BOE Update 1/12/24

BOARD UPDATE
From the desk of Dr. Alexandra Estrella, Superintendent
January 12, 2024

 

Excellence, Equity & Inclusion

Testing & Accountability

We have started our mid-year assessments. This will provide us with data on how well our students are progressing towards this academic year’s targets. On Jan. 8, the winter DIBELS8 benchmark window began. This is a reading assessment for students in grades K-3. The NWEA window opened on Tuesday, Jan. 9. Students in grades K-10 take NWEA math and students in grades 3-10 take reading. Gains in achievement from fall to winter will be measured at the district, school, and grade level. Fall to winter growth will be measured using national norms for all students and for major subgroups. Benchmark results are reviewed by schools to determine progress towards meeting School Improvement Plan goals.  

The NWEA testing window will close on Thursday, Jan. 25.

Review of 2023 Accountability results continue to be provided for school Instructional Leadership Teams and for school staff. Progress by individual indicator is reviewed. These sessions address specific questions which result in a deeper understanding of the system and guide plans for improvement. 

School Quality Review (SQR)

Norwalk Public Schools is in the third year of a process called a School Quality Review (SQR). The School Quality Review process is conducted by the NPS District Education Administrator of School Quality Review, the reviewer. The School Quality Review is a tool for school improvement. Most schools will have a two-day visit; comprehensive high schools will have three-day visits. Ten schools will be receiving their School Quality Review during the 2023-24 school year. The 10 schools receiving an SQR this year received training this spring or fall for principals plus four of their staff members. Each school receives a written report, which is currently in process for a couple of schools with one that has completed the quality assurance process and shared with the school principal and community. 

At this point in the 2023-24 school year, three of ten schools have had their School Quality Review. Wolfpit Integrated Arts Elementary School will have its School Quality Review on Wednesday and Thursday, Jan.17 and 18.

Research & Analytics

Our team delivered an overview of the Portrait of a Graduate initiative at the Student Governance Council Meetings. These sessions allowed participants to actively contribute feedback to the Portrait of a Graduate draft. Additionally, we launched a student survey in collaboration with Hanover Research to gather student feedback on the Portrait of a Graduate and gain insights into students’ perceptions of their sense of belonging at school. We also highlighted the Portrait of a Graduate initiative at the Superintendent’s Student Council, where we engaged with students and gathered feedback.  

In addition to our Portrait of the Graduate work, the data dashboards updates and refining continues, with the goal to train elementary and middle school data leads at the community of practice session next Friday. These dashboards are a tool for schools to have one centralized platform where multiple indicators of student success and school performance are housed, everything from Chronic Absenteeism to Behavioral Data.

 

Communications

Quick Links 

• Ponus Ridge STEAM Academy Named State Finalist for Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Competition 

• BMHS Alum Returns Home for U.S. Marines Reenlistment Ceremony 

Superintendent’s Student Council

We participated in the recent Superintendent’s Student Council and engaged with the students to get a better understanding of the communication needs within the district. 

FY 2024-25 Budget 

Budget season is underway! The Norwalk BOE has approved a tentative operating budget for the district, and further development has moved to the city side. See the list of dates below when the city's Common Council and various committees will be meeting to discuss the budget, hold public hearings, and vote to approve. The dates bolded will be times when it will be best for the public to lend their voice to the process and advocate for what they want the city to allocate for the district. 

Wednesday, Feb. 7 - Planning & Zoning Commission Public Hearing on the FY 2025 Capital Budget 

Thursday, Feb. 8 - City CFO Submits FY 2025 Recommended Operating Budget to CC's Finance & Claims Committee 

Monday, Feb. 12 - City CFO Submits FY 2025 Recommended Operating Budget to Board of Estimate & Taxation 

Tuesday, Feb. 13 - City CFO Submits FY 2025 Recommended Operating Budget to Common Council 

Thursday, Feb. 22 - CC's Finance & Claims Committee Holds Public Hearing on the FY 2025 Operating Budget 

