April 25, 2019 Norwalk Public Schools ‌ ‌ ‌

Norwalk Public Schools News & Information

Norwalk Students Sweep Categories To Qualify For State History Competition NPS students went back in time at the recent regional National History Day competition at Sacred Heart University. They wowed judges with works ranging from a documentary on Vincent Van Gogh’s art and mental state to a website on the cancer cure that causes cancer, and the mystery behind the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic.   Norwalk students swept three categories at the regional competition, and also won awards in each category in the Junior division. Now, students will move on to the state competition on May 4 at Central Connecticut State University. NPS winners will represent Fairfield County, alongside students from Greenwich, Westport and Wilton at the competition. Professional historians and educators will evaluate the projects.   “The regional event was an intense, rigorous academic competition,” said District Gifted & Talented Coordinator Lori Leibowitz. “The judges were impressed and kept calling Norwalk students as winners. The hard work and perseverance of our students was evident. They competed with the best of the best in Fairfield County.”   National History Day is a program for students in grades 6-12 that encourages exploration of local, state, national and world history. This is the first time that Norwalk Public Schools is participating in this competition as a district, though individual groups have competed in the past.

NPS Students Headed To State Invention Convention What do you do when the product or method that you are using doesn’t work? What happens when you have a problem and you can’t find a solution? You invent something through trial and error! On May 4, NPS students will present their unique inventions to judges at the Connecticut Invention Convention (CIC) state finals competition at The University of Connecticut, Storrs. Way to go NPS inventors! We wish you the best of luck at the competition.   The Invention Convention is an event that gives students an opportunity to demonstrate skills independently as they invent a new product or process. Participants are encouraged to identify a need or to solve a problem. Students follow the same steps and patent application procedures that an inventor would follow in patenting an invention.

NHS Presents Shrek The Musical – Tickets On Sale Now!  "Once upon a time, there was a little ogre named Shrek..." Thus begins the tale of an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you've got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there's one on hand, and his name is Shrek.    Follow the adventures of Shrek at Norwalk High School’s “Shrek The Musical” on April 26, 27 and May 3 and 4. Tickets can be purchased in advance by clicking here , or available at the door.

Student Health Forms Deadline Approaching Periodic health assessments are required of all students attending Norwalk Public Schools. NPS School Nurses will be in their buildings through June 13 to accept forms. There will also be nurses in schools throughout the district during the summer from July 8 – August 9. If the student already had a physical exam and met the requirements, the appropriate blue or yellow State of Connecticut Health Assessment Record (HAR) should be given directly to the nurse as soon as possible. Incoming Pre-K, Kindergarteners and Students New to NPS for the 2019-20 School Year: A recent complete Health Assessment Record must be on file in the school nurse’s office before they may attend school. This includes a TB risk assessment and hemoglobin as well as an up-to-date vaccine record. (yellow HAR for Pre-K,  blue HAR for Kindergarteners and all other students) All Students Entering Grade 7 for the 2019-20 School Year:  All current 6th grade students should have submitted a Health Assessment Record and updated vaccine record to the school nurse during this school year. A physical exam done on or after July 1, 2018 will meet the requirement. (blue HAR) This updated complete health assessment must be on file with the school nurse before any student may enter 7th grade. Additionally, a student must have documentation of receiving two vaccines – MCV4 and Tdap – before entering 7th grade. No student will be permitted to enter 7th grade until these requirements are met. All Students Entering Grade 10 for the 2019-20 School Year: All current 9th grade students should have submitted a Health Assessment Record to the school nurse during this school year. A physical exam done on or after July 1, 2018 will meet the requirement. (blue HAR) This updated complete health assessment must be on file with the school nurse before any student may enter 10th grade. No student will be permitted to enter 10th grade until this requirement is met. Sports Physicals: All sport physical exams, including a current hemoglobin, must be submitted within one year of playing a sport and must be updated every year the student is participating, regardless of grade. (blue HAR) Please call your school nurse with any questions about the required health assessments or immunizations.

Save-The-Date: NPS Art Show The annual Norwalk Public Schools Art Show will officially open to the public at 5pm on Monday, May 13 in the Community Room. The show will run through noon on Thursday, May 16. NPS Superintendent Dr. Adamowski and Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling will join students, teachers and parents to officially celebrate on Tuesday, May 14 at 6pm. Swing by the show during open hours and support our talented students!

National Teacher Appreciation Week: May 6-10  More than 900 certified Norwalk Public School teachers have dedicated their careers to making sure all of our students succeed. Not only are teachers entrusted with preparing students for the future academically, they are the single most influential factor in a child’s overall educational experience. Teachers are role models, motivators and advisors. Long after our students graduate, Norwalk teachers continue to be an influence in their lives.    Please join the NPS Board of Education, students, families, and members of the community in recognizing our talented, dedicated, determined and inspirational teachers during National Teacher Appreciation Week. We are grateful for the work they do.

Thank You To Our Dedicated School Nurses!  Each day when we send our children off to school, we know that our kids are in great hands if they need to visit the nurse’s office. The job of Norwalk’s school nurses definitely goes well beyond band-aids. For a school nurse each day brings a new set of challenges, whether screening for health issues, dealing with injuries, responding to allergic reactions, administering medication, managing chronic diseases such as diabetes and asthma, and addressing the impact of behavioral health and social issues.   Join the Norwalk Board of Education on May 9 as we celebrate School Nurse Appreciation Day in Norwalk. Thanks to each one of our hardworking nurses who take such good care of NPS students.

