Welcome to Our district
There's nothing we enjoy more than sharing the good news about our wonderful students and staff members. And we have a lot of great things to share! Read all about student and faculty awards and accomplishments, past happenings, upcoming events, and so much more.
The mood in the Ridgefield Public Schools during the first week was celebratory...and then soggy! Party songs welcomed Veterans Park Elementary students, school buses were buzzing, Ridgefield High School student leaders wore leis to help new students identify sources of help and direction, middle schoolers smiled for the obligatory first-day-of-school photo, and a kindergartener told Superintendent Susie Da Silva that he’s waited his whole life to go to kindergarten. Even with Storm Ida wreaking havoc, it is great to be back.
On the first day of school, Dr. Da Silva shared a TED Talk by Rita Pierson called “Every Kid Needs a Champion” with faculty. With humor, insight, and inspiration, Pierson urges teachers to connect with and champion their students. True to her lesson, Pierson lauds teachers saying that they are born to make a difference.
Everyone who steps into RPS schools will see educators making that vital connection. From the elementary classroom teachers to the middle school library staff guiding eighth-graders through their first morning announcements to the High School Student Life Office's thoughtful ninth-grade orientation where “No One Sits Alone”—RPS staff embrace Pierson’s message to be their students’ champions. They collaborate to find ways to connect with, inspire, and support our students. Our educators are champions.
Scotland Elementary kindergarteners came to the school on Wednesday to learn about bus safety. They joined SES Principal Jill Katcocin and Elementary Supervisor Sarah Weirsman for a bus short trip. First Student bus drivers showed students how to cross the street safely. Parents learned about protocols from Transportation Manager Rick Lupinacci. We have rescheduled the bus orientation, which happened at all the elementary schools, from Monday due to Storm Henri.
- Photo Coming Soon!
This Monday’s Board of Education meeting wasn’t the first BOE Meeting of the 2021–2022 school year but it was the first time this year’s Ridgefield High School Student Body President, Anshuman Suryawanshi (aka Ansh, photo top left), addressed the group. Ansh shared how excited the students are to be back in person and some of their plans for the year, including a freshman dance for tonight and other initiatives to increase school spirit. PTA Council Representative Kim Carone detailed the herculean back-to-school efforts of PTAs across the district; please join your PTA if you haven’t. Please take a moment to read our September 17, 2021 newsletter for more information.
As you are ticking through your back-to-school to-do list, please join your PTA. Every year, Ridgefield PTAs go above and beyond to work with staff to support our shared mission. Parent involvement comes in many different forms, and joining the PTA can be an important step in staying connected to your child’s education.
Find information and links for all nine schools on the Ridgefield Council of PTA’s website.
Superintendent Da Silva reports that Ridgefield Public Schools, in partnership with CSDE, will offer a free meal in all of our schools, including the high school, for the entire 2021–22 school year. This free meal will be a fully nutritious meal as guided by the State of Connecticut and Federal Regulations. You will still need to purchase any ‘a la carte’ items outside of a full meal. While we have the approval to offer a free lunch for all high school students, we do not yet have the approval to offer a free breakfast (although they are still considering our request); so more to come on that. Please read the welcome back letter from Chartwells Food Service for more information.
Please watch the 2021 Summer Bridge Program video to hear about how the theme of Super Heroes echoed the year. See photos of hands-on learning with slime, dissection, art, and outside games, and hear teachers discuss how much they enjoyed connecting with students and colleagues this summer.
Ridgefield Public Schools announced today that Christine Hopkinson will become an Interim Assistant Principal at Ridgefield High School, filling the vacancy left when Jennifer Phostole became Principal of East Ridge Middle School. A graduate of Boston College with a Master’s from the University of California, Los Angeles, Ms. Hopkinson has been teaching English at RHS since 2012 and has been the Student Life Coordinator since 2018.
Please take a moment to view our interim RHS assistant principal press release for additional details.
Ridgefield Public Schools announced on August 4, 2021, that Jeffrey Corbishley will be the Grades 6-12 Math and Science Supervisor. Mr. Corbishley has taught at Ridgefield High School since 2008 and has been the RHS Mathematics Department Chair since 2013. We encourage you to read our press release in its entirety.
Ridgefield Public Schools announced that Jennifer Phostole will be the next principal of East Ridge Middle School. Ms. Phostole has worked at Ridgefield High School since 2006, where she has been the assistant principal since 2016. She also worked at RHS as dean of students, chair of the social studies department, and social studies classroom teacher. For more information, please read our RPS Middle School principal announcement in its entirety.
In anticipation of the 150th Annual Ridgefield High School Commencement, RHS released a slew of information about this year’s senior class and the plans for the graduation ceremony. The top ten scholars in alphabetical order are Evelyn Carr, Ellie Carter, Kenneth Choi, Aidan Flaherty, Claire Griffin, Lucas Kaye, Michael Kovacs, Rory McGrath, Harriette Thomas, and Isabel Voellmicke. Kenneth Choi is Valedictorian.
We have prepared our Reopening of Schools Plan as a comprehensive document that will guide you through CSDE requirements, our journey, as well as inform you on the steps and plans for the reopening of school this fall. You can continue to expect frequent communication and updates as we receive them. We encourage you to read through our reopening plan in its entirety. Continue to send your questions to reopening@ridgefieldps.net.
- RPS Reopening of Schools Plan (Revised November 15, 2020)
- Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut’s Plan to Learn and Grow Together
- Addendum 1 Temporarily Opting into Voluntary Remote Learning Due to COVID-19
- Addendum 2 COVID Guidance and Considerations for Preschool Located in Public Schools
- Addendum 3 Fall Reopening Resource Document for Students with High Needs
- Addendum 4 Interim Guidance for Decision-Making Regarding the Use of In-Person, Hybrid (Blended), or Remote Learning Models in Connecticut Schools during COVID-19
- Addendum 5 Interim Guidance for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios in Connecticut School Districts
- Addendum 6 Reopening Guidance for Educating Students with Disabilities
- Addendum 7 COVID-19 Reopening Considerations for Connecticut K–12 Music Programs
- Addendum 8 Fire and School Safety During COVID-19
- Addendum 9 Contact Tracing Scenarios in Schools
- Addendum 10 Reframing and Reopening School Discipline Amidst COVID-19 Guidance
- Addendum 11 Interim Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings in Schools during COVID-19
- Addendum 12 Reimagining CT Classrooms: Planning the Instructional Time for Remote Learning in Hybrid and Full Remote Models
- Addendum 13 Guidance and Considerations for School Nutrition Programs for School Year 2020–21
- Addendum 14 Supporting Attendance and Engagement during Hybrid or Remote Learning
Each month our district leaders make presentations on a wide variety of topics to the Board of Education to keep both board members and the general public informed of the work of our district staff, building leaders, teachers, and students. Although all BOE meeting documents can be found on our dedicated BOE page, for your convenience we will provide quick links here to the most recent presentations.