Together We Can

As March comes to a close and we are officially into spring, I want to take a moment to reflect on the growth, resilience, and achievements of our students, staff, and families within our Special Education community. This month has been filled with meaningful progress, as students continue to build skills, confidence, and independence in their own unique ways.

The SESS administrative team is grateful for the dedication of our educators, specialists, and support staff who work tirelessly to create inclusive, supportive learning environments where every student can thrive. We were happy to have our first "Lucky to Have You" week to celebrate all the work our staff puts in every single day. We also recognize the important role families play as partners in this journey, providing encouragement and advocacy every step of the way.

As we move into the final stretch of the school year, SESS remains committed to celebrating each student’s success, fostering strong connections, and continuing to support diverse learning needs with compassion and purpose. Thank you for being an essential part of our community.

Best,

Stacey

Stacey Heiligenthaler, Ph.D.

Chief Officer of Special Education and Student Supports

stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us

Classrooms and programs portrayed in these summaries and photographs

represent the district as a whole, including students in

general education and special education settings.

Ms. Malone's preschool class at New Lebanon School is diving headfirst into the world of the letter R. Through hands-on art projects and writing practice, the students are learning to recognize, identify, and create uppercase and lowercase letters. By pairing these activities with a catchy robot poem, they are moving beyond simple recognition to connect the /r/ sound with the letter R every time they see it.

Ms. O'Neill's preschoolers at North Street School take time during the day to look at books. Some students are decoding the words, some are looking at pictures, some are practicing the behaviors of a reader. For example, they are reading left to right, noticing the page numbers, and identifying letters in the text.

Mrs. Warzoha’s preschool class at Old Greenwich School strengthened fine motor skills this week by sewing the edge of a shamrock. Students painted the shamrock on a previous day and then the teacher punched holes for this activity as part of Center Time. Students were “sew lucky” to be the creator from start to finish.

Rob Buyea, who recently visited Parkway School, is an American children’s fiction author best known for his Mr. Terupt series of novels. During his visit, students had the unique opportunity to hear firsthand about the writing process, the inspiration behind his stories, and the journey to becoming a published author. Author visits like this not only bring books to life, but also spark creativity, strengthen literacy skills, and inspire young readers to see themselves as storytellers. By connecting directly with an author, students gain a deeper appreciation for reading and writing, making the experience both educational and memorable.

Students in the fourth grade co-taught class at Cos Cob School were working on text features to support meaning in the book. The Special Education teacher led the group lesson asking questions for individual students to make meaning. Students then worked in small groups to strengthen what was worked in the whole group lesson.

At Hamilton Avenue School, the Student Council took time to reflect on just how lucky they are to be part of such a special community. During their meeting, they talked about the many people in their building who make their school a great place every day, especially those who often work behind the scenes and do not always get the recognition they deserve. Student council members wrote thoughtful notes, sharing why they are so grateful for the work they do and the kindness they show.

Students at North Street School are engaged in science experiments working with themes of water, volume, measurement, and more. Through hands-on exploration, students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills while making meaningful connections to real-world concepts. These experiences foster curiosity and encourage students to ask questions, test ideas, and learn from observation. In the elementary school setting, this type of active learning builds a strong foundation in scientific understanding while also promoting collaboration and confidence.

Kindergarten students at North Mianus School in Mrs. Hannigan's class welcomed Irish step dancers for St. Patrick's Day. The girls demonstrated the dancing and showcased to the students class what it is. It was so much fun.

Fifth graders at the International School at Dundee had a great celebration for doing nice work in all areas. Students were able to fill the compliment jar in Ms. Smeriglio's class. They were kind and did awesome work in specials, class, and lunch to earn hot chocolate, tasty treats and a movie to celebrate their special moment.

Hamilton Avenue School celebrated Read Across America with a special visit from student-athletes from Greenwich High School. Members of the GHS Cardinals athletic teams visited Hamilton Avenue wearing their Cardinal gear and spent the afternoon reading aloud to Hamilton Avenue students. Student readers went to all the classes school-wide for grades Pre K-5.

In the co-taught ELA class at Western Middle School, led by Mrs. Abramovich and Mr. Marmor, students delivered oral presentations focused on their independent research of the Titanic. Following each presentation, the audience engaged with their peers by asking a mix of factual and complex, higher-level questions. Teachers utilized a formal oral presentation rubric to evaluate student performance, and the session concluded with everyone sharing the key insights they gained from the research process.

In Mrs. Martinez’s Academic Lab at Central Middle School, students participated in a pre-teaching session designed to bridge the gap toward their eighth grade ELA curriculum. The lesson focused on mastering the central idea through a multi-modal approach. To build these skills, students analyzed both a written passage and a video, identifying key supporting details from each source. They synthesized this information by completing a comprehensive chart, effectively linking evidence from both the text and the media to the overarching theme of the material.