NPS SPED Workshop For Parents To Answer Questions About IEP's, Transition and More Join the Department of Special Education staff and partners on Tuesday, April 30 at City Hall for a panel discussion on topics including: transition, student-led IEPs, talking to your child about his/her disability, and more. In addition to members of the Department of Specialized Learning and Student Services and a developmental/public policy expert, there will be an NPS student and parent on the panel. Panel members include: Jessica Ireland, NPS Transition Coordinator Kirstin Grady, NPS Out-of-District Coordinator Kara Weiss, NPS Special Education Teacher  Naomi Brickel, Director, Community Support Network, Coordinator of Public Policy, Westchester Institute for Human Development We look forward to seeing you there!

West Rocks Students Spring Into Outdoor Design During an encore course , West Rocks Middle School students had the opportunity to redesign the greenery surrounding their school. Now, they plan to see the design through by getting dirty! Encore courses provide enrichment, exploration and application of the core curriculum. Course offerings are taught by teachers with the goal of establishing relationships outside of standard classes to build student engagement. The West Rocks Middle School community will spruce up the outdoor space around the school on Saturday, April 27 from 8:30am to 2:30pm. Home Depot will sponsor the transformation, providing trees, bushes, mulch, etc. based on student design. All are welcome to bring gardening tools to help. Green thumbs are not necessary!

For Parents Of Young Adult Drivers The National Safety Council deems each April as Distracted Driving Awareness month. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) teen drivers, 15 to 19 years old are the age group most at risk for distracted driving accidents. With so many young drivers in Norwalk, it is important to educate teens on the risks of distracted driving, and help them learn how to drive responsibly and safely. To watch a video on ways to keep your teen driver safe click here . Additional information is also available on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website .

Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship Fund Winner Named Congrats to Norwalk High School senior Emilia Cuevas, who was named as the 2019 recipient of the Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship. Emilia is the 23rd recipient of the scholarship for Norwalk High School students. Hundreds of family, friends and community members came together to celebrate with a presentation and dinner dance at Shore & Country Club in early April.   Applicants submitted a preliminary application in October. In November, seven applicants from the application pool were invited to submit a final application in February, requiring letters of recommendation in support of their academic, athletic, arts, and community and religious service involvements and accomplishments.    From this pool, the four finalists, David Chuba, Julia Sferlazza and Gianluca Trofa were invited to an interview with the Scholarship Selection Committee. The recipient was selected based on how their application, recommendations, and interview most reminded the Selection Committee of Kevin. The Kevin M. Eidt Memorial Scholarship Fund publicly supported charitable organization, was established in honor of the exemplary achievements of Kevin, who passed away during his freshman year at Boston College. Since the Fund’s inception in 1997, more than $2.1 million in scholarships have been awarded to 160 recipients.    This year, the Eidt’s will give away an additional $25,000 to eight other students including NHS students in the orchestra, marching band, jazz band and athletics. For additional information click here.

English Language Learners Scholarship Winners Celebrated The 11 th annual English Language Learners Scholarship Event in memory of Natalia Rodriguez will be held at City Hall on May 8. The scholarship honors its namesake, a 33-year NPS Bilingual Parent Coordinator who passed away in 2008. For more information on the event or to donate, click here .

International Educators Visit NPS for Insight on Implementing SEM International educators from Germany and Switzerland visited Tracey, Roton and Cranbury schools in early April with leader and pioneer in gifted education Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli. The group specifically chose Norwalk to gain insight on the successful Student Enrichment Model (SEM) piloted this year at Roton, Tracey and Cranbury.   Part of the redesigned Gifted & Talented program, the SEM model has proven to have a positive impact on the entire school. With topics based on student and teacher interest, six to eight week long enrichment clusters offer everything from belly dancing to boxing, baseball braniacs, zany xylophones and virtual travel. NPS plans to expand the program to other schools next year.   District Gifted & Talented Coordinator Lori Leibowitz presented the SEM model at a recent Board of Education meeting. To watch a short informative video on SEM click here .

Destination Imagination, Tracey Seven Tracey Cubs competed in the Destination Imagination Affiliate Tournament before April vacation with the support of John Sincerbeaux as their "Team Leader.” They won first place in the "Medical Mysteries" category.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 65 percent of today’s students will be employed in jobs that have yet to be invented. The Destination Imagination challenge allows students to become part of a global community of confident creators and practice the essential skills needed to thrive in school, future careers and beyond. For additional information about Destination Imagination click here .

Important Meetings & Dates

Thursday, April 25, Excellence In Education, Shore & Country Club, 5:30-8pm Tuesday, May 7 , Policy Committee Meeting, 5:45-7pm, Room A300 Tuesday, May 7, Board Workshop Meeting, 7-9pm, Common Council Chambers Thursday, May 9, Finance Committee Meeting, 6-8pm, Room 333

Norwalk Public Schools 125 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06852 Phone: 203-854-4000

Contact Us ‌ ‌ ‌

This newsletter is compiled & published by the NPS Communications Department. Have a question about our school district or an item to share? Contact Brenda Wilcox Williams, Chief Communications Officer, williams@norwalkps.org , or call 203-854-4003.

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