RPS Update

Happy Spring!

It’s the season for school musicals, and for those who’ve had the chance to attend, the talent and dedication on display have been truly inspiring. We are incredibly proud of our students and deeply grateful to the faculty and families who support the performing arts across RPS.

The Board of Finance (BOF) will hold their Public Hearing on the town and school budgets on Monday, March 23, at 7:00 p.m. at East Ridge Middle School. I encourage community members to attend and share their perspectives. The BOF will then deliberate on the Board of Education’s budget at their public meeting at Town Hall on Wednesday, March 25. Your feedback continues to play an important role in this process, either in person or via email.

On Tuesday, March 24, the Board of Education will hold its regular meeting. While much of the agenda focuses on policy work, there will also be an opportunity for questions related to the 2025-26 District’s Priorities.

This past week, I had the opportunity to meet with the Rotary Club of Ridgefield. I shared an update on the state of the District, our core values, and the important work ahead. It was energizing to see such strong community engagement. We also discussed the many ways community members can support and mentor our students—recognizing that while those connections may not always resonate immediately, they often leave a lasting impact over time.

Have a great weekend.

Warmly,

Susie

Susie Da Silva, Ed.D

School Year 2027 is rapidly approaching, and kindergarten planning is underway. Remember to register your rising kindergartener to be able to attend the orientation and mini-kindergarten events coming in May and June, as well as the Jump Start Kindergarten orientation program this summer. Please help RPS by reminding neighbors, friends, and coworkers who have kindergarten-eligible children to register ASAP. We can't wait to start this exciting rite of passage.

All registration information, including eligibility, can be found here.

Editor's Note: A headline about kindergarten registration in last Friday’s newsletter referred to children as “monkeys.” While the headline was intended to refer to a student in a monkey costume pictured in the article, I now recognize that this language carries offensive and harmful historical connotations that I didn’t intend. I am sorry for any hurt I caused, however unintentional. Our community is built on a foundation of inclusion and respect, and I want to take every opportunity to ensure that our communication reflects those values.

—Alison Pratt

RHS Class of 2027 and 2028, please note that RHS offers summer courses for credit to fulfill graduation requirements in Government/Politics, Health/Wellness, and Personal Finance. Please register ASAP to ensure that the course has sufficient enrollment to run.

Volunteers wanted!

Congratulations to this year's RHS U.S. Presidential Scholar candidates—Eva Figlar, Jacob Kalafus, Jayin Palicha, Sebastian Utomo, and Joseph Velasco. They are among 183 Connecticut candidates for this prestigious recognition of academic excellence. The next step for these candidates is to submit a comprehensive application including essays, self-assessments, and secondary school reports. In April, approximately 600 students will be named Semifinalists, with the final 161 U.S. Presidential Scholars announced in May.

The RHS musical opens tonight and continues through next weekend. Tickets are available here. Please see the cast, crew, and all involved in the Playbill for The Mystery of Edwin Drood. East Ridge's Addams Family opens next weekend! And Scotts Ridge hits the stage in April. Please check your school calendar for school-specific events and ways to get involved.

RHS Seniors have learned about the following important dates in their Advisory. Senior families, please remind your students! Find more information on the RHS Counseling page.

1. Internship Application for interning at a non-RPS location is due on Monday, 3/27

2. Local Scholarship Questionnaire due by 3/23

Please check your school calendar for early dismissal and school events.

Please help RPS go green by checking your students' e-Backpack weekly for important information.

While Black History is embedded in the RPS social studies curriculum year-round, our schools transformed into vibrant hubs of discovery in February as students and staff celebrated Black History Month. From hallway galleries to interactive research projects, the district honored the profound contributions of Black Americans, bridging the gap between historical legends and modern-day trailblazers.

At Branchville Elementary, history came to life through a long-standing collaboration between librarian Christine Schenzer and the PTA. Every student participated in a dedicated research program, ensuring that the stories of Black excellence reached every grade level. Students explored a wide range of figures, moving beyond textbooks to highlight both household names and unsung heroes. Research topics spanned generations and industries—the activism of Rosa Parks and the barrier-breaking courage of Ruby Bridges to the athletic brilliance and artistry of Misty Copeland and Gabby Douglas.

The momentum continued at the secondary level, where students took ownership of sharing these vital narratives: Maureen Tyra’s sixth-grade classes curated a comprehensive hallway display, turning the school’s corridors into a public museum of Black History. The RHS Student Life Office integrated education into the daily routine by featuring "Black History Facts" during morning announcements, providing every student with a moment of reflection on African American achievement.

The highly anticipated 11th-grade US History assembly, "The Blues and Beyond," was rescheduled following weather-related closures in late February. This immersive "in-school field trip" is now set for May 20, promising to provide a powerful musical and historical coda to the curriculum for the third year.

