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Dear SPS Community: 

Last night, Mayor Simmons presented the City of Stamford’s proposed FY27 operating and capital budgets to the Board of Finance and the Fiscal Committee of the Board of Representatives. The Mayor’s budget includes the Board of Education’s proposed FY27 operating budget of $372,075,133. 

Chief Financial Officer Ryan Fealey and I will present the BOE’s FY27 proposed operating budget to the Board of Finance on Monday, March 16 at 7 pm. See the agenda and meeting link here.

The SPS FY27 Community Budget Guide (English / Spanish) and Budget Fact Sheet (English / Spanish) are now available to view and download. The Budget Guide provides comprehensive information about how the operating budget is allocated, projected staffing and enrollment, student-to-staff ratios, special education spending, central office expenses, grant funding, and more. Please take a few minutes to review the budget guide for a better understanding of the budget process, including costs driving the FY27 budget increase.  

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The annual Stamford St. Patrick’s Day Parade is tomorrow—Saturday, March 7 at 1 pm. This event is rain or shine. Please join us to support the many Stamford Public Schools instrumental music students who will be marching in the parade. Participating schools this year are Dolan Middle School, Hart Elementary, Northeast Elementary, Rogers International, and Westover School. The parade begins at the corner of Hoyt and Bedford Streets and concludes at Main Street and Washington Boulevard by Columbus Park.  

High School Program of Studies & 2026-27 Course Selection 

The 2026-27 High School Program of Studies is available now! The Program of Studies is a valuable resource that tells you everything you need to know about the courses that will be offered next year at AITE, Stamford High, and Westhill. Both Stamford High and Westhill will offer more than 350 unique courses next year, while AITE will offer more than 150 unique courses with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

Families may view or download the AITE Program of Studies and the Stamford High School/Westhill High School Program of Studies in English, or access the information via our website (AITE / SHS/WHS) in 11 world languages.

Café con la Super is Monday, March 9 

The next Café con la Super is Monday at 6:30 pm at the Welcome Center. Click here to register.

The March topic is high school course selection for 2026-27. We will be reviewing graduation requirements, the Program of Studies, required and elective courses, and more. 

Families with students currently in grades 8-11 should attend this valuable information session. 

Café con la Super is open to the entire school community. Simultaneous interpretation is provided. 

Stamford Agriscience Program: Come Grow with Us Next Year!

Does your eighth grader have an interest in agriculture, veterinary science, aquaculture, food science, or natural resources management? If so, there’s still time to apply to the Stamford Regional Agriscience Program at Westhill High School for the 2026-27 school year! For nearly 50 years, the Stamford Regional Agriscience Program has prepared students for college and careers in a wide variety of agriscience disciplines. This specialized four-year program is open to all Stamford students regardless of zoned high school. To learn more, watch the recruitment video, follow @StamfordFFA on Instagram, or attend the upcoming plant sales for a program tour. There are only a few spots remaining for Fall 2026 admission, so students should apply now to be considered. 

Kindergarten Registration Event is March 14 

Registration for students who will be new to Stamford Public Schools in 2026-27 is open now. Anyone who needs assistance with registration is encouraged to attend the Kindergarten Registration Event at the SPS Welcome Center on Saturday, March 14 from 10 am to 1 pm. In-person support will be available in English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole.  

 

Stay Safe and Healthy!

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent of Schools

Espanol

Creole

Earlier today, Stamford Public Schools released the 2026-2027 Program of Studies for the three comprehensive high schools.  Course selection for students who will be enrolled in high school during the 2026-27 school year begins this week. Over the next three weeks, school counselors will work with students to select courses for the 2026-27 school year during classroom visits, student assemblies, and individual meetings. Course selection is a critical process, as student course requests are used to build the master schedules for each high school. 

Stamford High School and Westhill High School will each offer more than 350 unique courses next year.  AITE—which is a much smaller, specialized interdistrict magnet school—will offer more than 150 unique courses with a heavy emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses. 

