RPS Update

This morning, the curriculum team provided updates in reading, humanities, and K-12 mathematics at the BOE Committee Curriculum meeting. I would encourage those that are interested in learning more to view the recorded meeting which is available on our BOE YouTube channel. As I reflect back to three years ago, there were a great deal of questions from our RPS community around our curriculum, consistency among schools, and our resources. It is very exciting to see the curriculum team, led by Ms. Cory Gillette, continue to engage our Board of Education and schools in sharing and communicating our work. In addition to lifting the level of clarity and transparency, their work has truly improved the learning experience for our students and the confidence of our parents.

This evening, Dr. Liz Hannaway, Assistant Superintendent for Special Services and I will be joining community members at a special event, “Have a Heart” in support of Kids in Crisis, an organization that has partnered with RPS with Teen Talk Counselors at Scotts Ridge and East Ridge Middle Schools and Ridgefield High School. Our Teen Talk counselors have consistently shown their dedication to providing wrap-around services to children and families in our schools. I would like to take this opportunity to remind families of the availability of wrap-around services, which means that there is staff available for children and families who are in crisis 24/7. While our Teen Talk Counselors serve our secondary students, the wrap-around services are available to all families. You can contact Kids in Crisis at 203-661-1911. A crisis can happen to any one of us or someone we know…let's remember these services, as well as compassion and grace.

May you have a wonderful weekend, and I hope that we can at least see a ray of sunshine.

Warmly,

Susie

Susie Da Silva, Ed.D

Kids in Crisis 24-Hour Helpline:

Call: 203.661.1911

The next BOE Meeting is this Monday, October 23. The meeting agenda and link to livestream can be found here. Public comment is at the beginning and end of each meeting.

Board of Education

90 East Ridge Road

RHS Homecoming Weekend is October 27-28. The Varsity Football game (Dance and Cheer showcase) is at home on October 27. Families with children under twelve should plan to attend the game. The RHS Student Government has fun plans for next week. Subscribe to RPS Instagram to see which class has the most spirit. Let's go, Tigers!

We understand there is some frustration with bus transportation and want to reassure our families that our bus company First Student is working to improve service. With a national bus driver shortage, worker callouts, and extensive road work in Ridgefield, there are many challenges. Most RPS bus drivers have driven for us for years and all are highly dedicated to the safety of our students. Thank you for reminding your students to treat them with respect and for your patience as we work together. Here is a letter from First Student, which shows their commitment to Ridgefield families, the hurdles they face, and the steps they are taking.

The FirstView Bus App is available, including Student Security Codes! Please use the link here for instructions. You can find your District Student Number on PowerSchool under Grades and Attendance. You can find FirstView Security Code and Bus Number on PowerSchool under Transportation. We apologize for the glitches with the codes last weekend and the delays with the roll out. We value your partnership and look forward to providing you with a more efficient and informative transportation experience. FirstView Customer Support will be available Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. EST to 5:00 p.m. EST

We have a spooky episode for you on this week’s Tiger Talk! Host Wes DeSantis welcomes back to the show Ridgefield’s First Selectman Rudy Marconi! He tells us about all the cool and spooky things happening in town over the next two weeks. There’s the Paranormal Park at Richardson Park this weekend & next, the Main Street Trick or Treat on October 28, and of course Halloween night. We also talk about some other fun activities for both kids & adults after October. Let’s have our fingers crossed for good weather, thanks for listening!

A range of topics of interest to RHS students were addressed at Ridgefield High School’s 62nd Annual Candidates Assembly on October 16.

Six of the seven candidates seeking election for the Board of Education were present for the long-standing tradition of a debate leading up to Election Day. Candidates were asked questions developed by students enrolled in American Government and Politics and AP US Government and Politics classes. The debate was moderated and timed by fellow classmates. Board of Education candidates Dawn Marie Callahan, Divya Dorairajan, Wyatt Lipman, Sean McEvoy, Christine More, and Jonathan Paradiso were in attendance for the assembly.

The moderators of the debate were students Rian Malhotra and Paige Shepard. Student questioners included Will Defino, Katie Hoerdemann, Florence Mercurio, and Elizabeth Rogers. Timers for the assembly were Anna Gillan, Mei Meier, and Casey O’Brien.

Seniors who are 18 years old, or will be turning 18 prior to November 5th, were given the opportunity to register to vote with both the Ridgefield Registrars of Voters and the League of Women Voters.

The League of Women Voters of Ridgefield has a long history of working with the high school on the candidates’ debates and the Mock Election, this year held on October 17. With the emphasis of the Government and Politics program on civic participation, all Seniors were encouraged to vote in the Mock Election, the results of which are always highly anticipated. Students voted for up to five of the candidates seeking election to the Board of Education. With 158 ballots cast, a turnout rate of 43%, the results of the election were as follows; Wyatt Lipman-134, Jonathan Paradiso- 112, Sean McEvoy- 105, Write In (Divya Dorairajan)- 67, Dawn Marie Callahan- 63, Julia London- 46, Christine More- 40.