The newly launched RHS Reading Lab is making a difference for RPS 9th graders! This expanded MTSS academic support provides students with the literacy tools needed for high school rigor through a targeted and fluid intervention model. The impact is best heard through our students. One student said the Reading Lab 'helps me better understand what I read and feel more confident in sharing my ideas,' while another while another noted how the environment “made me feel comfortable and helped me feel 'locked in' to my work.” Ultimately, the Reading Lab serves to boost student confidence and skills through a collaborative approach that builds literacy across all disciplines.

Learn more about the RHS Reading Lab program by viewing last week’s BOE Curriculum meeting (approximately 75 min mark).

The RHS Counseling department follows a quarterly rotation to provide targeted support for every grade level. Currently, the department is leading Junior Seminars focused on career exploration and future goal setting. Recently, students participated in the "Career Escape Room". Through this activity, students developed a stronger sense of how to achieve their own career goals by matching careers with the level of education or training required. Students are left with a better understanding of their career options, education levels, the degrees required for various professions, and, ideally, themselves.

On Wednesday, the Veterans Park Elementary School "No Place For Hate" Committee hosted a vibrant Culture Night. Inspired by Cristina Quintero’s book, The Only Way to Make Bread, the evening celebrated the diverse traditions that make our community unique.

Attendees enjoyed a "taste" of the world with nine varieties of bread, alongside interactive games and a global flag display. A special highlight was our Elementary Spanish teachers, Jill Quattrocchi and Maddie Marek, who represented traditions of Mexico and made papel picado crafts with students. The evening concluded on a high note with energetic dance performances by Rancho Folclorico Ecola Manuel Cipriano and Natyamudra School of Dance. It was a truly wonderful night dedicated to celebrating the rich cultural tapestry of Veterans Park.

Each year, every RPS school chooses a Teacher of the Year (TOY). This is an exciting recognition of the profession and all the excellent educators we have at RPS. We are so lucky. Branchville Elementary announced its TOY at a recent staff meeting—Ray Conetta. BES music teacher Betsy Anderson was last year's TOY and presented Mr. Conetta with balloons. She showed an adorable video of his students singing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Stay tuned for the rest of the building TOYs, leading up to the announcement of the District Teacher of the Year!

RPS Update learned from one of its most reputable sources (Scotts Ridge Morning Show faculty advisor Emily Shiller) that the first day of Spring rotates between March 20 and March 21. This year, Spring started today, Friday, March 20, at 10:40 a.m. Trish Cerniglia's Barlow Mountain kindergarteners got a jump-start by creating these gorgeous flowers, which also taught lessons about symmetry and color. They also painted the museum-worthy daffodils and said goodbye to winter things and hello to things green and growing. In the classroom next door, Lisa Whelan's kindergarteners went out on a limb for spring.

The RHS Athletics Department sent out its newsletter this week. Of particular note are the league recognition of individual athletes, the Spring Sports kickoff, hydration advice from the RHS nutritionist, and the exciting news from the Wrestling Team, highlighted in last week's RPS Update.

RHS Boys Swim finished its season with some impressive team and individual results. The photo above shows Freshman Thomas Casey, who took first in the 100 m A Butterfly at the CIAC Class L Finals, and Teddy Wescott, who finished fifth. The RHS Boys Swim Team finished second at the FCIAC meet and second in the CIAC Class L State finals. Great season, Tigers!

Ridgefield Unified Sports closed out its basketball season with another great tournament hosted by Fairfield Ludlowe. While we don't know the final score, we know who won...everyone! Unified Volleyball and Track & Field start Monday.

RHS Boys RBA House Basketball finished up this week with Team Morse winning the title with a record of 12 wins and three losses. The league had 10 teams, with 10 boys per team, comprised of ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades. Team Morse Senior Captain Ty Morse expressed gratitude to RBA: "It was fun to be able to play with my friends. Our win was definitely a team effort"

Photo above left to right: Pearse Mcinerney, Mason Prezioso, Mac Epley, Luka Krsulich. Senior Captain Ty Morse, and Evan Manolakakis

Team Villanova captured the RBA Grade 4-5 trophy, co-coached by RHS ninth and eleventh-graders Ryleigh and Taylor Soi, with their father, Dan Soi. Congrats to Emma Soi, Abigail Carroll, Madeline Casey, Josephine Case, Mia Svec, Hadley Guski, Aria Szlakowicz, Aviana Szlakowicz, and Annemay Hong!

Congratulations to the sixteen students who proudly represented RHS at the State Educators Rising Conference on Tuesday at Southern Connecticut State University. These outstanding students earned ten first‑place awards and four second‑place awards across a wide range of competitive events, reflecting exceptional talent, professionalism, and a deep commitment to the field of education. Incredible!!!!

RHS celebrates the accomplishments of: Aiden Aframe, Grace Pepin, Stella Labrosciano, Catherine Bell, Scarlett Giannettino, Mia Rose, Georgia Anderson, Samantha Sauer, Zoe Schneider, Sophia Rinella, Krishaa Bhattacharjee, Jake Levi, Finley Cooper, Jazzy Olsen, Carrington Long, Casey Fischer, and Violet Oliveira.

