Fantastic First Days of School!
Fall NWEA Assessments
Our district assessment calendar and webpage are now updated for the 2025-26 school year.
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Math (Grades K–8): NWEA-MAP testing begins September 8, 2025
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Reading (Grades 4–8): NWEA-MAP testing
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Language Usage (Grades 4–5): NWEA-MAP testing
These are the same assessments students have taken in recent years. Please note: Starting in the 2026-27 school year, the usual third round of NWEA testing will no longer be given.
To learn more about NWEA assessments, visit our Assessment Webpage and scroll to the NWEA section.
School administration will share the specific testing dates.
Grade K-3 Acadience Reading Assessments
For two weeks beginning September 24, all Grade K-3 students will be administered the Acadience Reading Assessment. This assessment will be administered three times a year in September/October, January, and May.
Acadience Reading is a universal screener that measures early literacy skills that students must master in order to become proficient readers beginning in kindergarten.
For more information on Acadience Reading, please visit the assessment page on the FPS website listed under Acadience Reading Assessment.
State Summative Test Results Now Available
Your child’s spring state assessment results are now available in the Infinite Campus Backpack:
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Smarter Balanced (SBA): Reading and math (grades 3–8)
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NGSS Science: (grades 5, 8, and 11)
The reports show your child’s score, proficiency level (exceeds, meets, approaching, does not meet), and comparisons to school and district averages. They also include more detail about specific areas in reading, math, and science.
Please remember these tests provide just one snapshot of your child’s learning and should be considered along with other classroom and district assessments.
If you have questions about your child’s results, please reach out to your school administrator.
Math Facts Matter: K-Grade 5
As the year gets underway, we want to highlight the importance of math fact fluency. By design, students in kindergarten through fifth grade spend time each day practicing math facts so that by third grade, for example, they know their basic multiplication facts from memory.
Strong fact fluency builds confidence and sets a solid foundation for future math success.
Throughout the year, students will take fluency assessments, and results will be available on Infinite Campus. At home, you can help by practicing a little each day—whether through flashcards, quick questions at the dinner table, or fun math games. Even a few minutes makes a big difference over time.
New Way to View Assessments in Infinite Campus
In the past, most standardized assessment results were shared through the Infinite Campus Backpack. Starting this year, several courses will now report common assessments through the Assessment Portal or Gradebook in Infinite Campus.
What are common assessments?
These are end-of-unit tests given to all students in a course to measure how well they’ve learned the content and skills for that unit. For example, at the end of an Algebra I unit, all students take the same assessment.
Where to find scores:
- Elementary (K–5): Scores will be posted in the Assessment Portal.
- Middle & High School: Scores will be posted in the Gradebook. You may see both the assessment score and a version that counts toward the overall grade. This helps keep grading consistent and balanced across all courses.
Assessments will begin appearing in Infinite Campus around mid-to-late October as the first units wrap up. Each year, more courses will be added. If you have questions about your child’s progress, please contact their teacher.
FPS Middle School PE teachers and their Westport Public Schools counterparts participated in a full-day "Ropes Refresher" professional development session last week. The training ensured all teachers are confident and prepared to lead students on the challenge courses available at each FPS middle school.
Registration Office: New Address Reminder
A friendly reminder that the district requires families to notify the Registration Office at 203-255-8242 when there has been an address change.
Visit our website for more information.
Julie Heller, 6–12 ELA Program Director, represented Connecticut as a Fulbright Leader for Global Schools with a 10-day learning trip to Singapore. She joined educators to explore the future of education under the theme Leading with Resilience, Staying Future Ready.
We’re thrilled to share that Ms. Ashley Mathias Root, a member of the Warde English Department, is publishing her very first Young Adult Fantasy novel, The Drowning Daze of Astraea, this fall!
Help celebrate Ms. Root and her accomplishment at her Book Launch Party on September 2.
Reporting Dismissal Changes & Absences
Parents and guardians of middle and elementary school students should use School Dismissal Manager to update the school regarding dismissal plans. The system can be accessed via a smartphone, tablet or PC. Contact your school with questions on how to sign-up and download the application.
