Norwalk Public Schools News & Information
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Start With Hello Week Kicks Off At Norwalk Public Schools
Throughout this week, Norwalk Public Schools is joining 13,000 schools across the country participating in the Sandy Hook Promise “Start With Hello” program. Developed by family members who were impacted by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, this program enables students to make a difference with their peers in simple, fun, and impactful ways to promote connectedness and inclusion.
NPS students across all grade levels are taking part in programming at their individual schools. Activities and lessons include small but powerful actions to identify and help others who are showing signs of social isolation. To read the full story
click here
.
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NPS Celebrates Grand Opening Of Literacy Center
This week, Norwalk Public Schools celebrated the grand opening of the Norwalk Center for Specialized Learning in Literacy. G
overnor Malloy joined NPS Superintendent Dr. Adamowski, Norwalk’s Mayor Rilling, State Senator Bob Duff, State Reps. Gail Lavielle & Terrie Wood, Board of Ed Chair Mike Barbis, Common Councilman Greg Burnett, and other community leaders for the ceremony. The event took place during the extreme cloudy and rainy weather, which Chief of Specialized Learning and Student Services Yvette Goorevitch used as a metaphor to describe the clouds of illiteracy being lifted for all Norwalk children.
The Norwalk Literacy Center provides state-of-the-art interventions to students with reading disabilities, including dyslexia. The grand opening marks Norwalk’s continued commitment to support learners within the district, without outsourcing services.
Thanks to all who helped make the Literacy Center a reality including Fairfield University, Literacy How, NPS special education administrators and teachers, NPS speech and language pathologists and the NPS facilities department. To read the full story
click here
.
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Silvermine Students Share Lunch With First Responders
Silvermine Dual Language Magnet School students were all smiles as they sat side-by-side with Norwalk First Responders to enjoy lunch and conversation earlier this week as part of an annual meet-and-greet event. For the third year in a row, Silvermine staff, parents and grandparents provided an impressive homemade spread for the special lunch to thank first responders. Members of the Norwalk Police Department, Norwalk Fire Department and Norwalk EMTs attended the lunch.
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Are You Receiving Important NPS SMS Text Messages?
NPS sends out notifications to parents via email, automated voice message, and SMS text. If you are not receiving these messages, please make sure your student record has been updated with the most recent information. Note: To receive SMS text messages, you must opt-in through the
system
and provide a valid mobile phone number.
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Norwalk Seal Of Biliteracy Testing
Seal of Biliteracy exams will be administered at each high school on Saturday, October 20 for seniors who wish to earn the Connecticut Seal of Biliteracy. Exams are free of charge and will be held 9am through 11:30am at Brien McMahon High School and Norwalk High School. Students will need to bring identification to the test. The Seal of Biliteracy was established by the State Board of Education to recognize public high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in English and one or more languages.
Exams are being held early in the year so that students can include their earned Seal as part of college applications. If your child is interested in taking the test, please have them sign up with their World Language or ELL teacher by Friday, October 5. Students who are proficient in languages other than those
listed here
, and would like to earn the Seal of Biliteracy, will be contacted directly to set up days/times for alternative testing arrangements. If you have additional questions contact Dr. Galambos at Brien McMahon High School or Señor Arango at Norwalk High School. For more information
click here
.
For additional details on the Seal of Biliteracy
click here
.
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Summer Program Bridges The Gap Between Home And School Learning
For six weeks this summer, over 420 NPS students improved reading skills and learned how to read like storytellers, while their families became reading coaches and teachers strengthened their skills. The Springboard Collaborative pilot took place at Jefferson and Kendall Elementary Schools with the goal of encouraging family engagement through incentives, and helping close the literacy gap among students.
Family members participated in workshops for an hour each week on topics including picking a book and avoiding frustration, considering genres, asking open-ended questions and coaching as opposed to telling. During these workshops, which had an attendance rate of over 90 percent, instructors first taught parents a certain literacy instruction skill, and then had them apply this skill with their child.
Springboard Collaborative participants met ambitious goals with 62.5 percent of participants meeting their growth goal, and 45.3 percent of students exceeding their growth goal. Way to go NPS readers!
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2018 Smarter Balanced Results
Individual Student Reports (ISR) from 2018 Spring state testing will be mailed home during the week of October 15 for students who tested in grades 3 through 7. The statewide distribution of Smarter Balanced Grade 8 Individual Student Reports will be delayed until late October. The state reports that this delay is due to one math item that needs to be excluded from students’ scores.
The reports will show each student’s achievement on the assessments based on the Connecticut Core Standards, which define learning expectations for what students should know and be able to at each grade level.
For more information visit the State of Connecticut’s Department of Education
website
.
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Brien McMahon Students Find Calm Through Mindfulness
With eyes closed and lights dimmed, a group of Brien McMahon students listened to the soothing voice of School Psychologist Dr. David Andersen. He instructed them to focus on their breathing, learn to accept whatever they were are experiencing, and have compassion for it. After ten minutes, a soft gong sounded and students discussed their feelings, difficulties, and reactions toward the meditation.
