Together We Can

It is great to see how quickly our students have settled into their daily routines and embraced the new school year. Walking down the hallways, it is inspiring to see classrooms filled with focused, confident learners who have already built strong connections with their teachers and classmates. Your children have transitioned seamlessly into their classroom communities, bringing energy, curiosity, and a wonderful readiness to learn each morning.

Targeted, engaging instruction is already in full swing across all grade levels. From interactive reading groups and hands-on math exploration, our teachers are actively challenging students and laying the groundwork for a successful year. I am so proud of the progress and enthusiasm we are already seeing, and look forward to partnering with you to keep this fantastic momentum going in the weeks ahead.

If you have not already registered, join us for the GPS Abilis 5K on Sunday, October 11 at Tod’s Point in Old Greenwich. Abilis is a leader in providing state-of-the-art services for the special needs community in Fairfield County and has a long-standing reputation for high quality care. For more information on how to participate or donate, see their flyer.

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.

Mr. Redmond's preschool class at Julian Curtiss School conduct weekly science experiments on Wednesdays. This week, the experiment was simple but also a big crowd pleaser - bubbles! Students sat outside on the patio and helped fill up containers with water and soap. Then, teachers showed students how to mix it before exploring their creation.

In small groups this week, students in Ms. Horan's preschool class at Julian Curtiss School played the game "Cootie" with one of our professional assistants, Ms. Lorena. In preschool, games are used to practice skills such as: turn taking, waiting, and coping with disappointment.

Ms. Micallef and her preschool students at North Street School are counting to five. One way they practiced was finger-walking across five acorn pictures towards the squirrel. This skill strengthens 1:1 correspondence and counting skills. One strategy used for this activities (and others) is "I do. We do. You do." The teacher does the activity once. Then, students do the activity as a group. The final step is for students to work independently on the activity that has been modeled and practiced.

Students at North Mianus School in Mrs. Heizman's pull-out group engaged in the Visualizing and Verbalizing strategy to deepen their reading comprehension and expand their thinking. During the lesson, students responded to targeted questioning, translating verbal information from the story into visual imagery by adding details to their drawings. The second-grade group enthusiastically verbalized their mental images, explaining how their drawings directly reflected the specific details and concepts from the text.

Students at North Street School begin their day by coming together for morning meeting, creating a welcoming space to connect, share, and prepare for the day ahead. This dedicated time allows students to strengthen relationships with their classmates, practice communication and listening skills, and build a sense of belonging within their classroom community. Through shared conversations, activities, and opportunities to celebrate one another, morning meeting helps set a positive and supportive tone for learning throughout the day.

Students at the International School at Dundee in fourth grade focused on applying their math facts when playing math games with peers. Students used dice to try to get all the numbers rolled across first. Students were required to use their multiplication fluency and have their partners check their work. Students independently worked with partners to show off their skills.

Mr. Grogan recently gathered baseline data during his seventh-grade academic lab at Eastern Middle School. To do this, he assigned a prompt asking students to write about their summer break. The resulting papers will highlight each student's current grasp of writing mechanics and organization. Moving forward, these insights will directly inform how he plans his writing lessons.

Mrs. Youngans and Mrs. Heaton co-taught this eighth-grade math lesson on integer operations at Western Middle School. When adding integers with the same sign, students learned to add the numbers together and keep the original sign (for example, -3 + (-7) = -10

When adding integers with different signs, students subtract the smaller value from the larger value and keep the sign of the number with the greater absolute value. Examples worked through in class included:

• -11 + 15 = 4

• -71 + 53 = -18

• -3 + 7 = 4

When subtracting integers, the teachers highlighted that subtracting a negative number is equivalent to adding a positive number (two negative signs together become a positive).

Students worked on practice problems independently before sharing their answers and strategies out loud with the group.

In Ms. Lomanto’s academic lab at Western Middle School, seventh-grade students recently explored the purpose of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Through class discussion, they gained a clearer understanding of what an IEP is and why it was created for them. The students reflected on how their IEPs provide helpful accommodations for schoolwork and support them in areas where they face challenges. Additionally, they learned that academic lab time is dedicated to building skills and working toward personalized goals in core areas like reading, math, writing, and executive functioning.

