RPS Update

This week was filled with “all things budget”, yet we couldn’t help but lighten the mood on Monday evening with the Student Showcase at the Board of Education meeting where our RHS students performed acts from The Wizard of Oz—opening on March 7! After much discussion, the Board of Education reduced the Superintendent’s Proposed Budget of $120,144,300, a 4.44% increase, by $258,342; ultimately adopting a FY26 Board of Education budget of $119,885,958, a 4.21% increase to the current year. You can watch the full meeting here.

On Tuesday, the community was busy voting on two important matters related to the schools- the new AHS/RTP building and new/replacement roofs for select schools. Both of these referendum items passed and we could not be more thrilled, and extend our gratitude to all of those who came out to vote. The passage of these items were an absolute win for our students and their families.

On Wednesday evening, the Board of Selectpersons met to discuss the newly adopted Board of Education FY26 Proposed Budget as well as our Capital Improvement Plan. Members of the Board of Selectpersons shared their pride in our school district and the team's work while also discussing the financial landscape of the town. The evening concluded with the Board of Selectpersons voting to make a non-binding recommendation to the Board of Finance to reduce the Board of Education’s requested increase from 4.2% to 3.89%. For those of you that are new to the budget process, ultimately, the Board of Finance will make the final decision on the Board of Education’s budget increase prior to the referendum. We will continue to communicate our need for the 4.2% increase during the next phase of the process. Again, your voice matters and we listen. This was absolutely clear on Tuesday evening.

This week, the RHS Girls Ski Team won the CT State Championship, and the Girls Varsity Basketball won the FCIAC Championship! A tough loss for the RHS Boys Basketball in the FCIAC final but that doesn’t negate the talent and joy in watching these teams support each other all season. Good luck to all our teams in the upcoming CIAC State tournaments!!

As you plan your next week's schedule, don’t forget to purchase tickets for the outstanding RHS student production of the Wizard of Oz. There is no doubt that this classic performance is fun for all ages- you can plan on taking the entire family, and Toto is absolutely adorable!

Have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy the spring(ish) weather.

Warmly,

Susie

Susie Da Silva, Ed.D

Ridgefield Tiger Talk

With the inevitable thaw of winter, we welcome back Ridgefield High School’s Director of Athletics Dane Street to give us a winter sports update. We discuss the many amazing accomplishments that RPS athletes achieved this past season, what teams are making it to the finals, a preview of spring sports, and some of the mental health training/community outreach athletic staff are participating in. Thanks for listening! Link to the athletics website.

Photo Caption: RHS Varsity Girls Basketball wins FCIAC tournament, downing Fairfield Warde. Girls Ski takes States.

More RHS Athletic News below!

We will cover Summer Bridge offerings at every level in the next few weeks. This week, we're focussing on the Elementary Summer Bridge Program, which offers a low-tech, high-quality summer experience taught by RPS teachers. Ridgefield resident families can register whether they attend RPS are not. Non-resident staff families can register too. Visit the Website for full details, registration, and dates!

• Thank you for offering such a great way to expose our daughter to her future elementary school and get her comfortable in the building and on what to expect in the fall. She had such a great time making new friends and a million activities and crafts. I think it is amazing how the district offers this to rising kindergarteners as it makes the transition much less intimidating and way more exciting! The administrative staff was also incredibly helpful and kind, and we are so grateful they took the time out of their well-deserved summers to offer this to our students!

• We loved everything! Thank you so much!

• A great experience run by compassionate individuals. It was also super organized including a great pickup/drop off routine that other schools should mimic!

• Yet again my boys had a fantastic time! Thank you for providing this great program for the kids.

• This was the first year our daughter attended the program, and she loved it! From her perspective this program was amazing. We will definitely be sending her next summer. The staff at drop off and pick up were so kind!

• My kid said he wished it was all day. He had a great time! Thank you!

• My daughter really looked forward to coming each day this week! The staff was very friendly and helpful. It was very well organized. Thank you, and we will definitely see you next year!

• I wish we had known to sign up for all three weeks! Our twins had such a great experience, we can’t wait to be back next year.

• My daughter loved the program! She was excited to come home and explain her projects to me each and every day. Having a rising kindergartner, I liked how they were grouped by school allowing the students to make friends. Your arrival and pick-up protocols were excellent. As a parent, I thought it was extremely efficient and organized!

• Thank you for a great week! Everyone was wonderful and my daughter was excited to do so many creative arts projects.

• Jumpstart to K was great for getting my son excited for the school year!

REGISTER HERE!

Remember to check your school calendar for important dates and events. Review our Weather-Related Closure Protocols and discuss your family’s plan for an early dismissal with your children.

March is PTA nominating season for School Year 2026. Please check your PTA newsletter for ways to get involved. Your partnership is paramount!

All in, RPS!

It's time for families to register for the Kindergarten 2025-26 School Year. Sign up and learn all about our Kindergarten Enrollment Process. Read more about the Kindergarten Waiver Process.

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

Resources for LGBTQ+ families and youth, including a monthly game night and virtual caregiver support group, are available in the eBackpack and on ridgefieldctpride.com.

RHS Poetry Out Loud winner sophomore Lia Munoz Rojas represented RPS at the regional Poetry Out Loud recitation competition before the February break. For the regional round, she submitted videos of herself reciting two poems, El Ovido by Judith Ortiz Cofer and Envy by Mary Lamb. Her stirring recitation of the two poems earned her a spot in the State competition on March 7.

Congratulations and let's go, Lia!

