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Read this week's family update here. 

 

Click here to read this week's family update. 

Read this week's family update here. 

Click here to read this week's family update. 

 

Falling into Reading

First grade students at Julia Stark Elementary school enjoyed the Ferguson Book Mobile, learning about their opportunities to check out books for the year. Kudos to first grade teachers Shira Mandel, Toni Fox, Patrice Martin, Margaret Peterson, and Danielle Bryant. 

 

REACH-Stark Partnership

Julia Stark Elementary is pleased to announce its collaborations with the REACH Program and Aspire Academy this year, aimed at improving students’ academic and social-emotional success. Stark-REACH teachers, students, and families are off to a good start. A big shout out to Aidyn Langmaid for his leadership in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance during the morning announcements.

Submitted by Iuliana Roata

 

 

Turn of River Titans Prepare to Lead!

TOR is fostering student voices through the formation of a student council. On August 12, about 40 students met online with staff to brainstorm potential activities for this year. Students began volunteering during our beautification days and grade 6 orientation. 

 

On September 6, TOR students interested in serving on our student council received an application; over 72 students submitted thoughtful and persuasive responses. On September 13, the council met by grade level to begin planning (grade 8 council members pictured). Thanks to TOR staff members Olivia Hagopian, Amy Jones, and Patty Morales for their support. We will send council updates throughout the school year! 

Submitted by Mark Bonasera

 

 

 

Throwback!

SPS Music Teachers are Ready to GO!

August 26 brought the music department together as a whole for a full day of learning and fun! After reviewing our new 6-8 General/Comprehensive Music Curriculum, teachers were treated to an African Drumming session (which supports one of the new 6th grade learning goals) led by our very own Mr. Brian Rizzi. Brian has traveled to Africa and studied African drumming and he shared his knowledge, over 2 sessions, with our music team. Many thanks to Mr. Rizzi for sharing his talents and to the Rippowam Community (Ms. Colmenares, Mr. Smith-Biko, Mr. Langworth, Mr. Rizzi, And Ms. Gibson) for allowing us to gather in their building for this exciting Professional Development.

 

Community Partners are “Fair” Game

For more than 15 years the Westhill Marching Band program has been partnering with St. Leo’s Parish to get their fair up and running. Marching Band students and their families did a fantastic job assisting parish staff with setting up the fairgrounds on Saturday, August 24. If you saw purple shirts while you celebrated with friends and family at the St. Leo’s Fair, those were our Marching Band students helping out!

 

A Great Year Starts with Great FUN!

On Thursday, August 30, Springdale celebrated the opening of school with their Back-to-School picnic. We had an amazing turnout as families were invited to pack a dinner, if they chose, and come out to play on the playground! Picnic blankets and lawn games were scattered all around the field while our families were able to see old friends (it was great to have some alums come back!), make new friends, meet teachers and staff, and enjoy watching the kids having so much fun. What a wonderful way for the Springdale community to create joyous memories together!

All Submitted by Becky Chuhta

Dear SPS Families and Staff: 

It is very important for parents/guardians to take an active role in their child’s educational experience, and research shows that when parents/guardians are involved, children tend to do better academically and are more engaged and motivated. Attending open school night is a great way to take an active interest in your child’s education. During open school night, you can meet your child(ren)’s teachers, learn about classroom and academic expectations, and hear more about the curriculum. 

Please join us for our upcoming open school nights:

• Tuesday, September 17 – Middle Schools and Strawberry Hill (grades 5-8)

• Thursday, September 19 – High Schools and SPS Anchor (grades 6-12) 

• Tuesday, September 24 –  APPLES PreK  

• Thursday, September 26 – Elementary Schools, Rogers (grades K-8), Strawberry Hill (grades K-4), and Westover (grades K-6)

• Tuesday, October 1 – SPS PreK at Lockwood 

The school principal or your child’s classroom/homeroom teacher will provide details about open school night at your child’s school. 

Hispanic Heritage Month

Sunday marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration of Hispanic and Latino history and culture and its impact on the United States. One of Stamford’s greatest strengths is the myriad of backgrounds and cultures that contribute to our amazing city. Within SPS, more than 75 world languages are spoken in our students’ homes.  

There are many wonderful Hispanic Heritage Month events taking place throughout the city, including a Celebration of Song and Dance at the Ferguson Library this Sunday from 2 to 4 pm. Click here for more details and to register. 

If you or your family are interested in learning more about Hispanic Heritage Month, the National Museum of the American Latino at the Smithsonian offers many online resources you may find useful. 

National Security Officer Appreciation Week

Next week is National Security Officer Appreciation Week. On behalf of everyone associated with Stamford Public Schools, I would like to thank our dedicated school security staff for all they do to help keep our schools safe. Whether managing building access, assisting with student arrival/dismissal, monitoring behavior, or addressing security concerns, our security staff works hard to help keep us all safe. Thanks, also, to Joe Kennedy, our director of safety and security who hires, trains, and manages our school security staff!

