Board Update: Oct 3, 2025

Testing & Accountability 

Elementary and middle schools have completed fall NWEA MAP testing in math and reading. When results are reported, we will use NWEA’s new 2025 norms. Norms are updated every 3–5 years to reflect evolving U.S. demographics, post-pandemic learning shifts, and improvements in the tests item selection. Norms are important because they compare a student’s RIT score against peers across the nation. The update ensures MAP reporting stays timely and reliable. Both achievement norms for the current term and growth norms, across terms, are used in analyzing results.  

Research & Analytics 

Gifted and Talented universal screener testing for third grade will begin next week. District leaders will engage in Portrait of a Graduate professional learning during the October Leadership meeting, with a focus on norming around the effective communicator competency and reflecting on systems and structures that strengthen belonging, consistency, and coherence. 

Student Information System  

Middle School 6th Grade Lottery will open on the evening of October 8, 2025, to coincide with the Middle School Showcase. 

School Visits are Underway!

It has been wonderful visiting schools to see all of the exciting things happening in Norwalk Public Schools!  During the summer, our school leaders worked with their leadership teams to develop their School Improvement Plans and those plans are coming to life.  Whether it is implementing a new curriculum, launching a new instructional approach such as Building Thinking Classrooms, or conducting focus groups with students to gather their input and feedback on school culture, our leaders are approaching the work thoughtfully and strategically. Shout out to our secondary teachers, coaches and leaders who are doing an incredible job with implementing the new ELA curricula.  

National Principals' Month

National Principals' Month is an annual event in October that recognizes and celebrates the critical role of school principals in K-12 education.  We are truly fortunate to have our amazing principals here in Norwalk and commend them for all of the hard work, dedication, and care they consistently demonstrate.   

Food Services 

October is Farm to School Month! 

NPS and Chartwells are excited to celebrate our state’s farmers and agriculture by serving CT grown all month and at special pop-up tasting events. 

Our Third Annual Apple Crunch Photo Contest will take place on Tuesday, October 7. 

All elementary school classes that submit a photo have a chance to win a chef-prepared apple pie party for their class! 

CT grown for CT Kids week is October 6-10 and South Norwalk Elementary School will celebrate with their very own Student Farmers Market with Farm Bucks for our students to shop for items to take home and share with their families! The farmers market will take place from 11:00-2:00pm. 

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable schools will be enjoying blueberries and tomatoes and next week, pears and cucumbers. As always, while snacking on the fruits and veggies teachers and students alike can watch and learn with Mrs. Kelly’s Learning & Tasting: Tomatoes and  Learning & Tasting: Blueberries. 

School Safety 

An additional Ambient AI server is being installed to facilitate 150 more cameras across the district. Once up and running, we will begin the process of onboarding the cameras to our current test platform. 25-26 building safety plans are currently being submitted and reviewed. A new annex regarding protocols for interacting with federal law enforcement is now required in individual safety plans. We have created a district-wide template for schools to customize and include in this year's safety plan, designating an administrative point person, protocols, and guidelines for interacting with federal law enforcement on school grounds. Our previous protocols have not changed and have proved to be above and beyond the requirements.  

Health Services 

On September 17 School Health Services met with our PreK partners, the Odyssey and Stepping Stones/ELLI Programs, to discuss program management and health services. Nursing services are being provided to both programs at the 11 Allen Road site. 

EpiPen training, OSHA bloodborne pathogen training, and diabetes training have been provided to the staff of the NAOP and Future Ready programs. The school is outfitted and stocked with emergency medications if needed. 

School nurses continue to conduct mandated vision and hearing screenings throughout the district. 

A new school nurse has been hired for Fox Run Elementary School.  

 Humanities Update

Learning walks in grades K-10 took place this week across 15 schools. The focus for these walks was to visit the literacy classrooms to see curriculum implementation in partnership with our partners at TNTP. Building and district leaders used the NPS Instructional Look Fors as the observation tool. Trends will be shared with leaders at the monthly leadership meeting on October 9 and 22.

STEM Update

The STEM department is working to support strong structures built across the organization.  This includes planning for district professional learning days, which has been a large focus of the STEM department, responsible for the professional learning of all math, science, PE and health teachers in the district.  As we gear up for October 14, we have been co planning with professional learning providers and planning professional learning we will be giving or teachers within departments will be giving.  Additionally, we are supporting the continued spread of engaging student centered pedagogy with teachers across the district attending Building Thinking Classrooms workshops, hosted by Peter Liljedahl and the Partners for Educational Leadership.  These workshops began September 29th and will run intermittently through October 10th.  We also are rolling out professional learning for schools piloting our new science resources.  Beginning next week, teachers at 6 participating schools will engage in training for the new piloted program of Building Blocks of Science (K-3) and Open SciEd (4-5).  

All math coaches came together this week to focus on strengthening curricula implementation in their buildings.  This is the first math coach professional learning session this year. 

