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Saturday, January 18, 2025

10 am - 2pm

 

 

Stamford Public Schools is excited to invite you to attend an inspiring and spirited debate exhibition, featuring some of the best collegiate female debaters in the world.

What: The Academy of Information, Technology & Engineering (AITE) Debate Team in collaboration with the Yale Debate Association are pleased to present an evening of Collegiate Debate featuring women from the Yale parliamentary debate team!

When:  Wednesday, January 22nd from 7 to 9 PM

Where: Rippowam Middle School auditorium, 381 High Ridge Road, Stamford, CT 06905 (please note the auditorium entrance is located in the rear of the school).

Admission is FREE.

The exhibition will feature female members of the Yale University Parliamentary Debate Team. Following the debate, Zoe Chance, Yale Professor and best-selling author of Influence is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen will share her perspectives on persuasion, public speaking, and empowerment.  Mayor Caroline Simmons will also attend and will speak to the value of participating in engaging after-school activities, like debate.

Debate is a popular extra-curricular activity at all three of SPS high schools, training students in public speaking, grace under pressure, and critical thinking. SPS coaches and students have helped to make the city of Stamford a force to be reckoned with in the debate community, consistently qualifying some of the highest numbers of students for the Connecticut Debate Association (CDA) State Finals. In the first three tournaments of the school year, 16 SPS high school debaters finished in the top 5 of team or individual speaker awards, each earning a position at the  2025 Connecticut Debate Association (CDA) State Finals. This past September, AITE hosted the start-of-year scrimmage for novice debaters in the Connecticut Debate Association. 

Students and staff from AITE also support the Stamford Public Schools Middle School Debate program. The Middle School Debate Team is open to all SPS students in grades 6 through 8, hosting weekly practices at AITE.  In December over 300 middle school students, including teams from SPS, participated in the December 2024 Connecticut Middle School Debate League tournament. The SPS team of Hillary Ho from Dolan Middle School and Isha Jaishiva from Scofield Middle School won the tournament that featured the motion “This House believes that schools should ban smartphones & watches only during instructional time instead of from bell-to-bell.” 

The event on January 22nd is being held to promote girls’ participation in high school debate activities and competitions. According to a recent study published on SSRN, female high school students are 30.34% more likely to quit competitive debate than their male counterparts. Last year the AITE Debate Team sponsored a movie screening about girls in debate called Girl Talk. 

The Yale Debate Association (YDA) is Yale University’s only competitive intercollegiate debate team. The YDA is North America’s most successful intercollegiate debating society and is currently ranked third globally.
 

 

Dear SPS Community: 

Over the last few months, I have been working with the senior leadership team and our school principals to create the Superintendent’s Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. As always, our goal is to ensure that our 16,000+ students have access to the programs, services, and resources necessary to be successful in our schools, while also being mindful of our responsibility to Stamford’s taxpayers.

As we look ahead to FY26, out-of-district special education tuition, bus transportation costs, contractual wage increases, and health insurance costs will be the major drivers of the budget. We will be presenting the Superintendent’s Proposed Budget to the Board of Education Fiscal Committee on Tuesday, January 21. The agenda and zoom link for the Fiscal Committee Meeting will be posted online at least 24 hours before the meeting. Look for more information about the FY26 budget process in future weekly messages. 

Cafe con la Super is Monday at 6:30 pm 

Please join us in person at the Stamford Government Center on Monday at 6:30 pm for Cafe con la Super, our monthly Spanish language community conversation. This month’s topic is kindergarten registration and readiness. Meetings are presented in Spanish with simultaneous English translation. Please click here to register for this meeting. 

SCOPES Meeting is Wednesday at 6 pm via Zoom

The Stamford Coalition of Parents Expecting Success (SCOPES) meets next Wednesday at 6 pm via Zoom. This month, parents of students with special needs will learn strategies for managing disagreements about the services provided to their child. Leona Adamczyk from the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC) will be the presenter. 

The meeting will be presented with simultaneous Spanish and Haitian Creole interpretation. Please register to let us know if you will participate and if you need interpretation services. 

