my cute little next door neighbor Nancy and I shyly and tentatively started our first days at Hillspoint. Everyone was so kind and welcoming, it still brings a smile to my face. I remember the world-cup level competition of four-square during lunch, throwing baseball cards against the wall, the races during gym class, square dancing, the gymnastics "shows," international meal nights, and bowling "class," but best of all were the parties. I also remember playing baseball on the Hornets at Gault Field and the giant crowds at opening day, it was all fun. My classes were with Ms. Basili (4th), Ms. Buffington and Ms. Mills.	Rich Gleason 1976 view posts Sunday, 03/08/2009 12:16:22
Randall Had Garrison Keillor grown up with us in Westport he might conclude his monologue "where all the boys are strong, all the girls are good looking, and all the adults above average." I too have fond memories of you, our friends, and teachers at Hillspoint. None of my classmates lived near my house on Marc Lane, so it was always a treat to go home after school with you or a friend from your neighborhood. Often I would spend the night at Kurt Wahl's house, where his family treated me as one of their own. Of Hillspoint I have memories of young Miss Nelson in first grade, a playground fight with Greg (I lost), trading baseball cards, struggling with math, square dancing in gym class, fish sticks in the cafeteria on Friday, Cub Scouts, and Little League baseball. Erica and Paul were smart, Phil and Donald shy, Kurt and Ted athletic, and the McGavin twins had long red hair. For me Westport will always be sailing with my dad up the Saugatuck river, Marching in the Memorial Day parade, a Town Crier paper route, and hamburgers at Chubby Lane's. You mention the Beatles. I knew at the time that my Marc Lane neighbor Mr. Briggs had an older son who was a musician. I recently read a biography of the singer Gram Parsons, where I learned that while we were growing up imitating The Beatles, Bill Brigg's band The Remains was playing with The Beatles on their US tour. Bill's kid sister Marilyn was my baby sitter, but her story of course is well known by Westporters. I have particularly fond memories of you and your mother. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, and I know you must miss her. While I admired your athletic and musical talent, I respected your maturity and kindness. My family moved to North Carolina in 1970. After graduating from Chapel Hill, I moved to Atlanta for five years, where I married a girl from Texas (my wife worked at Emory at the time, and I'm sure your daughter will have a good time there). We have two great kids, Katie is 24 and Walker is 22. My work as a marketing executive has given me the opportunity to live and travel throughout the US and abroad. My son and I regularly play tennis and backpack together, though books and music are my passions. Thanks for staying in touch. Chip	Chip Berry 1976 view posts Thursday, 01/15/2009 12:40:09
I remember Chip! You're right he did look like one of the Beatles. Chip, It's time for you to chime in!	Sue Holliday Windrick 1976 view posts Thursday, 01/15/2009 02:51:07
I heard from Chip Berry via the main blog a few days ago and responded to him directly. He was another great bandmember of the Robin Readbreasts. In those days everyone wanted to look like the Beatles. One day the band all wore red turtlenecks. I remember Chip looked like one of the Beatles or maybe the cleaner cut Dave Clark 5. It would be great to hear his memories of Hillspoint and where he is now.	Randall Grosberg 1976 view posts Wednesday, 01/14/2009 17:44:22
I grew up right behind the school yard and had fond memories of playing with my friends Susie Holiday, Lelie Cowan, Greg DeMaris, David Eaton, Susie Glimcher and Michael Herman. There was always someone to play with in our neighbor and Hillspoint's fields were like a part of our backyard. My best and friend and nextdoor neighbor Susie Holiday learned how to ride her bike without training wheels before me. I remember her urging me to take my bike up to the top of this hill in her backyard and ride down. She gave me good advice as that was the day I learned to ride my bike. Our favorite time of year was going trick or treating in the neighborhood. One time my mother sent me out with a group of my friends (above) with a brown paper bag. The bag got heavy and I dragged it accross the ground until it got wet and broke. It was a difficult night for me at age 6 or so, but my friends, offered to help me carry my candy home and saved the day. My best friend for most of elementary school was Mark Roule. Mark and I started our first rock and roll band. He had a secret second grade crush on Robin Doak, so he talked us into naming the band the "Robin Redbreasts." I am sure she never figured it out! Funny the things that you remember 44 years later! It would be great to hear from anyone from the Guyer/Valley Road neigborhood.	Randall Grosberg 1976 view posts Thursday, 11/20/2008 19:11:19