The students voted using real ballots and a town vote scanner/tabulator. The Mock Election was made possible by the generosity of the Ridgefield High School Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), Ridgefield’s Registrars of Voters, and the League of Women Voters of Ridgefield.

When you are checking the eBackpack this week, please note the new Cyber Security Tip sheets added. October is Cyber Security Month and the State of Connecticut has provided families important guides about Social Media Security. Please check your students' e-Backpack for this important information and other programs across the district.

Organizations that meet the RPS policy may submit their request for inclusion to cmelagrano@ridgefieldps.net.

For this month's Social and Emotional Learning Spotlight, Branchville Elementary psychologists Lindsay Cline and Katie Greges offer this helpful graphic on Executive Functions.

This week, RPS offered the first of its kind districtwide fair-style event for families to learn more about features of the RISE (Ridgefield Intensive Special Education) program, including:

• What is Gestalt Language Processing?
• Transition 101
• Finding Extracurricular Opportunities
• Understanding Modified Curriculum and Grade-level connection
• Articulation Planning from School to School

Presenters from several RISE programs across the district, including teacher Kira Rock (Barlow Elementary), School Psychologist Megan Calderwood (RHS), Speech and Language Pathologist Meghan Doherty (Barlow Mountain), Assistant Principal Lisa Frese (Scotts Ridge), BCBA Samantha Macrillo (PreK, Scotland Elementary, Barlow Mountain Elementary), Transition Coordinator Jessica DiValentino, and Assistant Director of Special Services Dr. Anthony Showah.

The event was well-attended, with more than twenty families stopping by during the event to learn more about topics of interest pertaining to their students' development, instruction, and postsecondary planning.

Attendees enjoyed the modular schedule, allowing them to come when they could to attend a station of particular relevance and interest. Based on this success, the Special Services looks forward to a larger event in the Spring for any and all families interested in RPS special programs and our strengths-based approach to learning.

This month, East Ridge and Scotts Ridge eighth graders are learning about some of the free high school options available to them beyond Ridgefield High School. One of the alternatives for RPS students is Abbott Tech in Danbury, which teaches a variety of trades—plumbing, mechanics, nursing, graphic design, technology, etc.—as well as core academics. Other high school programs presented to grade 8 include Center for Global Studies at Brien McMahon, Stamford Regional Agriscience and Technology at Westhill High School, and AITE (a STEM-based school in Stamford). Many graduates of these programs go right into the workforce, start their own business, or go to college. Note that open houses are ongoing this month and some application deadlines are approaching. See the full presentation here.

CORRECTION: Last week's Update said RPS didn't provide transportation but the District does provide transportation to Henry Abbott Tech.

RHS Counseling Supervisor Stephanie Cheung reports that a full house of RHS juniors and seniors learned about the University of Connecticut! this week. UConn Representative Paul Ostick spoke to juniors and seniors about the offerings and application process of the University of Connecticut. November 1 is UConn Application Fee Free Day. CT high school seniors applying to UConn on November 1, will have their $80 application fee waived.

Last week, two of our RPS math teachers presented at the Associated Teachers of Mathematics in New England (ATMNE) annual conference in Portland, Maine. This conference was attended by over 700 educators from across the region. Dr. Merryl Polak, Scotts Ridge MS math teacher, presented a session entitled "Make Math Make Sense with Problem Strings". Dr. Monica Housen, RHS Math Teacher, presented a session entitled "Origami: Constructive Tool to Deepen Geometric Understanding". Both sessions were well attended and highlighted the level of expertise our RPS teachers bring to the teaching community. East Ridge MS math department leader, Dee Savage, and SRMS teacher, Amanda Johnson, were able to attend as part of a Ridgefield cohort to learn from other mathematics educators and share their new knowledge with their colleagues.

Recently, Elementary Art Lead Rachael Penney presented at the CAEA conference held at the New Britain Museum. Ms. Penney ran a workshop on "Scrape Process Painting and How to Incorporate Choice in the Art Room." She reports that attendees got to work in and with materials to create "Scrape paintings" after her demonstration. They discussed the process and other "choices" on how to take the work further and the multitude of different artistic " choices" within the process.

The Town of Ridgefield has asked RPS to distribute the Senior Survey to all of our 55+ year old families. You can simply click on the survey link below to take the survey. Please note that to avoid

duplication, only one survey can be submitted from an e-mail address. If you share an e-mail address with a partner, please submit an alternate e-mail address to the town or pick up a paper version of the survey from the Town Hall information office. If you cannot get there please call 203-894-7434 and arrange for a paper survey to be delivered and picked up from your home. Additionally, if you cannot complete the paper survey, please call that same number and arrangements will be made to have a volunteer visit you and collect your survey responses on a tablet or laptop computer.

