RPS Update

Despite the short school week, RPS has been plenty busy. During our recent Board of Education meeting, a small group of educators highlighted the work that is happening across grades K-12 in Digital Citizenship. The team showed how beginning in kindergarten, we teach the value of technology while also understanding the responsibility that comes with its use. Dr. Wes DeSantis, RPS Director of Educational Technology, emphasized the importance of parent engagement in generalizing these skills at home. You can watch the presentation here (approximately 26 min mark), and you can also watch a follow-up to this presentation on Wednesday, November 20, and thereafter, on the RPS Curriculum Channel.

This week, I joined our Board of Education Chair, Tina Malhotra, at the CABE/CAPSS Convention for their annual conference in Mystic, CT. This year's theme, “Unity of Purpose,” reminds us that schools and districts have a common purpose- students and their families. The conference, which engaged CT superintendents and Boards of Education members, emphasized the significance of the partnership in making a difference for students. We should all be proud.

Have a great weekend!

Warmly,

Susie

Susie Da Silva, Ed.D.

The BOE approved Friday, June 13, as the RHS Class of 2025 Graduation date. This date will not change with weather-related closures or other calendar changes. The graduation will be on Tiger Hollow if the weather permits and inside if the weather doesn't cooperate. More information for senior families to come!

It's been a great week for RHS Athletics—an NCAA Scholarship Signing Ceremony, New England and State Championships brought home, Exemplary FCIAC Student-Athletes recognized, and a unified athletic program making sure inclusivity and opportunity are available for all our students. Please see all the exciting news and photos below!

RPS's partnership with the Ridgefield Historical Society and the Witness Stones Project brings history alive through inquiry for each of our eighth graders. This week, RPS held the third-annual Witness Stones Installation Ceremony to remember the life of Ann, an enslaved Black woman. With the Historical Society's Scott House (built 1714) as a backdrop, the Installation Ceremony commemorated Ann's life in song and remembrance. The Witness Stones Project asks students to study the history of slavery through a regional and local lens while practicing the skills of a historian. In past years, students studied the lives of Quash, Lidia, Peter, and Dinah, all formerly enslaved persons in Ridgefield.

Please help RPS go green by checking your students' e-Backpack weekly for important information. Organizations that meet the RPS policy may submit their request for inclusion to cmelagrano@ridgefieldps.net

Please check your school calendar for early dismissals and other school events.

At this week's Board of Education meeting, a K-12 team led by Director of Educational Technology Dr. Wes DeSantis presented on the District's media policy and Digital Citizenship. Please view the recording of their presentation and BOE questions on the BOE Channel. The team will present to parents on Wednesday, November 20, at 9:30 am.

The role of technology and its acceptable use for RPS students is a district priority and is on our community's mind. The team—Library and Media Specialist Ellen Paradiso, Technology Integrator Kim Moran, RHS librarians Kim Davis and Mitch Peterson, and Dr. DeSantis—presented how each level approaches lessons in Digital Citizenship differently to reflect age-appropriate topics. RPS students' access to screens and the internet is restricted through middle school. Students are taught to bring concerns to a trusted adult, separate what is true from what is not, the consequence of their digital footprint, and online ethics and kindness. They are also taught strategies to control their screen time and harness the internet's and technology's power for their purposes.

Reminder: K-8 students are not allowed to access personal devices throughout the school day or on the bus. Grade 9-12 teachers will restrict access during instructional hours. Families can find more information on the District technology policy and Acceptable on the Technology page. Please join RPS in approaching these powerful devices with common sense and support RPS educators' efforts to curb the distraction of devices during the school day. Learn more about these initiatives and Computer Science opportunities in the RHS library live on Wednesday or stream at your convenience.

Connecticut General Statute, July 1, 2024, requires that children who turn five years old on or before September 1 of the school year enroll in kindergarten. According to this statute, a child who is not five years old on or before September 1 of the school year may be admitted:

• Upon written request by the child’s parent or guardian to the school principal, and;

• After the principal and an appropriate certified staff member conduct an assessment of the child to ensure that admitting the child to kindergarten is developmentally appropriate.

The Ridgefield Public Schools has and will continue to support all students according to their academic, emotional, and social needs with the understanding that students are unique regardless of age. Therefore, to request a waiver for admittance early entrance to kindergarten a child’s parent or guardian will need to contact the building principal of the child’s neighborhood school.

While we are offering a waiver process for early admittance for the upcoming school year, it is essential that families understand that this is not a path to retention or an additional year of preschool. All applicable policies remain in effect. The program offered to children who turn five after September 1 is kindergarten, and students are expected to progress through the year and to first grade.

Ridgefield Tiger Talk

There is no new podcast this week—the perfect opportunity to catch up on Veterans Day, RHS Athletics, or any past podcasts.

RHS art teacher Jane Grassi shares that students in Photo 1, Graphic Design 1, and Mike Murphy's Product Design classes came together to design and create a tree and ornaments for Ann's Place Festival of Trees. This annual festival raises funds to support families battling cancer. RHS donated the tree in memory of Robert (Bob) Cox and Joyce Flanagan, former RHS teachers who passed away this year.

The tree can be seen and will be raffled off at The Summit at Danbury 100 Reserve Road, Danbury, CT; more information about the Festival of Trees and Ann’s Place.

