GPS District Digest (v8, i01)

Is it GPS District Digest time again?

We appreciate the patience of our loyal readers who have been with us for years - and there are a lot of you - because we need to educate all of the newbies on what they have been missing. This is not your typical school newsletter. It is Connecticut's favorite year after year. We have the hardware to prove it.

The Digest is where you find all good things GPS. Leave your stress, snarkiness, and politics at the door. Inappropriate, unfunny, and mean is nowhere in sight. We will have none of it. It is just sunshine and rainbows for us.

Every other Thursday, we highlight student achievement and staff accomplishments while pulling back the curtain to show you what your kids are doing all day. And sometimes, just sometimes, we try to have a little fun doing it.

Do not forget to hit that little "subscribe" button at the bottom of this newsletter so you don't miss any exciting issues. You'll be glad you did.

Enjoy Issue No. 1 and thank you for your support.

GPS District Digest

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Greenwich Public School principals, assistant principals, and district administration traveled to Glenville School in late August for the annual Leadership Retreat where they watched presentations on a wide array of topics including human resources, new regulations, safety, curriculum, and communications to help them prepare for the new school year.

By Neev Nedungadi

Special to the Digest

This past July, the Greenwich High School Robotics Club ran its inaugural free summer robotics camp in the high school's Cantor House. Club students organized and led, alongside Faculty Advisor Mr. David Angelo, and it was open to rising ninth-12th graders, with no experience required.

As club captain, and as someone genuinely passionate about robotics, I wanted other kids to experience what robotics really means. It is where hardware and software have to mesh perfectly and I wanted rising freshmen to get a real flavor of that. In two weeks, they designed, built, coded, and drove a robot from scratch.

All 30 spots filled within days of our announcing the camp. Students rotated between building, coding, and driving stations, assembling two complete competition robots and writing the C++ that runs them.

We are grateful to Principal Mayo, Mrs. Karen Foster, and the GHS administrative and custodial staff, whose support made it possible to run the program over the summer.

The kids who want to create that magic can now join the club and take it to the next level. And yes — we plan to run it again next summer. To join the club, they can just send an email expressing their interest to ghsroboclub@gmail.com, and we will add them to our mailing list so they can stay updated on upcoming meetings and events

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This past June, middle school English teachers held their professional development session at the Greenwich Audubon Center, off of Riversville Road. They enjoyed the space, the environment, and the overall good vibes. Many took advantage of a good hike before the day started or during lunch.

Greenwich High School represent!

A team of Cardinals, led by Faculty Advisor Mr. Ian Tiedemann, were selected in July to be published in the 2026 issue of the Journal of Future Economists as part of the The Federal Reserve System High School Fed Challenge.

The Challenge, held by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, is a research and writing competition that aims to encourage students in grades 9-12 to learn more about economics and promote interest in economics as a subject for study and the basis for a career. Previous study of economics is not required - only intellectual curiosity and interest in exploring an economic theme.

Be sure to read the 2026 issue and the article, "Swinging Towards Shutdown: Why Jazz Clubs Are Losing the Market" by the now GHS alumni Gabriel Elezaj, Boden Farmer, Youhan Liang, Sylvester Pecora, Axel Persson, and Shaurya Singh and current seniors Alex Jackson and Jasper Wies.

This past summer, the Greenwich High School AVID Site Team traveled to San Diego for three days of professional development at the Avid Summer Institute, a professional learning event that energizes educators with practical strategies, meaningful collaboration, and clear next steps to support every student. Pictured (l to r): Mr. Sheldon Ayers, Ms. Kim Steinhorn, Ms. Patricia Chan, Ms. Mary Zarra, Mr. Rick Baxley, Mr. John Miller, and Mr. Jon Herman.

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A Welcoming Message From The Town of Greenwich's Dental Health Program

By Amanda Iadanza, RDH & Mary Ellen Munro, RDH

Special to the Digest

Back to school does not just mean back to the books - it also means getting back into healthy daily routines.