The Board of Education recently directed the Superintendent to reinstate the 8-Block A/B scheduling model for the 2026–27 school year. Under the 8-Block A/B model, most students carry a full schedule of eight credits concurrently for the duration of the school year. This is different from the Flexible Schedule currently in place at all three high schools. In the Flexible Schedule, most ninth-grade students are completing four credits per semester while students in grades 10-12 are taking between four and six concurrent courses up to a total of eight credits for the year.

During course selection, students will be asked to register for both required courses and elective courses. 

• Required courses are those courses that must be completed to meet State of Connecticut and Stamford Board of Education graduation requirements. Many specialized programs of study, such as the International Baccalaureate Programme, Stamford Regional Agriscience, and Project Lead the Way, have additional course requirements.
• Elective courses allow students to explore academic interests. The number of credits available for elective courses tends to increase as students proceed through high school. Most freshmen will have 0.5 or 1.0 credits available for electives.

Students should select 11 or 12 courses (requirements and electives) to help ensure they are scheduled into a full courseload of desired classes. Many of our most popular electives receive more requests than there are available seats, which is why it is important for students to list alternates during course selection.  

Please refer to the 2026-27 Program of Studies for everything you need to know about the courses offered in our high schools. Families may view or download the AITE Program of Studies and the Stamford High School/Westhill High School Program of Studies, or access the information on our website (AITE, SHS/WHS) in 11 world languages.

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Dear SPS Community: 

As blizzard cleanup continues across the region, I want to take a moment to recognize and thank our facilities and transportation teams for their exceptional work throughout and after the recent storm. 

In addition to maintaining our 23 school buildings and program sites, the district’s 120 custodians are responsible for snow removal across approximately 300 acres of school property. Custodial Manager Tom McIntosh and his team reported to work during Monday’s storm, beginning what became a multi-day snow removal effort. With additional support from our grounds crew and under the leadership of our Director of Facilities, Kevin McCarthy, our custodial team did an outstanding job making our school grounds safe and accessible after the blizzard. 

I would also like to recognize Facilities Manager Andrew Glassman for continuously monitoring our school buildings during the blizzard to watch for any damage that needed immediate attention.  

Meanwhile, the team at First Student also deserves our thanks for working tirelessly throughout Monday and Tuesday to ensure our bus fleet was operational for Wednesday morning. In particular, I want to thank Crew Manager Sadrak Fleurimont and his team for ensuring the District’s 160+ buses were cleared of snow and inspected so they were ready when school resumed. Thanks, also, to SPS Transportation Manager Pat Williams who puts in many early mornings to make sure that all bus routes are completed and that all buses arrive at school safely.

Our facilities and transportation teams work many late nights and very early mornings, often in challenging weather conditions, to keep our schools and buses running smoothly. Thank you for all you do.

District Calendar Updates

The two school closures earlier this week have pushed the tentative last day of school to Thursday, June 18. The official last day of school—as well as the dates for high school graduation and the elementary and middle school moving up ceremonies—will be announced no later than Thursday, April 2. You can print or download updated district calendars here. 

Families: Complete the 2026 School Climate Survey

The 2026 School Climate Survey for Families is open through March 27. The Climate Survey is available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Ukrainian.  

Teachers, staff, and students will have the opportunity to take the School Climate Survey in school beginning the week of March 9.    

Registration for 2026-27 School Year Begins March 2

Registration for students who will be new to Stamford Public Schools in 2026-27 opens on Monday, March 2. The registration process can be completed online, or you can contact the SPS Welcome Center for assistance. Please refer to the registration page on our website for more information, including a list of required documentation. 

It is very important that families with incoming kindergarten students complete the registration process as soon as possible. Early registration helps us plan for the appropriate staffing at each elementary school.  

March Café con la Super 

The next Café con la Super is Monday, March 9 at 6:30 pm at the Welcome Center. The March topic is 2026-27 high school course selection. We will be reviewing graduation requirements, the Program of Studies, required and elective courses, and more. 

Families with students who will be in high school next year should attend this session. 