Tuesday, Feb. 27 (or March 5 if necessary) - Common Council establishes FY 2025 Operating Budget Spending Cap 

Wednesday, March 20 - BET Holds Public Hearing on the FY 2025 Operating Budget 

Monday, March 25 - BET Sets Tentative Operating Budget Spending Cap 

Tuesday, April 9 (or April 16 if necessary) - Common Council Sets Final FY 2025 Operating Budget Spending Cap 

Monday, May 6 - BET Approves Final FY 2025 Operating Budget and Tax Levy 

Tuesday, June 18 - Norwalk BOE Votes to Reconcile FY 2025 Operating Budget 

Click here to visit the NPS Budget 2024-25 website which will be updated throughout the budget process with budget information, materials, presentations, FAQs and recordings of meetings. 

Click here for FY 2024-25 Tentative Approved Operating Budget 

Click here for FY 2024-25 Budget in Brief 

 

Tough for a Girl

A new generation of female athletes is taking shape in Norwalk Public Schools - this time on the wrestling mats. National Champion Callie Gilchrist and High School All-American Rylee Donohue are looking to lead that next charge out of Norwalk. 

We are proud to announce that the NPS short documentary film "Tough for a Girl" has been selected to screen at the Norwalk Film Festival next weekend. Directed by J.D. Freda, Digital Media Specialist for NPS Communications, the film will screen during the Connecticut Documentary Shorts session on Saturday, Jan. 20 from 12 to 2 p.m. at the Wall Street Theater. 

Click here to get your tickets!

Portrait of a Graduate 

The Portrait of a Graduate survey closes next Friday, Jan. 19! 

Norwalk Public Schools is developing a Portrait of a Graduate, and YOUR input is crucial. We invite you to share your insights through our quick feedback survey. Let's collaborate to identify the essential skills our students need in order to be future ready.  

Click here to take the survey! 

Click here to learn more about the Portrait of a Graduate initiative. 

 

In Case You Missed It 

Fund for Teachers

Dr. Jeff Beckley of Jefferson Marine Science Elementary School talks about his incredible experiences with Fund for Teachers. (WATCH THE VIDEO)

 

NPS Holiday Concerts

Silvermine closed the holiday season with the final Atrium Holiday Concert at Norwalk City Hall last week. Many of Norwalk Public Schools' choirs, bands, and orchestras performed this winter in schools, at festivals, for City Hall employees, and even at the mall! (WATCH THE VIDEO) 

Click here to watch these wonderful performances!

More NPS Shorts! 

Be sure to watch more of our NPS Shorts (VIDEOS). You will never miss one if you follow us on Instagram @norwalkschoolsct 

Important Dates 

Monday, Jan. 15 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Schools/Central Office Closed) 

Monday, Jan. 29 - Staff Professional Development (2-Hour Early Release) 

 

Upcoming Events 

Martin Luther King Jr. 2024 Observance 

Community Outreach Breakfast 

Monday, Jan. 15 at 8 a.m. 

Norwalk Community College, West Campus in the Cafeteria, 188 Richards Ave. in Norwalk 

The theme of this year's Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Outreach Breakfast is "Heal Your Mind, Shine Your Light." Tickets are $15 per person. To order, call either 203-295-4013 or 203-904-3604. 

 

NPS Student and Staff Program 

Monday, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m. 

Norwalk Community College, PepsiCo Theater on the East Campus, 188 Richards Ave. in Norwalk 

 

The FREE NPS Student and Staff Program will start at 10 a.m. in the PepsiCo Theater on the East Campus. The program will feature guest speaker, Dr. Cynthia Barnett, an award-winning author, speaker, educator and coach, and performances and artwork by NPS students. The Dr. King Service Award will also be presented to high school seniors. 

Click here to learn more about keynote speaker Dr. Cynthia Barnett. 

  

Elementary School Showcase 

Tuesday, Jan. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. 