Sue Holliday - I did not remember you lived that close to Hillspoint. I remember you more from playing field hockey. You were in my brother's class, Ted Anderson. He is living in Burlington VT with wife and family (two girls). He is still in touch with the Champagnes. In fact, Ed lives just 5 minutes away. Ted was in your 4th grade class with Mr. Miguel.	Britt Anderson 1979 view posts Wednesday, 11/12/2008 20:24:08
Kevin Waterbury was my first kiss...in 6th grade. That was my only year at Hillspoint because Bedford El closed (which was so sad!) We sent notes back and forth through friends and agreed to meet in the alcove adjacent to the gym. It was SO awkward. Then we went out to the playground. Have not thought about that in a very long time...	Kelly Marr Asbury 1981 view posts Wednesday, 07/09/2008 04:07:57
Hillspoint Elementary School was practically in my backyard. I just walked up my backyard hill, climbed over a rock wall and was on the baseball diamond! I remember walking to school as an afternoon kindergardener and having to pass by the dreaded "big kids" playing ball at recess. I was so afraid they would TALK to me! Other memories include Miss Parks for Kindergarden Mrs. Vigi for First grade, Miss Bonardi (Great teacher!) for Second grade... hmm it gets a bit muddled from this point on. I have no idea who taught Third grade at that time. Help! I had Mr. Miguel for Fourth grade and and Mr. Tyree for Fifth. It was all capped off with Mrs. Mills who had been there forever, for Sixth grade! Oh yes! Mr. Pike was the principal. The previous post mentions Kevin Waterbury. I remember the Waterbury family because they lived at the end of my street. They had a wonderful swimming pool in their backyard with a cool slide. I remember secretly wishing for an invitation to come over and swim! My best friends were Susie Glimcher, Randy Grosberg and Linda Bullard. We all lived on Guyer road. I would love to hear from others who went to Hillspoint.	Sue Holliday Windrick 1976 view posts Thursday, 06/12/2008 04:06:25
Hey gang, just found this site and having fun with memories as well. Also have posted to the Staples class of 81 site. I too remember having gym (center of school) and the ball bouncing into classrooms and the lunch room ... the kissing queen and cudies ... how about the Presidential Physical Fitness Test ... 4 Square ... I can remember every year fighting my best friends (who knows why, just what boys did) - including Steve Landa and Kevin Waterbury. Hank, I remember you - I was in your brother Bruce's grade, and you were in my brother Gregg's grade. Gregg is doing well living in Utah and in fact just skied last week on June 1st. How / What is your brother Bruce doing these days ? All for now ...	Todd Maddock 1981 view posts Tuesday, 06/10/2008 10:06:00
Well, here I am again with another memory. Does anyone remember Miss (Barbara) Brennan? When I entered third grade, and got the name of my homeroom teacher in the mail the summer before, I didn't recognize the name. I was going to get a BRAND NEW teacher. I didn't quite know what to make of that. After all, it could be a good thing, or it could be a really bad thing. As it turned out, it was a VERY good thing!!! I remember when I first saw her, I decided that I was, in fact, in love. She was fresh out of school (early 20's?), and had a killer smile! And she was nice!!!! AND her name started with MISS!!! I always felt that we would get merried when I was old enough. I think that we were her first full time experience with teaching, so I hope that we were good to her. After all, 25 third graders can be quite a trial on one adult. After I went on to fourth grade, I would always go back to Miss Brennan's classroom after school to say 'hi'. When I went on to Long Lots in seventh grade, I even went back to Hillspoint a few times to say 'hi'. Believe me, if were an adult at the time, I would have been considered a stalker!!! Anyway, I found out just a year or two later that she had gotten married. She was then known as Mrs. McDonald. Unfortunately, as far as I was concerned, she had married the WRONG McDonald!!! Mrs. McDonald, are you still out there? I am Hank (Henry) McDonald, Staples class of '80. Get it???	Henry McDonald 1980 view posts Tuesday, 08/29/2000 15:12:24