AITE to Host Collegiate Debate Exhibition 

We hope you can join us on Wednesday, January 22 at 7 pm for an evening of collegiate debate featuring the Yale Debate Association (YDA). This event—which is sponsored by the AITE Debate Team—will showcase the women from the Yale Debate Team. In addition to the debate exhibition, Dr. Zoe Chance, a Yale Professor and best-selling author of Influence is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen, will share her perspectives on persuasion, public speaking, and empowerment. 

Middle School Debaters Win State-Wide Tournament!

Congratulations to Hillary Ho from Dolan Middle School and Isha Jaishiva from Scofield Middle School for winning the December 2024 Connecticut Middle School Debate League tournament! Hillary and Isha are members of the AITE Middle School Debate Team. Last month, they competed against more than 300 students from across the state as they teamed up to debate the motion “This House believes that schools should ban smartphones & watches only during instructional time instead of from bell-to-bell.” 

The Middle School Debate Team is open to all SPS students in grades 6 through 8. If your child is interested in joining, please contact AITE social studies teacher John Dalton at jdalton@stamfordpublicschools.org. The team practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 5 pm at AITE. 

Welcome Center Grand Opening

Due to a scheduling conflict, the SPS Welcome Center Grand Opening has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 30 at 11 am. The Welcome Center—which is located at Cloonan Middle School—is already open for business and staffed by the Office of Family and Community Engagement (OFCE). Any families that need assistance with school registration or connecting with community resources are encouraged to contact OFCE at (203) 977-5312 or email OFCE@stamfordps.org for more information.

Emergency Contacts in PowerSchool 

Parents/guardians are encouraged to add one or more non-custodial adults as emergency contacts in PowerSchool. These can be extended family members or other trusted adults who are authorized to pick up a child from school in case of an illness, emergency, or weather-related closure when parents/guardians are unavailable. 

Nurses Wanted to Join Stamford Public Schools!

The City of Stamford is currently seeking qualified candidates to work as nurses in Stamford Public Schools. This is a wonderful opportunity to work with students in a public health setting. Click here for more information or to apply. 

Stay Safe & Healthy!

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent

Espanol

Creole

Read, Discover and Explore: The 2025 Davenport Ridge/KPMG Book-A-Thon

On Tuesday, January 7, Davenport Ridge and KPMG presented a book-a-thon that combined both of our resources to support student reading. KPMG is one of our collaborative partners; they share the same belief that every child should have a book in their hands during the day. 

 

Prior to this event, members of the Davenport Ridge Literacy Team Ms. Jenna Califano and Ms. Ryan Hobe selected new books for every grade level that had a connection to real life, the curriculum, and units of study. KPMG then donated these books to our school and personalized them for each student. This resulted in all students getting to choose books as well as volunteers reading to students in the primary grades and the New Arrivals Center. Every student received a new book and the smiles on their faces were contagious! This is another great way to SOAR and bring people together to support our students at Davenport Ridge.  

 

The Food Bank Comes Through For Davenport Ridge! 

It’s cold outside Stamford! On Friday, January 10, members of the Lower Food Bank of Fairfield County visited Davenport Ridge to SOAR! The food bank, in a bit of a role reversal, donated 25 new coats for students to Davenport Ridge. These brand new coats will be donated to students in need and help them keep warm during the cold winter months. Davenport Ridge is proud to collaborate with community partners; thank you to our friend at The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County for helping us! It’s a great example of a community partner SOARing with us!

Submitted by Michael Pisseri

 

Annual PJ Day to Benefit CT Children’s Hospital

A heartfelt thank you to Ms. Parra and the entire second grade team for organizing our annual Pajama Day to benefit the Connecticut Children’s Hospital; a wonderful tradition that highlights the generosity and kindness of our community. Students and families raised over $500 for the CT Children’s Hospital!