Marine Science students from Brien McMahon High School recently participated in a hands-on coastal ecology study in partnership with The Maritime Aquarium. During this field experience, students worked directly along the shoreline to collect and analyze data on the intertidal ecosystem. Using quadrats, measuring tapes, plankton nets and field guides, they identified and recorded species, measured distances, collected and identified plankton samples and documented environmental conditions. This authentic scientific process allowed students to engage in real-world data collection while applying the skills they have developed in the classroom.

This collaboration provided students with an invaluable opportunity to explore our local marine habitat, deepen their understanding of ecological relationships, and recognize the importance of Long Island Sound as a natural resource. By engaging in field-based research, students not only strengthened their scientific inquiry skills but also developed a stronger sense of environmental stewardship and appreciation for the unique coastal ecosystems in their own community.

MLL Update

The Multilingual Learner Department is dedicated to supporting students who are developing their English skills while celebrating the many languages and cultures represented in our schools.

This year, our team will continue to work closely with teachers across the district, leading professional development sessions on best practices for supporting multilingual learners. These sessions provide teachers with practical strategies to strengthen instruction, build language skills, and create welcoming classrooms where every student feels valued.

In addition, the MLL department has been supporting high school students continuing their education and ensuring that all students complete graduation requirements in order to earn their high school diploma.

We remain committed to ensuring that every multilingual learner has the support they need to succeed academically and thrive socially while also honoring their unique cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Specialized Learning 

Specialized Learning has hosted our first New teacher Academy for the 25-26 school year. We had over 20 staff attend across two sessions (am/pm) at the Family Center last Tuesday.  The topic was CTSEDS, and staff were very appreciative of the time to learn.  We are also hosting Orton GIllingham classroom-level training for special education teachers across the district.  We have held 2 sessions, and the 3rd is this Friday. We are excited to be able to have 25 additional staff trained in this reading intervention practice.  The Specialized Learning Team has also begun distributing a newsletter on a semi regular basis.  Here are links to the two most recent editions:

September 17 Special Education Newsletter (1).pdf

September 24 Special Education Newsletter.pdf

Early Childhood Update

The Early Childhood Outcome (ECO) data collection is currently in process. It is a way for the State Department of Education to track how well children with special needs are doing in preschool. Think of it as a snapshot of your child's progress while they're receiving special education services before kindergarten.

The main purpose is to measure your child's growth in three key areas:

1. Developmental Progress: How your child is learning new skills (like talking, moving, and thinking).
2. Functional Progress: How your child uses their skills to take care of daily needs and solve everyday problems.
3. Social-Emotional Progress: How well your child relates to others, follows rules, and manages their feelings.

This data helps the state make sure that the special education services being provided are effective and help children grow. It's a requirement that came from a federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which was updated in 2004 to ensure all states measure the success of their special education programs. If your child is at least three years old, is in preschool, and has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), they are included in this data collection.

School Counseling and Workforce Development Update 

New School Counselors to the NPS Team have received 504 CT SEDS Technical Training on the platform. The work continues on the CT MTSS SEB Implementation Task Force, in which we are defining the role of MTSS for school systems. School Counselors can access a wealth of resources and valuable information through The School Counseling Corner K-8 and The Guidance Gazette 9-12, which are curated specifically for their use. Many areas are turnkey, allowing School Counselors to share information directly with their scholars and families. Professional Development is being planned for School Counselors, based on their feedback regarding their growth needs. For September, Developmental Guidance Classroom Lessons, School Counselors have delivered Lesson #10 in Social-Emotional Learning for Grades 6th - 8th. The RISE Senior Survey is now open, and scholars are sharing their post-secondary plan of choice. This enables our faculty and staff, Families, and School Counselors to have the information they need to best support their post-secondary plans for the Class of 2026. Our College & Career Specialists in September have been supporting the college application process, assisting with CT State Norwalk courses, and providing support on Common Application Set-Ups, to name a few.

The Free Pathways to Construction Workshop Application has been reviewed, and scholars who have applied to participate should be checking their emails daily for responses. This is an opportunity for our NPS Scholars Age 16+ to apply for and attend free trade exposure workshops in Norwalk. Scholars enrolled in these workshops will receive classroom training, hands-on demonstrations, and career networking in the trade field. The NPS Internship Application is Now Live! Scholars in Grades 10-12 who are 16 years old or older and have earned a 2.0 or higher cumulative weighted GPA are welcome to apply. The Governor's Workforce Council Meeting was attended on behalf of Norwalk Public Schools. On Thursday, September 25th, at 5:30 pm, the Workforce Development Workshop for our NPS Families Ages 18+ was hosted. Participants learned about Apprenticeships, Trades and Training Opportunities, Internship Information, and Job Postings. A New Trade Series is being launched from the Workforce Development Department. Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 9th, for The Workforce Development Trade Series: Becoming an Electrician, in which our families and scholars who are 18+ years old will learn about a day in the life of an Electrician and how to apply for an Apprenticeship as an Electrician. For September, in the Developmental Guidance Classroom Lessons, School Counselors have delivered Lesson #10 in Workforce Development for Grades K-3. For all NPS Workforce Development Opportunities and more, visit www.norwalkps.org/careertraining. Please be sure to bookmark the site and check back regularly for new and exciting opportunities! 