Café con la Super is open to the entire school community. Simultaneous interpretation is provided. 

Click here to register. 

ICYMI: Social Emotional Learning Info Session 

Stamford Public Schools recently hosted a virtual parent session about social-emotional learning (SEL). More than 50 families participated in the session to learn about SEL and how it contributes to student success. Thank you to Coordinator for Access and Opportunity, Paola Ochoa, for creating this learning opportunity for families and to The Urban Assembly for partnering with us for this session.  

In case you missed it, you can view a recording of the session here. 

 

Stay Safe and Healthy!

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent of Schools

Espanol

Creole

Dear SPS Community: 

Last night, Chief Academic Officer Amy Beldotti and representatives of the CT RISE Network presented first semester high school academic data to the Board of Education. 

We are pleased to report substantial gains in on-track rates for first-time ninth-grade students, which is a key indicator of four-year graduation outcomes. Stamford High School’s on-track rate increased to 94% (from 68%), while Westhill High School’s on-track rate increased to 87% (from 61%). AITE, which already demonstrated strong performance, remained stable at 96%.

In addition, first-semester passing rates across all core academic courses improved this year under the Flexible Schedule model, compared to the prior two years under the 7-Block A/B and 8-Block A/B schedules.

These results reinforce the district’s decision to transition to the Flexible Schedule to improve student outcomes. Stakeholders interested in reviewing the data are encouraged to view the presentation slides from last night’s meeting. A recording of the meeting is available here (presentation begins at 07:20).

Complete the 2026 School Climate Survey

The Stamford Public Schools Climate Survey for Families is now open. The SPS School Climate Survey measures how welcome and safe parents and caregivers feel in their child’s school. 

The 2026 School Climate Survey for Families is available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Ukrainian. The survey is hosted by Panorama Education and all responses are completely anonymous. 

Please complete a separate survey for each child you have in Stamford Public Schools. The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, March 27. 

Teachers, staff, and students will have the opportunity to take the School Climate Survey in March.  

Thank you in advance for your participation.   

Filling in the Blanks Mobile Food Pantry in Stamford Tomorrow 

The Filling in the Blanks Fresh Food on the Move Mobile Food Pantry returns to Stamford tomorrow, Saturday, February 21 from 6:30 to 9 am. The mobile food pantry will be set up at St. Mary Parish which is located at 566 Elm Street. The mobile food pantry is first come, first served, and there is no cost for the food provided. Please bring any form of ID to be able to register. 

 

In addition to the fresh, free food, there will be doctors on site, housing providers, Building One Community advocates, and more. 

National FFA Week 

Each year, Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters around the country celebrate National FFA Week to share what FFA is and the impact it has on members every day. This year, National FFA Week is February 21-28. 

Stamford Public Schools is proud to be the home of the Regional FFA Program serving students from Stamford, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Weston and Wilton. Westhill High School has been the home of the Stamford Regional FFA Program for more than 50 years, and this year there are 134 students enrolled in this specialized academic program.  

In honor of National FFA Week, please check out the Stamford Regional FFA Program’s promotional video here.  

Also, please save the date for the Stamford Regional FFA Program’s annual Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, May 2 and Saturday, May 9 from 10 am to 3 pm in the AgSci building at Westhill High School. 

Thank You for Attending Parent Teacher Conferences!

Thank you to the thousands of parents who took time to attend parent-teacher conferences this week.  Participating in parent-teacher conferences is critical to maintaining a strong school-home partnership to support your child’s academic and social-emotional growth. I’d also like to thank our classroom teachers and teacher specialists who worked hard to prepare materials for these conferences so parents can better understand how their children are doing in school. 

Congratulations Westhill Indoor Percussion and Color Guard Teams

Last weekend, the Westhill High School Indoor Percussion and Winter Guard teams participated in their first ever dual team trip to a Winter Guard International (WGI) Regional Championship. 