Cranbury Elementary School, 1 Knowalot Lane in Norwalk 

Interested in a magnet/choice program for your child’s elementary school experience? We invite families to learn more about our 13 elementary schools and speak directly with students, teachers and administrators. 

To learn more about our magnet and neighborhood options and how the lottery works, please visit the Elementary School Choice page on the NPS website. 

 

NPS All-City Strings Festival 

Thursday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. 

Norwalk Concert Hall, 125 East Ave. in Norwalk 

NPS orchestra students in grades 5-12 will perform for the community at the All-City Strings Festival. Come enjoy the music!

 

Curriculum, Instruction & Specialized Learning

Humanities

The Humanities department has been working with middle schools on the rollout and implementation of the new Novel unit. Books chosen by teachers have been arriving at the schools as teachers begin this Literary Essay unit. In high schools, students are working on their midterms and gearing up for the new semester.  

Curriculum writing will begin for social studies K-12 in February. We are looking forward to this work unpacking the new framework and creating the new units of study.  

We will celebrate Read Across America on Friday, March 1st, 2024. The committee will begin planning this major event in the upcoming weeks. Planning has begun for First Book in May.

Mathematics/STEM

The STEM department has been supporting specific schools with mathematics students and instructional goals and their plan for seeing the impact on student achievement and teacher practice. Additionally, we are collaborating with other departments in the organization to prepare for the monthly professional learning for coaches. This month the focus will be on strengthening a few core areas of instructional coaching: partnership principles (how we partner with teachers to support practice), impact cycle (how we support and strengthen in coaching cycles, system support, and strengthening instructional playbooks.  

Last week STEM representatives attended a special session at CES to collaborate and communicate across districts with a specific focus on the middle school Open SciEd instructional units.

Multilingual Learners

The Multilingual Learner Department is excited to host a professional learning station at the upcoming Instructional Coaches’ Meeting on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. We will be engaging our Instructional Coaches on strategies to support students to interact with text.  

The Family Center is gearing up for the upcoming 2024-25 school year registration which will open on Feb. 1, 2024. The Family Center administrators are excited to meet with Norwalk Acts this week to schedule the ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaire) training and to discuss how we will support our incoming Kindergarten students. 

Counseling/Support Services

The School Counseling department has created a school counselors practicum and internship student program that will serve all school counselors who wish to supervise college and university students within their office K – 12. This new program will assist college and university students in their learning experiences and provide extra support in the schools for our school counselors, scholars, and families. EduSolve will be back on the NPS campus for their February site visit which will include a day of walk-throughs for half of our cohort schools and a day of training for all 10 schools in both cohorts.

Workforce Development

Last week, there was a Workforce Development Advising, Orientation and Registration event held for BMHS & CGS scholars in the College Certification program. The Career Hub from the Workplace for career training for Ages 16-24 of out-of-school youth has been shared with the Family Center, Building Leadership, School Counselors, and Social Workers. The Middle School Career Pathway information is being collected from schools and will soon be converted into district-wide data to be reviewed.

Specialized Instruction

This week, special education administrators and building leaders collaborated in full days of learning about the development and implementation of quality IEPs including the planning for cohesion of general and special education teachers and teams to do this work.

Preliminary planning for extended school year services has begun. Special education administrators participated in the Schools Team retreat. The department looks forward to meeting families at the Elementary School Fair on January 30th where a table will be set up for questions and conversation related to specialized learning.

SRBI

The SRBI team presented to families at a parent workshop tomorrow night focusing on Scientific Research-Based Intervention (SRBI).  

The NWEA and Dibels8 testing window is open for middle-of-the-year benchmarks and schools are starting the assessment. We have consulted and reviewed the current literacy tools to see how to support students. We also had an SRBI platform information session at the state level to support staff with the new system.

 

Leadership Development

December Learning Walk 

In December, a team of Central Office staff conducted our second District Learning Walk for the 2023-24 school year. During the Learning Walk, we visited 62 classrooms across 6 schools using the same set of Look Fors. The Look Fors reflect our professional learning priorities for this school year.  