Ms. Meagan White, Greenwich Public Schools' assistive technology (AT) specialist, recently facilitated a Professional Development session for Special Education and Student Supports staff focused on practical assistive technology tools that can support student access to the curriculum. Staff explored AT resources and strategies across a variety of areas, including reading, writing, math, executive functioning, attention/hyperactivity, vision and hearing, fine and gross motor skills, and communication. The session provided staff with valuable tools and ideas to consider when identifying ways to remove barriers and increase student engagement, independence, and access to learning.

Old Greenwich School recently hosted a Special Education and Student Supports (SESS) Parent Coffee, providing an opportunity for parents, the school-based SESS team, and district staff to come together as a community. Assistant Principal Ms. Katy Bertram provided parents with an overview of Special Education and Section 504 and provided time for parents to ask questions in order to deepen their overall knowledge. The gathering also offered a welcoming opportunity for families and staff to connect, share, and strengthen the important partnership between home and school in supporting students.

Our Special Education team - including teachers, speech pathologists, psychologists, and social workers - recently gathered for an interactive training session led by Dr. Alina Agiurgioaei Boie to deepen their teamwork and evaluation practices. By bringing together each specialist's unique perspective, the team created a more unified, consistent approach to understanding every child's complete profile. This collaboration allows staff to use evaluation results more effectively, directly tailoring daily support to meet each student's unique learning needs. Ultimately, these shared insights ensure our entire team works seamlessly together to help your child reach their academic, social-emotional, and developmental milestones.

Greenwich HS’ Unified Sports Team has created their own team to participate in the 21st annual Walk/Run for Abilis on Sunday, October 11 at Tod’s Point in Old Greenwich. Founded in 1951, Abilis is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides programs and services for children and adults of all abilities, from birth throughout their lives. Abilis is a leader in providing state-of-the-art services for the special needs community in Fairfield County and has a long-standing reputation for high quality care. For more information on how to participate or donate, see their flyer.

With Rachel Rubin

Imagine driving a high-speed vehicle with sensitive steering, only to be given instructions meant for a standard bicycle; that is often what navigating a neurotypical world feels like for a child with ADHD. Welcome to this month’s Inclusion Corner.

Understanding how ADHD presents, whether through visible hyperactivity, quiet inattention, or "masking" by exhausting themselves to act neurotypical, is a foundational inclusive practice. ADHD is not a flaw, a lack of discipline, or a broken system that needs fixing; it is simply a difference in how the brain handles executive function and focus. When we try to force kids into a rigid mold, we do not change their brains, but instead teach them to hide who they are, leading to burnout and self-doubt. True inclusion means embracing their unique wiring and offering tools for real success without forcing them to mask.

Here are practical, affirming ways we can work together as a community across settings:

At Home: Normalize support tools by setting up visual task charts, color-coded folders, and structured homework windows (15-20 minutes) with built-in movement breaks so kids can work with their energy rather than against it.

At School: Accommodate natural learning needs without singling students out, using silent fidget devices, subtle visual cues (like a gentle desk tap), multi-step milestone deadlines, and strengths-based feedback.

In the Community: Replace misinterpretations like "laziness" or "not listening" with open curiosity, creating peer-supported activities where children are valued for their authentic selves.

Wth Bonne O'Reagan

One of the most important ways parents can support their twice-exceptional (2E) child is by helping them build self-understanding. When children can identify and talk about their strengths, interests, and challenges, they become better equipped to advocate for themselves.

Start by discussing what being “2E” means—that they have remarkable strengths as well as areas that may require extra support. Normalize this duality: everyone has things they do easily and things that take more effort. Together, explore the handbook’s sections on Strengths, Struggles, and Instructional Considerations or Self-Advocacy and Student Voice, and ask questions such as:

• “When do you feel most confident or engaged at school?”

• “What situations or tasks feel hardest?”

• “What helps you get through those challenges?”

Helping your child see both sides of their learning profile turns frustration into problem-solving. It also builds resilience - the understanding that effort and strategy, not perfection, lead to success.

The Greenwich 2E Handbook provides guidance and examples to help families and educators collaborate in fostering self-awareness and advocacy skills.

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

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