I still think about the wonderful teachers we had at Hillspoint: Rose Parks (kindergarten) who was doing her doctoral dissertation on children's humor and tape recorded us while we went WILD with the freedom of being allowed to say ANYTHING we thought was funny. Pat Bonardi (1st grade) who, without a TRACE of irritation, climbed up to rescue me from the top of the jungle gym where I was frozen with fear and who also invited all the girls in our class over to her house to bake chocolate chip cookies together (the boys went over another day, and I always wondered what THEY did together...). Mr. Miguel (4th grade), who moved away (to Bethel, CT, I think it was) in the middle of the school year and we had a going away party for him during which all the kids filed in single file past his desk and shook his hand. Leah Kates started crying, which made all the girls start sobbing, and at the height of the tragedy, we all dramatically vowed never to wash our hands for the rest of the year. Marge Basili (6th grade) who urged me to play a song on the piano for the class--it didn't take long before I drew a blank on what came next, so she took someone's spiral notebook (blank lined paper) and put it on the music stand and said, "Now you'll remember it--PLAY!" and I did. Remember her son, Guiseppi, whom she brought with her sometimes? And the wide leather belt she wore with the big metal buckle that had a scene from somewhere in Italy on it.	Lynn McDonald 1975 view posts Tuesday, 08/29/2000 06:04:57
My first experience with kissing a girl came when I was in kindergarten. It was not a pleasant experience, considering my age!! It all started with Karen Waterbury, who formed a group of five or six girls and named the group The Kissing Bugs. I guess Karen was the Big Bug. Anyway, one day while I was playing bounce-ball at recess, a girl came up to me and planted a big kiss on my cheek. As any five year old boy knows, girls have cooties, and this ?íattack' was simply unacceptable!!! So I ran after the girl when she ran away. I was going to catch her and make sure that she understood that I did not appreciate her advances. I was chasing her around the playground when I realized that there were four or five other girls chasing me! When I got tired, and slowed down, the girls caught up to me and grabbed me. I was struggling, but I was not able to break free from all those girls. The Big Bug was standing in front of me and directed the other Bugs to drag me off to one of the sandboxes. I continued to struggle, but they just kept dragging me off. Finally, they got me to the sandbox, and Karen ordered them to pin me down in the sand. There was one girl on each arm, one on each leg, and one holding my head still. After it was clear that I was well restrained, Karen walked up to me, bent over, and planted a big wet one right on my lips!!! I struggled again, but it was all in vain. It was absolutely humiliating - all this cootie-transfer and I could do nothing about it!!! Karen kissed me a couple of more times before she got up and stood at the edge of the sandbox. She had a smug look on her face. This is where she made her big mistake - she ordered The Kissing Bugs to let me go. I was free!!! I had been deeply victimized, or so I thought, and I needed to get my revenge right then and there! I calmly walked over to Karen, who was still standing there with all her Kissing Bugs, looked her straight in the eye, and punched her lights out!! I had always been told to NEVER hit a girl, but I had never before experienced such a humiliation! She fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes, and started bawling her eyes out. UH-OH!! Now I was going to GET IT!!! My only reaction was to bolt for the woods just off the schoolgrounds. If I could get to the woods and wait three or four hours until the buses came to pick us up, I figured that I would be home-free. Well, I made it to the woods and hid among the bushes. I could see everything going on, and in no time at all Karen got to her feet and found a teacher. She was still bawling her eyes out, blood flowing from her nose, and POINTING TOWARDS THE WOODS!!!! The teacher immediately headed directly towards where I was hiding. I couldn't move, otherwise I would surely be seen, so I just sat there as the teacher came right over to me. The gig was up, and I knew it, so I stood up to take my punishment. I ended up in the principal's office for that one!! In the end, Karen was fine, but she never spoke to me again. If I knew then what I know now, I would not have struggled quite so much!!!	Henry McDonald 1980 view posts Tuesday, 08/29/2000 00:51:48
Playing dodge ball in the Hillspoint gym. The gym was located under that huge bubble and had no walls, so you'd have to chase the balls into the libary, the art room, the cafeteria, etc.	David Morgenstern 1988 view posts Tuesday, 08/29/2000 20:17:16