PT Council Meeting is September 18 

The Parent-Teacher Council of Stamford will host its first meeting of the school year next Wednesday at 7 pm. Attend in person at the Government Center (5th Floor Boardroom) or register to view the meeting via Zoom. PT Council is the umbrella organization for the PTOs/PFOs in each school. PT Council hosts the annual Board of Education Candidates Forum and other events to keep families informed about Stamford Public Schools. If you are interested in learning more about this important organization, please attend next week’s meeting. 

 

Stay Safe & Healthy!

 

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent

Espanol

Creole
 

STAMFORD, CT (September 13, 2024) Stamford Public Schools has updated regulation 5113A-R governing high school attendance. These updates, which went into effect on September 9, 2024, further refine the requirements of school attendance teams, eliminate the tiered system of tardies, and require students to participate in attendance recovery to retain their earned grade in a course if they exceed the maximum number of absences allowed in a marking period/quarter.  

The updates to Regulation 5113A-R were developed by Associate Superintendent for High Schools Dr. Lori Rhodes, AITE Principal Tina Rivera, SPS Anchor Principal Sid Watson, Stamford High School Principal Matthew Forker, and Westhill High School Principal Michael Rinaldi. 

“Attendance regulations should reinforce that the entire school community—students, parents and guardians, teachers, administrators, and staff—plays a role in supporting regular school attendance,” said Dr. Rhodes. “At the same time, the regulations need to hold students accountable for their absences in a manner that is equitable for all students without being unnecessarily punitive.”   

Research shows that regular school attendance is a critical factor in student achievement. Attending school regularly helps students (1) establish routines that foster discipline and time management skills; (2) develop stronger relationships with teachers and peers; and (3) stay engaged with classroom instruction. Connecticut state law requires parents/guardians to ensure their children, ages 5 through 18, attend school regularly during the school year.

Updates to Regulation 5113A-R

Regulation 5113A-R outlines expectations for high school student attendance, the responsibilities of students, parents, and school staff in promoting regular attendance, the responsibilities of school staff to report and monitor attendance, and defines the various types of absences and tardies and the documentation required for each. 

Following are the significant updates to Regulation 5113A-R: 

• School-based attendance teams will be required to meet monthly, at minimum, to review attendance data, identify students in need of intervention, and determine how best to support students and families. 
• The tiered system of tardies has been eliminated. Students who arrive for class after the late bell will be marked either “excused tardy” or “unexcused tardy.” Every four unexcused tardies will convert to one unexcused absence. 
• Students will be required to complete attendance recovery to retain their passing grade in any course for which they exceeded the allowed number of tardies or absences in a quarter.   

Attendance Recovery  

Absences will be calculated both quarterly and cumulatively for student records. Any student who earns a passing grade in a course while exceeding the number of allowed absences will have to participate in attendance recovery in order to retain their passing grade for that quarter. 

• Attendance recovery can begin as soon as the student exceeds the absence threshold. 
• Attendance recovery must be completed no later than the midpoint of the following quarter. 
• Students who complete attendance recovery will have their earned passing grade reinstated.  
• Students who fail to complete attendance recovery will receive an “F” for that marking period. 

Any student who is failing a course and exceeding the number of allowed absences may participate in grade recovery to earn a D for the marking period. Students interested in grade recovery should speak with their school counselor. 

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support 

Student attendance will be addressed through a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) created and implemented at each school with support from the Central Office. Attendance committees will meet monthly to review individual student attendance as well as school-wide trends to determine how best to support students and families. School personnel (counselors, outside providers, social workers, teachers, administrators) will provide students and families with progressively increasing levels of support based on their needs and the root cause(s) of the absences.

Implementation & Monitoring

School leadership will review attendance data on a regular basis throughout the 2024-25 school year and seek input from staff on the effectiveness of the updated regulations. Dr. Rhodes will work with school administrators to address questions and concerns as they arise. The regulations will be revisited at the end of the 2024-25 school year to determine if further adjustments are necessary. 

 

Regulation 5113A-R may be reviewed in its entirety here. 

 

Welcome Back, SPS!

 

Students, Staff, and Families Beautify Turn of River 

On August 20, Turn of River Middle School held a beautification day. Guided by teachers and supported by family members, 38 student volunteers engaged in fall planting, courtyard cleanup, making welcome posters, and decorating bulletin boards.  This wonderful start to the school year was part of our focus on student voice and community building.

Submitted by Mark Bonasera

 

 

Toquam Staff Kick Off Attendance Campaign: Be Present! Be Powerful! with visits to Scholars’ Neighborhoods! 

Toquam Staff boarded school buses after convocation to visit their scholars’ neighborhoods to kick off our attendance campaign for this school year: Be Present! Be Powerful! 

 

Toquam Staff greeted their scholars and handed out backpacks, school calendar magnets, and treats! We loved seeing all our scholars and their families’ smiling faces! 

 

Toquam on News12

Toquam on The Stamford Advocate

 

Toquam Hosts Community Resource Fair for Families! 

Toquam hosted various community meetings during Kindergarten Orientation and Meet the Teachers for all our families to learn about the many different community organizations that are available to them! Many thanks to the following community partners for coming out to support our families: Cradle to Career, Filling In The Blanks, Here To Help, First Baptist Church, and Person To Person. 

