RPS Update

—Together Is Better: A Little Book of Inspiration, by Simon Sinek, shared by Jeff Lovelace, RPS Teacher of the Year.

Photo Above: Preschool started this week. See more photos below!

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will the new site for the Alternative High School and 18-22 Transition programs. Progress on the Prospect Ridge Campus continues, and the District has been in regular communication with families directly affected to ensure they understand their students' programs during construction. The Town of Ridgefield is our closest partner in overseeing the construction of facilities, and we continue to work with them as the campus is developed. Thank you, Ridgefield residents (both human and canine), for your patience and support of this facility.

Photo Caption: Ridgefield Director of Public Works & Facilities Jake Muller, First Selectperson Rudy Marconi, Superintendent Dr. Da Silva, and RPS Facilities Manager Joe Morits during the Prospect Ridge ribbon cutting ceremony on April 30, 2025.

Please help RPS go green by checking your students' e-Backpack weekly for important information. Organizations that meet the RPS policy may submit their request for inclusion to cmelagrano@ridgefieldps.net.

Check your school's calendar for important dates and early dismissals! Check in here before planning family vacations and medical appointments or just to see what’s coming up. Take advantage of our interactive calendar features to receive alerts via email or messaged to your electronic devices.

Admission representatives from over 125 colleges and universities will visit RHS this fall. These College Rep visits begin on Monday in room F11 and are an excellent opportunity for students to learn more about colleges, connect with admissions departments, and demonstrate interest. Sign-ups are on Naviance under What's New and on the School Counseling website.

Circles for parents and guardians of kindergarteners start soon. Learn more about these free workshops and registration here.

Circles for parents and guardians of adolescents (grades 5-8) start in October. Learn more about these workshops and registration here.

Ninth-grade Meet the Counselor Flex sessions started this week. This is an excellent opportunity for students to connect with their school counselor during the first semester in small group settings.

Veterans Park Elementary shared that the beautiful new mural in their cafeteria was created by two incredibly talented artists, Natalie Chin and Mae Carpenter (pictured in front of the mural), both juniors at RHS. VPES PTA member Laura Liberti writes, "The mural is a true celebration of community, collaboration, and the joy of learning." Ms. Liberti credits RHS art teacher Dana Phelan with guiding the project. Mae comments, “Working on the mural was such a great experience, and I’m very glad Natalie and I had the opportunity to complete this wonderful project. We were given a design to complete from the VP PTA, but added a few clouds to make it look more sky-like. It was a lot of work, but I’m very proud of the result!”

The artists, their teacher, and families should be proud of this giant reminder. VPES Principal Dr. Sheri Prendergast credits the school's PTA, writing, "This project would not have been possible without the generous support of our incredible PTA. A heartfelt thank you goes to Ashley Grusauskas, Laura Liberti, Katherine Reth, and Suzanne Laswell for their leadership, vision, and countless hours of work behind the scenes. Their commitment to enriching the student experience at VP shines through in every detail, and we are so appreciative of the way they continue to go above and beyond for our school."

DREAM BIG and FLY HIGH, VPES Eagles and RPS Tigers.

This year, RPS has hired social workers to support school psychologists at the elementary level. We often get questions about the difference between a school social worker and a school psychologist, as both focus on social-emotional learning and behavior. A school psychologist specializes in evaluating students for special education, 504 plans, and AIG (Academically/Intellectually Gifted) programs. They also focus on how learning difficulties can intersect with a student's social, emotional, and behavioral needs. On the other hand, a school social worker's primary role is to connect families with community resources and support, as well as strengthen partnerships between the home and school. Both professionals collaborate with teachers and families to support students' social and emotional needs. They also both provide counseling, behavioral support, and crisis intervention. With classroom and essential teachers, we are all better together!

Thank you to the RHS World Language team and team leader Allyson Power for showing RPS Update how to say "Better Together" in all the languages taught at RHS. This year, RHS offers American Sign Language, demonstrated above by ASL teacher Kimberlina Gerena. We are definitely better together!!! Tell us how you say "Better Together" at your house by emailing Alison Pratt.

Photo right shows "Better Together" in Mandarin

Meilleurs ensemble (French)

Meglio insieme (Italian)

Melius Simul (Latin)

Unidos somos mejores (Spanish)

Collage! Painting! Photography! Clay! Landscapes! Still Lifes! and More! On October 7 and 8, RPS will open the K-12 Art Show, featuring art from every school and grade level created by RPS students during the 2024-25 school year. While we wish we could include art from every student, our art teachers are only able to feature a selection of artworks in various media to showcase creative pathways in the Visual Arts. All are beautiful and masterfully exhibited by our dream team.