Welcoming Our School Resource Officers Back!
We are excited to welcome our School Resource Officers back for the new school year! Our SROs are an important part of our school community, building positive relationships with students, supporting a safe and welcoming learning environment, and serving as trusted partners for families and staff.
Our 2025–26 School Resource Officers
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Lieutenant Mike Stahl - School Safety Division Supervisor
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Officer Edward Kovac – Roger Ludlowe Middle, Roger Sherman Elementary, Riverfield Elementary
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Officer Nicholas Bay – Fairfield Woods Middle, Jennings Elementary, Holland Hill Elementary
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Officer Felicia Clark – Tomlinson Middle, Osborn Hill Elementary, McKinley Elementary
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Officer Tiffanie Bennett – Mill Hill Elementary, Timothy Dwight Elementary, Walter Fitzgerald Campus
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Officer Cassandra Fusco – North Stratfield Elementary, Stratfield Elementary, Burr Elementary
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Officer Chanse Wilkie – Fairfield Warde High School
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Officer Kevin McPadden – Fairfield Ludlowe High School
New Visitor Check-In System: What Families Need to Know
To continue prioritizing the safety of our students and staff, Fairfield Public Schools is introducing a new version of a visitor management system called the Raptor Safe App.
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Check-In Process: All visitors will check in using the newly mounted iPad at the school’s main entrance.
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Visitor Badge: Once the process is complete, you will be provided a visitor badge.
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Digital Passport: Parents and guardians are encouraged to create a digital “Passport” on their smartphones, which makes the check-in and check-out process quicker and easier. Click here for additional information.
Click here for an FAQ with additional information. Here is a video from the Fairfield School Safety Division outlining what visitors can expect when checking in.
Thank you for partnering with us to keep our schools safe.
Every FPS school is now composting in the cafeteria, keeping tons of waste out of landfills and incinerators. Huge thanks to our amazing Green Teams, Sustainable Fairfield, and FPS staff.
Track Your Student’s Bus in Real Time with the FirstView App
Fairfield Public Schools, in partnership with our transportation provider, First Student, is utilizing FirstView®, a secure mobile app that lets you track your student’s bus in real time.
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See live GPS bus location and updates
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Receive ETA notifications as the bus gets closer
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Get alerts about route changes
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Add caregivers to receive email alerts
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Access dedicated customer support
Need Help?
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In App: Click Contact Support
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Email: support@myfirstview.com
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Phone: (888) 889-8920 (toll free) | (513) 419-2921 (local)
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Hours: Mon–Fri, 7:00 am – 5:00 pm EST
Elementary Art teachers got hands-on at Glass Source Studios in Seymour, CT as part of Professional Development! They explored Glass Fusion, Kiln Carving, and related techniques, creating beautiful Glass Lanterns and learning how to slump and melt glass.
Kindergarten Under 5 Registration for 2026-27
If your child will turn five years old between September 2, 2026, and December 31, 2026, they may enter kindergarten via a waiver process. Information on early admissions can be found here under kindergarten 2026-2027. The waiver includes an individual and group assessment of your child. Information on the assessments can be found here.
To request a waiver for a child under 5 to enter kindergarten early for the 2026-27 school year, please follow this process:
- Read the introduction letter regarding the kindergarten early entry process.
- Complete this form in its entirety, which includes information on domain-specific developmentally appropriate kindergarten skills. You will also be required to choose a date for an individual assessment and confirm your acknowledgement, allowing Fairfield Public Schools to conduct the assessment.
- Upon completion of all parts of the process, a member of Fairfield Public School’s team will confirm your assessment date and next steps.
Waiver assessment dates begin in November and go through the spring. Students are allowed one waiver, and the district’s early admissions decision is final. Decisions on admissions are made within two weeks of each assessment’s date.
Children who will be five years old on or by September 1, 2026, will have a typical enrollment process, which begins in January 2026.
If you should have any questions, please contact James Zavodjancik, Chief Academic Officer, at JZavodjancik@fairfieldschools.org or 203-255-8390.
