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See what our K-2 students are learning in phonological awareness and phonics lessons across the district

Connecticut Writing Project Winners!

Every year over 2,000 grade K-12 students from across Connecticut submit entries to the Connecticut Writing Project demonstrating their passion for the craft of writing and art. From this large pool of poetry, personal narratives, essays, short stories, drama, and artwork, winners are chosen to be published in Connecticut Student Writers, a magazine established in 1987 by the CWP. In addition, several student pieces are selected for Honorable Mention.

Nine FPS students were honored earlier this month for their submissions to the Connecticut Writing Project (CWP). Please congratulate them when you see them - it's quite an honor!

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We are all Readers at Riverfield

To celebrate Read Across America week, Riverfield hosted a virtual author visit with Emily Kilgore, author of The Whatifs, Riverfield's All School Book. Fairfield Public Library's Children's Department Librarians joined us throughout the week for virtual Book Talk Bingo. We also welcomed back our tradition of having guest readers visit classrooms to share their love of reading. Superintendent Mike Cummings, Executive Directors Dr. Zakia Parrish and Dr. James Zavodjancik, program directors Lynn Holcomb (Elementary Language Arts) and Lisa Olivere (K-12 Social Studies), BOE Vice-Chair Nick Aysseh, and First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick all read aloud to our students.

News 12 Visits Dwight Invention Convention

Warde’s Ebert declared National Wrestling Champion

Will Ebert won the Senior Division NSCHA National title at 160 pounds to round out his perfect season in which he swept the FCIAC, Class LL, State Open, and New England’s followed by a 6-0 performance at Nationals.

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Tomlinson Spanish students experience flamenco shows...virtually.

Mr. Kelso (Spanish teacher) and Mrs. Stewart (Technology Integration Specialist), collaborated to give students a more in-depth perspective on how art and music influence them.  As part of Unit 4, students used Oculus Quest Virtual Reality headsets to see several different types of Flamenco shows.  Students rotated through stations; some students used the headsets to experience immersive videos of flamenco dancing while others took virtual tours of the MOMA and the Sorolla museum.  Through these hands-on 21st century activities, students deepened their knowledge and enhanced their cultural perspective around the influence of art and music.  The smiles were infectious and the activities engaging! 

FLHS Our Turn to Serve club supports The Wounded Warrior Project

Fairfield Ludlowe High School's "Our Turn to Serve Club" looks to raise awareness and funds to support our country's Veterans. This past St. Patrick's Day, they worked to collaborate with local restaurant Archie Moore's to raise funds to support The Wounded Warrior Project. Club board members Benjamin Zane, Spencer Wright, Aaron Field, and Anthony Falletta, along with multiple general members raised $1,500 for The Wounded Warrior Project! A tip of the hat to these young gentleman, who selflessy worked to give back to a worthy cause. Congratulations to all club members and advisor Ms. Dewey!

Kindness Blooms at North Stratfield

Tomlinson Unified Basketball

Tomlinson Middle School Mentors and Athletes have begun basketball practices for Unified Basketball. Our students are working together making social connections, working on drills, and mock games to prepare for our basketball game against FWMS Unified Team.

Broadway Workshop with RLMS Grade 8

Maria Wirres was in the Broadway production and first tour of Dear Evan Hansen playing Alana.  She came to work with our 8th grade singers.

Watch the video here...

FLHS Orchestra Selected to Perform at CMEA* All State Conference

*Connecticut Music Educators Association

Celebrating Empowered Women in History

Please take a moment to reflect on the graphic above of eight women who have touched the world with their brilliant gifts and talents! Let's celebrate powerful women every day, not just in March, and remind our students they can aspire to be anything they want to be.  Our role is for us to help each of them accomplish their goals and dreams!

I'd like to highlight the Hermanas Mirabal, three brave and selfless women who fought for what they believed. They were instrumental in overturning a 30-year dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa gave their lives for their cause when they were savagely killed on the orders of dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo who saw them as a threat to his cruel, ruthless and fascist government. Their surviving sister, Dedé, continued their work and preserved their memories until her death in 2014. To learn more, go to: https://www.colonialzone-dr.com/hermanas-mirabal/

Digna A. Marte, MRP, MDiv., MBA, (she/her/ella)                                        Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Dear FPS Community,

This past month has showcased New England weather in all its glorious spontaneity.  We enjoyed some balmy days that teased spring and some freezing days that threatened an additional snow day or two. But like the US Postal Service, it takes more than a little weather to keep our students from their "appointed rounds," and accomplishments.

This month's issue of Spotlight is jam packed with news, honors, activities, and more from across the district.  I am particularly delighted to see so many in-person events and returning traditions as we move into spring.

From innovative learning activities at all levels, to award-winning writers and artists, to community service efforts, our students, staff, families, and the Fairfield community are supporting each other in a variety of ways.

I see much to be proud of and much that celebrates the whole child.  Enjoy!  

Take care,
Mike


 

For more information on supporting students during Ramadan click here.

April Fools!

April Fool’s was alive at Jennings as all the teachers switched classes for the arrival of students. The kids were all surprised and excited…especially when the 5th graders had their Kindergarten teachers again and the kindergarten students had a 5th grade teacher. It started the day on fun note and made it memorable for all!

Stratfield Elementary Celebrates Kindness Week

Stratfield Elementary PTA sponsors Kindness Matters for the third year.  Kindness Week's goal is to bring students together to embrace the power of kindness and its impact on the school and community. Students will accept daily Kindness Challenges, including Caught Being Kind, Random Acts of Kindness, Try Something New Tuesday, Ripple Wednesday, and Kids Helping Kids, among other empowering and enjoyable activities.

Read more...

Watch News 12 coverage...

Fairfield PTA Reflections Winners

We are thrilled to share Fairfield's winners from this year’s CT PTA Reflections Program. Fairfield PTAs as a whole represented the most winners from any one community in the state, with four first place winners who will represent our community at Nationals. North Stratfield Elementary won more awards than any other elementary, middle, or high school in the state. 

All winners will be honored at the Statewide PTA Reflections Ceremony on Tuesday May 10th at Fairfield Ludlowe High School.  For more information: https://www.ctpta.org/ct-pta-reflections-awards-ceremony 

The National PTA has a long-standing commitment to arts education. Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. 

The 2021–2022 Reflections theme was I Will Change the World By…

Congratulations to all the winners, parents and PTAs in our community that supported and participated in this year’s Reflections Program.

Primary (PreK - 2):

Mairead Finneran: 2nd Place (Dance - “Speechless”) - Burr 

Oliver Rogers: 2nd Place (Film - “Litter Doesn't Mean War”) - Roger Sherman 

Claudia Launer: 2nd Place (Visual Arts - “The Fiercest Polar Bear”) - North Stratfield

Lorenzo Salemme: 3rd Place (Film- “How Kids Can Save The Environment”) - North Stratfield

Isabella Plitsas: 3rd Place (Photography - “Kindness”) Roger Sherman 

Zayn Warsy: 4th Place (Photography - “Thoughtful, Kind, Helpful”) Burr 

Arwa Warsy: 4th Place (Visual Arts - “Growing My Ideas”) Burr 

Intermediate (3 - 5):

Lulu Joyce: 1st Place (Dance - “Demand for Harmony”) - Roger Sherman 

Elena Salemme: 1st Place (Film - “Save Our Earth”) - North Stratfield 

Lucia Jayaseelan: 1st Place (Music Comp. - “I will change the world with kindness”) North Stratfield

Gemma Pitts: 1st Place (Visual Arts - “Peace to Me”) Timothy Dwight 

Ayla Philson: 2nd Place (Dance - “Follow Your Dreams”) - North Stratfield 

Rishi Shridar: 2nd Place (Literature - “I Will Change The World…”) - North Stratfield

Lia Haile-Mariam: 2nd Place (Film - “Recycle & Don't Litter”) - Timothy Dwight 

Logan Schmucker: 2nd Place (Photography - “I will change the world by ending…”) Burr 

Brooklyn Baker: 3rd Place (Music Comp. - “Fly”) - Timothy Dwight 

Jacqueline Glick: 3rd (Photography - “One Step”) - Timothy Dwight 

Jade Kim: 4th Place (Literature - “Donating will change the world”) - Jennings 

Julia Wise: 4th Place (Photography - “Cooling in the world”) Holland Hill 

Middle School: 

Siri Anagani: 4th Place (Literature - “My Impact”) - Fairfield Woods Middle School

High School:

Shruthika Gopinath: 2nd Place (Dance - “Saranga Dariya”) - Fairfield Warde High School

Macy Schulman: 2nd Place (Photography - “I am still here”) - Fairfield Warde High School

Caroline Charron: 3rd Place (Dance - “Do Something”) - Fairfield Ludlowe High School

Samhitha Kunichetty: 3rd Place (Literature - “199 Miles of Fleeting Clouds” - Fairfield Ludlowe High School

Gwendolyn Kardos: 3rd Place (Visual Arts - “All it takes”) Fairfield Warde High School

Yael Grosman: 4th Place (Literature - “A Revolution Against Pollution”) - Fairfield Warde High School

Lobbying for Lollipops

Dwight fourth graders continue their support of Connecticut HB 5498 to recognize the lollipop as the state candy.  Jacqueline Glick and  Amelia Neubauer appeared before the lawmakers on the Government Administration and Elections Committee via Zoom. Both girls were students last year of third-grade teacher Joan Robb. 

Watch News12 coverage...

Read more in the CT Post...

Read more in CT News Junkie...

Mill Hill Students Raise $4,000 For Children In Ukraine

4th Graders Anna Cook and Kate Ryan led the effort and the funds were given to Fairfield-based nonprofit Save the Children.

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Thousands Raised by Riverfield School to Fight Multiple Sclerosis

Sydney Carroll, a fourth-grader at Riverfield Elementary School, was honored with a proclamation from First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick for proposing the school take steps to raise awareness about MS.

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Fairfield Ludlowe Eco Club Raising Awareness About Sustainability

The club has sponsored the replacement of ALL plastic utensils with biodegradable options in an effort to raise awareness about consumption of single use plastics. 

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Fairfield Schools Compete in Odyssey of the Mind

Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind (OM) State Tournament took place at Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) on March 19th.

Burr Elementary, Riverfield Elementary, Tomlinson Middle School and Fairfield Warde High School all fielded teams.  Warde was awarded the Jill Riggler Award for Excellence in Spontaneous.

Tomlinson Middle School won 1st place in Dividion 2 for grades 6-8! The team, headed by coach Karen Anahory, and grade 8 team members Jack Anahory, Vaden Thakkar, Anshul Sinha, Anshika Sinha, Henry Quinn, Carlo Desy, and Eram Alaba, tackled problem 3: Classics (Name Here): The Musical Production.

They worked together for months to solve a long-term problem (in an original musical production of the life of ground-breaking chemist Alice Ball) which they performed live in eight minutes in front of a panel of judges. The students wrote the skit, built sets out of recycled materials, and designed and created their costumes. The team was also given a time-limited hands-on STEM problem to solve during competition, which they aced, receiving the highest points for that problem. It is the true educational embodiment of STEM curriculum.

Our team will be headed to the World Finals at Iowa State University, in Ames, Iowa this May. 850 teams from all over the world will be competing, and our students and coaches will be representing Tomlinson and Fairfield at the competition. The team is fundraising to cover the cost of their trip.  To support their efforts, click here: https://gofund.me/b8271371

For more information about Odyssey of the Mind, please visit https://www.odysseyofthemind.com/.