RPS Update

As we move through the final stretch of the school year, I am reminded that June has a way of coming all at once. One minute we are talking about spring events, and the next we are looking at calendars, ceremonies, transitions, celebrations, and wondering how the year managed to pass so quickly. I often say that school years are only ten months long, but somehow they contain about five years’ worth of memories, decisions, emotions, and moments that matter.

This week, one of those moments was especially joyful.

We had the opportunity to announce our District-wide Teacher of the Year, Dr. Ashley Brooksbank. There are few things better than walking into a school and feeling the excitement of students and colleagues who are genuinely thrilled to celebrate someone they love and respect. Ashley represents so much of what makes Ridgefield Public Schools special: care, professionalism, joy, and relationships. While awards are wonderful, the true measure of an educator’s impact is often found in the reaction of the people around them. In Ashley’s case, and across all of our schools, the response our teachers have from their students each day, tells the story beautifully.

I also want to take a moment to thank our PTAs for their extraordinary partnership! The work of the PTA is often visible through celebrations and community-building opportunities. It also requires investment in operational, planning, coordination, problem-solving, and follow-through. At the District-level, our PTA co-chairs, Lorraine Catalano and Mary Joe Salgado, have also worked tirelessly on behalf of students, families, and staff. Their leadership and partnership have helped strengthen the connection between home and the District in so many ways. A special note of gratitude goes to Mary Joe, who will transition into the past president role. We are also excited to welcome Katherine Voellmicke as Lorraine’s partner in 2026-2027. This kind of continuity and collaboration is exactly what helps our school community remain strong.

At Monday evening’s BOE meeting, we will recognize faculty and staff who are retiring from RPS. I imagine for our retirees there is excitement, pride, gratitude, exhaustion, reflection, and anticipation for what comes next. For us, we have many emotions, but mostly we are grateful. Grateful for their tireless contributions to education and to RPS. We look forward to recognizing each of them on Monday evening. Thank you. As always, we are better together.

Warmly,

Susie

Dr. Susie Da Silva, Superintendent

This week, RHS celebrated seniors at the annual Senior Awards and Scholarships Night. In addition to honoring our seniors' outstanding scholarship, leadership, citizenship, and community service, this night recognizes our generous community that awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to our graduating seniors. The photo above, contributed by the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, shows a representative with the Guild's scholarship recipient, Ella Tiktin. Please read more about the Awards and Scholarships in the programs, Senior Awards and Senior Scholarship.

RPS announced this week that Dr. Ashley Brooksbank is the 2026-2027 Teacher of the Year (TOY). Superintendent Dr. Susie Da Silva joined RHS Principal Dr. Jake Greenwood, Dr. Brookbank’s social studies colleagues, district and RHS administrators, senior interns, and students to surprise Dr. Brooksbank in her classroom on Wednesday.

Dr. Brooksbank has taught at RHS for 16 years and currently teaches AP World History, AP Psychology, and General Psychology. Her classes foster connection and deep learning with “talk first” sessions and a classroom that brims with students even during the free “FLEX” period.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Brooksbank has earned her colleagues' adoration with her collaborative and thoughtful approach, assuming leadership roles as the RHS Summer Bridge Director, a member of the AI committee, and co-chair of NEASC accreditation, to name just a few of the many hats she has worn. Social studies teacher and former RPS TOY, Jennifer DeJulio, presented Dr. Brooksbank with a hand-quilted TOY 2026-2027 t-shirt —a thoughtful representation of the camaraderie and care our teachers have for each other and their community.

The RPS Teacher of the Year program celebrates the teaching profession, recognizing a teacher from each of the nine schools. The program is also a yearly celebration of all the hard-working, intelligent educators, TOYS past, present, and future. Congratulations and thank you to RPS TOYS.

Barlow Mountain Elementary—Kelly Fontaine

Branchville Elementary—Ray Conetta

Farmingville Elementary—Melanie Ehret

Ridgebury Elementary—Victoria Williams

Scotland Elementary—Meaghan Goebel

Veterans Park Elementary—Colleen Howarth

East Ridge Middle School—Amy Jonsson

Scotts Ridge Middle School—Christian Petersen

Ridgefield High School—Ashley Brooksbank

On Thursday during the FLEX period, the RHS PTSA awarded the Star Award to three teachers—Anthony Spinelli, Steven Anderson, and Mayizie Potton. These awards are selected by students, and RHS students flocked to the LLC to celebrate. Principal Dr. Jake Greenwood read moving quotes from students expressing how this year’s Star teachers showed passion, compassion, and kindness and made a positive impact on their lives.

Please check your school calendar and communications to keep up with all the school activities. Pride in the Park is this Saturday; more information is available here.

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

As part of RHS's No Place for Hate initiative through the Anti-Defamation League, and through partnerships with the organizations KidsKonnectUkraine and Voices of Hope, sophomores attended the annual Hope in Humanity assembly this past Thursday, where they were able to make connections with students in Ukraine and listen to a survivor of the Holocaust.

