RPS Update
October 14, 2022
Dear Families, Faculty, and Staff,
The importance of play, free time, and/or down time can’t be underestimated, and shouldn’t be limited to elementary-aged children. Last week, as I visited ERMS on a rainy day, it was evident that our educators value this time as well. During indoor recess, students were chatting, playing card games, and yes, some were catching up on assignments in order to gain free time later-it was nice to see. Max, in Ms. Margiotta’s English class, was mastering magic with his cards and practiced on me. And yes, he guessed it, the seven of clubs. Way to go, Max! I forgot to take a picture of Max, but here he is- watch out for him! Poof, he may make you disappear, or perhaps hop out of a hat looking like a rabbit!
Similarly, while our students were enjoying their lunch and chatting with their friends, I noticed some of our educators appeared to be enjoying downtime while having a family-style lunch and listening to classical music. It made a rainy day a bit brighter.
Our Board of Education met this week for their annual retreat and regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting. As much as possible, we are highlighting our students at the start of each meeting. I would encourage you to join in-person, or watch online, you won't be disappointed.
Lastly, be on the look-out for a Save the Date, for a Coffee and Conversation. We will be hosting a coffee for RPS families with a panel of RPS educators on a variety of topics that matter to YOU! More information to follow.
Warmly,
Susie
Susie Da Silva, Ed.D.
Quote of the Week
"The student presentations this evening really show the spirit of this Board of Education. We are student-focused and will continue to be in honor of every student that comes to the Ridgefield Public Schools from entering preschool to leaving us on their adult journey. This is why we exist. For you. For all of you."
Superintendent Da Silva, BOE Meeting
October Calendar
Board of Education Meeting
The highlight of this Monday's BOE Meeting might have been the Student Showcase. Five members of the RHS Jazz Band played the Meters' "Cissy Strut". Click on the YouTube of the BOE meeting below to hear their powerful performances or get tickets to their Sunday "Funk Raiser" below. Awesome sound! Ridgefield Robotics leaders Heather Wallace, Jared Brown, and Aidan Fremed described their growing program and their plans for the $20,000 grant the BOE approved from the late Pound RIdge philanthropist, Richard Cummings. More information about an upcoming Robotics Competition and ways families can watch or volunteer below.
In addition to recording of past meetings, you can find agendas and the BOE supporting materials here.
Photo Caption: Members of the RHS Jazz Band with Band Director George Beratis.
Tiger Talk Podcast Is Back
Ridgefield Tiger Talk Podcast is excited to be back for a third season! In this week’s episode Kim Moran, RPS Technology Integrator, joins host Wes DeSantis to talk about district technology and Digital Citizenship. They cover what types of devices our students use at each grade level, some of the new technology RPS is deploying in the district, and the different ways RPS teaches Digital Citizenship. Here is the link to the Common Sense Media website mentioned in the show. Thank you for listening!
Wellness Reminders
Flu Shots
At this time of year we would like to remind everyone to consider getting a flu shot. According to the CDC "Flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor’s visits each year." The quickest way to find a flu shot is go to: https://www.vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/
COVID-19 Booster Vaccine
The updated COVID-19 “bivalent” booster shot is now widely available throughout Connecticut and the State Department of Public Health (DPH). The bivalent booster is formulated to specifically target the Omicron variants that are currently the most widely circulating in the U.S. By getting this updated booster dose now, school staff can better protect themselves, their school communities, and their families from the impacts of COVID-19 during the fall/winter school months and the upcoming holiday season. For more information on where to find COVID-19 vaccines, please visit https://portal.ct.gov/Vaccine-Portal.
Italian Heritage Month
Let's Travel!
SRMS Grade 6, Where Should I Spend My Next Vacation?
Scotts Ridge sixth graders received a task from their librarians this week:
Task: You have been hired by the Director of Tourism to create a website to promote travel to one country. You must first learn more about this country before convincing people to travel there. After choosing your country, you will generate research questions, use credible sources to find the answers, and then apply the information to create a website that will encourage travelers to visit this country for vacation.
Process: Pick a country on the continent you have been working on. Come up with 15 research questions. Use LLC databases and how to cite using Noodletools. Next week, you will learn how to make a Google Site to promote travel to your country.
Stay tuned for their recommendations!
The HeARTs of RPS
Cardboard-asaurus and Recyclo-raptor?
Scotland Elementary kindergarteners used recycled materials to create these charming shape and texture dinosaurs.
Tickets Available for RHS Fall Play!
The RHS Theater Department presents the play "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940" by John Bishop. Described as "an ingeniously and wildly comic romp, which enjoyed a long and critically hailed run, the play is full of delightful slapstick for audiences of all ages." Tickets and more info here.
Funk Raiser Tickets!
East Ridge Motto: "Together We Will"
East Ridge Middle School's recent newsletter revealed the ERMS 2022-23 motto, "Together We Will". They write, "this year we will continue to make progress towards building a stronger community, inspiring innovation, sparking creativity, and influencing positive change. This year's “Together We Will… Bulletin Board" features pictures of all staff members working with students or other staff members. A special thanks to Liz Reiss (Misiewicz) for organizing the photos and the process. We look forward to sharing with families all the exciting progress we make this year."
Beyond the Classroom
Club Fair Showcases All RHS Has to Offer
On Wednesday, RHS club leaders spent their lunch hour displaying their club missions, sharing their passions, and recruiting new members. American Sign Language, Unified Theater, Model UN, and Career Club are just some of the many clubs available. Members of the Heritage Club (photo) started a new club to celebrate different heritages at RHS. Mazie Pelusio, Lily Archibald, Natalia Feliciano, and Juan Puente shared the Heritage Club's mission statement, which is "to strive to help others while celebrating our culture and enlighten others on our heritage. Our goal is to unite a community of young minority academics while celebrating differences in our town."
Key and Interact Clubs are a few of the many community service-based clubs. Science Olympiad member Nathan Gaynor, strums a student-made guitar, while he describes how his club prepares for competitions at local colleges. More information about all the RHS Club offerings here. Please see photos from Club Fair in This Week in Photos below.
Vex Robotics Competition: Spectators Welcome; Volunteers Wanted
RHS Debate Is Great!
Should federal land and water be reopened to oil and gas drilling? That was the question the Ridgefield High School Debate Team addressed in four (1-hour, 15-minute) rounds with teams from other schools at the Connecticut Debate Association (CDA) Online Tournament.
Debate Advisor Adam Horvath reports that RHS students won four rounds of debate and advanced to the final round to compete for first place. This final round took place in front of an audience made up of all the students (around 120) and adults who attended the tournament. Congratulations to James Cox-Donovan (right) and Gabriel Uceda-Sosa (left) for earning the second place trophy, and to Gabriel for his first place varsity speaker trophy!
Model UN Scrimmages!
RHS's Model UN team competed at the Greenwich High School Fall Model UN Scrimmage! Advisor Ashley Brooksbank writes, “Our students worked alongside participants from Greenwich High School, New Canaan High School, and AITE to try to reach resolutions relating to both modern day and historical issues. In the spirit of this compromise, there are no winners at Model UN, but we did have two students (TJ Petersen and Victor Uceda-Sosa) recognized for outstanding contributions to their respective committees.” Congratulations all!
Banned Book Week Poster Contest
The RHS Library Learning Commons held a Banned Book Poster Contest to highlight the American Library Association's chosen theme of "Books Unite Us, Censorship Divides Us." Librarian D Demayo reports that "We were blown away by the many creative and thought-provoking submissions." Congratulations to Donnelly Rodgers for his winning poster, on display in the LLC. Donnelly received an RHS gift basket which included items from the RHS School Store and a $25 gift certificate to Books on the Common.
This Week In Photos
Farmingville PE teacher Steven Either got a pie in the face when FES hit its Racoon Rally fundraising goal; Branchville first graders study words and fourth graders solve math. More from RHS Club Fair and Italian Heritage festivities.
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.