In Ms. Barnett’s ELA class at Western Middle School, students engaged with a text through a group read-aloud. To deepen their understanding, they worked through several "Wh-" comprehension questions and held a class discussion. The primary focus of the lesson was foreshadowing - the literary technique where an author drops subtle hints about future plot points. By the end of the session, students were able to identify and share their own examples of foreshadowing from the story.

In Mrs. Brown’s English Language Arts skills class at Western MS, students dove into the mystery, The Missing Will. The lesson focused on building vocabulary and deepening comprehension through group discussions. To sharpen their skills, students tracked various suspects by filling out a specialized chart, using textual evidence to link specific actions and dialogue to potential crimes. This multifaceted activity allowed students to hit both their reading and writing objectives in one go.

While studying Amal Unbound in Mr. Maher and Mrs. Shearer’s co-taught ELA room at Central Middle School, students stepped into the world of the book through journal writing. The task required students to select a scene and use specific quotes, including page citations, to ground their reflections. To enhance their narrative writing, students also focused on capturing the intense emotions present in the text.

Students in Ms. Lee's GHS class spent some time reviewing different terminology such as bisector, different types of angles, vertex, line segments, etc. This time is so valuable for instances like this where students are able to benefit from reteaching a concept or skill, or just have an opportunity for additional practice.

On March 16, GHS's Unified Sports brought together students, families, teachers to honor its senior athletes. The celebration included a spirited basketball game in which the team split into two squads—Red vs. White. The crowd was treated to friendly competition that highlighted the skills and camaraderie of the players and an entertaining halftime show that featured performances from our cheerleaders, dance team, and a game of "Pizza Box Knock Out." Congratulations to all of our senior athletes.

The PreK-8 physical education teachers participated in an Inclusive PE PD with Spark Physical Education. During the training, teachers were provide information and resources to create an inclusive learning environment in your PE classes, learned to identify and address challenges working with a wide range of student abilities, needs and skill level, and learned strategies how to make modifications and adaptations to lessons and instruction.

The GHS Unified sports team was invited to play at halftime during the girls CIAC basketball championship finals this past Saturday. They were able to show off their skills at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

with Bonnie O'Regan

From the Pages of Greenwich’s 2E Handbook: Support Emotional Wellness Every Day

Twice-exceptional learners often feel emotions deeply. Their intellectual intensity and sensitivity can make everyday challenges—like making a mistake or receiving feedback—feel overwhelming.

One of the most effective ways parents can help is by supporting their child’s emotional self-awareness and coping skills. Start with small, everyday moments. When your child feels overwhelmed or discouraged, name the feeling calmly: “It sounds like you are frustrated because this problem is not working out yet.” Then model strategies for calming down—taking a break, using deep breathing, or talking through next steps.

Help your child understand that emotions are signals, not failures—they indicate when we might need a break, more information, or reassurance. Celebrate persistence and progress, not just achievement.

The handbook’s section on Social-Emotional Impacts of 2E emphasizes the importance of resilience—the ability to recover from setbacks and keep moving forward. Families can nurture resilience by celebrating effort over perfection, focusing on progress instead of comparison, and maintaining open communication with teachers and counselors about emotional triggers or stressors.

When parents and schools work together to help 2E students recognize and manage their emotions, children gain the confidence to take academic risks, persevere through challenges, and thrive both socially and intellectually.

The SESS Department hosted virtual information sessions on the bridging process. Please view the presentations below if you have a child transitioning in Fall 2026 from preschool to kindergarten, elementary to middle school, or middle to high school. We have recorded and posted the information on our website if anyone was not able to make it. Please see Google links below:

Our SES PTAC representatives want you to know that they are available to anyone who wants to talk with someone about your child's receiving school to learn a little bit more about the day to day. Please email them at ses@greenwichptac.org with what the new school will be and they will connect you with the correct person.

PreK - Elementary

Slideshow

Recording

Elementary - Middle School

Slideshow

Recording

Middle School - High School

Slideshow

Recording

Find the registration form online if you want to attend.

Connecticut Center for School Safety and Crisis Preparation at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), in collaboration with Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) is hosting the Inclusive School Safety Practices for Students with Disabilities - Parent & Caregiver Dinner Event on Monday, April 27 at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU). This free event will bring together families, educators, disability advocates, and school and community leaders to discuss practical strategies that support safe and inclusive learning environments for all students.

Please visit the new Special Education and Student Supports Department webpage on the Greenwich Public School Website. Information about Special Education supports and services as well as contact information is provided

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Email: stacey_heiligenthaler@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Website: https://www.greenwichschools.org/teaching-learning/special-education
Location: 290 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich, CT
Phone: (203) 625-7493