As your family settles into the school-year schedule, remember to make brushing part of your child’s morning and bedtime routine. Ideally, children should brush twice a day for two minutes. Every brush counts when it comes to healthy teeth and preventing cavities.

Healthy snacks and drinks are important, too. Packing nutritious snacks and choosing water instead of sugary drinks can help protect teeth throughout the school day. Water is a great way to help rinse away food and those pesky “sugar bugs” that contribute to tooth decay.

Exciting News for Kindergarten

This school year, the Greenwich Department of Health Dental Program is expanding and offering fluoride varnish to kindergarten students. Fluoride varnish is a quick and easy way to help strengthen teeth and provide extra protection against cavities.

Be on the lookout throughout the year for a parent/guardian permission form as we prepare to visit your child’s school.

As always, if you have questions or concerns about your child’s dental health, we are here to help.

Here’s to a happy, healthy school year - and lots of healthy smiles!

Amanda Iadanza, RDH - Amanda_Iadanza@greenwichct.gov

Mary Ellen Munro, RDH – Maryellen_munro@greenwichct.gov

What is a GPS District Digest without Tyler Malkin news?

The Greenwich High School junior took third place in the Senior Individual Paper category for his paper, "A Tale of Two Revolutions: How the Response to a Revolutionary Medical Breakthrough Saved the American Revolution," at the 51st National History Day contest.

In addition, his paper was one of only 14 projects selected to be featured in a showcase by the White House Historical Association and attend the White House Historical Association Writers Seminar where he had the incredible opportunity to discuss his work with White House historians. Last year, more than half a million students globally completed National History Day historical research projects.

National History Day is a nonprofit education organization improving the teaching and learning of history.

Greenwich Public Schools said goodbye to its director of facilities, Mr. Dan Watson, after he announced his retirement.

The Havemeyer Building was rocking last week. It was a busy hub of folks coming and going. This included orientation for all of our new paraeducators. In Connecticut a paraeducator is defined as an employee who assists teachers and/or other certified professionals or therapists in the delivery of instructional and related services to students. We love 'em!

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Greenwich High School's administrative team have prepared themselves for another great school year. Recently, GHS was named the No. 2 high school in Connecticut and No. 194 nationally, according to U.S. News.

Cos Cob School music students are lucky, aren't they? They have Ms. Chris Powers as their teacher.

The GPS District Digest recently learned that the 2019 Distinguished Teacher Award winner was also the recipient of the 2026 Hartt Alumni Award for making significant accomplishments in the performing arts.

The Hartt School, the performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford, is an internationally acclaimed performing arts school with programs in music, dance, and theatre. The school was established by Julius Hartt and Moshe Paranov in 1920 and was one of three founding institutions of the University of Hartford in 1957.

Ms. Powers earned her undergraduate degree in music education and her Kodály certificate from The Hartt School, where she studied with Dr. John Feierabend, and she received a master’s degree in education from Sacred Heart University.

This past June, all Greenwich Public School middle school science teachers attended a full day of professional development hosted at and by the Greenwich Botanical Center. And a full day it was.

Teachers:

• Learned about the history of the property
• Participated in some "would you rather" activities
• Explored the grounds with the lens of potential future field trips to the GBC that would support their science standards
• Visited two special station stops focusing on local pollinators and macro invertebrates
• Enjoyed a hike into the forest where they practiced several nature observation skills that they could use with their own students within a given class period time outside at their own school buildings
• Attended a propagation workshop in the greenhouse with our horticultural director
• Shared an iced herbal cup of tea reflecting on their favorite take away from their day

The Digest learned that the GBC was grateful to have had this opportunity, and they hoped to create a future middle school science field trip at the GBC.

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The Havemeyer staff recently said goodbye to the beloved Ms. Linda Valentine after she announced her retirement from Greenwich Public Schools. Serving as the assistant to superintendent of schools, Ms. Valentine was also a key member of the GPS District Digest research and editorial staff. While everyone at the Havemeyer Building was happy for her, the office has not been the same without her.

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