Here is the survey link: https://bit.ly/ridgefieldsurveyemail

“The professional learning that is taking place is of great importance and quality,” says Director of Elementary Education Linda Johnson after a second-grade training session with Sarah Schaefer. “Our teachers are building upon their content knowledge and pedagogy of elementary mathematics. It is very exciting to see teachers’ commitment to continuously refining their practice.” Ms. Schaefer is the founder of Mathodology, a contributing author of think! Mathematics, and lead author of Developing Roots. Think! Mathematics (grades 1-5) and Developing Roots (Kindergarten) are the primary curricular resources used in RPS to teach mathematics.

The teachers and students were fully engaged with Ms. Schaefer, who entered Jess Olivier’s second-grade classroom at Ridgebury Elementary School with a giant pencil that she promised to give to anyone who found a different and efficient way to solve the anchor task which involved adding three-digit numbers. In the planning session with teachers, Schaefer explained how she would differentiate to challenge students who already can easily add three numbers and provide support to those who are still struggling with two-digit addition. “Using this [think!Mathematics] resource,” Schafer explains, “we can find out quickly where students are and meet them there. We can offer enrichment while reteaching as needed.”

Students met with Schaefer as a group to discuss the anchor task which involved a real-world problem–they looked at the numbers and estimated before breaking into small groups to tackle the problem. The words Ms. Schaefer uses with the students are different—” carrying” is called “regrouping”—and the approach is connected to place value. It’s very exciting to the students that Ms. Schafer calls them "mathematicians” while they write on whiteboards and offer answers and explanations. All students were supported and encouraged to explain their reasoning. The time flies and as Ms. Schaefer leaves the classroom, she leaves her giant pencil for the whole class, encouraging them to think math! “How do you sharpen it?” asks one of the students, delighted by the novelty.

RPS introduced the curricular resource, think! Mathematics, to Grades 3-5 last year. Now, Schaefer is collaborating with Ms. Johnson on the implementation of the resource while providing professional learning in Grades 1-5 and Developing Roots in Kindergarten. She will also work with teachers during the professional development days in October and November. After the session with the second graders, Schaefer showed the teachers how to easily differentiate the anchor task so all students have an entry point to learning and gaining success. “They will all get it,” Ms. Schaefer says. “We just need to adjust as we teach to meet all learners where they are.”

Ms. Schaefer will be a guest speaker at a parent presentation about how elementary students learn mathematics this fall. More information will be released soon. Don’t miss this dynamic educator.

Jennifer DeJulio's Race, Gender, and Inequality class analyzed intersectionality. Each color of yarn represents a different social struggle, allowing students to appreciate how many people are impacted by similar problems in US society.

The Play That Goes Wrong

RHS Auditorium

This hilarious farce was written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields. Welcome to opening night of "The Murder at Haversham Manor" where things are quickly going from bad to utterly disastrous. With an unconscious leading lady, a corpse that can’t play dead, and actors who trip over everything (including their lines). You would be WRONG to not make plans to see it!

Get Tickets Here!

Looking for an enjoyable activity for a winter Sunday? Take a trip into NYC to hear thirty-six of our Ridgefield High School and eighth-grade choir students sing John Rutter's "Magnificat" on Sunday Jan. 7, 2024 at Carnegie Hall! They will sing alongside 175 other singers and full orchestra under the baton of John Rutter himself! We hope you'll purchase discounted tickets through our Ridgefield Music Parents website.

The deadline to purchase tickets through our fundraiser has been extended to Tues. Oct. 24!

Congratulations to the Boys Cross Country team for winning the FCIAC Championship this Week!

Steven Hergenrother won the varsity race in 15:34! Magnus Manley finished 3rd, Charles Lovett 6th, Sullivan Dunn 12th & Trevor Fuller 16th as Ridgefield edged Danbury (45) for the team title!

All the results can be found here.

Many members of the RPS Community, including Ridgefield Youth Commission student representative Akshay Pertab, turned out to contribute to the creation and unveiling of the PRIDE Crosswalk on Governor and East Ridge Road. Read the full story in The Hamlet Hub. Information about LGBTQ+ events, resources, and support groups can be found here.

Thumbs up for Bob the Beaver and the Branchville Community who got moving to have fun and raise funds to support the PTA.

Farmingville Elementary's Raccoon Rally included a dunk tank, the Raccoon mascot, and fun!

We would love to hear from you! Families and staff can submit stories, comments, or corrections to RPS Communications. Please follow us on Social Media with links below.