End-Of-Year Message: FPS Superintendent Michael J. Testani
Dear FPS Families,
As we reach the end of another school year, I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your support and partnership. This year has been filled with accomplishments, growth, and challenges, and your involvement has been crucial to our success.
Our students have shown remarkable resilience and achievement, and that would not have been possible without the strong foundation provided by your love and support at home. Your engagement in their education, whether through attending school events, assisting with homework, or simply encouraging their efforts, has made a profound difference.
We are proud of the progress we have made together and look forward to building on these successes in the coming year. As we prepare for a well-deserved summer break, I encourage you to take this time to relax and enjoy special moments with your loved ones.
Thank you for being an essential part of our school community. We look forward to welcoming you back in the fall, refreshed and ready for another great year.
Summer Math Packets
Summer math packets are available for students entering grades 1 through Pre-Calculus. The packets are meant to strengthen prior skills and provide students with a refresher on skills/concepts that will be built upon during the upcoming school year.
Tip: Set time aside for your child to complete a few problems each day and throughout the summer to keep skills sharp.
Summer Reading:
Dive Into Adventure!
Summer is the perfect time to read what you love while continuing to practice skills learned during the school year to help prevent the summer slide.
Elementary: All the elementary schools will be posting summer learning Padlets on school websites with reading information, helpful links, program and event information at the public library, activities, and more!
Middle School: Students should read at least two books during the summer and should be prepared to talk about the books and complete an in-class activity related to the books. Students can use stickies, or jot down quotes, page numbers and thoughts. See the Summer Reading link for more details.
High School: Please visit the links below for information on summer reading for high school students.
Grade 9 (Warde/Ludlowe): Summer Reading Information
Grades 10-12: Warde High School
Grades 10-12: Ludlowe High School
Chromebook Summer Info:
Grades 3, 4, 5
FPS students have had another successful year using Chromebooks to support teaching, learning, and creating!
Grades 3 & 4: Grade 3 and 4 students will be taking their Chromebooks home over the summer. During LLC, students will participate in a Chromebook summer care lesson prior to the end of the school year. The lesson will remind students about acceptable use of their Chromebooks and how to care for the device over the summer. Additional details will be shared directly from your child's school.
Grade 5: When current Grade 5 students return to school in the Fall, their middle school will issue them a brand-new device. Therefore, Grade 5 students will not be taking Chromebooks home over the summer. Your school will be in touch regarding details on returning Chromebooks prior to the end of the school year.
NWEA-MAP & K-3
Acadience Reading Results
During May, students took NWEA-MAP and Acadience Reading universal assessments. These assessments provide information on students’ progress in reading, language usage and math. Information on these assessments can be found here. NWEA-MAP and Acadience Reading assessment results will be delivered virtually through the Infinite Campus Backpack on June 12. Acadience assessment data (grades K-3) was previously sent home via hard copy but will now be available in Infinite Campus Backpack.
FPS Green Team:
A Year In Review
Thank you FPS Green Team members for your dedication to ensuring a better future for our children! From cafeteria composting to plastic film recycling, food rescue, costume swaps and so much more, the Green Team continues to implement successful initiatives to teach and promote sustainability in our schools and community.
FLHS Student Allison Rowland (Teacher, Johanna Estevez) won first place in the 2024 Congressional Art Competition representing the 4th District for her work titled Unnatural Habitat
Wait Until 8th Pledge Update
The Fairfield Wait Until 8th Chapter now has over 600 families who have pledged to delay giving their children a smartphone until at least the end of 8th grade. To learn more, please visit www.waituntil8th.org or check out Wait Until 8th’s Instagram account.
State Pauses On
Racial Imbalance Law
In March, FPS Superintendent Michael J. Testani and members of the Board of Education went before the State Board of Education to provide an update on racial imbalance. As a result of this meeting, Fairfield was scheduled to present a plan to the State BOE this summer. However, the General Assembly passed a bill in the Senate putting a pause on the Racial Imbalance Law until June of 2025. While this pause provides additional time to evaluate and plan, the district will move forward with updating the long-term facilities plan which will include addressing facilities utilization and the best space for ECC. It is uncertain if this pause may point to the disbanding of the law in the future, but the district will continue to focus on providing our students and families with optimal learning environments and the tools needed for success.
Local dignitaries, FPS Superintendent Michael J. Testani, FPS administrators, clergy, representatives of the Fairfield Police Department, students, and community members attended an event to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month and adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s description of antisemitism
A Safety Reminder: Fairfield Police Department
As we progress through the summer months, we want to emphasize the importance of safety within our Fairfield community. The Fairfield Public Schools and Fairfield Police Department are dedicated to working together to create a secure environment for our students, families, faculty, and staff. In the past, we've focused on various safety aspects such as school security, internet safety, safe travel, and weather preparedness—all of which remain crucial. Recently, our discussions with Connecticut Against Gun Violence have highlighted the significance of firearm safety. This June marks the fourth anniversary of Ethan's Law, a Connecticut regulation that requires firearms to be safely stored in households with minors. To read the complete message click here.
New Facility Scheduling System Now Open For Reservations
FPS offers members of our community the opportunity to reserve school facilities for events, activities, meetings, and more. The district Facilities Reservation software was recently upgraded from SchoolDude to ML Schedules. First time users can access the ML Schedules portal and register for an account. Click here to view a Quick Start Guide on how to register for ML Schedules and secure reservations through the portal.
To assist you in getting started, ML Schedules has prepared two helpful videos:
1. Creating an Account: Learn how to register and set up your ML Schedules account
2. Scheduling Events: Discover how to efficiently schedule events using ML Schedules
FPS Partners With ELL Support Organization
Fairfield Public Schools is grateful for our partnership with English Learner Support Services (ELSS) of Fairfield County. This nonprofit organization provides a supplemental English language program called ASPIRE (Academic Support Program to Inspire, Reinforce, and Empower) to help support students who are learning English.
This year, ELSS provided free tutoring services to eleven of our middle school and high school students after school. Our high school students were then offered the opportunity to take an English language development course at Sacred Heart University this summer. A group of high school students will attend Sacred Heart University to continue on their journey to improve their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
Thank you, ELSS, for these opportunities!
Family Literacy Resource Showcase
Click on the flyer below or scan the QR code to sign up for the showcase and more information.
CT Governor Ned Lamont visited Dwight School to celebrate the lollipop being named the official Connecticut state candy
Four years ago Dwight Grade 3 Teacher Mrs. Robb presented a lesson on how an idea can become a bill and then a law. Led by then third grader Jacqueline Glick, the “lollipop kids” wrote letters/e-mails and testified at the state level. After much dedication and perseverance this sweet idea became a reality!
Fun fact: The lollipop was invented by George Smith of New Haven.
Warde Students & Staff Work To Restore Wild Salmon Population In Connecticut
Warde Science Teachers Jennifer Racioppo and Sania Werner provided students with a hands-on learning opportunity via a collaboration with the Connecticut Salmon and River Association (CRSA) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The group studied and raised Atlantic salmon from the eyed-egg stage to the alevin/fry stage. Approximately 500 Atlantic salmon were hatched in the classrooms and then released into the Farmington River. The CRSA is dedicated to restoring the native wild salmon population in New England.