Juniors Noam Shahar and Seren Zaccone welcomed Ukrainian teens and asked them student-generated questions via an international Zoom. The Ukrainian students spoke about the many hardships they face living in a war zone and the resilience they have had to build to cope with the changes. One student left us with a powerful final thought, as she stated, “We are so much more than a country in war.”

After engaging live with Ukrainian students, our RHS students virtually met Dr. Leon Chameides, who survived the Holocaust as a young child by living in hiding within Ukrainian monasteries. After losing his parents to the war and eventually immigrating to the United States, he transformed his survival into a legacy of service, becoming a pioneer in the medical field as the "father of pediatric resuscitation" and the founding Chair of Pediatric Cardiology at Hartford Hospital. He left students with a final thought that one person can make a difference, just like the clergy that helped him survive, and the woman who raised him and his brother after losing her whole family. He ended the program with a message of hope, sharing that through active participation in our democratic process, our students have the ability to make positive change for themselves and those around them.

Aila Engel and Siobhan Ford also spoke on behalf of the group of students who attended the Human Rights Institute at Iona University who are collecting toiletries and supplies for a local women’s shelter, as they are taking action in our local community to bring hope to others.

The final edition of The Ridgefielder, RHS's magazine, hit inboxes this week. Please visit the link to read about the CT cell phone ban, college admission "arms race", AI in the classroom, RHS art, shows, and sports, and more!

Find the 2026 issue of Lodestar, the RHS literary magazine, HERE. Stories, poetry, and art all by RHS students. To buy a printed copy, please reach out to faculty advisor Kevin Higgins.

Members of the National Charity League Ridgefield Area Chapter display their NSH certificates at the annual All-Chapter Awards Ceremony last week. The evening celebrated a record-breaking year of community impact, honoring the chapter’s top 25 volunteer-hour earners with the “NCL Giving Grace Awards”, and 21 winners of the national recognition from the National Service Honor Awards program. Collectively, the Chapter logged more than 5,000 philanthropy hours supporting approximately 40 local non-profit organizations. Read more about the NCL Ridgefield Chapter Awards here.

Visit the RHS Athletics webpage for playoff schedules, SY 2026-27 start dates, coaching vacancies, and so much more. Parents of fall athletes, please make sure your students' physicals are up to date prior to tryouts.

Last Sunday, Ridgefield hosted a triathlon and duathlon competition. RHS student Samuel Turok was the overall winner in his first duathlon. WOW! In two weeks, Samuel will compete at the Rowing Nationals for the fourth consecutive year, returning as a defending champion. Please read more about RHS rowers going to Nationals in last week's RPS Update. Go Tigers!!!!

Edited By Senior Correspondents Henry Neligan and Andrew Carter

This past Wednesday, Barlow Mountain Elementary School hosted its annual field day. RHS interns Jessica Gurung, Tess Coakley, and Megan Benedict, who have been helping out teachers the last few weeks, spent the day hosting and leading various activities. Our school's field days help promote physical activity and fun during the last few weeks of school. Way to go, Bobcats!

East Ridge Middle School participated in Global Running Day this past week, a worldwide celebration dedicated to the joys of running and physical activity. Traditionally observed on the first Wednesday of June, Global Running Day encourages staying active, being present, and being in community. The ERMS global running event consists of fun games and music, making it the great experience it is. RHS Communication and ERMS interns even joined in the fun! After the counting process, this year's winners were the 6th graders!

Forte Financial Intern Abigail Black has been working with software and coding programs to create an efficient and impactful social media outreach program.

This past week, many RHS interns returned from a transformative, once-in-a-lifetime medical mission in Panama. During their time abroad, these interns delved into the global healthcare process by assisting local medical clinics and observing essential medical practices. This opportunity provided RHS students with great mentorship, hands-on exposure to the medical field, and a fun cultural experience.

Senior Intern take over! Dr. DeSantis's weekly Tiger Talk podcast has been adopted by RHS communication interns. On the most recent episode of Tiger Talk, RHS Senior interns Henry Neligan and Andrew Carter interview Kylie Lassow and Chloe Collins, two attendees of the Panama intern trip. This episode of Tiger Talk dives into the global medical squad Panama trip our interns went on. We learn about why they went, what they did, and what they got out of it. You will get a peek into what a day looks like for both our Panama interns and our RPS communication interns, Henry and Andrew. Check it out! Here: Ridgefield Tiger Talk

This weekend, Veterans Park student Willa Wallman was the first to ring the Peter Parley Schoolhouse bell on opening day of the 2026 Schoolhouse season. She was joined by Jack and Sally Sanders, as well as her grandmother, Sue Evans, who is a substitute RPS nurse. Photos provided by the Ridgefield Historical Society