Three cheers, three pigs, and three shows for Shrek, JR at Veterans Park Elementary! Students brought this wonderful tale of Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, and the misfit fairy tale characters trying to outwit the evil Lord Farquaad to the stage. Of course, the show couldn’t go on without the support of staff and families. Please see all those involved in this adorable production (and a bonus Shrek-themed word search) in the Playbill for the show.

The Ridgefield High School Music Department proudly announces that Charlotte Overs is November’s Music Student of the Month. Her love and devotion to music and her singing talent make her an essential part of the community. Please read about Charlotte and her contributions to RHS in this Hamlet Hub article.

Photo Caption: Charlotte Overs with RHS chorus teacher Lauren Verney-Fink at last year's Board of Education meeting.

Last week, executive team members for the RPAC Arts Center came into an AP Studio Art class to discuss careers and pathways in the arts beyond high school and then to do portfolio reviews. "How many of you think or have been told that you can't make any money being an artist?" asks Education Director and Publisher of 068 magazine Greg Mursko. Many hands went up. He then handed kids a summary of some of his research along with average salary ranges right out of college for graphic designers, photographers, marketing associates, marketing managers, fine artists, and illustrators. The group discussed their career paths, which was a definite mix of steering the ship and going with the flow.

RPAC founder and fine artist Dee Dee Colabella told our art students, "If you want a career in the arts, stay there. Work for an animation company doing color, even if it's not where you want to end up. Work for a marketing firm designing logos. Build your skills and network; it will help you navigate your path." "I get paid to color!" exclaimed Mursko.

They concluded their talk by offering reviews on individual student portfolios. Several students received reviews of their work, a lot of praise, and suggestions on growing their craft and the next steps to advance down the path of the arts if they choose. They also had a chance to have personal conversations about careers and talked about plans. It was an inspiring morning of new possibilities and a fresh perspective on pathways in the arts beyond high school.

This program was part of Our Artists, Our Schools, an initiative of the Ridgefield Arts Council. The program aims to bring people with careers in the arts into the classroom to talk about their paths and to show students some potential avenues to navigating a career in the arts. Last year's guests from the program included former Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra conductor Yuga Cohler (who also worked for Google as the developer of the Google Docs app) and local graphic designer Paul Wronski. Yuga shared that though his position at the RSO was part-time, it was a great way to monetize his passion. He shared with the students that the 9-5 workplace was changing and that some companies now use scheduling flexibility to attract and retain the best employees.

VPA Department Chair Michael McNamara, who serves on the Ridgefield Arts Council and is thus a natural program liaison to the school, says, "I think a lot of kids think that the arts are for hobbyists. I certainly did as a teenager who was really into the guitar. I thought I was either going to be a rock star or not be able to pay my bills. Life has taught me that nothing could be further from the truth. Though I went into music education, many musicians from my youth went on to become performers and though they aren't as famous as Taylor Swift they are doing quite well for themselves. There are careers in the arts that can be quite lucrative...we just need to make the students aware of them!"

To learn more about RPAC and their programs, visit their website.

Fall sports are wrapping up, and Winter sports kick off on Wednesday at 6:30 pm. Please check the RHS Athletics webpage for ongoing contests, registration, and more.

The RHS Boys Cross Country team repeated as New England champions last weekend. This follows their dominance as CT Open, CT Class LL, and FCIAC champions. Congrats to Coach Bryan Kovalsky, Magnus Manley, Charles Lovett, Trevor Fuller, Sullivan Dunn, Aidan Nelson, Alexander Glenn, and Samuel Allen. Incredible 2-Peat feat!

The RHS Girls Swim and Dive Team was unstoppable this year—winning FCIACs last week and a State Championship this week. Many records were broken in both relay and individual races. Stay tuned to RPS Update to learn more about this record-breaking team. Congratulations, Tigers!

On Wednesday, RHS student-athletes planning to continue athletics at the D1 NCAA level participated in an Athletics Signing Ceremony. Families, coaches, and friends joined the Athletic Department in this celebration of these tigers. Bios of the Student-Athletes

Congratulations!

Women’s Lacrosse

Gabby Lauretani - University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Grace Winkler - University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Hannah Gilland - Bucknell University

Men’s Lacrosse

Jake Carney - Sacred Heart University

Women’s Swim

Lily Archibald - Rice University

Keira Giles - Bucknell University

Bridget Kelly - Georgetown University

Riley McGerald - Loyola University Maryland

Men's Soccer

Benjamin Voellmicke - Brown University

Men’s Cross Country/Track and Field

Magnus Manley - Yale University

Caroline Baker (Cheer) and Ben Voellmicke (Soccer) are the RHS Fall FICAC Exemplary Athletes. Please read about their academic and athletic achievements on the FCIAC Website.

High five for our RHS unified athletes. They played in a soccer tournament at Fairfield Ludlowe High School last week.

Last week's RPS Update featured the Dots Math Challenge above. Please see one solution here.

Thank you to the cast, crew, staff, and families involved in the RHS fall play, Peter and the Starcatcher! It was a touching, hilarious, top-notch show! Here are some more photos. Read more about the play and the RHS theater community in last week's RPS Update.

The Branchville Elementary DEIB (Diversity Equity Inclusion Belonging) PTA committee brought in educators from The Center for Empowerment and Education to talk to students about empathy and kindness. Students enjoyed practicing kindness and inclusion.

Last week's RPS Update featured photos of schools celebrating veterans. Here are some more pictures from across the district. Thank you to all the staff, students, and families for your support, especially those who served.

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Cory Gillette works with Ridgebury student Maeve and Reading Specialist Leah Loschiavo.

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.