 

Third Graders at Roxbury Celebrate Hero Day

Third Grade Hero Day at Roxbury was a success! In conjunction with the curriculum’s Hero/Heroines unit, the third graders at Roxbury learned all about poetry and visual arts during their most recent HOTS Artist in Residency. In addition to learning about the impact of heroes in the world around us, students created poems in different forms and designed meaningful symbols for their capes and masks. The residency culminated with students creating a superhero mural and sharing their beautiful poetry. It was a wonderful program in which students were able to create and share visual and written expressions of their heroes/superheroes.

Submitted by Sandra Elhers

 

Stamford Adult Ed for Stark Families

A big thank you to Community Engagement Liaison Melanie Amador and Kathryn Turscany of Stamford Adult & Continuing Education for visiting our monthly parent meetings. They shared valuable information with parents on how they can participate in various adult learning opportunities, such as English as a Second Language, Family Literacy, and Citizenship classes. 

 

Heartfelt Wishes to Serricchio!

The Stark Elementary community expresses heartfelt wishes to John Serricchio as he embarks on his new career as a police officer. John has been an exceptional security guard dedicating himself to ensuring the safety of our school. His presence brought a sense of security and peace to students, staff, and parents alike and we are grateful for his hard work and commitment to our community. As he moves forward in his professional journey we wish him the best of luck in this exciting new chapter!

Submitted by Iuliana Roata

 

Toquam Physical Education Teacher Jim Agostino Has Article Published in Gopher Sport

Toquam Physical Education Teacher Jim Agostino had the honor of having an article published in Gopher Sport, a well known national equipment provider and PE professional development company. He shared a classroom management and organizational concept that has been working well for his team for a few years. He also received a gift card towards PE equipment for Toquam through our regional sales rep! 

 

Submitted by Jenna Cinelli

 

TOR Celebrates Student Growth and Character

On Wednesday, January 8, Turn of River celebrated 86 students in grades six through eight in front of their peers, staff, and families. Each month TOR students are nominated by teachers for Bringing Up Grades (BUG), Titan, and Reading Achievement Awards. BUG Awards are given to students who have exhibited great effort in bringing up their grades. Titan Awards are given to students who showcase model citizenship by being helpful, kind, and respectful towards peers and staff throughout the school community each day. Reading Achievement Awards are for students who read the most minutes across their entire grade level. 

Submitted by Mark Bonasera & Ryan Perkins

 

Westover Creates Sensory Hallway

Thank you to Westover’s Support Team for their dedication to creating an inviting and safe place for students to go when they need help self-regulating. The new sensory hallway at Westover provides fun ways for students to get their wiggles out. Vincent Nyugen (Occupational Therapist) and Katherine Perez (School Psychologist) collaborated on the project to integrate gross motor skills and emotional regulation skills development. The hallway incorporates sensory input, mindfulness, and social interaction.

 

The space was designed with various textures and colors that can provide both a calming or stimulating sensory input. This helps children learn how to manage their sensory needs and responses, promoting self-awareness and emotional regulation. It also incorporates mindfulness activities such as yoga and deep breathing exercises allowing children to practice calming techniques. Engaging in these activities can help children learn to recognize and regulate their emotions. The structured yet flexible environment allows children to explore at their own pace. It fosters confidence and reduces anxiety, helping children feel more secure and in control of their emotions. Finally, it serves as a social space where children can positively interact with their peers and develop empathy and communication skills. The stations require jumping, hopping or stretching, which can help improve flexibility and agility. These interactive elements make physical activities enjoyable and engaging for children. 

 

The decals, light covers, textured tiles were purchased thanks to school based funds and the generous donations of staff. Thank you to Lianne Khoo (Speech Pathologist) and Jael Francois (Paraeducator) who also stayed after school to help make the vision become a reality. It has been such a joy to see Westover students partake in these new sensory activities. 

Submitted by Larissa Weir

 

STEPS Students Create a Global Partnership with The Cameroon-Stamford Collaborative Initiative

The Stamford STEPS program, in collaboration with Fairfield University and nonprofit African Sky, visited Newfield Elementary to engage third graders in a transformative year-long cultural exchange with peers in Cameroon, Africa. During the visit, STEPS students conducted interviews with the third graders to gather creative ideas for documenting what life is like as a third grader in Stamford, CT. The next stage of this exciting project involves creating a compelling video to share with the students in Cameroon, fostering mutual understanding and providing a unique opportunity for both groups to learn about and celebrate each other’s educational and cultural experiences.