RHS Co-advisors Danny Martins and Kim Davis, along with Assistant Principal Christine Hopkinson, attended the conference to support and celebrate the students’ achievements. They write, "We are incredibly proud of these rising educators and look forward to seeing what they accomplish next as they continue to pursue their passion for teaching and leadership!"

Watch a student presentation on EdRising at the November 24 BOE Meeting and read more about the RPS staff's role in helping students prepare for competition in the December 19 issue of RPS Update.

RHS students competed at the annual FBLA State Leadership Conference on Tuesday, and once again, were a powerhouse on the stage. 150 RHS students competed, and an ASTOUNDING 97 students qualified for the National Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas, reports co-advisor Kelly Predham. She writes, "We have grown to 175 members and still maintain the prestige of being recognized as the largest chapter in the State of Connecticut."

Our competitive results included:

• 17 First Place
• 17 Second Place
• 33 Third Place
• 14 Fourth Place
• 16 Fifth Place

RHS junior Elizabeth Wright (in photo above right) was appointed Connecticut FBLA State Vice President—a highly selective process involving an intensive interview in front of the State Board of Directors and submission of an essay application.

Ms. Predham earned Connecticut FBLA State Advisor of the Year and, in her typical modesty, shared her success with the FBLA students, her Co-Advisor, Robert Keyes, and the entire Business Department for mentoring, reviewing, and critiquing presentations, and supporting students. She gave a special shoutout to teacher Jonathan MacIsaac, who led our expansion into technical events (coding), which included 2 first-place finishes. Finally, she credits RHS families and community members- many of whom attended as chaperones or event judges.

The RHS Business Department's month of March Madness ended yesterday with Investment Club students competing at the Regional Stock Market Challenge in Stamford, CT. Business Department teacher Jesse Peterkin brought 10 teams to the challenge, and one of our teams took first place! We placed 4 teams in the top 10. Equally exciting was the fact that one of our winning club members, Ben Lesko, created an online investing simulation that our entire Investment Club used to practice for the event yesterday. Next up is the State Stock Challenge at Fairfield University in April.

Recently, four current RHS students and one alum from the Class of 2025 participated in an Eagle Scout ceremony. Congratulations to Sophia Bran, Rilynn Mahoney, Catheryn Mills, Madeline Nelson, and Catherine Thompson. Connecticut State Senator Julie Kushner and Representative Aimee Berger Girvalo presented each girl with a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly in recognition of their individual service projects and attaining the highest honor from Scouting America.

Last Saturday, Veterans Park fourth grader Saanvi Rao placed second overall in the regional geography bee organized by the International Academic Competition in Waterbury, CT. Throughout the event, she demonstrated remarkable resilience and confidence, working her way through three rounds of challenging questions to reach the finals, where she ultimately earned second place. Her performance at regionals has qualified her for the national championships in Orlando this May, as well as the international championship taking place over the summer. Fantastic dedication, Saanvi!

This week, the first issue of VP Eagle Eye, a student-sourced newsletter, hit Veterans Park inboxes. Organized as an after-school enrichment by VPES parent Laura Liberti, the newspaper covered all the news of VPES and is a wonderful showcase of student writing. In the photo above, taken from the newspaper, the founding reporters—Serena Braccia, Caitlyn O’Connor, Hopie Guglielmo, Demetri Efremides, Elowyn Blair, Caroline Liberti, Nora Conlon, Edward Cockerill, and Ian Xu—display their press passes. Not pictured: Assistant Editor Allison Liberti, VP alumna.

Over 100 representatives from colleges, universities, and the military came to RHS on Wednesday night for the College Fair. From large state schools like the University of Connecticut, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of South Carolina to smaller schools such as Trinity College and Villanova, there was something for everyone. Members of the military were there to discuss Military Academies, ROTC, and enlisting options. Students and families were able to use the Strivescan app to connect directly with colleges and save time. The Counseling Department ran workshops on Affordability, Athletics, Accommodations, and making the most of the college visit. Hats off to Counseling Supervisor Joy Squitieri and her team for pulling off a great event.

East Ridge teachers and students swapped outfits during Wednesday's Spirit Day. East Ridge might have discovered the Fountain of Youth...Hoodies! They make almost everyone look young. Students put Uno cards in their blazer pockets to be Assistant Principal Tom Grace, who occasionally gives students an opportunity to guess the Uno card and win pizza. On Thursday, they played their staff/student basketball game (double OT!), and Friday got Funky! More photos to come next week

Last week, RPS Update shared a story about the Unified Baking class's pizza-making lesson, which took place over three class periods. In this Monday's class, Chana and Andres read that article to their baking classmates. Here's a link to the article if you missed it.

Last week, Barlow Mountain Elementary students lined the hallways to watch 509 boxes of cereal fall in a dramatic cascade. BMES families generously donated their time and the cereal boxes to make this fun school-wide event that brought everyone together. A team of fifth-grade engineers helped collect and line up the boxes. After the event, families brought the boxes to Daily Bread of Danbury. Thank you to the BMES PTA for this huge effort and all you do to make our district great!

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.