 

Thank you so much for all you do for our Toquam families! 

Submitted by Jenna Cinelli

 

Welcome to Stark School 

“Welcome to Stark School” song welcomed new students and families to Stark Elementary School on August 27 during the Kindergarten Orientation.

 

Throughout the 2023-24 school year, Ms. Abby Curry’s Fourth Grade class rewrote the lyrics to the popular hit from Taylor Swift titled Welcome to New York (Taylor’s Version). Students brainstormed various activities that occur during the school day and collaborated to not only write the lyrics, but also create the scenes for the music video which showcases endless creativity. 

 

A special thank you to Mr. Graham Leftwich who aided in filming and editing the video clips. The final product, called Welcome to Stark School is meant to encourage all staff and students to have a positive mindset in school and build excitement to come to class no matter what day out of 180 days we are in. Each day is a new day to learn and be enriched!

Submitted by Iuliana Roata

 

Roxbury Staff Member is a Published Author!

Sabrina Thompson recently published two books and one coloring book. Her inspiration for writing the books came from her sister and the amazing strength and resilience she has demonstrated since experiencing her own tragic loss. All three books are available on Amazon.

Submitted by Sandra Elhers

Dear SPS Families and Staff: 

Cafe Con La Super - the monthly Spanish Language Community Conversation - is Monday, September 9 at 6:30 pm in the Government Center 4th Floor Cafeteria. Join us as we review the SPS Family Guide, hear about the services at our School Based Health Centers, and review the Magnet School Lottery Process. All families, staff, and community members are welcome. English translation is provided. Please register to let us know you will attend.  

National 988 Day is September 8 

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and this Sunday, September 8, is 988 Day, an initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. While no one wants to think about suicide, it is important for everyone to learn the warning signs and risk factors for suicide as well as how to support someone experiencing suicidal thoughts. Our school social workers and psychologists can be a source of information and support for families, and the Stamford Youth Mental Health Alliance also has compiled information about local resources to support families experiencing a mental health crisis.  

Meeting for Families of Students with Special Needs 

The Stamford Coalition of Parents Expecting Success (SCOPES) is hosting its first meeting of the school year next Wednesday, September 11 at 6 pm at AITE. SCOPES is a special education support network for parents sponsored by the Stamford Parent-Teacher Council in partnership with SPS. Attendees at the September meeting will have an opportunity to meet the SPS Special Education Team and learn about CT-SEDS. The meeting will be presented with simultaneous Spanish interpretation.  Please register to let us know you will attend. 

Visit Your Child’s School on Open School Night

Please mark your calendars for our upcoming open school nights:

• Tuesday, September 17 – Cloonan, Dolan, Rippowam, Scofield, Strawberry Hill (grades 5-8) and Turn of River

• Thursday, September 19 – AITE, Stamford High School and Westhill High School 

• Thursday, September 26 – Davenport, Hart, Julia A. Stark, K.T. Murphy, Newfield, Northeast, Rogers K-8, Roxbury, Springdale, Strawberry Hill (grades K-4), Stillmeadow, Toquam and Westover (grades K-6)

These events are an opportunity for parents/guardians to meet their child(ren)’s teachers, learn about classroom and academic expectations, and hear more about the curriculum. The school principal or your child’s classroom/homeroom teacher will provide details about open school night at your child’s school. 

Free Breakfast & Lunch for All Students

Once again this year, all Stamford Public Schools students may receive school breakfast and lunch for free. Household applications are not required to receive free meals, but alternate income forms may be distributed to collect household income data for other programs that require this information. SPS families are encouraged to complete the Household Income Survey Application (English / Spanish) to verify if they may be eligible for reduced-price or free programs and services, including after-school programs and camps, internet service, Advanced Placement, SAT, and ACT exam fees, and college application fees. 

Story Time at the Farmers Market - Saturday at 10:15 am

Join SPS at the Stamford Downtown Farmers Market on Saturday at 10:15 am for Children’s Story Time. Brooke Pelli, an assistant director of the APPLES PreK program, will be our guest reader. The Farmers Market is located in Veterans Memorial Park at 130 Atlantic Street. Following Story Time with Ms. Pelli, be sure to shop for fruits, vegetables, baked goods, cheeses, and more!  WIC & SNAP accepted. 

Weekend Meals for Students

It is not too late to sign up for the Filling in the Blanks weekend meal program. Shelf stable weekend meal bags are delivered to all Stamford Public Schools on a weekly basis. If this program could help improve food security in your household, please register here.  

Reminder: Annual Physicals

Families are required to provide an updated State of CT Health Assessment & Immunization Record showing proof of a recent physical examination when their child enters middle school (grade 6) and high school (grade 9). Students who do not provide these forms during 6th and 9th grades will not be permitted to enter 7th grade and 10th grade in Fall 2025. If your child does not have a healthcare provider they see regularly, click here for a list of local providers that offer physicals and immunizations.
 

Stay Safe & Healthy!

Dr. Tamu Lucero
Superintendent

Espanol

Creole