Hillspoint Junior High/Middle School Image Gallery

Please send any images you'd like added to the gallery to admin@westporters.com. Include as much information about the picture as you can: Who is in it, when and where it was taken. Thanks!

5th grade class, 1968 - Mrs. Buffington [59k]
Contributed by Beth Dalheim VanDoren, Staples '76
first row: Paul Heilman, Phil Freshour, Rick Gleason, Tom Gellenbeck
second row: Susan Champagne, Celeste Allmand, Lucy Kiermeyer, Becky Fry, Beth Dalheim, Jaime ?, Sue Glimcher
third row: Chuck Botwin, Eric Cook, Linda Bullard, Robin Doak, Sally Sandercock, Susan Aasen, Mike Hermann, Trace ?
fourth row: Mrs. Buffington, Scott Riechelm, Scott Harrison, Jim Bamman, Richard Goldrosen, John Halweg, David Gay, Mike Anderson & Kurt Karsten

The pictures and name lists below were contributed by Bill Staby, Staples '70

Fourth grade class [152k]
4th Grade ‚Äì 1961-1962 ‚Äì Mr. Miguel
Mr. Miguel was one of the best teachers I ever had in my life and was a cool guy to boot. ¬†¬†He clearly loved kids and was always patient with us yet, at the same time, demanding of good work. If you did something really well, the reward was a ride around the parking lot in his brand-new white convertible Chevy Impala with the cherry-red seats. Too bad the SRA reading system, then in vogue, was such a failure.¬† Remember the colors?¬† Were you a purple or a mustard? Highlights of that year included getting to dissect frogs and the play ‚ÄúThe Sound of Music.‚Äù We all got to actually go into New York City one night to see the Broadway version ‚Äì starring Julie Andrews.¬† It was really too much for this impressionable mind. ¬†

Front Row: (Corporal) Chuck Boisseau, ? , Diane Calabrese, Eddie Gustafson
Second Row: Ann Garido, Barbara Postel, Diane Van Gelder, (Lieutenant) Steve Knox, Marilyn Briggs
Third Row: Patty Sargent, Robin Gray, Ann Craig, Will Rowlands, ? , Colin Bird
Back Row: Chris Tolken, Jon Emery, Bill Staby, Jill Manning, RoseAnn Medlin, Mr. Miguel
Picture used by permission of the Gustafson Foundation archives

Fifth grade class [132k]
5th Grade ‚Äì 1962-1963 ‚Äì Mrs. Mills
This was definitely the more sedate and scholarly of the two fifth-grade classes that year (the other class was (barely) supervised by Mr. Robideux).¬† How do we know?¬† Just take a gander at the talent assembled here!¬† Need we say more!¬† Pot must have been coming into fashion that year because I honestly have virtually no memories of anything monumental that took place.¬† Nor, for that matter, do I remember the names of all of my classmates‚Ä¶but here goes.

Front Row: Nona Starzyk,¬† ? , Paul Emmet, Peter Kopp, ? , Alicia Zloe, Roseanne Medlin, Jill Manning, ?
Middle Row:¬† ? , Colin Bird, Richard Chan, Ed Gustafson, Taylor Barry, ? , Robin Gray, ?, Mary Sue Rayden, Ann Craig (sob), ?
Back Row: ?, Bill Staby, Buddy Calish, Chuck Boisseau, Katie Abelow, ?, Darryl Coates, ?, Terry Holmes, Mrs. Mills. ¬†
Picture used by permission of the Gustafson Foundation archives.

Sixth grade class [148k]
6th Grade ‚Äì 1963-1964 ‚Äì Mr. LaMarche
Mr. LaMarche was a "rat pack" kind of guy - dressed impeccably, always had a tan, smoked Benson & Hedges, drove a sleek new (black) Chevy Impala - but definitely of the Bridgeport D‚ÄôAddario-family variety.¬† We were a pretty rowdy bunch except, of course, for Jill and Roseanne, and Mr. LaMarche probably often wished corporal punishment was still an accepted enforcement option. Many of us boys spent a fair amount of time waiting for an "appointment" with Mr. Pike (the Principal) or doing extra pull-ups for Mr. Pollock (the Phys-Ed teacher).¬† This was the year the Beatles hit it big and, of course, when President Kennedy was shot.¬† The play we did that year was called "Hillspoint Hillbillies" ‚Äì a real gem that, many say, was responsible for launching Marilyn‚Äôs career. The other 6th grade teachers that year were (the notorious) Mr. Clapp (right Darryl?) and Mrs. Henke.¬† ¬†

Front Row:¬† Larry Terpening, Barbara Postel, ?, Patty Sargent, Debbie Gordon, ?
Middle Row: Bridgett ?, Diane Calabrese, Susan Griswold, Liz Weirum, Mary Sue Rayden, Marilyn Briggs, Jill Manning
Back Row: Ed Gustafson, Dave Cook, Chris Falkenhagen, Richard McGinnis, Bill Staby, Peter Kopp, Richard Chan, Mr. LaMarche
Absent: Roseanne Medlin
Picture used by permission of the Gustafson Foundation archives.