Daily Five: Belair Evaluated Tonight

1. After a foggy morning, it will clear up throughout the day, according to the National Weather Service. The high will be 84, with a low of 72, according to the service.

2. Tonight at 7  in Old Lyme, the board of education will evaluate both itself and Superintendent Jerome Belair, who started on Feb. 7. He replace longtime superintendent Randall Collins.

In his six months, Belair has had to deal with an array of issues. The big ones were due to snow days on his first day, a budget that for the first time anybody can remember; ; the hiring of a new and (a principal or the business manager had not needed to be hired since 2005); while managing the construction , a $67 million project.

3. Speaking of Belair, he announced Wednesday that Quaker Hill Elementary School is the first public school in Connecticut to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification. LEED Certification was created by the Green Building Council, and is regarded as the nation’s pre-eminent program for the design, construction and operation of high-performing green buildings, according to a school release.

Quaker Hill Elementary School’s renovation was completed in 2008. The heat is geothermal, the urinals are waterless, the faucets are solar-powered, the roof reflects heat and on and on, all in an effort to make the building use as little fossil fuels as possible.

Additionally, all the efficiencies save money, Belair said.

“This is great news,” he said.

Jacunski Humes Architects, LLC of Berlin designed the school, and it was constructed by O & G Industries of Torrington.

4. For all those with Borders gift cards, now is the time to use them. For the first 14 days of Borders' going-out-of-business sales (Waterford's stores should have them soon) they will be accepted, but not after that, Attorney General George Jepsen said in a press release.

During closing sales, everything will be sold “as is,” an there will be no returns, according to the release.

5. On this date in 1969, NASA fulfills John Kennedy’s promise, as Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin become the first two men to walk on the moon. And on this date in 1983, the world’s lowest temperature is recorded at Vostok Station, Antarctica at -128.6 degrees.

Quote of the Day

“The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.”

-Ayn Rand

Trivia of the Day

What major league baseball team was the last to have a black player on its roster?

Yesterday’s Answer: Vanessa Williams was forced to relinquish her crown as Miss America after Penthouse printed nude photos of her. Williams was also the first black Miss America.