Eleven-year-old Micky Farmer, a new sixth grader at East Ridge and a standout youth basketball player, is turning his passion for sports into a mission of hope. When Micky learned that his three-year-old cousin, Theo, who lives in Greece, had been diagnosed with cancer, he wanted to find a way to help. That opportunity came through the Youth Athlete of the Year competition, where votes not only advance athletes through each round but also raise awareness and funds for cancer research. For Micky, the competition quickly became more than just basketball—it became a way to honor Theo and support a cause that has touched his family.

Micky’s dedication has carried him all the way to the group finals, a remarkable achievement. Now, he’s calling on the community to rally behind him. Each vote cast in his favor contributes to cancer awareness and research, bringing hope to families facing the same fight as Theo. “This isn’t just about basketball anymore,” Micky’s family shared. “It’s about showing support for a little boy he loves dearly and for all kids battling cancer.” The community can support Micky’s efforts by casting a vote through the official competition link https://athleteoftheyear.org/2025/micky-1569. Every vote helps Micky get one step closer to the next round—and more importantly, helps fuel the fight against cancer. Let's go, Micky!

Congratulations to junior Olivia Roman (shown on horseback in the photo right) for her first-place finish at the Connecticut Hunter Jumpers Association (CHJA) 2' Pre-Children's Medal Final recently held at the Fairfield County Hunt Club. This performance, against some of the best equestrians in the state, was a result of countless hours of hard work and dedication. Amazing, Olivia!

On Labor Day, local history buffs assembled at St. Stephen’s Church for the first Ridgefield Labor Day History Fair, an idea inspired by RHS ninth-grader Kai Hagan. Members of the public gathered at St. Stephen's to learn more about the Labor Movement and its contributions to public life. Kai (shown in the photo right with fellow organizer and St. Stephen's Reverend Dr. Whitney Altopp) said, "I personally think Labor Day is an underrated holiday. We don't talk about it that much…I want to inspire students to do something positive…In light of recent events across the world, a lot of them have stopped caring." Reverend Altopp writes, “Our intent was to emphasize how we have societally benefitted from the hard fights of the Labor Movement- including the Posse Comitatus Act, child protections, the Food and Drug Safety Act, the weekend and minimum wage standards, as well as artists like Pete Seeger." As the day turned into evening, attendees enjoyed free hot dogs, a sing-along potluck, trivia, and the screening of the movie Matewan (1987), which is about the Coal Wars in a mining town in West Virginia.

Two RHS Sophomores, Sophia Bran (left in photo) and Maddie Nelson (right), achieved the rank of Eagle Scout just a week before starting sophomore year. They are both members of Troop 19, Ridgefield's all-female Scout troop. They joined the troop in 2021, when they were in sixth grade, and have achieved the highest rank in scouting at the age of 14. Besides earning more than 21 merit badges—including hiking, camping, swimming, personal fitness, first aid, environmental science, citizenship, and communications—they had to lead a significant community project. Sophia organized a collection drive to assemble over 300 BIrthday supply boxes for the Daily Bread Food Pantry. Maddie created a pollinator garden at the Woodcock Nature Center. According to Troop 19, female scouts were first allowed to join the Boy Scouts in 2019, and since then, approximately 6,000 women nationwide have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Way to go, Sophia and Maddie!

Thank you to Molly McGeehin, past PTSA president Kathleen Murdock, the Pollinator Pathway organization, as well as the Ridgefield Conservation Commission’s volunteers, for all their work weeding and eliminating invasive species from the Pollinator Pathway Garden at RHS. RHS biology students in Mr. Rainbeau's class have already made use of this wonderful outdoor educational space.

While most ninth-graders can now navigate the halls of RHS, even a veteran RHS parent can get lost trying to find the GWing during back-to-school night. That's why it was so great to have a team of veteran RHS students on hand last night to show them the way. Here's a snapshot of some of our leaders with Student Government advisor Jenn DeJulio.

It was wonderful to welcome our youngest students to school this week. Preschool Supervisor Christina Salvestrini reports, "We had a fantastic first week in Preschool! From exploring the classroom to building new friendships and learning routines, our preschoolers are off to an amazing start!"

We would love to hear from you! Families and staff can submit stories, comments, or corrections to RPS Communications. Please follow us on Social Media with links below.