Enterprise Software

Over the last two weeks, we've focused on updating digital access permissions for coaches and instructional teachers, specifically for assessment platforms. These changes will let all schools easily get and use student assessment data.

We also set up access and procedures for new and existing digital products in different subjects, like Special Education (ALEKS), Artificial Intelligence (BRISK), and English Language Arts (AMPLIFY, FUNHUB, RAZKIDS), among others.

Our team is working closely with the Operations Department to make sure student data in the visualization tools stays current and available to all staff.

As always, we keep providing end-user support to all staff and students.

Digital Learning

The Digital Learning Coaches finished reassigning all kindergarten iPads throughout the district, a process that involved about 730 iPads over three weeks.

The coaches are going to EdAdvance’s AI in Education Fall Conference on Friday, October 3rd, and they also plan to attend the Spring continuation conference in May.

Stefanie Dean and Dan Wabno are partnering with the 3rd and 4th-grade departmentalized Science and Social Studies teachers at Kendall to blend technology and digital learning platforms into their current units. The coaches are helping the 3rd-grade teacher with the pacing of both units. The 4th-grade teacher has brought in an interactive Canva vocabulary activity and is using Canva for presentations. Plus, virtual reality is being used in lessons about National Parks and Regions.

Stefanie Dean helped the Health Services team with Google Workspace, specifically Gmail and Google Calendar.

Dan Wabno and Maria Naughton were at the District AI Committee meeting on September 15, 2025.

Maria Naughton gave an intro training on Brisk Teaching AI to the Rowayton Elementary School staff after school on September 29, 2025.

Amanda Kennedy has started doing demo lessons for Norwalk’s Keyboarding Program (Keyboarding Without Tears) in elementary classrooms.

Joint Finance Town Hall

This past Wednesday, a joint Finance Town Hall was held with representatives from the Norwalk Board of Education and the City of Norwalk. The event provided a valuable opportunity for both entities to engage in transparent dialogue about budget priorities, funding challenges, and long-term financial planning. Community members were invited to participate, ask questions, and learn more about how city and school finances intersect and impact district operations. The Town Hall reinforced a shared commitment to fiscal responsibility, equity, and collaboration as both organizations look ahead to the 2026–2027 budget planning process.

Payroll/Benefits

The disability enrollment window has officially closed. Elections submitted before the deadline will be reflected in the October 3rd payroll and will take effect on October 1st. Additionally, Connecticut Paid Leave (CTPL) becomes effective October 1 for non-certified staff. Eligible employees may apply for wage replacement during qualifying leaves. Details and application procedures are available at: CT Paid Leave Apply Here

Budget

The Budget team is continuing the 2026–2027 budget planning cycle by reviewing and maintaining staffing rosters, processing and updating demographic data in both the live system and salary projections. A 2026–2027 salary projection model is also in development. The team is supporting contract negotiations by assisting attorneys with compensation data and working with Human Resources to implement coding for the new Connecticut Paid Leave program.

Additional responsibilities include reviewing rosters with schools and central office departments, preparing excess cost documentation for auditors, and updating/distributing 2025–2026 general ledger summaries. Staff are continuing to process special education invoices, districtwide budget transfers, and journal entries.

Grants

This week, the Grants team submitted the state budget report for the new Early Start grant, which now includes monitoring and invoicing components. The team also filed the final funding request for the previous Homeless Grant, completed the request for the upcoming grant cycle, and finalized the new budget.

Multiple site visits were conducted to review Title I budgets and rosters with school staff in preparation for the new Title I grant submission. This cleanup work includes individual consultations with each school. 

As of September 30, Norwalk Public Schools has officially been awarded a continuation year for the MSAP Grant. 

Purchasing & Accounts Payable

The district is working with the City of Norwalk’s Purchasing Department to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the replacement of band instruments across both high schools and middle schools. A total of $300,000 has been allocated from the capital account to fund this project. A detailed inventory of required instruments has been submitted to support the RFP process.

Additionally, the Accounts Payable team processed 67 invoices, sent out documents for approval, maintained the AP inbox, managed weekly/monthly W.B. Mason and ESS invoices, issued new school purchase orders and followed up on Adobe signature requests.

Capital

In Capital, the team collaborated with the state on a resolution to file an additional project related to a photovoltaic roof system for the South Norwalk school. The goal is to integrate this work into the existing project scope instead of submitting it as a new non-priority project. Regular construction and capital project invoices were also submitted for processing.