February '25 Message from the Superintendent

Dear NPS Community,

Earlier this month, we celebrated an exciting milestone—the 100th day of school! I love seeing our students and teachers dressed as 100-year-olds and all the creative games and activities that make this milestone so much fun. It’s always incredible to see how much our students have grown and learned in just a few months.

We also recently celebrated the 2025 Winter Graduation of students from our Future Ready programs—students who have overcome life’s hurdles to achieve their high school degrees. Their resilience and determination are truly inspiring, and we are incredibly proud of their achievements as they take their next steps into college, careers, or other opportunities.

The school year is moving quickly, and before we know it, our high school seniors will begin receiving their college acceptance letters, and our fifth and eighth graders will start choosing their courses for middle and high school, respectively. These are exciting transitions, and we are here to support our scholars every step of the way as they prepare for the next phase of their educational career.

Later this month, I’m looking forward to celebrating our third annual Black History & Heritage Festival, “Hands That Built the Nation,” which aligns with this year’s national Black History Month theme, “African Americans and Labor.” This special evening will highlight incredible student performances showcasing the significant contributions of Black individuals in the workforce throughout history. We also will honor our local Black business community in Norwalk with a “Black Wall Street” celebration.

I hope you will join us for this meaningful event as we come together to celebrate our beautifully diverse community.

While we take time to celebrate, we must also focus on the important work of planning for the future—especially when it comes to ensuring the resources our schools need to thrive. Recently, we learned that the Mayor has recommended a $450.48 million operating budget for FY 2025-26, which includes a 4% increase for the Norwalk Board of Education budget. However, this is $13.26 million less than what the BOE approved, meaning the board will need to make additional reductions to our initial request. These reductions will inevitably impact essential positions at the school level and have long-term effects on our students and staff.

There are still opportunities over the next two months for the community to advocate for a budget that preserves the Mayor’s recommended increase for the BOE budget while allowing for the possibility of additional funding. We encourage you to make your voice heard by providing public comment at the Common Council meeting on Feb. 25 (or March 4, if necessary) and participating in the Board of Estimate and Taxation Public Hearing on March 26. 

Your engagement is critical as we work to ensure funding that maintains the high-quality education and support services that our students, staff, and families rely on every day.

As we head into Mid-Winter Break, I hope you take time to rest and recharge. And in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I hope we can all find love and compassion for our neighbors and the strength to spread joy and kindness to everyone. Let’s make the dark days of winter a little brighter by lifting each other up and showing appreciation for one another.

Yours In Partnership,
Dr. Alexandra Estrella
Superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools