RPS Update
December 8, 2023
Dear Families, Faculty, and Staff,
The lights across the community highlight the celebrations and holidays that take place in the month of December. There is no doubt that the celebratory storefronts and homes offer the spirit of the season and joy. We are so incredibly fortunate to enjoy the holidays, traditions, and daily gifts. Let us be reminded that neighbors near and far may not share these same joys- if able, let us share our spirit, thoughts, prayers, and kindness to others who may need it.
At our last Board of Education meeting, the members learned about Capital Projects planned for the next five years. The Capital Plan follows a different structure than the operational budget- the process will be explained further on Monday evening. Tune in for this and an update on other topics from the District Priorities, class size, World Language, the reading waiver (SOR), etc. We have a pretty full agenda.
Yesterday evening, our School Psychologists were joined by Dr. Hannaway, and Dr. Showah for a presentation on the topic “Skills for Life.” This presentation was generalizable to any age-level student. I encourage families to take advantage of this recorded parent workshop, as well as many other curriculum sessions available on the RPS curriculum website. It is unbelievable how informative these sessions are (thank you colleagues!), and you can watch from the comfort of your own home! This morning while attending a legislative session with a variety of stakeholders from several districts I learned that other communities are taking advantage of our curriculum presentations. GO RPS!
We will have one more Friday communication before the December break- wow, the time is flying by!
Warmly,
Susie
Susie Da Silva, Ed.D
Quote of the Week
“There are two ways of spreading light: To be the candle or the mirror that reflects it."
—Edith Wharton, Novelist
Photo Captions: (Above): Credit: Chana Deitsch, A Menorah in front of Deborah Ann's. Join the Chabad of Ridgefield for the lighting this Sunday at 5 pm. (Below): RPS art teacher Rachael Penney's submission for the Farmingville Door Decoration contest. Read more below.
Important District News and Reminders
Please check your school's calendar for important dates.
Kindergarten Registration for 2024-25 Opens!!!!
RPS Explains Available Options to Families in Light of New CT State Cut-Off
RPS is excited to be a part of the milestone experience of kindergarten registration with our youngest students and their families. The State of Connecticut announced a new cut off date so all children who reach the age of five (5) on or before September 1, 2024 are eligible for enrollment. RPS wants to work with families during this transition year. Please read all of the information here. For planning purposes, please enroll students as soon as possible. The following dates might be helpful in preparing for this exciting rite of passage.
Mini-Kindergarten (Pre-registered Students)
Branchville 5/16/2024 5/30/2024
Barlow Mountain 5/31/2024 5/31/2024
Farmingville 6/5/2024 6/5/2024
Ridgebury 5/21/2024 5/21/2024
Scotland 5/28/2024 5/28/2024
Veterans Park 5/30/2024 5/30/2024
Any registration questions may be directed to our District Registrar Brigid Clancy.
On this week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, we welcome to the show RHS’s School Counselor Department Head Stephanie Cheung and Counselor Jenna Barbino. We discuss all of the post high school options that our students have, how we prepare our students for post high school success, how to have the right mindset when looking for colleges, and how parents can support these endeavors. Thanks for listening!
SAVE THE DATE: RHS College Fair, April 3, 2024
Podcast Fun Fact: Tiger Talk gets an average of about 280 listens per day while some of our most popular shows this season reach about 2000 listens, Thanks Ridgefield!
In this last week’s episode of Ridgefield Tiger Talk, host Dr. Wes DeSantis talked to Dane Street, Ridgefield High School’s Director of Athletics. Among the many interesting topics was the change in the start date of fall athletics by the CIAC. Fall athletes should expect their seasons to start a full week earlier. Also, RHS coaches will be able to work more with student-athletes out-of-season, a nutritionist, and more! .
Check Your eBackpack
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.
Middle School Virtual Tutoring Options
RPS ie offering virtual DROP-IN tutoring sessions for Middle School students! Math, English Language Arts, and General Academic support sessions are offered throughout the week. This program does not replace the valuable help students already receive from their teachers before/after school or during the school day but is meant to offer extended academic support to students and families when questions arise at home in the evening. This virtual tutoring program is open to all 6-8 students. Tutors are certified teachers from both ERMS and SRMS.
The schedule with Google Meet links and Google Classroom access code was sent directly to ERMS and SRMS families before Thanksgiving. To stay up to date with announcements or schedule changes, please remind your child to join the tutoring Google Classroom using their RPS Google account.
Social and Emotional Learning Spotlight
We Are ALL RPS
The elementary schools celebrated Inclusive Schools Week with mind-expanding games, lessons, read alouds, and bulletin boards. RPS aims for schools that are welcoming to all students. See the below for the opportunity to win prizes by solving the VPES Inclusive Schools Week Challenge.
Inclusive Schools Week Challenge: Solve for Prizes!
Veterans Park Special Education teacher Kelly Feeney challenges RPS Update readers to decode VPES finger spelling and braille messages (below) for Inclusive Schools Week! Submit your answer here. Winners and answer in next week's issue.
Parent Workshop Offers Skills for Life
Yesterday, RPS Elementary psychologists presented an engaging virtual "Skills for Life" Workshop that can be viewed here. Veterans Park Elementary psychologist Jeff Lovelace explained ways that RPS promotes self-regulation and managing discomfort in students and strategies parents might employ at home. Scotland psychologist Melissa Gaitho introduced DBT (Dialectical Behavioural Therapy), and Ridgebury psychologist Kathryn Thamsen explained some of the neuroscience affecting behavior. The three psychologists offered examples of challenging moments and skills to employ to meet life's stresses.
Workshop: The Student-Athlete in College
NOTE: This workshop will take place at the Boys and Girls Club of Ridgefield
New Teacher Feature—Patricio Houson
The First Bilingual RPS Update Article—Translated by Mr. Houson
RHS Spanish teacher Patricio Houson knows the experience of being a heritage speaker in a Spanish class. Mr. Houson’s parents immigrated to the U.S. from Argentina and spoke Spanish in his Greenwich home. “Even if you grow up speaking a language,” he explains, “you might not know how to read and write it. You have to unlearn some things if you only spoke it.”
Houson studied Spanish and Economics at the University of Connecticut and spent two years in the financial world before returning to UConn for a Master's in Education. “The team here has been fantastic. It’s a very different line of work, so I have a lot to learn. Allyson Power [RHS World Language lead] is wonderful, and they have supported me in ways to create lessons and quizzes. I crave the same things my students do—structure, clarity, and engagement.”
Houson teaches Spanish III and Spanish IV this year. “I try to speak exclusively in the target language,” he explains, “The philosophy here is immersion-based, but I might use the English word if I see a student becoming too frustrated.” In a recent Spanish 3 class, students spoke to each other in Spanish about a video about a clothing factory. They tried to understand what the phrase, “Yo hice tu ropa” (I make your clothes), might mean in the context of the video. They talked about humanizing the product and working conditions. Houson moves from group to group as students collaborate to answer questions based on the video.
There are mostly sophomores and juniors in the class but also two first-years who are heritage students. “It makes a difference having them,” explains Houson. “Their Spanish is great, and they have a lot to learn. Just like me.”
Nueva función para docentes: Patricio Houson
El profesor de español de RHS, Patricio Houson, sabe lo que es estar en una clase de español siendo español su lengua materna. Los padres del Sr. Houson emigraron a Estados Unidos desde Argentina y hablaban español en su casa de Greenwich. “Incluso si creces hablando un idioma”, explica, “es posible que no sepas leerlo ni escribirlo. Tienes que desaprender algunos malos hábitos que se aprenden cuando solo se habla el idioma y no se ha estudiado formalmente.”
Profesor Houson estudió español y economía en la Universidad de Connecticut y pasó dos años en el mundo financiero antes de regresar a UConn para realizar una maestría en educación. “El equipo aquí ha sido fantástico. Es un área de trabajo muy diferente, así que tengo mucho que aprender. Allyson Power [directora de lenguas] es maravillosa y me ha apoyado en la planeación de lecciones. Quiero las mismas cosas que mis alumnos quieran: estructura, claridad y compromiso”.
Houson enseña español III y español IV este año. "Intento hablar exclusivamente en la lengua española", explica, "la filosofía aquí se basa en la inmersión, pero podría usar la palabra en inglés si veo que un estudiante se frustra demasiado". En una clase reciente de Español 3, los estudiantes hablaron entre ellos en español sobre un video sobre una fábrica de ropa. Intentaron entender qué podría significar la frase “Yo hice tu ropa” en el contexto del video. Hablaron hacer más humano el producto y las condiciones de trabajo. El profesor Houson pasa de un grupo a otro mientras los estudiantes colaboran para responder preguntas basadas en el video.
En la clase hay en su mayoría estudiantes de décimo y onceavo grado, pero hay también dos estudiantes de noveno grade, cuya lengua materna es español. "Tenerlos hace una gran diferencia", explica Houson. “Su español es excelente pero tienen mucho que aprender. Tal como yo."
District Leaders Attend NEASC Conference on Sustainable Innovation
RHS Special Education Supervisor Dr. Angela King, 6-12 Math/Science Curriculum Supervisor Jeff Corbishley, and 6-12 Humanities Curriculum Supervisor Dr. Annie Tucci are currently in Boston attending the NEASC Leadership Conference. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges hosts an annual conference with the purpose of, “sharing new ideas and tackling the challenge of implementing innovative practices in a way that respects the capacity, resources, mission, and members of your school community.” The conference sessions showcase ways to promote sustainable innovation through best practices in Leadership, Technology, Use of Time and Space, Inclusion and Belonging, and Curriculum and Programming.
Mr. Corbishley spoke for the group, saying, “The ability to learn and connect with leaders from around the world, hearing their stories and learning from their experiences, rejuvenates us in the work.” Dr. King said she was inspired by what she learned from a variety of sessions and keynote speakers and plans to take what she has learned by incorporating new ways of engaging students.
The RPS team was able to attend sessions related to Career Pathways, Artificial Intelligence, and Cultivating Innovation. The keynote speakers lead with courageous hearts and minds from throughout the world. Dr. Tucci said of the experience, “We have been highly engaged in these sessions and inspired by so many voices. To see RPS mirrored in the work and perspectives from around the globe and leave with new or expanded ideas to support us as we approach our work was an exceptional learning experience.”
Board of Education
The next BOE Meeting is this Monday, December 11 at 7 pm. 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
The HeART of RPS
A Hot Minute of Art History at Farmingville
Beyond the Classroom
RHS Scholar Athletes
Abigail Seal, Ridgefield
Abby is a senior captain and four-year member for Ridgefield’s varsity field hockey team.
She has been on the High Honor Roll list each marking quarter and has obtained a weighted GPA of 4.56 taking almost all honors and/or AP courses.
Abby is president of her class and has been involved in student government all four years of high school. She received Citizen Scholar Book Award from the University of Vermont.
Abby is also president of the Executive Board of Safe Rides Ridgefield and president of the Junior Board of Molly Ann Tango Foundation.
Vincent Carr, Ridgefield
Vincent is a member of the National Honor Society who has achieved a 4.3 weighted GPA while taking many AP and honors classes.
He is a four-year varsity player on the boys’ golf team who was selected team captain for his senior year. He began his high school golf career by having a successful freshman season which earned him the Rookie of the Year Award.
Vincent is an officer of the Save the Children Club at Ridgefield High School. Outside of RHS, Vincent volunteers as a golf instructor with the First Tee of Connecticut.
Branchville Family History Fair
This week, the Branchville PTA Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee hosted the Family History Fair: What Makes Me, Me? Fourth and fifth-graders shared their family histories, backgrounds, special traditions, stories, and treasured objects from their lives.
The Fair showcased students' hard work and pride as they told visitors about their roots. BES students come from a wide range of backgrounds—Korean, Puerto Rican, Jordanian, Sri Lankan, and European, to name just some of their heritages. One student's ancestor was involved in building the Hoover Dam, another's family member was a supermodel, and another was a former New York governor. One student had Jewish and Christian grandparents. Another had Muslim and Christian. Some families have been here since the founding of our country; some are recent immigrants.
Many students showed photos of themselves visiting their countries of origin, like Italy, Ireland, and Indonesia. In each case, students described learning a lot about their families while pulling together these projects.
Not Just Desserts! NHS Visits Senior Center
Submitted by NHS Advisor, Liz Karlan
Recently, National Honor Society students went to Ridgefield Station for a dessert night with the residents. NHS members served desserts to the senior residents and spent time talking with them.
NHS Student President Sofia Ganal said, “I loved speaking with their wonderful residents. Each person had interesting stories to tell. One centenary told us about how she was friendly with Eleanor Roosevelt and even stayed at the White House! All in all, it was a great night and I’m looking forward to future NHS events with the Ridgefield Station residents.”
Another one of the Ridgefield Station residents is former RHS P.E. teacher and football coach Guido Maiolo, whose name is in Tiger Hollow. He was very excited to tell stories about his time as an All-State Winning football team and introduce his wife, who used to cook for the entire football team while he was coach. Coach Maiolo recognized the RHS principal from Dr. Greenwood’s first year as a biology teacher at RHS in 1999.
The purpose of the National Honors Society is to stimulate a desire to render service to others, to promote worthy leadership, and to encourage the development of character in students of Ridgefield High School. To that end, our ongoing partnership with Ridgefield Station is a natural fit! We are thrilled with the success of this event and look forward to doing more, including a donation drive, opportunities for learning about dementia and Alzheimer's, and our second annual Senior/Senior Prom in the spring.
RHS Alum Return to Talk College and Applications
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, 26 RHS Alumni came back as panelists to talk to current seniors about their college experiences and reflect on the college application process. Here are some pearls of wisdom from recent RHS graduates.
- I love dorm life! My building is social and it matches my social personality
- RHS English classes did a great job at preparing me how to write and it has transferred to college well. In my first semester I had a lot of essays that I had to know how to format and cite properly . I felt well prepared.
- One adjustment to classes is that they require you to do reading before the class. I didn't realize how important pre teaching myself material was to stay on pace in class. The other students showed up already with notes and I had to catch up. Now, I do all the assigned reading when it's due.
- Looking back, I wish I calmed down during the college application process. I stressed myself out so much about getting into my dream school and there are so many other schools I could have been perfectly happy at.
- You'll end up where you are suppose to and if you dont' like it, you can always transfer
- My current school was the last on my list I was interested in, but if you have an open mind, you'll find positives wherever you go.
- The thing about the college process is you will surprise yourself by how much you learn about yourself.
- College courses are fast paced and you are expected to keep up.
- I wasn't use to sharing space but living with a roommate is great. Be honest about your living habits and who you actually are.
- You have to learn how to and that ii's okay to say no to social outings if you have to study for a big test coming up or other things to put academics first.
- Ultimately, you need to balance academics with a social life because the money your parents are paying are for your education, and you have to keep that at the forefront of your mind.
- I plan on talking with my roommate before going back for second semester about things we need to evaluate and change. Talking to a stranger about their habits can be hard but its necessary.
Photos from the Month
Coding Week! Coding Month!
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.