The Westhill Winter Guard made school history by earning its first ever WGI Medal, securing the silver in Scholastic Regional A Class (SRA), while the Indoor Percussion Team maintained its Regional Championship Gold in Percussion Scholastic A Class (PSA). 

Thank you to Ms. Blair Roberts, Director of Instrumental Music at Westhill High School, for making these opportunities possible for Westhill students. Thanks, also, to all of the parent volunteers who dedicate countless hours to supporting the Westhill Instrumental Music Program.  

Early Release on Wednesday, February 25 

Just a reminder that schools will follow the early release schedule on Wednesday, February 25 for staff professional development. 

 

Stay Safe and Healthy!

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent of Schools

Espanol

Creole

Dear SPS Community: 

The annual Stamford Public Schools Climate Survey for families opens on Tuesday, February 17. This is an opportunity for all SPS families to share feedback about their child(ren)’s schools. Families should complete one survey for every child they have in Stamford Public Schools. The survey may be completed online anytime between February 17 and March 27. Look for an email on Tuesday morning with links to the family survey in English, Spanish, Haitian-Creole, and Ukrainian. 

Please note, teachers, staff, and students will have the opportunity to take the School Climate Survey in March.  

Thank you in advance for your participation.   

Social Emotional Learning Info Session is February 19 

Please join us on Thursday, February 19 at 6:30 pm for a virtual social-emotional learning (SEL) information session in collaboration with the Urban Assembly. 

Social-emotional learning is the process through which individuals develop the skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set goals, show empathy, build healthy relationships, and make responsible decisions. The Connecticut State Department of Education requires all public schools to support SEL competencies by either embedding them into the curriculum or by teaching them during a dedicated class time. 

During this session, parents will learn more about SEL and how it contributes to student success.

Click here to sign up to receive the Google Meet link for this session.  

Parent-Teacher Conferences Begin Wednesday

Parent-Teacher Conferences are next Wednesday through Friday, February 18-20. Please take advantage of this opportunity to meet with your child’s teacher(s) regarding your child’s academic progress toward end-of-year learning goals. Your child’s teacher or the school principal will share more information about how to schedule an in-person or virtual meeting.  

Please note, students follow the early dismissal schedule on conference days. 

Important 2026-27 Registration & Magnet School Dates 

If you have a child entering PreK or Kindergarten in Fall 2026 or if you applied for your child to attend one of our seven magnet schools for 2026-27, please make note of the following important dates and deadlines: 

Magnet Schools:

• Tuesday, February 17: Magnet school lottery drawing for AITE, Hart, Rogers, Scofield, Strawberry Hill, Toquam, and Westover. Families will be notified of their status via the email address they provided in their lottery application.  
• Tuesday, March 10: Magnet school acceptances due. If you do not accept an offered magnet school seat by this date, your child is moved to the end of the waitlist for that school.   

APPLES PreK:

• Monday, February 23: APPLES PreK General Education Program Lottery applications due.

Registration: 

• Monday, March 2: Registration opens for the 2026-27 school year (all new SPS students). 
• Saturday, March 14: Kindergarten Registration Event at SPS Welcome Center for families requiring in-person assistance with registration. 
• Tuesday, March 31: Deadline to sign up for an Early Kindergarten Admission Assessment for students who turn 5 years old between September 2 and December 31, 2026.

Thank you, SROs!

Sunday, February 15 is National School Resource Officer (SRO) Appreciation Day. School Resource Officers are sworn police officers employed by the Stamford Police Department who have received additional training in school-based law enforcement and crisis response strategies. Our SROs play an important role in helping keep our schools safe for students, staff, and families.

Stamford Public Schools is fortunate to have six SROs assigned to our secondary schools. Please join me in thanking our SROs for all they do every day to support our school communities.

Thank you, as well, to Mayor Simmons and Chief Shaw for their continued support and funding of the SRO program.

Long Weekend  

Stamford Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, Friday, February 13 and Monday, February 16 in observance of Presidents’ Day. I hope you enjoy the long weekend!

 

Stay Safe and Healthy!

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent of Schools

Espanol

Creole