Dr. Semmel's August Newsletter
August 2026
Are you looking to know and better understand the work of the school district? If so, each year I work with multiple teams of administrators, teacher leaders, and classroom teachers to develop a set of district goals for the coming school year. You can find our District Improvement Plan here: 2026-2027 District Improvement Plan. Our BOE members are instrumental in the development of these goals, as they provide feedback throughout the year on our progress. The BOE formally adopted the 2026-2027 goals during the August 11, 2026 BOE meeting. By identifying our district goals and creating alignment across the district, we can continue making improvements to our already successful school district.
We are excited to announce that the Trumbull Police Department has restored our third School Resource Officer (SRO) for the 2026-2027 school year. Our SRO's are valuable team members within the Trumbull Public Schools. On a day-to-day basis, they are a visible presence within our school system. They proactively connect with students and staff to develop positive relationships. They can be found in the hallways, large common spaces, and even in classrooms. Police officers are also highly trained first responders who can provide significant support in a crisis situation. Officer Duva will continue to spend most of his time at Trumbull High School; Officer Bartosik will work with the Madison Middle School community; and Officer Manzi (our newest SRO) will proudly serve our Hillcrest Middle School community. Each of these SRO's also make their presence visible at each of the elementary schools in town and provide support as needed. We are thankful to the Town and Chief Lombardo for their efforts to restore our 3rd SRO!
This year, Trumbull Public Schools is continuing to develop a systematic and cohesive approach to enhancing school climate by bringing together five important areas of our work: Safety, Restorative Practices, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Student, Family & Community Engagement.
This work is aligned with our District Improvement Plan and our ongoing commitment to creating safe, supportive, and welcoming school communities where every student feels connected and has the opportunity to thrive. Ultimately, this work supports our larger goal of helping every student develop the skills and dispositions reflected in our Vision of the Graduate.
School climate reflects the experiences our students, staff, and families have within our schools. When students experience a positive school climate, we create the conditions they need to learn, grow, build relationships, and thrive.
Throughout the school year, my monthly newsletters will include a School Climate Spotlight highlighting different parts of this work, sharing what families can expect to see in our schools, and offering simple ways to reinforce these same skills and practices at home.
This Month's School Climate Spotlight: Restorative Practices
But what exactly are Restorative Practices?
At the heart of Restorative Practices are three important goals:
Building high-quality, constructive relationships among students, staff, families, and the school community.
Holding students accountable when challenging behavior occurs by helping them understand their actions and their impact on others.
Providing opportunities to repair relationships and reintegrate into the school community so students can learn from mistakes, make things right, and move forward successfully.
Restorative Practices provide intentional ways to build connections, strengthen a sense of belonging, and respond to challenges in ways that promote accountability, learning, and repair. They do not replace expectations or consequences. Instead, when mistakes happen, we want students to understand the impact of their choices, take responsibility for their actions, repair harm when possible, and successfully move forward as a member of their school community.
This summer, 12 educators representing schools across all levels participated in an intensive four-day Restorative Practices Academy, building their knowledge and skills to help support implementation across the district.
Our administrators also participated in professional learning during their annual Back-to-School Administrative Retreat, developing a shared understanding of Restorative Practices and exploring how restorative approaches can strengthen relationships, accountability, belonging, and school climate within their buildings.
This professional learning will continue throughout the school year as we work toward a consistent, districtwide approach to Restorative Practices.
Town Recycling Tip and Trivia: Food Waste
Tip: Composting your food waste and yard trimmings reduces your volume of trash being sent to the landfill which keeps our air cleaner and reduces trash disposal fees. In fact, about 25% of your trash is food waste and can be composted. Backyard composting is a form of recycling by breaking down organic materials and turning them back into nutrient-rich soil. Composting can be a fun and educational family activity this summer!
Composting Q&A:
Q: Do I need a compost bin and are they expensive?
A: Many people choose to purchase a bin to be used for composting, but it is not required. You can also put your items in an open pile which keeps costs to a minimum.
Q: Can I compost any leftover food?
A: Not all food can be composted. Accepted items include fruit and vegetable scraps/peels/rinds, eggshells, and coffee grinds but meats and bones, oils, and fats are not accepted.
Q: What if I don’t have access to set up onsite composting?
A: Check the town’s website for curbside composting pick up in your area.
Trivia: True or False
1. Composting is smelly and will attract pesty animals.
FALSE. While some people may occasionally report these issues, most issues have simple fixes. Proper set up and troubleshooting as you go will ensure an odor and pest free experience.
2. Trumbull residents generate less pounds of trash per person than the average resident in CT.
TRUE. The average resident in CT creates 3.3-3.4 pounds of trash/person/day. While Trumbull residents are below this average at 2.9 pounds of trash/person/day, this amount increased 13% since last year. Composting is just one of many additional ways to recycle and reduce overall waste.
For more information on composting visit: www.trumbull-ct.gov/1228/Composting or email: recyclingcoordinator@trumbull-ct.gov