As we gather with loved ones to give thanks, I want to express my sincere gratitude for the Trumbull community. Your unwavering support and dedication to our schools make a profound difference in the lives of our students. I am truly honored to be a part of this exceptional district.
This Thanksgiving season, let us reflect on the many things for which we are thankful and extend our appreciation to those who make our community so special. From our dedicated teachers and staff to our supportive parents and families, your commitment to education is truly inspiring.
Wishing you a safe, joyous, and meaningful Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter, and gratitude.
I want to thank the entire town of Trumbull for taking the time to vote, one way or the other, on the Hillcrest Referendum question. I really appreciate how the families and community members rallied behind this referendum in support of the new school. The referendum passed by more than a 2:1 margin suggesting that many people in town see the need to improve our buildings. The Building Committee, created by the Town Council, will begin its work towards achieving the Education Specifications created by the district and approved by the Board of Education. These are public meetings and, therefore, will have agendas and minutes on the Town’s website. We will share these agendas and minutes on our Master Plan website as well, so they are easy to find. I am very excited to see this project move another step forward. I am truly looking forward to opening the new Hillcrest building.
The State of Connecticut released the performance ratings of all districts and schools, and Trumbull, yet again, has a lot to celebrate. There are two major highlights. First, Trumbull moved from the #7 district in the State to the #6 district. Second, every one of our elementary schools was identified as a School of Distinction again this year. That means for the past two years, every elementary school in Trumbull has been named a School of Distinction. That is quite a streak!! This is what happens when we all work together to create a high-quality curriculum, reinforce and develop high-quality instructional strategies, and provide well-articulated and student-specific support all in a student-centered environment. This success is due to all of the amazing educators and leaders in the district, our families who are terrific partners in the education of our students, and support from our Board of Education! We have included two charts with this update. The first chart shows the Accountability Index for the top 10 districts in the State of CT and the net cost per child. The second chart is a bit more complicated. It shows how much every district spends per student and the district’s accountability index. This chart, too, shows that we are the #6 district in Connecticut, but also shows that we are spending far less on a student basis to achieve those results. For reference, Trumbull is at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical blue lines.
In other good news, US News and World Report has their own way of ranking districts. Much of their data comes from 2022-2023, so in many ways it’s old news. You can read all about the rankings using the links below. We are excited to share that three of our schools were in the top 25 of their respective levels in the State of CT. Daniels Farm was listed at #7 out of 838! Hillcrest Middle School was listed at #10 out of 558! And Trumbull High School was ranked #16 out of 204!
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools
https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/middle-school
WINTER WEATHER
At some point snow and ice will fall upon us and we all need to be ready for delays, early dismissals, and school closings. We will continue to notify families through our messaging system and through the media. When inclement weather is in the forecast, I will be up by 4:00 a.m. speaking with a local weather forecaster, the Trumbull Police dispatch, the TPS maintenance lead, and the person in charge of keeping the Trumbull roads clear of dangerous conditions. I strive to make a decision by no later than 5:30 a.m., but weather patterns can sometimes play havoc with decision making. If weather predictions are calling for dangerous road conditions, I will always make a decision in the best interest of student, parent, and staff safety. I appreciate your understanding that certain decisions have to be made before we know what will actually happen with the weather.
Performances at Trumbull High School Auditorium:
December 6th at 7:30PM
December 7th at 2PM & 7:30PM
December 8th at 2PM
Tickets available online now and at the door. Great fun for the whole family! Recommended for ages 6 - 100. Join us for an amazing musical with a live professional orchestra, Christmas ornament sales, concessions, homemade Big G Cookies, and photo booth backdrop.