We are thrilled to share that the prevalence of standards-based planning has increased. In October, there was evidence of standards-based instruction in 54% of the classrooms visited. In December, that number rose to 80%! This is a result of professional learning support provided at the district and school levels. Here is our communication we shared with schools regarding the celebrations, area for improvement and our next steps.

Business & Operations

Food Services

The Food Services Department is beginning the new year with good cheer! We have received another grant. Starting in January at our Secondary schools will be able to enjoy hot cocoa while in school. This Hot Chocolate Grant from the New England Dairy council will provide hot cocoa dispenser for our students to enjoy. We will start with West Rocks and Nathan Hale, and then Chartwells will provide the remaining four schools in the next few weeks.

Our Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program will be serving sweet, delicious Pineberries and Zucchini. As always, our students can also enjoy a video from Mrs. Kelly to listen to all the health benefits of these foods. 

 

Learning & Tasting: Pineberries 

Learning & Tasting: Zucchini 

Our FFVP next week will be corn and persimmons.

Facilities

At this time the Cranbury School parking lot, located where the existing building has been completed with punch list items being addressed. All parking has been turned over for use by the school.  

The South Norwalk School project went out to public bid on Dec. 21. Bids are due on January 11 and Jan. 18. The Construction Manager will review the bids and prepare a final Guaranteed Maximum Price agreement for approval in February. 

The NHS/P-TECH project went out to public bid on Nov. 20, with a bid due date of January 4. Specific bid packages have been extended to Jan. 18. The Construction Manager will review the bids and prepare a final Guaranteed Maximum Price agreement for approval in February.

School Safety

The School Safety Team continues to work with MutuaLink, Site Coordinators and our IT department as we move closer to the launch of the MutuaLink Communication System. Site Coordinators have submitted multiple drafts of floorplans with granular details of each building identifying all spaces within the buildings, camera locations and views, as well as door locations and which way the door swings. These floor plans will replace our current floor plans on file associated with Safety and Security. 

We have reductions in our overall infractions data compared to this time last year: 

• Expulsion: -24%  

• OSS: -42%  

• ISS: -24% 

• Total: -30% 

Transportation

We continue to work with Durham on driver shortage. We are negotiating advertising and providing information for state level support. We also have been more communicative with families on bus status. 

Although our on-time arrival dates district wide continue to average 95% daily, we do still have 9 open routes and for these routes service has suffered due to substitute bus drivers being unfamiliar with routes and other issues due to coverage.

Health Services

On Dec. 21, Covid tests were received from the state. Tests were then distributed to school nurses in all schools on Dec. 22 and during winter break. Anyone in the NPS community can get a Covid test for free! 

Norwalk Community Health Center School-Based Health Centers at Ponus/CMS and BMHS are awaiting finalization from the state to begin to provide full clinic services in the buildings. In the meantime, services are being provided on rotating schedule at both sites via mobile medical unit. 

On Jan. 3, we met at the Family Center to initiate structural and architectural planning for a full-service health clinic there.

Grants

The Grants Team has been engaged in supporting the Magnet Schools Assistance Program Grant for P-Tech, Ponus, and Kendall, as they begin to implement programming for year one. Additionally, the team has been focused on supporting the health of our current grant profile, including, but not limited to the Behavioral Health Pilot, FAFSA Challenge, Increasing Educator Diversity, High Dosage Tutoring Grant, and Extended School Hours.  

There are two new competitive grants that we have been awarded, the State Immigration Grant and the Parents Trust Fund Grant. The State Immigration Grant is open to districts who have had an increase in their immigrant population of 2% or more in the 2022-23 year as compared to the average increase of the previous two school years. The funding supports district programing for this population of students and families. Additionally, The Parent Trust Fund Grant is awarded to help elementary parents/guardians develop practical strategies to engage others in the community with dialogue that addresses public policies and civic engagement that will improve schools for all children. We will hear the decisions on both grants by the end of January. 