Submitted by Gina Figliuzzi

 

 

What is an SPS Shout Out?

An SPS Shout Out is a special recognition that acknowledges school communities, staff members or students who have inspired us with a unique project, an outstanding job or a special effort that had a positive impact on our students or community.  Each week we will celebrate a few by sharing with all SPS staff and posting on the district website. Please share any or all of these with your friends and families.   

SPS Administrators can submit Shout Outs for consideration through the link available in the Administrator Weekly. Please note the deadline, word limit, and photo limit. We look forward to seeing your submissions!

 

Dear SPS Community: 

The New Year is a good time for parents and guardians to make sure their contact information is up-to-date in PowerSchool. We use the information in PowerSchool to contact families in case of an illness, accident, or other emergency involving their child. We also use the information in PowerSchool to let families know about school closures, delays, or early dismissals.   

It’s important for parents/guardians to also list one or more emergency contacts for their child. Emergency contacts can be extended family members or other trusted adults who are authorized to pick up students from school in case of an illness, emergency, or weather-related closure when the parent/guardian is unavailable.  

School Closings, Delays, and Early Dismissals

January and February bring the likelihood of school delays, early dismissals, and closures due to inclement weather. When poor weather is forecast for our area, I remain in close contact with local meteorologists, the City of Stamford Operations and Public Safety Departments, First Student, our facilities team, and the superintendents from neighboring school districts. Our goal is to make decisions about closings and delays no later than 5:15 am. Decisions about early dismissals are generally made by 9 am.  

Families will be notified via school messenger phone calls and emails using the contact information in PowerSchool. Staff will be notified via phone calls and emails. Early dismissals also will be announced in-building. 

More information about inclement weather protocols can be found here. 

Second Big Picture Learning Academy Public Hearing is January 6 

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) is hosting a second public hearing to gauge public support for a Stamford Big Picture Learning Academy Charter High School. The hearing is Monday, January 6 at 7:15 pm at Strawberry Hill School. If you are interested in providing public comment, please plan to attend. Thank you again to everyone who spoke in support of this program at the first public hearing in December. 

Cafe con la Super is January 13 

Please join us in person at the Stamford Government Center on Monday, January 13 at 6:30 pm for Cafe con la Super, our monthly Spanish language community conversation. This month’s topic will be kindergarten registration and readiness. Meetings are presented in Spanish with simultaneous English translation. Please click here to register for this meeting. 

Meeting for Families of Students with Special Needs is January 15 

The Stamford Coalition of Parents Expecting Success (SCOPES) will host its next meeting on Wednesday, January 15 at 6 pm via Zoom. This month, attendees will learn strategies for managing disagreements about the services provided to their child. The presenter will be Leona Adamczyk, Family School Partnerships Coordinator for the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center, Inc. (CPAC).

The meeting will be presented with simultaneous Spanish and Haitian Creole interpretation. Please register to let us know if you plan to participate in this Zoom meeting. 

AITE to Host Yale Debate Association Exhibition on January 22 

I’m excited to share that the AITE Debate Team is hosting an evening of collegiate debate featuring the Yale Debate Association (YDA) on Wednesday, January 22 at 7 pm in the Rippowam Middle School auditorium.  

This FREE event will showcase the women from the Yale Debate Team to promote girls’ participation in high school debate. YDA is Yale University’s only competitive intercollegiate debate team and the most successful intercollegiate debating society in North America.

In addition to the debate exhibition, Yale faculty member and best-selling author Zoe Chance will share her perspectives on persuasion, public speaking, and empowerment, while Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons will discuss the importance of girls being encouraged to develop their public speaking skills. 

Stamford Public Schools has strong debate programs at all three high schools. Both AITE and Stamford High have won or placed at several Connecticut Debate Association events so far this school year. 

Stay Safe & Healthy!

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent

Espanol

Creole