RPS Update
October 3, 2025
RPS Board of Education meetings are held at 90 East Ridge Road, open to the public, and streamed via the Board of Education Channel. Recordings of meetings, agendas, and minutes can be found on the BOE Webpage. Public comment (3 minutes/speaker) is available in person at the beginning and end of each meeting. Letters to the BOE can be sent to boardofed@ridgefieldps.net
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.
The famously quotable football coach Vince Lombardi famously said, “Leaders aren't born, they are made.” Each year, RHS leaders are made—emerging in the classroom, as actors or musicians on stage, on the RHS athletic field, in student government, as No Place for Hate ambassadors or National Honor Society leaders, heads of clubs or teams like Debate or Mock Trial, and other extracurricular service opportunities. This year, there are some new initiatives at RHS to foster leadership skills and support student-led wellness.
Hi, I’m New Here…
RHS Teen Talk counselor Brittany Williams is working with RHS counselors Cristin Nahoum and Michelle McCullough to run a Flex opportunity for students new to RHS this year, called “Hi, I’m new here.” The Counseling team identified students who were new to RHS in the past three years to serve as mentors. Mentors met last week to learn more about the program, which recognizes the potentially intimidating experience of starting at a new school—socially and academically.
Ms. Williams writes, “We felt our new students would find comfort and community in hearing the journey from other students who have been in a similar position. We split the groups into 9th graders and 10th-12th graders, and hope students enjoy connecting with other students.”
“I wish they had done this when I was new,” said one of the mentors.
Building Student Athlete Leaders
This fall, Athletic Director Dane Street is holding “Leadership and Lunch” sessions with captains and athletic leaders to discuss behavioral styles and communication methods to help them be better leaders both on and off the field. Eight fall team captains/leaders also attended the FCIAC Leadership Conference in Norwalk… a program that will be repeated at the beginning of each athletic season this school year. Three-sport athlete Elizabeth Campbell and two-sport athlete Peter Jensen attended a fourth-grade choral program at the Playhouse, and shared their time and joy of singing. Read about that program and the Boys Soccer Team’s Brandon Gmelin Celebration game—a student-led initiative that packed the sidelines—in last week’s RPS Update.
Photo of Girls Volleyball Captains by Simon Mendez
Student Government Reps Head to Hartford
Student Government advisor Jenn DeJulio brought ten students—president and vice-president of every class, as well as two executive board members —to a Connecticut Association of Student Councils Symposium on leadership at the Old State House in Hartford.
At the symposium, RHS junior vice-president Andrew Tebbe earned the Inspiring Leadership Award in recognition of his positive energy and outstanding leadership. He writes, “The leadership symposium was great and allowed many in the RHS student government, including myself, to learn about different ways of running student governments and important ideas and characteristics of leadership. The experience was amazing and made even better by the group lunch we had together to celebrate the event. Overall, I would say I had a great time and found the events very valuable to my experience as a leader.”
Thrive Together and Communications
Conversations with students over the past five years, especially with seniors last spring, identified sources of student stress and disengagement, as well as the importance of tapping into our students’ talents and connections. A Thrive Together initiative is being developed to promote student-led wellness and a climate of inclusion and well-being.
To improve connection, RPS Update is working with the Student Government Public Relations representatives shown above.
Club Fair Is on October 9!
The RHS Club Fair on October 9 is an annual event that showcases the huge variety of ways to get involved in the community. From Astronomy Club to Unified Theater, Youth Against Cancer to Coding Club, Mock Trial to EdRising for aspiring teachers —there is truly something for everyone!
This week, East Ridge Social and Emotional Dean Jaime O’Karma started meeting with groups of sixth graders. Students from Katie Reed’s class sit in a circle, passing a crocheted car that one of Ms. O’Karma’s students made. Whoever holds the car has the floor.
Ms. O’Karma starts by establishing the ground rules—listen, share airtime, keep confidentiality, respect, and be honest. Students then pass the car around to talk about how their year is going. One student observes that friends from elementary school stuck together the first week, but now everyone’s mixing. They share goals. Students are able to “pass” and some do, but most express feeling good and welcomed. They set goals of excelling at sports, the saxophone, and in school.
Some talk about the challenges of switching classrooms, stress, earlier mornings, keeping up with the homework, and being bumped in the hall. One student, new to RPS, expresses difficulties making friends. The students sympathize, and the circle shares strategies on how to make friends—such as asking questions, finding shared interests, and being yourself. “I’m your friend,” one student says kindly. “They did such a great job,” observes Ms. Reed, who shared that she has noticed this grade being very kind, nice to each other, and respectful.
“These restorative circles are really about checking in with all our sixth graders,” says Ms. O’Karma. “We want to make sure that they’re okay, and are learning ways to connect and communicate.”
Submitted by the Branchville Green Team
Buster is a trash-busting scarecrow who reminds us to separate waste according to recycling, composting, liquids, and trash/landfill. You can do this in your school cafeteria. Vote for Buster in the downtown scarecrow competition and help us spread the word…
Inspired to launch a Green Team at your own school, or want to learn more about A Path to Zero Waste? Visit: PathtoZeroWaste.org and fill out the contact form. We'll send you a blueprint outlining how we kicked off the Green Team at Branchville Elementary School.
Submitted by Farmingville Green Team
Tiffany Carlson, the Recycling Coordinator for the town of Ridgefield, recently came to Farmingville Elementary for lunch to help students and parents with composting. Tiffany isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, is kind and patient, and helps pick up when she visits! Improving our composting and recycling practices at lunch is one of the goals of the FES green team, which seeks to reduce waste. Already, we noticed a big reduction in trash from 3+ bins from lunch last year …to just ONE this year! Thanks to our lunch paras and additional help for Rosa, who is our amazing lunch chef at FES, we can now operate our dishwasher and eliminate the need for disposable trays…saving money and reducing waste. We’re a collaboration of Tiffany, Principal Nancy Caron, Assistant Principal Jackie Doty, custodian Mike, classroom teachers, students, and parents. Way to go, FES!
