CALENDAR

MONDAY, JUNE 16

Overeaters Anonymous — 7-8 p.m., St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 56 Great Hammock Road (Rt. 154), Old Saybrook. Overeaters Anonymous — 7-8 p.m., Union Baptist Church, 19 High St., Mystic. Cardio Sculpt — 4-5 p.m., Groton Senior Center; also Wed. and Fri.; $60 per 8-week session; (860) 4416785. Strength Training — 5-6 p.m., Groton Senior Center; also Wed.; $48 per 8-week session; (860) 441-6785. Rotary Club of Mystic — 12:15-1:15 p.m., Mystic Hilton, 20 Coogan Blvd., Mystic; visitors welcome; (860) 6089967. Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center — 27 Chase St.; 9-10 a.m., Zumba Lite; 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., painting class; 11:30-noon, lunch; noon-1:30 p.m., bingo; 1:30-2:30 p.m., gentle yoga; 1:30-3:30 p.m., wii bowling; (860) 599-3285. Waterford Senior Services — 8:30 a.m., strength III; 9 a.m., casual bridge; 10 a.m., hearty moves; 10:15 a.m., duplicate bridge; 11:15 a.m., senior singers; 1 p.m., quilting; (860) 444-5839. Introduction to Grant Seeking — 12:30-1:45 p.m., Public Library of New London, 63 Huntington St., New London; free; register online or call (860) 447-1411.

TUESDAY, JUNE 17

Lincoln and Leadership — 1 p.m., Lymes’ Senior Center, 26 Town Woods Road, Old Lyme; presented by Lincoln expert and retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island, Frank Williams; free; (860) 434-4127. Overeaters Anonymous — 7:30-8:30 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 15 Pearl St., Mystic. Al-Anon — 7 p.m., Christ United Methodist Church, 200 Hazelnut Hill Road, Groton. Gamblers Anonymous and Gam-anon — 7:30 p.m., United Congregational Church, 9 Castle Hill Road, Pawcatuck. Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center — 9-10 a.m., strength & balance; 10:30-11:30 a.m., Body, Mind & Spirit; 11-11:15 a.m., chair dancing; 11:30 a.m.-noon, lunch; noon-1:30 p.m., bingo; 1-2:30 p.m., drawing class; (860) 599-3285. Wii Bowling and Cards — Noon-4 p.m., Salem Free Public Library, 264 Hartford Road; for seniors; (860) 859-1130. Effective Interviewing — 7-8 p.m., Waterford Public Library, 49 Rope Ferry Road; led by Jean Baur; free; (860) 444-5805. Strawberry Supper — 5-7 p.m., Ledyard Congregational Church, 722 Colonel Ledyard Highway; $12, $10 seniors, $7 ages 8 and under; (860) 464-9926. Waterford Senior Services — 9 a.m., cribbage, strength I; 9:30 a.m., pitch games; 10:15 a.m., strength II; 12:30 p.m., pinochle; 1 p.m., beginner tai chi, PACE; 2:15 p.m., chair yoga; (860) 4445839. Flowers: Essential or Indulgence? — 7-8 p.m, Mystic & Noank Library Ames Room, 40 Library St., Mystic; led by author Peg Moran; free; (860) 536-7721. Alzheimer’s Support — 5:30-6:30 p.m., Crescent Point at Niantic, 417 Main St.; (860) 739-9479. Three Rivers Middle College Magnet High School Graduation — 10 a.m., Three Rivers Community College, Multi-Purpose Room F117, 574 New London Turnpike, Norwich; reception to follow; (860) 215-9055.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18