The Brien McMahon Mindfulness group meets once a week and has had a meaningful impact on participating students. With an increase of adolescents being diagnosed with anxiety disorders, Dr. Andersen started the group last year to provide students with a health way to deal with stress. A long-time school psychologist and published mindfulness author, Dr. Andersen has also seen the practice of mindfulness help students to have better focus, and tolerate uncomfortable situations and emotions. The group also incorporates loving and kindness visualizations into their meditation sessions.
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Norwalk Teachers in Residence Program
Starting with the 2018-2019 school year, NPS has established the “Teacher in Residence” program. The program offers a career ladder for classroom educators, providing them with the opportunity to go outside of the classroom and develop their leadership skills. Teachers in Residence will work on significant districtwide projects, and will share their work and experiences with others. Typically, a one-year position, this opportunity is designed to be an extension of our Leadership Pipeline for aspiring and high potential school leaders. Many participants are also part of the rigorous Emerging Leader program, which develops future leaders from within the district.
Congrats to this year’s Teachers in Residence:
Rose Jefferson,
Humanities
Jonathan Lake,
Testing and Accountability
Amanda Martinez
,
Department of Specialized Learning and Student Services
Christie Robinson
,
STEM
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PSAT/NMSQT Testing Dates
On Wednesday, October 10, all grade 9, 10 and 11 students at Brien McMahon High School and Norwalk High School will take the PSAT 8/9 or PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). The scores on the PSAT for grades 10 and 11 qualify students for the NMSQT.
Testing will begin promptly at 7:30am and conclude at approximately 11:30am. Students who arrive late may not be admitted into their testing room, so please make sure your child arrives to school on time.
Seniors may enter the building at 11:30am after the testing period has ended. Seniors who ride the bus should be at their usual bus stops four hours after their usual pickup time.
Eighth graders across the district will also take the PSAT 8/9 on October 10. Regular school hours apply for all grades. Please check with your specific middle school for exact testing start times.
On the morning of the test, students should arrive at school with #2 pencils and an approved calculator. Please note that cell phones are prohibited in the testing areas.
Save the date! April 9 will be SAT day in Norwalk for all juniors.
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BMHS Teacher Honored With Lawrence W. O'Toole Teacher Leadership Award
Congratulations to Ms. Kelsey LaPrad on being named a Lawrence W. O’Toole Teacher Leadership Award winner! Named after the founding father of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, the O’Toole Awards recognize public high school teachers who are advancing student-centered approaches to learning throughout New England. A special education teacher at Brien McMahon High School, Ms. LaPrad provides students with intellectual disabilities and autism with real-world learning experiences. Ms. LaPrad is one of 13 teachers chosen across New England to receive the $15,000 grant. The grant will be used to train students and teachers to implement a peer-assisted classroom model for students with disabilities. To read more click
here
.
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Coach Inducted Into CT Field Hockey Hall Of Fame
Brien McMahon High School English Department Chair and Field Hockey Coach Dani Brown was elected to the CT Field Hockey Hall of Fame on Sunday, September 16. Coach Brown was inducted in the umpire category, joining eight other honorees as members of the Class of 2018. An all-around field hockey star in high school, Coach Brown went on to be an award-winning player on the Fairfield University team. She has also had an incredible career as an umpire, having officiated CT FCIAC, NCAA D-I and D-II, and other well-respected tournaments. In 2010 she was selected to attend the USA National Championships in Virginia and then called to be an emergency fill-in for the USA Field Hockey team at the CAC Games in Puerto Rico. Congrats to Coach Brown!
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Bullying Prevention And Awareness Week
Parents, educators and administrators are committed to working together to raise awareness, and to promote a positive culture that eliminates bullying. Throughout the month of October and beyond, Norwalk schools throughout the district provide students with activities and events designed to prevent bullying. To read the proclamation from this week’s Board of Education meeting
click here
.
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Hispanic Heritage Month
The Norwalk Board of Education is proud to recognize September 15 to October 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we recognize the contributions made and the important presence and impact of Hispanic and Latino Americans in our community and nation. Through strong commitment to family, faith and hard work Latinos have enhanced and shaped our national character with centuries-old traditions that reflect the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their community. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates these histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, or other Spanish cultures. To read the proclamation
click here
.
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Thursday, September 27
, Negotiations & Personnel Committe Meeting, 7-8pm, Room 333
Tuesday, October 2
, Policy Committee Meeting, 5:45-7pm, Room 333
Tuesday, October 2
, Board Workshop, 7-9pm, Common Council Chambers
Thursday, October 4
, Transition Fair, 6-8:30pm, Community Room - Norwalk City Hall
Thursday, October 11
, Finance Committee Meeting, 6-7pm, Room 333
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Norwalk Public Schools
125 East Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06852
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This newsletter is compiled & published by the NPS Communications Department.
Have a question about our school district or an item to share?
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