The Windham Connection
District Updates, Highlights, and Celebrations
September/October 2026
Dear Windham Community,
We are off to a strong start to the 2026 - 2027 school year! Over the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to visit our schools, connect with students and staff, and see the great work taking place across our district.
This year’s theme — Strong Foundation. Accelerating Impact. — reflects where we are as a district. We have made meaningful progress, and our focus this year is to build on that progress to create even greater opportunities for all of our students.
Building on Our Progress
There is much to celebrate in Windham! From reaching our highest graduation rate in district history to improvements in attendance and academic achievement, our students and staff continue to demonstrate what is possible when we work together.
Our Continued Areas of Focus
As we celebrate these accomplishments, we remain focused on three priorities:
Attendance & Engagement: Helping students build strong attendance habits, meaningful relationships, and a sense of connection to their school community.
High-Quality Instruction: Ensuring rigorous, grade-level and standards-driven learning that promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and meaningful student discourse.
Safe & Productive Learning Environments: Creating learning environments where students feel safe, included, valued, challenged, and supported.
These priorities are interdependent. When students feel safe, connected, and valued, they are more likely to attend school and engage in learning. When they are present and engaged in high-quality instruction, they have greater opportunities to grow and succeed academically. Together, these priorities guide our work to improve outcomes for every student.
Staying Connected
Strong schools are built on strong connections, and keeping our community informed and engaged is an important part of that work.
The Windham Connection provides another opportunity to share district updates, highlight accomplishments, and celebrate what’s happening across our schools. Along with social media updates and press releases, we will continue creating opportunities for two-way communication through our Superintendent Advisory Boards and Friday Chats with the Superintendent.
Your voice and perspective matter. I look forward to continuing these conversations and strengthening our partnership in support of student success.
Thank you for your continued partnership.
With gratitude,
Superintendent of Schools
Windham Public Schools
At Windham Public Schools, we are committed to creating safe, welcoming, and inclusive schools where every student feels valued, supported, and connected. Last spring, we invited students, families, and staff to share their perspectives through our districtwide School Climate Survey. More than 2,000 students, families, and staff participated, helping us better understand what we are doing well and where we can continue to grow.
Highlights Worth Celebrating!
The survey revealed several encouraging findings:
87% of students in grades 3–8 believe adults at school want them to do their best.
81% of students in grades 3–8 say their teachers recognize them when they do a good job.
90% of students in grades 9–12 report having friends at school.
80% of staff feel a sense of accomplishment from their work.
78% of staff are proud to work for Windham Public Schools.
70% of families feel welcomed and respected at their child’s school.
Opportunities for Growth
While we have much to celebrate, the survey also highlighted opportunities to strengthen student belonging and engagement, positive peer relationships, school safety, communication, and family connections.
Moving Forward Together
We shared the districtwide results with the Board of Education on October 21 and will continue the conversation on November 18. These findings will help guide our efforts to strengthen school climate and ensure that every student and family feels connected, supported, and valued.
Thank you to everyone who participated. Your voice matters, and your feedback helps us build stronger schools together!
We are excited to partner with UConn to bring the Young Scientists Program to Natchaug! UConn students majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Elementary Education will work with our 3rd graders throughout the year to provide hands-on STEM experiences. Through engaging experiments and exposure to different areas of science, students will build curiosity, confidence, and excitement about STEM!
Bobcats Welcome Families Back!
North Windham School welcomed families for its annual Open House for Grades 1-4 on September 10th. The halls buzzed with students and their families as they explored the building, visited classrooms, met staff, and completed the scavenger hunt. Congratulations to our raffle winners!
Bright Spaces, Bright Futures!
While students were away during the summer, North Windham's walls got a fresh coat of color! Each hallway now has its own vibrant hue, making the building bright and inviting. The yellow hallway, in particular, greeted everyone with sunshine and smiles on their first spirit day. Keep an eye out for our spirit days each month!
Big Thinking on Every Wall
Classrooms throughout North Windham are implementing Visible Learning strategies such as vertical whiteboards and collaborative problem-solving. Students are excited to work together and grapple with complex concepts.
Better Together!
On Monday, October 5, North Windham School welcomed staff from Sweeney and Natchaug for a collaborative department meeting with unilingual teachers, interventionists, instructional coaches, and specials teams.
Together, staff reflected on the start of the school year, shared ideas, and discussed how cognitive rigor is being embedded in instruction to deepen student learning and engagement. We were excited to bring colleagues together to learn from one another, strengthen collaboration across schools, and continue our shared commitment to accelerating impact for every student!
Best Buddies Program at Sweeney
Sweeney is proud to be part of the Best Buddies Program and are in year 3. The program is led by Tess LaFleur and Sarah Crowley.
Barrows Students Take Science Beyond the Classroom
Our fifth graders headed outdoors to James L. Goodwin State Forest for a hands-on field study focused on environmental stewardship and the benefits of a healthy environment. Students explored the importance of protecting natural spaces, preserving ecosystems, and understanding how a healthy environment supports the well-being of our communities.
Meanwhile, our second graders explored the wonders of STEM at the Connecticut Science Center. Through interactive exhibits and hands-on investigations, students explored engineering, physics, life science, and problem-solving, bringing their classroom learning to life.
Both groups were outstanding representatives of what it means to be a Barrows student. They demonstrated our Three R’s: Respect, Responsibility, and Reflection while putting our monthly character value of Safety into practice. Students had fun, learned a great deal, and experienced firsthand how curiosity, environmental awareness, and exploration make learning meaningful at Barrows STEM Academy.
During late September, Windham Middle School’s Grade 5 Team invited Assistant Superintendent Neil Weathers to present their 2026 academic data in greater depth to their team as continued professional learning. Here below you see members of Frog City’s Grade 5 Team diving into their Performance Index data. Standout academic growth is happening in Grade 5! A special thanks to Martha Woods for sharing her team’s work and to Neil for… more data!
Friday Chats with the Superintendent provide staff and community members an opportunity to engage in informal, one-on-one conversations. These sessions are designed for sharing ideas, asking questions, and building connections. Meetings are available virtually or in person on Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. To schedule a meeting, please email Loren LeBel at LLebel@windham.k12.ct.us.
Dr. Iris Gomero
Superintendent of Schools
Windham Public Schools
Email: igomero@windham.k12.ct.us
Phone: (860) 465 - 2300