Overeaters Anonymous — 5:30-6:30 p.m., Backus Hospital, Norwich. Gamblers Anonymous — 7:30 p.m., Quaker Hill Baptist Church, 144 Old Norwich Road. New Horizons Band — 2 p.m., Noank Fire House, Elm Street to Mosher St.; Bob Clowes leads sessions for beginner adults and out-of-practice musicians; $5; (860) 334-4677. Family Bingo — 7 p.m., Gales Ferry Fire Company, 1772 Route 12; benefits Ledyard Lions charities. Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center — 8:30-11:30 a.m., wellness appointments with Nurse Judy from the VNA; 9-10 a.m., Zumba Lite; 11:30 a.m.-noon, lunch; noon-1:30 p.m., bingo; 2:30-3:45 p.m., tai chi; (860) 599-3285. Waterford Senior Services — 8:30 a.m., strength III; 9 a.m., Probate Clerk by appointment, casual bridge; 9:45 a.m., flexibility & balance; 10 a.m., hearty moves; 11 a.m., yoga; 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m., blood pressure clinic; 12:30 p.m., bingo; 2-4 p.m., ping pong; (860) 4445839. Clamshell Quilt Guild — 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Temple Emanu-El, Dayton Road, Waterford; dessert social and final planning for the 2014 quilt show; quilters of all level welcome; www.clamshellquiltguild.org. Illustrated Lecture — 7 p.m., Mystic & Noank Library, 40 Library St., Mystic; Stonington resident Ray Uzanas shares stories and photographs of his recent travels to the Central Asian countries that are part of the fabled Silk Road of antiquity; free; (860) 536-7721. Wellness Clinic — 12-1:30 p.m., Groton Senior Center, Route 117; free med checks, screenings, and answers to questions; call (860) 441-6785 to arrange an appointment. Those Were the Days: Reliving the 1940’s — 5-6 p.m., Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, 2 Library Lane; led by Carol Whitmer, consulting genealogist for the Connecticut Historical Society; registration requiored; www.oldlyme.lioninc.org or (860) 434-1684. The Paleo Diet— 7 p.m., Waterford Public Library, 49 Rope Ferry Road; led by registered retail dietician for Shop Rite, Jennifer Kwon; free; (860) 444-5805. National Alliance on Mental Illness — 7 p.m., Southeastern Mental Health Authority, 401 West Main St., Building 301, Norwich; (860) 859-4658. Designing & Building Sailboats in Noank — 7:30 p.m., Latham Chester Store, Main Street, Noank; Noank Historical Society program by Bob Evelyn; free; (860) 536-3021. Mature Driver Safety Class — 12:30-4:30 p.m., East Lyme Senior Center, 37 Society Road; $20, $15 AARP members; (860) 739-5859. Adopting a Child in Connecticut – 6 p.m., Otis Library, 261 Main St., Norwich; presented by Attorney Susan Sedensky, Director of Adoption Programs at Catholic Charities Diocese of Norwich; register at (860) 889-2365.

THURSDAY, JUNE 19

Overeaters Anonymous — 7:30-8:30 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 15 Pearl St., Mystic. Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center — 9:30-11:30 a.m., line dancing; noon-3 p.m., dominos; (860) 599-3285. La Leche League — 10 a.m., Waterford Public Library, 49 Rope Ferry Road . New London Rotary Club Meeting — 7-8 a.m., Muddy Waters, Bank Street, New London; $3; (860) 4435023. Bingo — 6:30-9:30 p.m., Groton Lodge of Elks, 700 Shennecosett Road; (860) 445-2163. Bingo — 7-11 p.m., RAFA, 135 Garfield Ave., New London; (860) 447-0055. People with Arthritis Can Exercise — 1-2 p.m., East Lyme Senior Center, 37 Society Road; call to register (860) 739-5859. Outdoor Bocce — 9:30 a.m., Smith Harris House Lawn, 33 Society Road, East Lyme; free; call to register (860) 739-5859. Mexican Train Dominoes — 9:30 a.m., East Lyme Senior Center, 37 Society Road; all levels; free; (860) 739-5859. Waterford Senior Services — 8:30 a.m., Zumba gold; 9 a.m., strength I; 10:15 a.m., strength II; 11 a.m., brain flex; 12:30 p.m., canasta; 1 p.m., tai chi; 2 p.m., drumming class; 4:30 p.m., Get Out of the House group; (860) 444-5839. Farmers Market — 3-6:30 p.m., 6 Methodist St., Niantic. Fleet Meetings — Fleet Reserve Association Branch 20, 242 Thames St., Groton; 6 p.m., Auxiliary; 7 p.m., Branch. Film — 6:30-8:30 p.m., Waterford Public Library, 49 Rope Ferry Road; free; (860) 444-5805. he was the assistant principal in charge of curriculum. When the principal took a new job and the other assistant retired, he was left doing all three jobs for the remainder of the school year. He was named principal for the 1996-97 school year.

For a while, Murphy said, he thought about returning to Massachusetts, where he had spent the first 20 years of his career in education. Murphy had taught English and had been a curriculum director in Seekonk, Mass., before coming to Stonington.

“But it didn’t seem to make sense,” he said.

Many innovations

Murphy has been credited with implementing many innovative programs: the school credit union, advanced placement and early college experience courses, a career center, and a digital portfolio long before the state required one. He also obtained grant money for some of the programs.

He implemented X- Block scheduling and policies such as those involving drug and alcohol use by students and increased academic standards for students participating in sports and extracurricular activities. He also helped establish the high school’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

“Every year, I tried to increase opportunities for students. That’s what kept me going,” he said. “There was always more to do.”

Murphy also oversaw the $ 39 million expansion and renovation project as well as two accreditations. Some of his proudest accomplishments, he said, are in the area of professional development for his staff and teacher evaluations.

Murphy led the school during a time when the proposed budget often faced cuts.

He said that he and the three superintendents for whom he has worked have shared a similar philosophy: “Try and keep