Superintendent's October Update

This month brings several exciting developments across Wethersfield Public Schools that highlight our continued commitment to academic growth, student experience, and community partnership. We are thrilled to highlight our new collaboration between Silas Deane Middle School and the Connecticut Science Center, which will provide both on‑site and off‑site laboratory learning experiences for our 5th, 7th, and 8th grade students. These opportunities will be structured within our WIN framework, ensuring that enrichment, exploration, and hands-on science learning are accessible to all students. This partnership represents the kind of innovative, student‑centered programming we are proud to expand across WPS.

I also want to extend sincere appreciation to the Board of Education for their investment last spring in new WHS band uniforms. The uniforms were delivered last week, and our students will proudly debut them at performances this fall. This investment directly enhances student pride, visibility, and the overall quality of our performing arts program.

At SDMS, we are encouraged by the academic growth demonstrated through grade‑level curricular assessments. These results reflect the collective effort of our building administrators, the Office of Teaching and Learning, and, most importantly, our SDMS teachers, whose dedication, expertise, and daily commitment to students continue to drive meaningful improvement. Their work is deeply appreciated.

As part of the Highcrest principal search, I have conducted focus groups with families and students, administered a staff and parent survey, and held open office hours at Highcrest to ensure staff members had direct access to share their perspectives. I have also scheduled dedicated time with Highcrest staff to verify the needs and priorities they believe are essential in the next school leader. This community‑driven process will help us identify a principal who reflects Highcrest’s needs, values, and aspirations.

Finally, we are awaiting the release of the Accountability Index (AI) from the Connecticut State Department of Education, expected by the end of the month. For reference, I have included our historical AI data for WPS and each school below to support ongoing analysis and planning.

• The Town and BOE have engaged a new independent accounting and advisory firm to conduct the annual audit. PKF O’Connor Davies was approved for a three year term and is a nationally recognized company with locations in multiple states, including an office in Wethersfield. Work is currently in process and audits for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 are anticipated to be completed prior to June 2027.

• Interactive Viewboards Expansion The WPS IT Department continues to roll out additional Viewboards across our school district. Feedback from educators has been overwhelmingly positive, with teachers highlighting the valuable impact these interactive tools are having on classroom instruction and student engagement. Two new Viewboards were installed at our Highcrest Elementary School this past week.

• IT Shared Services Access Control Upgrades Our IT Shared Services team has successfully completed Phase I of the district and town door access upgrade. This project replaced aging infrastructure at the Wethersfield Police Department and integrated access controls so that all police officers now carry a single access badge valid for both the Police Department and every school building, significantly enhancing emergency response capabilities. Building on this success, IT Shared Services has initiated Phase II of the project. This phase focuses on extending badge-access control to key exterior doors at Town Hall, the Wethersfield Public Library, and the Community Center. These upgrades will increase facility security town-wide while providing seamless, single-badge access across both school and town facilities for authorized personnel. In addition to these enhancements sharing server space and software licensing between the town and schools allows us to realize budgetary savings on both sides.

• As cybersecurity events continue to rise across the education sector, the WPS-IT Team remains vigilant in monitoring and maintaining the security of our computer networks and computing devices district-wide. Our priority is to ensure a safe, stable, and reliable technology environment for all staff and students. The IT team works continuously behind the scenes to update system defenses and monitor for potential threats.

• Gizmo Visits Charles Wright School! - Through a generous grant from the Child Health and Development Institute (CHDI), Charles Wright School hosted a special Family Wellness Evening, bringing together more than 40 children and 40 registered parents for an evening focused on mental health, wellness, and self-care. Joe Drane from FAVOR shared valuable self-care strategies with parents, while Nicole Carango from Amplify and fellow therapy dog handlers engaged students in a fun and meaningful experience. Nicole read Gizmo’s Pawesome Guide to Mental Health, and children had the opportunity to meet and interact with four wonderful therapy dogs! Each child also received fidgets and self-regulation strategy cards to help create a calming space at home. It was a wonderful evening of learning, connection, and supporting the well-being of our students and families!

• Wethersfield was awarded a $25,000 grant to target chronic absenteeism and is an official LEAP (Learner Engagement and Attendance Program) district. In April 2021, LEAP was launched to address absenteeism and disengagement. The program has continued, offering home visits to connect directly with families and students to establish trusting relationships, help return them to a more regular form of school attendance, and assist with placement in summer, after school, and learning programs. Wethersfield will use the funding to target grades in which there is the highest chronic absenteeism and to address the discrepancies between the high needs population.

• Wethersfield Public Schools Awarded Smart Start Preschool Expansion Grant! - Wethersfield Public Schools is excited to announce that the district has been awarded $172,500 through the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) Smart Start Preschool Expansion Grant to establish a new full-day preschool classroom at Charles Wright Elementary School. This exciting opportunity will expand access to high-quality, affordable early childhood education for Wethersfield families, serving 15 children. The program will provide a nurturing, inclusive learning environment that promotes early literacy, social-emotional development, kindergarten readiness, and strong family partnerships. The grant includes $97,500 for program operations and $75,000 for classroom improvements and resources. This investment represents an important step in the district's continued commitment to ensuring that our youngest learners have the foundation they need to learn, grow, and thrive!

• We have completed the CSDE EDS 165 report for certified staff. This report ensures that teachers have the required certifications and that we are in compliance with state requirements.

• The Highcrest Principal search has begun. The position was posted on the WPS website and CTReap. Additionally, a targeted advertisement was sent to Connecticut certified administrators. An inclusive process for stakeholders is planned.

• The paraeducator health insurance subsidy is being processed for eligible staff, per the CT legislation.

• The Talent Management Office is assisting staff in completing the DCF Mandated Reporter training which requires a specific online platform and some technical assistance.

• Certified staff and their evaluators are completing their beginning of the year meetings to reflect and set professional learning goals.

Pop-Up Attendance Days! Our attendance pop-up day brought some unexpected water balloon fun to SDMS! These surprise events help us celebrate being together and build the connections that make students look forward to school. Congratulations to Team Indigo for reaching 100% attendance that day!

We want students to rest and recover when they are sick. When they are healthy, we want them here, learning, connecting, and enjoying being part of our school community.