Dear BPS Community,

On behalf of the Board of Education and District Leadership Team, I am excited to present the 2023-2024 Annual Report of Branford Public Schools. This report offers a reflection and our collective commitment to excellence and progress toward achieving our strategic goals. Additionally, the report serves as a testament to the tireless efforts and dedication of our stakeholders—students, staff, families, and community members—who have played an invaluable role in our shared efforts toward coherence and systemic improvement.

In alignment with the Strategic Coherence Plan, this annual report outlines our celebrations and achievements for this academic year as well as looks ahead to the future. By exploring each campus and highlighting several programs across the district, our 2023-2024 annual report serves as a baseline to measure our progress over the next five years.

Central to our efforts is the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of our progress, ensuring that we stay true to the goals, strategies and actions outlined in the SCP. By regularly assessing our performance and adapting our strategies as needed, we ensure that our actions remain aligned with our long-term goals. This plan is an important demonstration of enhancing district communications for community awareness and organizational transparency.

As we quickly move through summer, please pay close attention to information regarding ParentSquare and Zum Transportation to help make the start of the 2024-2025 school year as smooth as possible. Thank you for your continuous support.

Sincerely,
Dr. Tranberg

Welcome to ParentSquare!

We are excited to announce that Branford Public Schools will be rolling out ParentSquare at the start of the 2024-25 school year! ParentSquare is a robust communication platform that will streamline school-to-home communication and enhance engagement between our schools and families.

Why ParentSquare? ParentSquare offers a host of benefits, including:

• Seamless Communication: Receive announcements, messages, and updates all in one place.

• Convenient Access: Access important school information from your computer or mobile device.

• Choose how you are notified- email, text, app, or all three.

• Choose to be notified instantly or in a consolidated summary in the evening.

• Choose your preferred language for instant translation.

• Instant Notifications: Stay informed with instant notifications for events, reminders, and emergencies.

• Enhanced Engagement: Participate in school activities, sign up for volunteer opportunities, and communicate with teachers more easily.

Important Timeline:

• Early August: All student and parent accounts will become active. You may have received an invitation to join ParentSquare and set up your account. In some cases, while setting up your account you may have received a notice that your account is not active. All accounts will become active when we roll over to the new school year.

• Last Week of August: Student schedules, teacher assignments, and class information will be available for parents.

• High School Students: Students at the high school level will be able to download and use the StudentSquare app, designed specifically to meet their communication needs. High school students will be able to see their classes and teachers and communicate with teachers in the StudentSquare app.

We encourage all parents to download the ParentSquare app and familiarize themselves with its features. By doing so, you’ll ensure that you stay connected and informed about your child's education throughout the school year.

We look forward to building a stronger school community together with ParentSquare. If any information is not correct in ParentSquare you may update your information in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Change of addresses must be done by contacting the district registrar- registrar@branfordschools.org If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to check the ParentSquare information on the district webpage or contact the technology department at homesupport@branfordschools.org

Thank you for your support and cooperation!

School meals are healthy, affordable, and deliciously convenient! Our Food Services team is working hard this summer, providing free breakfast and lunch at Branford High School all summer long for anyone18 and under. Unfortunately, as a result of the end of state support, BPS will be returning to paid school meals for the upcoming school year. To help prepare for a smooth transition, you can:

• Sign up for a MySchoolBucks account.
• Pre-load funds to your child's MySchoolBucks account. BPS will be waiving credit card fees until December 31, 2024 to help with the transition. You can pre-load funds now, before the start of school
• Be on the lookout for the free and reduced application, which will be mailed to every family in early August. The application is particularly important this year, as eligible reduced-price students will be able to eat for free as well.

This week, Branford Public Schools hosted a summer reading celebration! K-3 students in our summer enrichment program had the opportunity to climb aboard the Read-to-Grow Book Mobile. Walsh students and community members engaged in a celebration where they explored new books, and created a craft together. Overall, we gave away over 200 books to students in the community through these programs.

As we hit the halfway point of summer, it is the perfect time to remind ourselves of the benefits of reading this summer. Reading throughout the summer is an opportunity for students to foster a love for reading, it keeps their skills sharp and prevents summer slide. It also helps to maintain and improve our students' literacy skills ensuring they are ready to start the year. This is a time for students to explore the books and topics that they love and interests them, helping them to use their imagination and explore topics that inspire them. As they encounter new words and ideas, students develop critical thinking skills and improve their ability to understand and analyze text. This enrichment not only benefits their reading abilities but also supports overall academic success. Finally, this is a great opportunity to have shared reading experiences as a family. Reading together, discussing ideas, and asking questions brings families together.

Tips and resources for encouraging summer reading:

• 2024 Summer Learning at Blackstone Library

• The Blackstone Library is hosting a variety of summer reading activities for students and families of all ages! For more information about the Blackstone Summer activities click here.

• Connecticut Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge Book Lists

• Have your student revisit their summer reading list and review the goals they set at the end of the school year

• Encourage your student to create a book club with their friends

• 20 Questions to help you discuss what your student is reading (link)

• Tips to help you read together as a family

Together, we can help instill a love of reading that can last a lifetime. Thank you for partnering with us to help our students grow and explore through reading.