Digital Learning & Technology

Enterprise Software/Data Application

We have recently run analytics and created a report about each school's usage of district and local-based applications. This analysis has been shared with building administrators.  

We have integrated new titles for specific grades and schools at the start of the year – FRAX, Waterford, and Lectura. A staff-directed Responsible Use Policy will be presented on the ClassLink login page shortly. Staff will accept the "agreement" to keep student data safe.

Infrastructure/Operations

The team has recently upgraded our network equipment in our datacenter at Fire Station #2. This equipment will support the upgrade to the virtual infrastructure we are implementing. We have been refreshing network equipment removed from recently upgraded schools to be used in elementary schools with older/slower equipment. 

Digital Learning

We are excited to have our first mid-year graduation ceremony for 15 of our students attending the Future Ready program. The ceremony will be on Jan. 31.  

Special thanks to Ponus Ridge STEAM for hosting the Norwalk Public School's STEMWAVE 05 Event. This event provided students a chance to explore STEM-related careers and enjoy time with peers from various middle schools.

 

Finance

Payroll

The Payroll Team has been conducting a Teachers HSA Enrollment Audit and Posting, ensuring that all eligible teachers are enrolled in the Health Savings Account program accurately. Additionally, we have been handling the import of new hires into NOVAtime, a system used for time and attendance tracking. This ensures that all new hires are properly registered in the system to accurately track their hours and attendance. 

Furthermore, the team has been addressing rate changes in NOVAtime. As new pay rates have been implemented, they have been updating the system accordingly to reflect these changes for all employees.  

Payroll has been working towards generating the first payroll of the new school year. This involves compiling all necessary data, such as hours worked and applicable rates, and processing it through the payroll system to generate accurate paychecks for employees.

Budget

The team is meeting with the Norwalk High School Digital Media and Communications Academy program to help find funding for the program. In terms of payroll, we continue to process new hires, employee transfers, terminations, and salary adjustments for the start of the school year. The team is also verifying data in payroll against Munis Job/Salary information to ensure accuracy. 

The official 2024-25 Tentative Approved Operating Budget book was printed and is being distributed to intended parties. In addition, we are delighted to deliver the newly created Budget-In-Brief booklet.  

The Budget in Brief is a newly created guide providing a high-level overview of the school budget with a focus on developing the 2024-25 Norwalk Public Schools budget. 

This guide aims to explain how funding has been spent and the impact it has on the Norwalk Public School students’ learning and achievements. It provides an easy format and is intended for a wide cross-section of the community. The goal is to create an understanding of the budget and provide transparency for community members so that they may come together to assist in building the budget with priorities that matter to both the community and students. This guide will enable people to take part in an informed debate about the choices made by their local government. 

There will be many opportunities for the public to attend meetings and either “Listen & Learn” or “Listen & Advocate.”  The schedule of meetings will be posted on the NPS current budget website. Please visit the NPS budget website to stay informed on the budget process. 

Click here for NPS Budget 2024-25 website 

Click here for FY 2024-25 Tentative Approved Operating Budget 

Click here for FY 2024-25 Budget in Brief 

Grants 

The Grants Team is happy to report we have completed the ED114 grant allocation for all grants required by the Connecticut State Department of Education. We are preparing for the Educational Financial System (EFS) Report by pulling grants reports for the Budget Director. Submitted the 2023-24 Minimum Budget Requirement (MBR) form ED012 Worksheet. As well as currently Working on Title I Allocations/GL summaries for all schools.

Purchasing/Accounts Payable

Drafted Procedures and Guidelines manual for Student Activity Accounting. The manual would help to establish consistent controls and procedures for various student activities. A request for proposal was put out for Curriculum & Development consultations specific to English, Language Arts & Math and awarded to TNTP. The scope of work has been reviewed and approved and the contract is under review. 

The Food Service Management Company contract expires on June 30, 2024 so bid preparations are underway. The intricate RFP process kicks off later this month with a half day training meeting chaired by the Bureau of Child Nutrition Programs, Connecticut State Department of Education to review the process and requirements.