![How kids are coping while in isolation — and their parents, too](https://millertonnews.com/media-library/ben-and-claire-fiorillo-have-turned-the-kitchen-island-into-a-shared-space-for-at-home-learning-during-the-quarantine-photo-sub.jpg?id=48195510&width=980&quality=90)
Ben and Claire Fiorillo have turned the kitchen island into a shared space for at-home learning during the quarantine. Photo submitted
SALISBURY — When I asked Gwen Fitch, a fourth grader at Salisbury Central School (SCS), if she likes the whole situation of being at home she replied, “It’s just that the classroom is a nice place to work!”
Which was surprising, because many other students I spoke to claim they prefer their own home environment. She said one perk for her at home is being able to spend time with her dogs, Dosa and Chester.
Genevieve Bushey, a senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS), said she is overwhelmed by the amount of homework she is getting. The good side?
“Sleeping in, mostly,” she responded. Also, as many other students are, she is sad she cannot see her friends.
Second grader Claire Fiorillo does two hours of schoolwork each day. But she adds in a little bit of fun between, such as baking a cake and making a banner for her brother’s birthday.
Her brother, Ben, a fifth grader at SCS, was excited to share his thoughts about being home-schooled: “It’s awesome! Lots of walks, breaks, outside time, drum practice and a flexible schedule!”
Second grader Gibson Will quite enjoys being at home. Although she misses her friends, she is happy to be home. She recently got an iPad just for this new type of learning. She loves being able to sleep in a little more than usual.
Alicia Fitch, the Salisbury parent of an SCS fourth grader, said, “It’s been a challenge. I’m trying to work and she [referring to her daughter] is having trouble staying focused. There’s a lot of pushback that I don’t think happens at school. Maybe I’m just more demanding than they are at school. It’s nice that she can go out and play on the trampoline, but … it’s isolating.”
Natalie Will, the Salisbury parent of an SCS second grader and kindergarten student, said that, “To prepare for home schooling, we did a lot of research on technology to ensure we were prepared to support them in our home.
“We purchased the kids their own iPads, which was a significant expense but invaluable in getting them online with the apps and programs they need for class.
“Having them able to work independently on their own devices also makes it easier, as our entire family is working from home currently.
“To help organize our day, we’ve implemented an academic checklist for each girl’s work and have also set them up in their own spaces, which has helped keep them focused and out of each others’ hair! We appreciate how supportive and creative the teachers at SCS have been during this difficult time.”
Stacey Fiorillo, parent of an SCS second grader and fifth grader, said, “It’s been nice for the kids to take ‘as needed’ breaks. If they need to stop doing schoolwork and play the drums, or go for a walk, they can. It’s also been fun to get creative with subjects.
“I was feeling rather inundated with emails, which was overwhelming, but on the flip side it’s relaxing not having to be anywhere.”
Laura Bushey, parent of one HVRHS freshman and one senior, said, “It’s been difficult juggling not being able to work [she is a personal trainer] and being stuck at home. The kids are having trouble with the social isolation and wanted to have sleepovers They aren’t happy when I tell them ‘no.’
“It’s also hard to think about the future. What will happen with graduation? The lacrosse season? My girls were going to be on the same team for the first time. It’s sad to think about it possibly not happening.
“As a family we are watching movies together, hiking and playing lacrosse. So, that’s been nice.”
Eloise Mallett is a fourth grade student at Salisbury Central School and a Lakeville resident. Her mother, Lenore Mallett, did the parent interviews for this article.
Editor’s note: The Lakeville Journal is providing content related to the coronavirus outbreak for free as a public service to our readers. Please support local journalism by subscribing to The Lakeville Journal, The Millerton News, or TriCornerNews.com or by becoming a contributor to our membership model. Click here for more information.
MILLERTON — Linda Kaplan, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, sister-in-law, cousin and friend, passed away Sept. 3, 2024. Linda will be remembered as a deeply kind woman guided by faith, family and love.
Linda was born to Francis Crawford and Lydia Johnson (nee Snyder) in Sharon, on Sept. 14, 1942. She attended Webutuck High School in Millerton, and then started her career in banking, where she worked until her retirement as a Vice President. Linda was a loving mother who raised her two sons and instilled in them her love of faith and family.
Linda met her future husband, Sanford (Sam) Kaplan, at a dance in Millerton, and they were blessed with 30 years of marriage during which they enjoyed their time on Simmons Street. Here, Linda enjoyed tending to her garden where she could be found picking green beans and tomatoes. She also enjoyed solving the daily crossword puzzle, knitting, and listening to Sam play his guitar. Together, Linda and Sam enjoyed hosting their family for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Passover celebrations. They especially enjoyed annual summer visits by their granddaughters which always included visits to their farm where they rode ATVs. Linda and Sam’s interest in dairy farming led them to travel to Europe where they toured dairy farms; a trip they fondly recounted to their family for years.
Linda’s faith was evident, not only through her family, but also through her involvement with the Millerton Presbyterian Church. She enjoyed community outreach, singing in the choir, working with children, teaching ESL classes, and helping to develop and implement programs.