RHS student Alanna Craigen is the regional winner for the 18th Annual Housatonic Recovery Resource Authority Recycling Billboard Contest. The state has recognized her, and she will be honored at a state dinner. Please learn more about the contest and the safe disposal of batteries on the HRRA Website.

This week, the Branchville PTA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee sponsored a parents-only talk, "How Do I Explain That? Talking to Kids About Questions Surrounding Race, Gender Identity, Culture and Ability." Carrie Amos, LCSW, joined two (current and past) Branchville parents, Niro Feliciano, LCSW, and Dr. Melanie Pearl, in this substantive panel. The three shared strategies for talking to kids about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in healthy, age-appropriate ways. Please click on the Panel Flyer to learn more about the panelists and the wealth of experience they brought to BES families.

Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum Education Manager Maria Damato writes, "It was wonderful for The Aldrich Education Department to host our intern, Brooklyn from the RTP. Not only was she able to learn and practice some "on the job" skills, but she brought a bright light of wonderful energy and warmth during her time at the museum."

Ms. Damato shared this photo of the Aldrich Education Department and student Brooklyn from the morning they volunteered at Meals on Wheels as a service project.

Fifth graders and their families are starting to make decisions about their middle school paths this month. One of these tough decisions is whether to continue in Spanish or forge on in French. To help them choose, RPS middle and high school French teachers visited district fifth graders this week.

On Wednesday, Scotts Ridge French teacher Kathleen Granger brought her joie de vie to Tory Greene’s Barlow Mountain fifth graders. She led them in song and taught them how to greet each other. The class took a group photo, donning mustaches and other French props, against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower and the streets of Paris. Mme. Granger showed them some French words they might recognize. They discussed, in French, activities and foods they like. Elementary Spanish teacher Jill Quatrocchi actively participated in this energetic lesson, demonstrating how fun (and easy) learning a new language can be.

Several students reported they plan to sign up for French; others said they would continue with Spanish. One of the students already spoke French in the home. French teachers will visit all fifth-grade classes.

Farmingville Elementary library and media specialist Marissa Sallati reports that the FES halls are buzzing after a wonderful author visit on Wednesday. New York Times best-selling author and illustrator Jarrett Krosoczka came to FES and spent the day drawing for students, talking about how and why he became an author, and signing books! Sallati writes, "We loved hearing how most of what he learned was through elementary school, lots of practice, and frequent rejection. Jarrett taught FES to have some grit, persevere, and believe in ourselves… Even if no one else does!"

Branchville announced the winners of its annual Branchville Writes! Competition this week. Winners received gift certificates to our local bookstore. Congrats to the Winners and Honorable Mention recipients listed for each grade below. Please read Olivia Quinn's sweet submission My Daddy Is the Best here.

The musical trio Blues and Beyond rocked the RHS Auditorium on Wednesday, providing juniors and staff with a journey through time of the music created by African Americans from slavery to the present day. The lead vocalist stitched the narrative together and put on a foot-stomping show with his booming voice and melodic renditions of Blues, R+B, Funk, and Hip-Hop classics.

“This is the second year having this programming brought to our US History students. We welcome the opportunity to bring history to life for students”, says Dr. Annie Tucci, 6-12 Humanities Supervisor. This presentation and musical experience connected African American history and themes of resilience to our US History curriculum through music, narrative, and still images.

The creators of the program state that, “The African American journey in the United States over the past several hundred years is documented by and reflected in the evolution of African American Music.” Students were highly engaged as they clapped along with hits from Billie Holiday, Sam Cooke, and more.

Want a respite from the dreary March mud? Get yourself, friends, and family tickets to the RHS musical The Wizard of Oz. This classic play will delight everyone and provide the backstory for this younger generation, who may be more familiar with Wicked than the story that inspired it. There are so many wonderful musical numbers in this show from "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to "We're Off to See the Wizard." Don't miss this!

RHS Auditorium

7pm performances on March 7, 8, 14 & 15
1pm Sensory Friendly Show on March 7

Reserve tickets

Director Jacquie Militano looked to Redding resident puppeteer Martin Robinson to create Toto—Dorothy's cute canine companion. Toto is not Mr. Robinson’s first scene stealer. The puppeteer worked with muppet legend Jim Henson and voices Snuffleupagus, Telly Monster, and many other memorable Sesame Street characters. Mr. Robinson made RHS an original Toto puppet and taught RHS sophomore Joseph Capone how to animate the puppet to wag his tail and bark. Will Toto sing along with Dorothy and the gang? You have to see the show to find out.

East Ridge Middle School art teacher Hillary Lewis explains that the graphic prints showed below are Grade 8 linocut prints. Ms. Lewis encouraged her students to experiment with color, layering and even combining with each other's printing plates.

This was a thrilling week for RHS Tigers sports fans. Girls Varsity Basketball topped Warde to win an FCIAC Championship, Girls Ski slalomed to a State Championship, and the Boys Varsity Hockey team scored an OT winner on the Darien home rink to put the team in the FCIAC final this Tuesday. And that's not all. The Dance Team took second in the CIAC State Championship and will compete in New England Regionals in March. Boys Varsity Basketball tipped off in FCIAC final against Staples, Wrestlers hit the mat with seven tigers placing in the top six in their divisions, and a State record in the 4x800 for the Boys Track relay team! Among these team successes were individual achievements and accolades. Who can keep up? Read about some of these student athletes in last week's RHS Athletics Newsletter, follow along on RPS socials, and listen to the Ridgefield Tiger Talk podcast taped on Wednesday for more news from the Athletic Department! States playoffs for some sports begin next week.

Inside recess still gives students an opportunity to relax, move, and unwind. In these photos, East Ridge seventh graders play classic games during yesterday's rainy recess.

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.