Linda is predeceased by her husband, Sam Kaplan, her mother, father, and brother Thomas Crawford. She is survived by her two sons; Lorin Stapleton and his wife Mary Stapleton of Brewster, New York, and Brian Stapleton of Sandisfield, Massachusettds; her two granddaughters, Bridget Stapleton of Jersey City, New Jersey and Colleen Stapleton of Boston, Massachusetts; her sister-in-law, Susan Crawford; nephew David Keys and his wife Barbara; niece Susan Jenkins and her husband Rick Herring.
Calling hours will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546. A Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 10 a.m. at St. Martin of Tours Church of St. Mary in Lakeville, CT. Rev. Dennis Arambasick will officiate. Burial will follow at Irondale Cemetery in Millerton, NY. To send an online condolence to the family, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com
David Colbert with one of his sculptures on the sculpture walk he has created over 35 years.
The Cornwall Open Studio took place on Saturday, Aug. 31. It is a Cornwall tradition and has been taking place for eighteen years.
It is a day when Cornwall artists invite the public into their studios to see what they are working on and how they do it. The artists work in various media, including painting, sculpture, photography and artistic shoes.
To participate, prospective tourists go to cornwallct.org/event/cornwall-open-studio-2024/ where a map and a list of the artists is available to download and print. The event is free, there is no registration, and so armed with the map, those taking the tour are set to explore not only artists’ studios, but the beautiful drive through Cornwall.
David Colbert, sculptor, is the initiator of the event. He said of his work, “I was smitten by the geometry and eventually the geometry led me to art.” Behind his studio in Cornwall Bridge he has a quarter mile sculpture path which he has been building for the past thirty-five years. Those on the tour could meander down the path and enjoy the beauty of the geometrically derived works.
Asked if there were any special artists and studios that should not be missed, he said, “I can’t help but mention Tim Prentice, whose shop, barn and whole place is pretty amazing.” At Prentice’s studio in West Cornwall, an old barn, mobiles, and other kinetic works of art hang from walls and ceilings and populate the surrounding fields. Across the road, another barn holds larger sculptures.
At 93, Prentice still works most days in the studio beside his house. He said he works on “small things.” He struggles with fading eyesight due to macular degeneration. He will be in a film by The Vision and Art Project, which seeks to bring awareness of macular degeneration by featuring artists like Tim Prentice. The film will be shown at the Cornwall Library sometime in the coming months.
In spite of his failing eye sight, he enjoys getting out to the studio and working and was welcoming visitors on the tour.
Another interesting studio is that of Lauren Brinkers Shoes in Cornwall Bridge. The shoes are hand painted and “one of a kind.” “I studied in London and went to shoe making school there,” Brinkers said. “I studied traditional men’s shoe making and transitioned into women’s.” She wanted to bring “more color and expression into shoes.” She learned how to work with leather dyes and paints the shoes to accomplish this goal.
A display of Lauren Brinkers handmade, one of a kind , hand paintied shoes on display at her Cornwall studio.Robin Roraback
Next to Lauren Brinkers’ studio is that of Stephan Sagmiller, who shows with his photographs that “The world is worth looking at closely. You’ve got to look at them up close. That’s my ethos as an artist.” His photos are large and colorful and invite you to do just that — look up close.
In West Cornwall, the abstract landscapes of Suzan Scott were on display at the Souterrain Gallery. Scott says of her work, “I’ve always had a strong connection with nature. I see everything, every blade of grass.” It was overwhelming for her. She began to paint still lives thinking they’d be easier, but in doing so she realized that still lives are similar to landscapes in that she could break down the parts as she did for still lives. “Why not go out and do landscapes and simplify them — abstract them?”
Her process is to layer tinted glazes, sometimes as many as thirty. She will work on a painting, let it rest, go back to it, work some more, and continue this until the painting is finished, which can take a week or months.
Scott paints scenes from the northwest corner and has “favorite spots” that she revisits. “The more I see it, the more I can interpret it, and it becomes mine.”
These are just a few of the artists on the tour. There were also Curt Hanson’s beautiful landscapes and the looser, colorful paintings of Magaly Ohika, Katherine Freygang and Sally Van Doren. Photographers Nick Jacobs and Bela Selendy also opened their studios. They use their cameras to explore life and nature.
If you missed the tour this year, be sure to keep an eye out for it next Labor Day Weekend. It is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday. To contact these artists or find out more about their work, go to: cornwallct.org/history-culture/arts-artists/ or go to the tour website to find links to their websites.
Fresh donuts by Hanna Rybolt at ILSE Coffee.
Something scrumptious is cooking beneath Colonial Theatre.
Pastries by Hanna was established in February of 2024 at 27 Railroad St. in North Canaan. The owner, Hanna Rybolt, is a resident of Canaan who studied in the pastry program at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Her interest in baking is rooted in fond memories with her family. The baked goods and pastry products are sold locally at ILSE Coffee just next door, as well as the Great Barrington farmer’s market. Her pastry kitchen is located below Colonial Theatre.
Rybolt aims to ensure the goods are produced with locally grown products and sold in community businesses. Pastries by Hanna’s best-selling product is brioche-style donuts.
The business is solely owned and operated by Rybolt, who stated she is looking forward to what the future will bring for the bakery and is hoping to collaborate with more companies in the area.
Customers can custom order goods online at pastriesbyhanna.com or check out her Instagram page @PastriesbyHanna.